[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 52868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24444]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

36 CFR Part 13

[NPS-AKRO-23925; PPAKAKROZ5, PPMPRLE1Y.L00000]


Alaska; Hunting and Trapping in National Preserves

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Regulatory review.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) intends to initiate a 
rulemaking process that will consider changes to regulations applicable 
to Alaska that were promulgated in October 2015.

DATES: November 15, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The final rule that is the subject of this announcement may 
be found at www.regulations.gov in Docket No. NPS-2014-0004-2632.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andee Sears, Regional Law Enforcement 
Specialist, Alaska Regional Office, 240 West 5th Ave., Anchorage, AK 
99501. Phone (907) 644-3410. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 23, 2015, the NPS published a 
final rule (Final Rule) to amend its regulations for sport hunting and 
trapping in national preserves in Alaska (80 FR 65325). The Final Rule 
provided that the NPS does not adopt State of Alaska management actions 
or laws or regulations that authorize taking of wildlife, which are 
related to predator reduction efforts (as defined in the Final Rule). 
The Final Rule affirmed current State prohibitions on harvest practices 
by adopting them as federal regulation. The Final Rule also changed 
procedures for closing an area or restricting an activity in NPS areas 
in Alaska; updated obsolete subsistence regulations; prohibited 
obstructing persons engaged in lawful hunting or trapping; and 
authorized the use of native species as bait for fishing. Pursuant to 
the Congressional Review Act (CRA), the NPS submitted copies of the 
final rule to Congress on October 16, 2015. A joint resolution of 
disapproval was not filed by Congress within the time periods specified 
by the CRA. The Final Rule became effective on November 23, 2015.
    The NPS intends to initiate a rulemaking process that will consider 
changes to the provisions in the Final Rule that were codified in 36 
CFR part 13. Throughout this process, the NPS will consider the purpose 
of Secretarial Order 3347 (``Conservation Stewardship and Outdoor 
Recreation'') to advance conservation stewardship and increase outdoor 
recreation opportunities, including hunting and fishing, for all 
Americans. The NPS will also identify ways to improve recreational 
hunting and fishing cooperation, consultation, and communication with 
State of Alaska wildlife managers. The NPS will comply with all 
applicable laws governing the rulemaking process, including the 
requirement to provide an opportunity for public comment on any 
proposed regulatory changes under 5 U.S.C. 553. The NPS is not 
accepting comments on this announcement. The public will have an 
opportunity to comment when a proposed rule is published in the Federal 
Register.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 3124; 54 U.S.C. 100101, 100751, 320102; 
Sec. 13.1204 also issued under Sec. 1035, Pub. L. 104-333, 110 Stat. 
4240.

Jason Larrabee,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2017-24444 Filed 11-14-17; 8:45 am]
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