[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12211-12217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04789]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket Nos. FWS-HQ-ES-2025-1463 (OMB Control Number 1018-0095), FWS-
HQ-ES-2025-1464 (OMB Control Number 1018-0197), and FWS-HQ-ES-2025-1465
(OMB Control Number 1018-0199); FXES11130900000-267-FF09E32000,
FXES11130600000-267-FF06E00000, and FXES11130100000-267-FF01E00000]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife, Experimental Populations
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew
three information collections without change.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
May 11, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request
(ICR) by one of the following methods (please reference the
corresponding Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number
listed below in the subject line of your comments for the appropriate
docket):
Internet (preferred): https://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments on any of the following Docket
Numbers:
--FWS--HQ--ES--2025-1463 (OMB Control Number 1018-0095, Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife, Experimental Populations, 50 CFR 17.84),
--FWS--HQ--ES--2025--1464 (OMB Control Number 1018-0197, Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife, Experimental Populations--Colorado Gray Wolf, 50
CFR 17.84), and/or
--FWS--HQ--ES--2025--1465 (OMB Control Number 1018-0199, Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife, Experimental Populations--Grizzly Bear, 50 CFR
17.84).
U.S. mail: Service Information Collection Clearance
Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB
(JAO/3W), Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at [email protected], or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503. Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay
services offered within their country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA; 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and its implementing regulations at 5
CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require approval under
the PRA. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public
understand our information collection requirements and
[[Page 12212]]
provide the requested data in the desired format.
We are especially interested in public comment addressing the
following:
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection
of information, including the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of response.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Renewal, Without Change, of OMB Control No. 1018-0095
Title of Collection: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife,
Experimental Populations, 50 CFR 17.84.
Form Numbers: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and households, private
sector, and State/local/Tribal governments.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
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Annual number Completion
Requirement of Total annual time per Total annual
respondents responses response burden hours *
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Notification--General Take or Removal
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Individuals..................................... 12 12 30 6
Private Sector.................................. 7 7 30 4
Government...................................... 29 29 30 15
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Notification--Depredation-Related Take
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Individuals..................................... 25 25 30 13
Private Sector.................................. 2 2 30 1
Government...................................... 9 9 30 5
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Notification--Specimen Collection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals..................................... 3 3 30 2
Private Sector.................................. 2 2 30 1
Government...................................... 16 16 30 8
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Totals...................................... 105 105 .............. 55
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* Rounded.
Abstract: Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), authorizes the Secretary of the
Interior to establish experimental populations of endangered or
threatened species. Because the ESA protects individuals of
experimental populations, the information we collect is important for
monitoring the success of reintroduction and recovery efforts. This is
a nonform collection (meaning there is no designated form associated
with this collection). Regulations at 50 CFR 17.84 contain information
collection requirements for experimental populations of vertebrate
endangered and threatened species. These regulations identify and
describe the three categories of information we collect, which include:
1. General take or removal. ``Take'' is defined by the ESA as
``[to] harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture,
or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.'' In this
information collection, take most commonly is considered to be in the
form of human-related mortality, including:
a. Unintentional taking incidental to otherwise lawful activities
(e.g., highway mortalities);
b. Animal husbandry actions authorized to manage the population
(e.g., translocation or providing aid to sick, injured, or orphaned
individuals);
c. Take in defense of human life;
d. Take related to defense of property (if authorized); or
e. Take in the form of authorized harassment.
2. Depredation-related take. Involves take for management purposes
of documented livestock depredation, and may include authorized
harassment or authorized lethal take of experimental population animals
in the act of attacking livestock. See 50 CFR 17.84 for specific
provisions of harassment for each species within this section.
The information that we collect includes:
a. Name, address, and phone number of reporting party,
b. Species involved,
c. Type of incident,
d. Quantity of take,
e. Location and time of the reported incident, and
f. Description of the circumstances related to the incident.
3. Specimen collection, recovery, or reporting of dead individuals.
This information documents incidental or authorized scientific
collection. Most of the information collected addresses the reporting
of sightings of experimental population animals or the inadvertent
[[Page 12213]]
discovery of an injured or dead individual.
Service recovery specialists use this information to determine the
success of reintroductions in relation to established recovery plan
goals for the experimental populations of vertebrate endangered and
threatened species involved. In addition, this information helps us to
assess the effectiveness of control activities in order to develop
better means to reduce problems with livestock for those species where
depredation is a problem.
Renewal, Without Change, of OMB Control No. 1018-0197
Title of Collection: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife,
Experimental Populations--Colorado Gray Wolf (50 CFR 17.84).
Form Numbers: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals; private sector; and
State/local/Tribal governments.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Annually for annual report and on occasion
for other requirements.
Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: None.
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Number of Number of
Requirement annual annual Total annual Average completion time Total annual
respondents responses each responses burden hours
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Appointment of Designated Agent
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Individuals.............................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
Private Sector........................... 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
State/Local/Tribal Gov't................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
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Request for Written Take Authorization
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Individuals.............................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
Private Sector........................... 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
State/Local/Tribal Gov't................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
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Request for ``Shoot-on-Sight'' Written Take Authorization
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Individuals.............................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
Private Sector........................... 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
State/Local/Tribal Gov't................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
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Reporting Requirement--Lethal Take
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Individuals.............................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
Private Sector........................... 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
State/Local/Tribal Gov't................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
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Reporting Requirement--Opportunistic or Intentional Harassment
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Individuals.............................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
Private Sector........................... 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
State/Local/Tribal Gov't................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
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Reporting Requirement--Captivity for Care or to be Euthanized
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Individuals.............................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
Private Sector........................... 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
State/Local/Tribal Gov't................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
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[[Page 12214]]
Annual Report
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Individuals.............................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
Private Sector........................... 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
State/Local/Tribal Gov't................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
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Notification--Recovery or Reporting of Dead Specimen and Specimen Collection
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Individuals.............................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
Private Sector........................... 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
State/Local/Tribal Gov't................. 1 1 1 30 min (reporting), 30 min (recordkeeping)... 1
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Total................................ 24 .............. 24 ............................................. 24
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Abstract: Experimental populations established under section 10(j)
of the Act, as amended, require information collection and reporting to
the Service. We collect information on the gray wolf nonessential
experimental population (NEP) to help further the recovery of the
species and to assess the success of the reintroduced populations.
There are no forms associated with this information collection. The
respondents notify us when an incident occurs, so there is no set
frequency for collecting the information. Other Federal agencies
provide us with the vast majority of the information on experimental
populations under cooperative agreements for the conduct of the
recovery programs. However, the public also provides some information
to us. The information collection requirements identified below require
approval by OMB:
1. Appointment of designated agent--A designated agent is an
employee of a Federal, State, or Tribal agency that is authorized or
directed by the Service to conduct gray wolf management. A prospective
designated agent submits a letter to the Service requesting designated
agent status. The letter includes a proposal for the work to be
completed, a list of individuals that may perform the work, and a
resume (or similar) demonstrating qualifications of each individual to
competently perform the work. The Service then responds to the
requester with a letter authorizing them to complete the work.
2. Request for written take authorization--After receiving
confirmation of wolf activity on private land, on a public land grazing
allotment, or on a Tribal reservation, we or the designated agent may
issue written take authorization valid for not longer than 1 year, with
appropriate conditions, to any landowner or public land permittee to
intentionally harass wolves. The harassment must occur in the area and
under the conditions as specifically identified in the written take
authorization.
3. Request for ``repeatedly depredating wolf or wolves'' written
take authorization--The Service or designated agent may issue a
``repeatedly depredating wolf or wolves'' written take authorization of
limited duration (45 days or fewer) to a landowner or their employees,
or to a public land grazing permittee, to take up to a specified (by
the Service or our designated agent) number of wolves.
4. Reporting requirements--Except as otherwise specified in this
rule or in an authorization, any take of a gray wolf must be reported
to the Service, or our designated agent as follows (additional
reasonable time will be allowed if access to the site is limited):
a. Lethal take must be reported within 24 hours. We will allow
additional reasonable time if access to the site is limited.
b. Opportunistic or intentional harassment must be reported within
7 days.
c. Gray wolves taken into captivity for care or to be euthanized
must be reported to the Service within 24 hours, or as soon as
reasonably appropriate.
5. Annual report--To evaluate progress toward achieving State
downlisting and delisting criteria, Colorado Parks and Wildlife
summarizes monitoring information in an annual report. The report, due
by June 30 of each year, will describe wolf conservation and management
activities that occurred in Colorado for as long as the gray wolf is
federally listed during any portion of a calendar or biological year.
The annual report includes, but is not limited to:
a. post-release wolf movements and behavior;
b. wolf minimum counts or abundance estimates;
c. reproductive success and recruitment;
d. territory use and distribution;
e. cause-specific wolf mortalities; and
f. a summary of wolf conflicts and associated management activities
to minimize wolf conflict risk.
6. Recovery or reporting of dead individuals and specimen
collection from experimental populations--This type of information is
for the purpose of documenting incidental or authorized scientific
collection. Specimens are to be retained or disposed of only in
accordance with directions from the Service. Most of the contacts with
the public deal primarily with the reporting of sightings of
experimental population animals, or the inadvertent discovery of an
injured or dead individual.
7. Proposal--Take of Gray wolves on Tribal Lands--The exception to
allow take of gray wolves that are contributing to unacceptable impacts
to wild ungulate population or herds on Tribal land requires Tribes to
develop a science-based proposal that must, at a minimum, include the
following information:
a. The basis of ungulate population or herd management objectives;
b. Data indicating that the ungulate herd is below management
objectives;
c. Data indicating that wolves are a major cause of the
unacceptable impact to the ungulate population;
[[Page 12215]]
d. Why wolf removal is a warranted solution to help restore the
ungulate herd to management objectives;
e. The level and duration of wolf removal being proposed;
f. How ungulate population response to wolf removal will be
measured and control actions adjusted for effectiveness; and
g. Demonstration that attempts were and are being made to address
other identified major causes of ungulate herd or population declines
or of Tribal government commitment to implement possible remedies or
conservation measures in addition to wolf removal. The proposal must be
subjected to both public and peer review prior to it being finalized
and submitted to the Service for review. At least three independent
peer reviewers with relevant expertise in the subject matter that are
not staff of the Tribe submitting the proposal must review the
proposal. Upon Service review, and before wolf removals can be
authorized, the Service will evaluate the information provided by the
requesting Tribe and provide a written determination to the requesting
Tribal game and fish agency on whether such actions are scientifically
based and warranted.
The Service uses the information described above to assess the
effectiveness of control activities and develop means to reduce
problems with livestock where depredation is a problem. Service
recovery specialists use the information to determine the success of
reintroductions in relation to established recovery plan goals for the
species involved.
Renewal, Without Change, of OMB Control No. 1018-0199
Title of Collection: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife,
Experimental Populations--Grizzly Bear (50 CFR 17.84).
Form Numbers: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals; private sector; and
State/Tribal governments.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Annually for annual report and on occasion
for other requirements.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
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Number of Number of
Requirement annual annual Total annual Average Total annual
respondents responses each responses completion time burden hours
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Notification--Lethal Take
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Individuals................... 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
Private Sector................ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
State/Tribal Gov't............ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
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Notification--Nonlethal Take
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Individuals................... 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
Private Sector................ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
State/Tribal Gov't............ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notification--Recovery or Reporting of Dead Specimen and Specimen Collection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals................... 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
Private Sector................ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
State/Tribal Gov't............ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
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Memorandums of Understanding--Relocation of Bears
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State/Tribal Gov't............ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
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Memorandums of Understanding--Removal of Grizzly Bears
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State/Tribal Gov't............ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
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Written Authorization--Conditioned Lethal Take
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals................... 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
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Obtaining Landowner/Land Management Entity Authorization
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals................... 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
Private Sector................ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
[[Page 12216]]
State/Tribal Gov't............ 1 1 1 30 min 1
(reporting).
30 min
(recordkeeping).
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Total..................... 15 .............. 15 ................ 15
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Abstract: Experimental populations established under section 10(j)
of the Act, as amended, require information collection and reporting to
the Service. The Service would collect information on the grizzly bear
NEP to help further the recovery of the species and to assess the
success of the reintroduced populations. There are no forms associated
with this information collection. The respondents would notify the
Service when an incident occurs, so there would be no set frequency for
collecting the information. Federal, State, and participating Tribal
agencies would provide the Service with the vast majority of the
information on grizzly bears within the NEP. However, the public also
would provide some information to the Service. The information
collection requirements identified below require approval by OMB:
1. Reporting Requirements--The respondents would notify the Service
when an incident occurs and annually report the number of grizzly bears
relocated and removed. The State and other Federal agencies would
provide the Service with the vast majority of the information on
experimental populations under interagency agreements for the conduct
of the recovery programs. However, the public also would provide some
information to the Service. Reporting parties would include, but would
not be limited to, individuals or households, businesses, farms,
nonprofit organizations, and State/Tribal governments. The Service
would collect the information by means of telephone calls or emails
from the public to Service offices specified in the individual
regulations. Standard information collected would include:
a. Name, address, and phone number of reporting party.
b. Species involved.
c. Type of incident.
d. Take (quantity).
e. Location and time of reported incident.
f. Description of the circumstances related to the incident. Some
of these contacts would be necessary follow-up reports under where the
Service has authorized lethal take of experimental animals (e.g.,
livestock depredation). The Service would collect information in three
categories:
i. Lethal take must be reported by individuals within 24 hours to
the Service's Ecological Services point of contact in the final rule
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Establishment of a
Nonessential Experimental Population of Grizzly Bear in the North
Cascades Ecosystem, Washington State (May 3, 2024, 89 FR 36982). Lethal
take must be reported by a Federal, State, or Tribal authority of an
authorized agency within 24 hours by following the reporting
instructions as described in the authorized agency's MOU.
ii. Nonlethal take that results in injury by an individual must be
reported within 5 days to the Service's Ecological Services point of
contact as specified above. Nonlethal take that results in injury by a
Federal, State, or Tribal authority of an authorized agency must be
reported within 5 days by following the reporting instructions as
described in the authorized agency's MOU. Incidental take that results
from indirect activities such as incidental take in the form of harm
resulting from habitat modification does not need to be reported.
iii. Recovery or reporting of dead individuals and specimen
collection from experimental populations. This type of information is
for the purpose of documenting incidental or authorized scientific
collection. Most of the contacts with the public would deal primarily
with the reporting of sightings of experimental population animals, or
the inadvertent discovery of an injured or dead individual.
2. Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs)--The Service would enter
into MOUs with Federal, State, or Tribal agencies to authorize grizzly
bear management consistent with the final rule. The Service does not
expect to enter into MOUs with local governments or authorities. The
Service would collect information in two general categories from the
relevant agencies in relation to these MOUs:
a. Relocation of bears. With prior approval from the Service, a
Federal, State, or Tribal authority may live-capture any grizzly bear
occurring in the NEP area and transport and release in a remote
location agreed to by the Service, the Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife, and the applicable land-managing agency.
b. Removal of grizzly bears involved in conflict. Authorized
Service, Federal, State, or Tribal authorities may lethally take a
grizzly bear in the NEP area with prior approval from the Service if
the Service or an authorized agency determines it is not reasonably
possible to otherwise eliminate the threat by nonlethal deterrence or
live-capturing and releasing the grizzly bear unharmed, and if the
taking is done in a humane manner. Grizzly bears may be taken in self-
defense or in defense of other persons, based on a good-faith belief
that the actions taken were to protect the person from bodily harm.
3. Written Authorization--conditioned lethal take--With prior
written agreement from the Service, individuals may lethally take a
grizzly bear within 200 yards (183 meters) of legally present livestock
in Management Areas B and C if a depredation has been confirmed by the
Service or an authorized agency and it has been determined that it is
not reasonably possible to eliminate the threat through nonlethal
deterrence or live-capturing and releasing the grizzly bear unharmed.
Additionally, the Service may issue written authorization to an
individual to kill a grizzly bear in Management Area C if the Service
or an authorized agency identifies the grizzly bear as an ongoing
threat to human safety, livestock, or other property (e.g., compost,
chickens, beehives), and it is not reasonably possible to eliminate the
threat through nonlethal deterrence or live-capturing and releasing the
grizzly bear unharmed.
4. Recovery or reporting of dead individuals and specimen
collection from experimental populations--This type of information
would be for the purpose of documenting incidental or authorized
scientific collection and surrender of grizzly bear carcasses as the
result of lethal take. Most of the contacts with the public primarily
would be with the reporting of sightings of experimental population
animals, or the
[[Page 12217]]
inadvertent discovery of an injured or dead individual.
5. Obtaining Landowner/Land Management Entity Authorization--
Individuals requesting the written authorizations mentioned above must
also obtain or confirm authorization from the landowner or land
management entity, where appropriate.
The Service would use the information described above to document
the locations of reintroduced animals, determine causes of mortality
and conflict with human activities so that Service managers could
minimize conflicts with people, and improve management techniques for
reintroduction. The information would help the Service assess the
effectiveness of management activities and develop means to reduce
problems with livestock for those species where depredation is a
problem. Service recovery specialists would use the information to
determine the success of reintroductions in relation to established
recovery plan goals for the species.
The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-04789 Filed 3-11-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P