[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 29, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15798-15799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6159]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 15

RIN 1018-AH89


Importation of Exotic Wild Birds Into the United States; Notice 
of Reopening of Comment Period on the Proposed Rule To Add Blue-Fronted 
Amazon Parrots From Argentina's Sustainable-Use Management Plan to the 
Approved List of Non-Captive-Bred Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), give notice that 
we are reopening the comment period on the proposed rule to add blue-
fronted amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva) from Argentina's sustainable-
use management plan to the approved list of non-captive-bred (wild-
caught) species under the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (WBCA). We 
are reopening the public comment period to enter into the record Dr. 
Jorge Rabinovich's 2004 study, ``Modeling the Sustainable Use of the 
Blue-Fronted Parrot (Amazona aestiva) in the Dry Chaco Region of

[[Page 15799]]

Argentina,'' and to accept comments related to the relationship of this 
study to the proposed addition of blue-fronted amazon parrots from 
Argentina's program to the approved list of non-captive-bred (wild-
caught) species under the WBCA. We invite all interested parties to 
submit comments on this study as it relates to the proposed action. 
Comments previously submitted on this proposed action need not be 
resubmitted as they have already been incorporated into the public 
record and will be fully considered in any final decision.

DATES: We will accept comments until April 28, 2005. We will consider 
any comments received by that date in the final decision on the 
proposal.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments and 
materials by any one of several methods:
    1. You may submit written comments and information to Dr. Peter O. 
Thomas, Chief, Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 700, Arlington, Virginia 22203.
    2. You may hand-deliver written comments and information to the 
Division of Management Authority, at the above address, or fax your 
comments to 703/358-2298.
    3. You may send your comments by electronic mail (e-mail) to 
[email protected]. Please submit e-mail comments as an ASCII file, 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Please also include ``Attention: [blue-fronted amazon]'' and your name 
and return address in your message. Please note that the e-mail 
address, [email protected], will be closed out at the end of the public 
comment period.
    4. We request that you not submit duplicate comments by multiple 
means. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for comment procedures.
    To obtain a copy of the aforementioned study, you can download or 
print it from http://international.fws.gov or contact Anne St. John at 
703/358-2095 (phone) or 703/358-2298 (facsimile) to receive a faxed or 
mailed copy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Peter O. Thomas, Chief, Division 
of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; telephone 703/
358-2093; fax 703/358-2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The blue-fronted amazon parrot ranges from northeastern Brazil 
south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. It feeds on fruits and seeds 
of a wide variety of plants and inhabits a variety of wooded habitats, 
ranging from subtropical forests to chaco scrub, savanna, and gallery 
forest. It is closely tied to old-growth areas with large trees that 
provide nest cavities. The species was included in CITES Appendix II in 
1981 when the Order Psittaciformes was listed.
    The WBCA limits or prohibits import into the United States of 
exotic bird species to ensure that their wild populations are not 
harmed by international trade. It also encourages wild bird 
conservation programs in countries of origin by ensuring that all 
imports of such species are biologically sustainable and not 
detrimental to the survival of the species. On November 16, 1993, we 
published a final rule in the Federal Register (58 FR 60536) in which 
we informed the public that imports of all CITES-listed birds (as 
defined in the final rule) were prohibited, except for (a) species 
included in an approved list; (b) specimens for which an import permit 
has been issued; (c) species from countries that have approved 
sustainable-use management plans for those species; or (d) specimens 
from approved foreign captive-breeding facilities.
    On August 6, 2003, we published in the Federal Register (68 FR 
46559) a rule proposing to approve a sustainable-use management plan 
developed by the CITES Management Authority of Argentina for blue-
fronted amazon parrots under the WBCA. The rule proposed to add blue-
fronted amazon parrots from Argentina's program to the approved list of 
non-captive-bred (wild-caught) species contained in 50 CFR 15.33(b). 
The public comment period on this proposed rule was open for 60 days, 
and in our final rule, we will address the comments we received. The 
purpose of reopening the comment period through the date specified in 
DATES above is to enter into the record Dr. Jorge Rabinovich's 2004 
study, ``Modeling the Sustainable Use of the Blue-Fronted Parrot 
(Amazona aestiva) in the Dry Chaco Region of Argentina,'' and any 
comments we receive regarding the relationship of this study to the 
proposed addition of blue-fronted amazon parrots from Argentina's 
program to the approved list of non-captive-bred (wild-caught) species 
under the WBCA.

Public Comments Solicited

    We request comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned 
governmental agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other 
interested party concerning this study and its relationship to the 
proposed rule. In making a final decision, we will take into 
consideration the comments we received and their relationship to the 
proposed action. Such communications may lead to a final determination 
that differs from the proposed rule.
    The previous comment period on this proposed rule closed on October 
6, 2003. To allow all interested parties time to submit their comments 
for the record, we are reopening the comment period until the date 
specified above in DATES.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address from the rulemaking record, which we will honor to 
the extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which 
we would withhold from the rulemaking record a respondent's identity, 
as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or 
address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your 
comment. However, we will not consider anonymous comments. We will make 
all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety. 
Comments and materials received will be available for public 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above 
address.

References Cited

Rabinovich, Jorge. 2004. Unpublished report. Centro de Estudios 
Parasitol[oacute]gicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE), Universidad Nacional 
de La Plata, La Plata, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina. 147 pp. 
with figures.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Anne St. John (see ADDRESSES 
section).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 
1992 (Pub. L. 102-440, 16 U.S.C. 4901-4916.).

    Dated: March 17, 2005.
Craig Manson,
Assistant Secretary--Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 05-6159 Filed 3-28-05; 8:45 am]
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