[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 17, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8001-8004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03084]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Parts 13 and 22

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2015-0155; FF09M21200-167-FXMB123209EAGL0L2]
RIN 1018-BB20


Eagle Permits; Removal of Regulations Extending Maximum Permit 
Duration of Programmatic Nonpurposeful Take Permits

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are issuing 
this final rule to comply with a court order that had the effect of 
vacating provisions of regulations governing eagle nonpurposeful take 
permits that extended the maximum term of programmatic permits to 30 
years. Pursuant to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of 
California's order dated August 11, 2015, and subsequent order amending 
judgment dated September 16, 2015, this rule removes regulatory 
provisions that extended maximum programmatic permit duration1 to 30 
years and reinstates the previous 5-year limit.

DATES: This action is effective February 17, 2016.

ADDRESSES: This final rule is available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2015-0155. It will also be 
available for inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours 
at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Headquarters Office, 5275 Leesburg 
Pike, Falls Church, Virginia 22041-3803. Call (703) 358-2329 to make 
arrangements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eliza Savage, Eagle Program Manager, 
at the Headquarters Office (see ADDRESSES) or telephone (703) 358-2329. 
Individuals who are hearing impaired or speech impaired may call the 
Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8337 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    In 2009, the Service published a rule authorizing the incidental 
take of eagles under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 
U.S.C. 668-668d) (74 FR 46836, September 11, 2009). The rule authorized 
programmatic permits to cover long-term, incidental take of eagles by 
individual projects, including wind-energy facilities. On December 9, 
2013, the Service published a rule to extend the maximum tenure for 
programmatic permits for nonpurposeful take of eagles from 5 to 30 
years (78 FR 73704). The change was intended to promote the responsible 
development of projects that will be in operation for many decades and 
bring them into compliance with statutory mandates protecting eagles. 
In addition to extending the maximum term of programmatic permits, the 
rule added provisions for 5-year evaluations of longer term permits, 
increased the permit application processing fees for programmatic eagle 
permits, and provided permit transfer and right-of-succession for eagle 
nonpurposeful take permits.
    In 2014, a lawsuit was filed challenging the 2013 rule on the basis 
that the Service improperly excluded analysis of any environmental 
effects of the rule under the National

[[Page 8002]]

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) by invoking 
one of the Department's categorical exclusions. The plaintiffs also 
argued that the Service had not adequately consulted under section 7 of 
the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
    On August 11, 2015, the Northern District of California ruled in 
favor of the plaintiffs on the NEPA claim (but not the ESA claim) and 
set aside the 2013 rulemaking (Shearwater v. Ashe, (N. D. Cal. 2015) 
No.14-CV-02830-LHK (N. Dist. Ca, Aug. 11, 2015)). In a subsequent 
order, the judge clarified that the ruling applied only to the 
provisions of the rule challenged by plaintiffs, namely those 
provisions directly related to extending the tenure of eagle incidental 
take permits from 5 to 30 years (Shearwater v. Ashe, No. 5:14-cv-02830 
LHK (Sep. 16, 2015)). Therefore, this rule removes only the provisions 
related to increasing permit tenure and not the other provisions of the 
December 9, 2013, final rule.

Administrative Procedure

    This rulemaking is necessary to comply with the August 11, 2015, 
court order and September 16, 2015, clarification. Therefore, under 
these circumstances, we have determined, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(3)(B), that prior notice and opportunity for public comment are 
impractical and unnecessary. Public opportunity for comment is simply 
not required when an agency amends a regulation to comply with a court 
order. When an agency removes regulatory provisions set aside by a 
court order, that action is ministerial in nature and allows for no 
discretion on the part of the agency. Thus, public comment could not 
inform this process in any meaningful way. Moreover, this amendment 
will effectively reinstate provisions that were part of the earlier 
2009 rulemaking, which complied with public notice and comment 
rulemaking procedures, rendering further notice and comment on those 
reinstated provisions unnecessary. We have further determined, pursuant 
to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), that the agency has good cause to make this rule 
effective upon publication, which is to comply with the District 
Court's order as soon as practicable.

List of Subjects

50 CFR Part 13

    Administrative practice and procedure, Exports, Fish, Imports, 
Plants, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Transportation, 
Wildlife.

50 CFR Part 22

    Birds, Exports, Imports, Migratory birds, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation, Wildlife.

Regulation Promulgation

    To comply with the court order and mandate discussed above, we 
amend subchapter B of chapter I, title 50 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations, as set forth below:

PART 13--GENERAL PERMIT PROCEDURES

0
1. The authority citation for part 13 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 668a, 704, 712, 742j-l, 1374(g), 1382, 
1538(d), 1539, 1540(f), 3374, 4901-4916; 18 U.S.C. 42; 19 U.S.C. 
1202; 31 U.S.C. 9701.


0
2. Revise the table in Sec.  13.11(d)(4) to read as set forth below:


Sec.  13.11  Application procedures.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (4) * * *

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                                                             Permit application   Administration
          Type of permit                 CFR Citation               fee               fee\1\       Amendment fee
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                                            Migratory Bird Treaty Act
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Migratory Bird Import/Export......  50 CFR part 21.......  75...................  ..............  ..............
Migratory Bird Banding or Marking.  50 CFR part 21.......  No fee...............  ..............  ..............
Migratory Bird Scientific           50 CFR part 21.......  100..................  ..............              50
 Collecting.
Migratory Bird Taxidermy..........  50 CFR part 21.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
Waterfowl Sale and Disposal.......  50 CFR part 21.......  75...................  ..............  ..............
Special Canada Goose..............  50 CFR part 21.......  No fee...............  ..............  ..............
Migratory Bird Special Purpose/     50 CFR part 21.......  75...................  ..............  ..............
 Education.
Migratory Bird Special Purpose/     50 CFR part 21.......  75...................  ..............  ..............
 Salvage.
Migratory Bird Special Purpose/     50 CFR part 21.......  75...................  ..............  ..............
 Game Bird Propagation.
Migratory Bird Special Purpose/     50 CFR part 21.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
 Miscellaneous.
Falconry..........................  50 CFR part 21.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
Raptor Propagation................  50 CFR part 21.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
Migratory Bird Rehabilitation.....  50 CFR part 21.......  50...................  ..............  ..............
Migratory Bird Depredation........  50 CFR part 21.......  100..................  ..............              50
Migratory Bird Depredation/         50 CFR part 21.......  50...................  ..............  ..............
 Homeowner.
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                                      Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
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Eagle Scientific Collecting.......  50 CFR part 22.......  100..................  ..............              50
Eagle Exhibition..................  50 CFR part 22.......  75...................  ..............  ..............
Eagle Falconry....................  50 CFR part 22.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
Eagle--Native American Religion...  50 CFR part 22.......  No fee...............  ..............  ..............
Eagle Take permits--Depredation     50 CFR part 22.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
 and Protection of Health and
 Safety.
Golden Eagle Nest Take............  50 CFR part 22.......  100..................  ..............              50
Eagle Transport--Scientific or      50 CFR part 22.......  75...................  ..............  ..............
 Exhibition.
Eagle Transport--Native American    50 CFR part 22.......  No fee...............  ..............  ..............
 Religious Purposes.
Eagle Take--Associated With But     50 CFR part 22.......  500..................  ..............             150
 Not the Purpose of an Activity.
Eagle Take--Associated With But     50 CFR part 22.......  36,000...............           2,600           1,000
 Not the Purpose of an Activity--
 Programmatic, up to 5-year tenure.

[[Page 8003]]

 
Eagle Take--Associated With But     50 CFR part 22.......  1,000................  ..............  ..............
 Not the Purpose of an Activity--
 Transfer of a programmatic permit.
Eagle Nest Take...................  50 CFR part 22.......  500..................  ..............             150
Eagle Nest Take--Programmatic.....  50 CFR part 22.......  1,000................  ..............             500
Eagle Take--Exempted under ESA....  50 CFR part 22.......  No fee...............  ..............  ..............
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                                     Endangered Species Act/CITES/Lacey Act
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ESA Recovery......................  50 CFR part 17.......  100..................  ..............              50
ESA Interstate Commerce...........  50 CFR part 17.......  100..................  ..............              50
ESA Enhancement of Survival (Safe   50 CFR part 17.......  50...................  ..............              25
 Harbor Agreement).
ESA Enhancement of Survival         50 CFR part 17.......  50...................  ..............              25
 (Candidate Conservation Agreement
 with Assurances).
ESA Incidental Take (Habitat        50 CFR part 17.......  100..................  ..............              50
 Conservation Plan).
ESA and CITES Import/Export and     50 CFR part 17.......  100..................  ..............              50
 Foreign Commerce.
ESA and CITES Museum Exchange.....  50 CFR part 17.......  100..................  ..............              50
ESA Captive-bred Wildlife           50 CFR part 17.......  200..................  ..............             100
 Registration.
--Renewal of Captive-bred Wildlife  50 CFR part 17.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
 Registration.
CITES Import (including trophies    50 CFR parts 17, 18,   100..................  ..............              50
 under ESA and MMPA).                23.
CITES Export......................  50 CFR part 23.......  100..................  ..............              50
CITES Pre-Convention..............  50 CFR part 23.......  75...................  ..............              40
CITES Certificate of Origin.......  50 CFR part 23.......  75...................  ..............              40
CITES Re-export...................  50 CFR part 23.......  75...................  ..............              40
CITES Personal Effects and Pet      50 CFR part 23.......  50...................  ..............  ..............
 Export/Re-export.
CITES Appendix II Export (native    50 CFR part 23.......  100..................  ..............              50
 furbearers and alligators--
 excluding live animals).
CITES Master File (includes files   50 CFR part 23.......  200..................  ..............             100
 for artificial propagation,
 biomedical, etc., and covers
 import, export, and re-export
 documents).
--Renewal of CITES Master File....  50 CFR part 23.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
--Single-use permits issued on      50 CFR part 23.......  5 \2\................  ..............  ..............
 Master File.
CITES Annual Program File.........  50 CFR part 23.......  50...................  ..............  ..............
--Single-use permits issued under   50 CFR part 23.......  5 \2\................  ..............  ..............
 Annual Program.
CITES replacement documents (lost,  50 CFR part 23.......  50...................  ..............              50
 stolen, or damaged documents).
CITES Passport for Traveling        50 CFR part 23.......  75 \3\...............  ..............  ..............
 Exhibitions and Pets.
CITES/ESA Passport for Traveling    50 CFR part 23.......  100 \3\..............  ..............  ..............
 Exhibitions.
CITES Introduction from the Sea...  50 CFR part 23.......  100..................  ..............              50
CITES Participation in the Plant    50 CFR part 23.......  No fee...............  ..............  ..............
 Rescue Center Program.
CITES Registration of Commercial    50 CFR part 23.......  100..................  ..............  ..............
 Breeding Operations for Appendix-
 I Wildlife.
CITES Request for Approval of an    50 CFR part 23.......  No fee...............  ..............  ..............
 Export Program for a State or
 Tribe (American Ginseng, Certain
 Furbearers, and American
 Alligator).
Import/Export License.............  50 CFR part 14.......  100..................  ..............              50
Designated Port Exception.........  50 CFR part 14.......  100..................  ..............              50
Injurious Wildlife Permit.........  50 CFR part 16.......  100..................  ..............              50
--Transport Authorization for       50 CFR part 16.......  25...................  ..............  ..............
 Injurious Wildlife.
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                                        Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA)
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Personal Pet Import...............  50 CFR part 15.......  50...................  ..............  ..............
WBCA Scientific Research,           50 CFR part 15.......  100..................  ..............              50
 Zoological Breeding or Display,
 Cooperative Breeding.
WBCA Approval of Cooperative        50 CFR part 15.......  200..................  ..............             100
 Breeding Program.
--Renewal of a WBCA Cooperative     50 CFR part 15.......  50...................  ..............  ..............
 Breeding Program.
WBCA Approval of a Foreign          50 CFR part 15.......  250 \4\..............  ..............  ..............
 Breeding Facility.
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                                          Marine Mammal Protection Act
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marine Mammal Public Display......  50 CFR part 18.......  300..................  ..............             150
Marine Mammal Scientific Research/  50 CFR part 18.......  150..................  ..............              75
 Enhancement/Registered Agent or
 Tannery.
--Renewal of Marine Mammal          50 CFR part 18.......  75...................  ..............  ..............
 Scientific Research/Enhancement/
 Registered Agent or Tannery.
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\1\ Assessed when a permit is issued.
\2\ Each.
\3\ Per animal.
\4\ Per species.


[[Page 8004]]

* * * * *

PART 22--EAGLE PERMITS

0
3. The authority citation for part 22 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 668-668d; 16 U.S.C. 703-712; 16 U.S.C. 
1531-1544.


0
4. Amend Sec.  22.26 as follows:
0
a. By removing paragraph (h);
0
b. By redesignating paragraphs (i) and (j) as paragraphs (h) and (i); 
and
0
c. By revising the newly designated paragraph (h) to read as set forth 
below:


Sec.  22.26  Permits for eagle take that is associated with, but not 
the purpose of, an activity.

* * * * *
    (h) Permit duration. The duration of each permit issued under this 
section will be designated on its face, and will be based on the 
duration of the proposed activities, the period of time for which take 
will occur, the level of impacts to eagles, and mitigation measures, 
but will not exceed 5 years.
* * * * *

    Dated: February 2, 2016.
Karen Hyun,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and 
Parks.
[FR Doc. 2016-03084 Filed 2-16-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P