<div dir="ltr"><div><font size="4">The press release below announces the pending publication (in the next few days) of a joint National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Fisheries </font><font size="4">and <span style="font-family:Arial">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service </span>proposal to <span style="font-family:Arial">amend </span><span style="font-family:Arial">regulations </span><span style="font-family:Arial">governing Incidental Take Statements (ITS) for enda</span></font><span style="font-size:large;font-family:Arial">ngered species </span><span style="font-size:large">regarding the *</span><span style="font-size:large;font-family:Arial">*Use of “surrogates” to measure incidental take would improve program’s </span><span style="font-size:large;font-family:Arial">implementation, decrease unnecessary regulatory burden and costs.** </span></div>
<div><font size="4"><br></font></div><div><font size="4">The proposed revisions will be available on these two websites: <span style="font-family:Arial"> </span><a href="http://www.regulations.gov/" target="_blank" style="font-family:Arial">www.regulations.gov</a><span style="font-family:Arial"> and </span></font></div>
<div><font size="4"><a href="http://www.fws.gov/policy/frsystem/default.cfm" target="_blank" style="font-family:Arial">www.fws.gov/policy/frsystem/default.cfm</a><span style="font-family:Arial"> (click on the 2013 Proposed </span><span style="font-family:Arial">Rules link under Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants)</span><span style="font-family:Arial">.</span><br>
</font></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial"><font size="4"><br></font></span></div><div><span style="font-size:large">The proposal will open a public comment period for </span><span style="font-size:large;font-family:Arial">60 days following the date of </span><span style="font-size:large;font-family:Arial">publication in the *Federal Register.* </span></div>
<div><span style="font-size:large;font-family:Arial"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size:large;font-family:Arial">Details on the proposal and how to submit comments are in the </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:large">press release, below.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:large"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:large">Apologies for cross-postings.</span></div><div><br></div><br clear="all"><div><div>Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.</div>
<div>Botanist, Division of Scientific Authority-US Fish & Wildlife Service-International Affairs</div><div>Chair, Medicinal Plant Working Group-Plant Conservation Alliance</div><div>4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110</div>
<div>Arlington, VA 22203</div><div>703-358-1708 x1753</div><div>FAX: 703-358-2276</div><div><br></div><div>Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants. </div><div><<a href="http://www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal" target="_blank">www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal</a>></div>
<div><br></div><div>Follow International Affairs</div><div>> on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/USFWSInternatl" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/USFWSInternatl</a></div><div>> on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/USFWS_InternationalAffairs" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/USFWS_InternationalAffairs</a></div>
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<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br><div><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial"><div><br></div><br>
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<b>Sent: </b>Thursday, August 29, 2013 1:59:45 PM<br><b>Subject: </b>[fws-news] Services Solicit Public Comment on Proposed Revisions to Endangered Species Act Implementation Regulations<br><br><span style="font-size:12pt">******************************</span><span style="font-size:12pt">******************************</span><span style="font-size:12pt">**</span><br>
<br>Contact: Gavin Shire<br><br>703-358-2549<br><br><a href="mailto:gavin_shire@fws.gov" target="_blank">gavin_shire@fws.gov</a><br><br><br><br>Connie Barclay, NOAA Fisheries<br>
202-441-2398<br><a href="mailto:connie.barclay@noaa.gov" target="_blank">connie.barclay@noaa.gov</a><br><br>* *<br><br>*Services Solicit Public Comment on Proposed Revisions to Endangered<br>Species Act Implementation Regulations *<br>
<br>* *<br><br>*Use of “surrogates” to measure incidental take would improve program’s<br>implementation, decrease unnecessary regulatory burden and costs***<br><br>In order to make the implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA)<br>
more effective and less burdensome, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and<br>the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine<br>Fisheries Service (the Services) are proposing to amend regulations<br>
governing Incidental Take Statements (ITS) for endangered species.<br><br>An ITS describes the amount or extent of “incidental take” of a threatened<br>or endangered species (e.g., harm to that species) that is anticipated to<br>
result from an action by a federal agency. ITSs are produced by the<br>Services as part of a biological opinion resulting from consultations with<br>the federal agency under Section 7 of the ESA.<br><br>The Services are proposing to change the regulations that implement Section<br>
7 to codify the use of a surrogate, in appropriate circumstances, to<br>express the anticipated amount or extent of take. The changes will also<br>allow for flexibility in how the Services prepare ITSs in situations where<br>
assessing and monitoring take of endangered and threatened species may be<br>extremely difficult, time-consuming or expensive.<br><br>The Services have found that in many cases, the biology of a listed species<br>
or the nature of the proposed action makes it impractical to detect or<br>monitor take of individual animals. Additionally, impact to some species<br>may not be in the form of direct or immediate harm to individuals, but<br>
rather a decrease in biological fitness due to reduced ability to breed or<br>shortened lifespan. In these cases, evaluating impacts to a “surrogate”<br>(e.g., habitat, ecological condition or similarly affected species) may be<br>
the most reasonable and meaningful way to describe the amount or extent of<br>anticipated take of listed species.<br><br>“The endangered species act is a critical safety net for the nation’s fish,<br>wildlife and plants, and to date has prevented the extinction of hundreds<br>
of imperiled species, as well as promoting the recovery of many others,”<br>said Gary Frazer, the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Assistant Director for<br>Ecological Services. “We welcome comment on this proposal as we take steps<br>
to strengthen the implementation of the ESA by improving conservation<br>effectiveness, reducing administrative burden, enhancing clarity and<br>consistency for impacted stakeholders and agency staff, and encouraging<br>
partnerships, innovation and cooperation.”<br><br>The Services are further proposing to codify the use of Programmatic<br>Incidental Take Statements for ongoing or long-term federal actions.<br>Programmatic Incidental Take statements would be authorized for use in<br>
situations where a programmatic action undergoing Section 7 consultation,<br>such as a federal land use plan, is described in such general terms that<br>the amount or extent of incidental take of a species cannot reasonably be<br>
measured, but where subsequent “step-down” consultations on individual<br>actions will occur where incidental take can be quantified.<br><br>These changes are meant to clarify and codify the current policy of the<br>
Services regarding the use of surrogates, and to address recent court<br>decisions related to ITSs for programmatic federal actions.<br><br>The rule is consistent with Executive Order 13563, which calls for a<br>retrospective analysis of existing rules to make the agency’s regulatory<br>
program more effective and less burdensome in achieving the regulatory<br>objectives, and was included in the Department of the Interior's *Final<br>Plan for Retrospective Regulatory<br>Review*<<a href="http://www.doi.gov/open/regsreview/upload/DOI-Plan-for-Retrospective-Regulatory-Review-8-19-2011-Final-Version.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.doi.gov/open/regsreview/upload/DOI-Plan-for-Retrospective-Regulatory-Review-8-19-2011-Final-Version.pdf</a>><br>
*.*<br><br>For more information on the proposal, please visit<br><a href="http://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/ITS.html" target="_blank">www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/ITS.html</a>.<br><br>The proposed rule will publish in the *Federal Register* in the next few<br>
days and will be available to the public at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>. The *Federal<br>Register* publication of this notice will also be available at<br><a href="http://www.fws.gov/policy/frsystem/default.cfm" target="_blank">www.fws.gov/policy/frsystem/default.cfm</a> by clicking on the 2013 Proposed<br>
Rules link under Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.<br><br>The Services are accepting comments for 60 days from the date of<br>publication in the *Federal Register*. All public comment must reference<br>
the *Federal Register* docket number. The Service’s will make this number<br>available at <a href="http://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/ITS.html" target="_blank">www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/ITS.html</a> as soon as it is<br>
designated. Written comments and information can be submitted by one of the<br>following methods:<br><br>· Electronically: Use the federal eRulemaking Portal at<br><a href="http://www.regulations.gov" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to the<br>
designated docket number<br><br>· U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, [insert<br>docket number]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and<br>Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042–PDM; Arlington, VA 22203<br>
<br>The Services intend that any final action resulting from this proposed rule<br>will be based on the best scientific and commercial data available and be<br>as accurate and as effective as possible. Comments and materials, as well<br>
as supporting documentation used in preparing the proposed rules, will be<br>available for public inspection at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a> under the above<br>docket number. In addition, details on the kinds of information the Service<br>
is seeking are available in each proposed rule.<br><br>The Services will post all comments on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov" target="_blank">www.regulations.gov</a>. This generally<br>means the agency will post any personal information provided through the<br>
process. The Services are not able to accept email or faxes.<br><br>The Service is actively engaged with conservation partners and the public<br>in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover<br>
imperiled species. To learn more about the Endangered Species Program,<br>visit <a href="http://www.fws.gov/endangered" target="_blank">www.fws.gov/endangered</a>.<br><br>*NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's<br>
environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to<br>conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook,<br>Twitter and our other social media channels at<br>**<a href="http://www.noaa.gov/socialmedia*" target="_blank">www.noaa.gov/socialmedia*</a><<a href="http://www.noaa.gov/socialmedia" target="_blank">http://www.noaa.gov/socialmedia</a>><br>
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trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific<br>excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated<br>professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our<br>
work and the people who make it happen, visit<br>**<a href="http://www.fws.gov" target="_blank">www.fws.gov</a>*<<a href="http://www.fws.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.fws.gov/</a>><br>*. Connect with our Facebook page at<br>
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