[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 204 (Thursday, October 22, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64008-64009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26834]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2015-0157; FXIA16710900000-156-FF09A300000]
Draft Environmental Assessment; Dallas Zoo Management; Dallas,
Texas
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, make available the
draft environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy
Act regarding a permit application submitted by Dallas Zoo Management,
on behalf of the Dallas Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, and Omaha's Henry
Doorly Zoo. The three zoos are requesting authorization under the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora to import 18 live African elephants from Swaziland.
DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be received or
postmarked on or before November 23, 2015. Comments submitted
electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES)
must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. Any
comments that we receive after the closing date may not be considered.
ADDRESSES:
Availability of Documents
Internet: You may obtain copies of the draft environmental
assessment and related documents by going to the Federal e-Rulemaking
Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-HQ-IA-
2015-0157, which is the docket number for this notice. Click the ``Open
Docket Folder'' link.
In-Person: Copies of the draft environmental assessment are also
available for public inspection and review at the following location,
by appointment and written request only, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Division of Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg
Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.
Comment submission: You may submit written comments on the draft
environmental assessment by one of the following methods:
Internet: Go to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-HQ-IA-2015-0157,
which is the docket number for this notice. Click the ``Open Docket
Folder'' link. Click
[[Page 64009]]
the ``Open Docket Folder'' link. Click ``Comment Now!'' to comment.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-
HQ-IA-2015-0157; Division of Policy, Performance, and Management
Programs; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: BPHC;
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. We request that you send comments by only
one of the methods described above. All information received will be
posted on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will
post any personal information you provide us (see the Public
Availability of Comments section for more information).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy Van Norman, Chief, Branch of
Permits, Division of Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS-IA,
Falls Church, VA 22041; or by phone at (703) 358-2350.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We make available the draft environmental
assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) for an application submitted by Dallas
Zoo Management for a permit to import 18 live African elephants from
Swaziland. If the importation is authorized, and the elephants are
imported, the elephants will be housed at the Dallas Zoo, Dallas,
Texas; Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas; and Omaha's Henry Doorly
Zoo, Omaha, Nebraska. The requested permit, if granted, would authorize
the importation, under the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (27 U.S.T. 1087) of
3 adult females, 3 subadult males, and 12 subadult females. CITES is an
international treaty designed to regulate international trade in
certain animal and plant species that are affected by trade and are
now, or potentially may become, threatened with extinction. These
species are listed in the Appendices to CITES, which are available on
the CITES Secretariat's Web site at http://www.cites.org. African
elephants in Swaziland are listed in CITES Appendix I. The Service's
regulations implementing CITES are found at 50 CFR part 23.
The African elephant is also classified as threatened under the
U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), with a rule
under Section 4(d) of the ESA 50 CFR 17.40(e). To import African
elephants into the United States, ESA and CITES requirements must be
met. Pursuant to the ESA 4(d) rule for the African elephant (50 CFR
17.40(e)(3)(i)), live elephants may be imported if all requirements
under Service regulations at 50 CFR part 13 (general permitting) and 50
CFR part 23 (CITES) are met.
Issuance of a CITES import permit is categorically excluded under
Department of the Interior internal agency policy and procedures from
requiring completion of an EA under NEPA (Departmental Manual Part 516,
Chapter 8.5(C)(1)). However, we have decided to prepare a draft EA in
this case to help ensure that we have conducted a thorough review of
all relevant factors and potential impacts on the quality of the human
environment as envisioned under NEPA.
The draft EA considers the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects
of the importation of 18 live elephants from Swaziland, including the
measures that would be implemented to minimize and mitigate the impacts
of the importation and housing of these animals.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is the issuance of a CITES permit by the
Service for the importation of 18 African elephants from Swaziland. The
elephants are currently housed in an enclosure at the Mkhaya Game
Reserve, Swaziland. The elephants were removed from Mkhaya Game Reserve
and Hlane National Park, Swaziland, due to overpopulation of elephants
within the two protected areas and the negative impact the elephants
were having on the vegetation and other wildlife species. Big Game
Parks (BPG), the delegated authority responsible for implementation of
Swaziland's Game Act of 1953, has determined that the number of
elephants in the two protected areas must be reduced. Further, the
reduction in the number of elephants within each of the protected areas
will facilitate BGP's efforts to increase the population of black
rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), a critically endangered species, within
the two protected areas.
Alternatives
We are also considering two alternatives to the proposed action:
1. No Action--No CITES import permit would be issued. According to
the applicant and BGP, the 18 elephants will not be returned to the two
protected areas. Instead, if importation is not authorized, BGP has
stated that they have no option but to cull the animals.
2. Issue a CITES import permit for a reduced number of elephants--
This alternative is similar to the Proposed Action, in that the Service
would issue an import permit, but the number of elephants authorized
for import would be reduced. This could result in some elephants being
imported into the United States and housed at one or more of the three
zoos. However, according to the applicant and BGP, the elephants that
are not imported into the United States would be culled.
Public Availability of Comments
Written comments that we receive become part of the public record
associated with this action. 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 request in your comment that we withhold
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will not consider anonymous
comments. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be made available for public
disclosure in their entirety.
Authority
We provide this notice under NEPA and its implementing regulations
(40 CFR 1506.6).
Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2015-26834 Filed 10-21-15; 8:45 am]
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