[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29295-29296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11057]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R6-ES-2016-N060]; [FXES11130900000C6-123-FF09E30000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Workshop To Review
the Habitat-Based Recovery Criteria for the Grizzly Bear in the
Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public workshop.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service hereby gives notice that a
public workshop will be held to review the habitat-based recovery
criteria for the grizzly bear in the Northern Continental Divide
Ecosystem (NCDE). The workshop will allow scientists and other
interested parties the opportunity to submit oral or written comments.
DATES: The public workshop will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6
p.m. to 8 p.m. on July 7, 2016.
ADDRESSES: The public workshop will be held at the Double Tree Hotel,
100 Madison Street, Missoula, Montana 59812. Comment and materials
concerning the workshop should be sent to the Grizzly Bear Recovery
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University Hall, Room 309,
Missoula, MT 59812. Comments and materials received will be available
for inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
Service Grizzly Bear Recovery Office address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Grizzly Bear Recovery Office (see
ADDRESSES), at 406-243-4903 (phone) or 406-329-3212 (fax).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Fish and Wildlife Service hereby gives
notice that a public workshop will be held to review the habitat-based
recovery criteria for the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) in the
Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE). The workshop will allow
scientists and other interested parties the opportunity to submit oral
or written comments.
Background
The grizzly bear is listed as a threatened species in the 48
contiguous States. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires the development of recovery plans for
listed species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of
a particular species. A revised Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan was approved
by the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) on September 10, 1993. The
1993 Recovery Plan identifies distinct Recovery Zones and unique
recovery criteria for six different grizzly bear populations, including
the NCDE, with the intent that these individual populations would be
delisted as they each achieve recovery (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1993, pp. ii, 33-34). One important component of recovery plans is the
inclusion of objective, measurable recovery criteria. The habitat-based
recovery criteria will be developed in part by taking into account the
oral and written comments received at the habitat-based recovery
criteria workshop and written comments received. The final habitat-
based recovery criteria will be appended to the 1993 Grizzly Bear
Recovery Plan for the NCDE and incorporated into the NCDE Grizzly Bear
Conservation Strategy. The Recovery Plan sets out guidance for the
Service, States, and other partners on methods to minimize threats to
grizzly bears and criteria that may be used to measure if recovery has
been achieved while the Conservation Strategy is the guide to post-
delisting management.
The Service will hold a public workshop seeking input and ideas on
objective, measurable habitat-based recovery criteria in the Draft NCDE
Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2013, available online at http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/es/grizzlyBear.php), and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
NCDE National Forests (USDA Forest Service 2016, available online at
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/flathead/home/?cid=stelprdb5422786&width=full). We
[[Page 29296]]
seek ideas and information about characteristics of habitat necessary
to support a recovered population of grizzly bears and habitat
parameters that can be measured and directly related to grizzly bear
population health. At the workshop, the Service also wants to obtain
information and comments on methods for monitoring the habitat-based
recovery criteria. Emphasis of this workshop will be on the habitat
needs of the NCDE grizzly bear population.
The Service seeks the input of scientists, the public, and
interested organizations at the workshop. The workshop will be held in
Missoula, Montana, on July 7, 2016 (see ADDRESSES). The workshop will
be held from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., with one break (see DATES). Participants
are invited to present information in oral and written form. All
comments presented orally should also be submitted in writing to
facilitate review of these comments. Those wishing to present
information or comments orally at the workshop are asked to contact the
Grizzly Bear Recovery Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) so
that scheduling of oral presentations can be arranged in advance.
Anyone wishing to provide information or comments, but unable to attend
the workshop, should send the information or comments to the Grizzly
Bear Recovery Office (see ADDRESSES) within 15 calendar days of the
workshop. All information and comments previously or subsequently
received within the applicable submission period will be considered
during the development of the habitat-based recovery criteria.
Public Availability of Comments
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 may
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.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: April 6, 2016.
Matt Hogan,
Deputy Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 2016-11057 Filed 5-10-16; 8:45 am]
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