USFW
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released its 542-page Final Environmental Impact Statement, changes to the 10 (j) rule and draft Record of Decision (ROD) on Nov. 25. The full document is available electronically at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2013-0056 or the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program’s Website at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/. Below is a condensed summary of the FEIS:
* Under the USFWS proposed action/preferred alternative, the agency plans to expand the area in which initial releases of Mexican wolves from captivity could occur and extend the southern boundary of the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA) in Arizona and New Mexico to the United States-Mexico international border.
* Within the expanded MWEPA, we would designate three wolf management zones, with Cochise County being in Zone 2.
* There will be a phased management approach to minimize or avoid possible impacts to wild ungulate populations (specifically elk) in portions of western Arizona.
* Execution of each subsequent phase would be dependent upon evaluations conducted in the fifth and eighth year after the effective date of the final rule. Each phase evaluation will consider adverse human interactions with Mexican wolves, impacts to wild ungulates, and whether or not the Mexican wolf population in the MWEPA is achieving a population number consistent with a 10 percent annual growth rate based on end-of-year counts, such that five years after the effective date of this rule the population is at least 150 Mexican wolves, and 8 years after the effective date of this rule the population is at least 200 Mexican wolves. If we have not achieved this population growth, we will move forward to the next phase. Regardless of the outcome of the two evaluations, at the beginning of year 12 from the effective date of the final 10(j) rule, we would move to full implementation of the rule throughout the MWEPA, and the phased management approach would no longer apply.
* Implement a phased management approach so that Mexican wolves would be allowed to disperse naturally from Zone 1 into, and within the MWEPA (Zones 2 and 3) and occupy the MWEPA (Zones 1, 2 and 3) within year one to five. If determined to be necessary by either the 5-Year or 8-Year evaluation, wolves allowed to disperse naturally from Zone 1 into, and within the MWEPA (Zones 2 and 3) and occupy the MWEPA (Zones 1, 2 and 3)with the exception of those areas in Zone 2 west of State Highway 89 in Arizona. By the 5-Year or 8- Year evaluation: Mexican wolf releases be conducted throughout the entire Zone 1 including the area west of State Highway 87 in Arizona; no translocations would be conducted west of State Highway 89 in Arizona; Mexican wolves would be allowed to disperse naturally from Zone 1 into, and within the MWEPA (Zones 2 and 3) and occupy the MWEPA (Zones 1, 2 and 3).
The FEIS will revise the regulations for the take of Mexican wolves on federal and non-federal land within the entire MWEPA (Zones 1, 2 and 3):
* Revise the conditions that determine when USFWS will issue a permit to allow livestock owners or their agents to take (including intentional harassment or kill) any Mexican wolf that is in the act of biting, wounding or killing livestock (see definition of livestock in the List of Definitions) on federal land;
* Allow domestic animal owners or their agents to take (including kill or injure) any Mexican wolf that is in the act of biting, wounding or killing domestic animals (see definition of domestic animal in the List of Definitions) on non-federal land anywhere within the MWEPA;
* Pursuant to a removal action authorized by the Service or a designated agency, the Service or designated agency may issue permits to allow domestic animal owners or their agents (e.g., employees, land manager, local officials) to take (including intentional harassment or kill) any Mexican wolf that is present on non-federal land where specified in the permit.
* Revise the conditions under which take will be authorized in response to unacceptable impacts of Mexican wolf predation on wild native ungulate herds. An unacceptable impact would be determined by a state agency based upon ungulate management goals, or a 15 percent decline in an ungulate herd as documented by a State agency, using their preferred methodology, based on the preponderance of evidence from bull to cow ratios, cow to calf ratios, hunter days, and/or elk population estimates.
* Maintain an experimental Mexican wolf population of 300 to 325 wolves in the MWEPA.
· Subject to Service and state approved management agreements, the Service or a designated agency may develop and implement management actions on private land in management Zones 1 and 2 within the MWEPA in voluntary cooperation with private landowners, including but not limited to initial release and translocation of wolves onto private lands if requested by the landowner.
All concerned citizens, groups, associations, school districts and corporations may comment on the FEIS. The deadline is Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014, with a final ruling expected in January 2015.
Submit written comments on the Final EIS and draft ROD by one of the following methods:
(1) Electronically: Go to Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for FWS-R2-ES-2013-0056. Click on “Comment Now”.
(2) Hard Copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand delivery to:
Public Comments Processing
Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2013-0056
Division of Policy and Directives Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS
BPHC 5275 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803