[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 6, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 31268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10909]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Parts 21 and 22

RINs 1018-AG11 and 1018-AT60


Migratory Bird Permits; Changes in the Regulations Governing 
Falconry and Raptor Propagation; Final Environmental Assessment on Take 
of Raptors From the Wild for Falconry and Raptor Propagation

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
availability of a Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) evaluating the 
take of raptors from the wild for use in falconry and in raptor 
propagation, and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for take of 
raptors for those purposes. We have prepared the FEA and the FONSI as 
part of the process we must follow to finalize two rules under the 
National Environmental Policy Act.

ADDRESSES: The documents are available from the Division of Migratory 
Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax 
Drive, Mail Stop 4107, Arlington, Virginia 22203-1610. They also are 
available on the Division of Migratory Bird Management Web pages at 
http://migratorybirds.fws.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. George T. Allen, Division of 
Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at 703-358-
1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the draft Environmental Assessment, we 
considered three alternatives for amending the falconry and raptor 
propagation regulations. In particular, at the request of the 
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, we considered elimination of 
the federal/state falconry permitting system and replacing it with a 
state permitting system operating within a prescribed federal 
framework.
    We received 313 electronic or written comment letters on the draft 
Environmental Assessment. We modified the Draft Environmental 
Assessment to respond to concerns expressed by agencies, organizations, 
and individuals.
    Having reviewed the comments on the draft, our proposed action is 
to establish national take levels of concern for take of raptor species 
based on the published data for, and biology of, each species; to 
eliminate the federal permitting for falconry, but to leave the current 
captive propagation federal permitting program in place. Based on this 
assessment, I have signed the Finding of No Significant Impact for take 
of raptors from the wild for use in falconry and in raptor propagation.

    Dated: May 25, 2007.
Todd Willens,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
 [FR Doc. E7-10909 Filed 6-5-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P