Availability of an Environmental Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Availability of an Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of the availability of a Final Environmental Assessment

on development of a United States/Russia bilateral agreement for the

conservation of a shared polar bear population; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This Notice makes available to the public the Final

Environmental Assessment for the Conservation of Polar Bears in the

Chukchi/Bering seas. The Chukchi/Bering seas and a portion of the

Eastern Siberian Seal stock of polar bears, hereafter referred to as

the Alaska-Chukotka population, is shared between Russia and the United

States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency responsible for

management and conservation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the

United States, proposes to develop a conservation agreement for the

Chukchi/Bering seas stock of polar bears as part of the Service's

natural resource stewardship responsibilities in the management and

conservation of this international resource.

In 1973, Canada, Denmark (on behalf of Greenland), Norway, Russia,

and the United States signed the international Agreement on the

Conservation of Polar Bears (1973 Agreement). Each country is obligated

to develop conservation programs to comply with the 1973 Agreement. The

Untied States relies largely on the Marine Mammal Protection Act to

comply with the terms of the 1973 Agreement. Also, in 1988 a local

Native-to-Native subsistence users agreement was developed between the

Inupiat of the North Slope Borough in the United States and the

Inuvialuit of the Northwest Territories, Canada, to provide further

protection for the shared Beaufort Sea polar bear population. No such

agreement exists for the shared Alaska-Chukotka population. Section

113(d) of the 1994 Amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act

state: ``the Secretary, acting through the Secretary of State and in

consultation with the Marine Mammal Commission and the State of Alaska

shall consult with the appropriate officials of the Russian Federation

on the development and implementation of enhanced cooperative research

and management programs for the conservation of polar bears in Alaska

and Russia.'' The Service, in consultation with the Department of

State, the Marine Mammal Commission, and the State of Alaska proposes

to enter into a government-to-government bilateral conservation

agreement with the Russian Federation. As a companion action the

Natives from Alaska and Chukotka, Russia, plan to enter into a Native-

to-Native implementation agreement for the Alaska-Chukotka population.

The Final EA describes three alternatives for entering into

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conservation agreements. The purpose of the agreements is to unify

management regimes, regulate take, enhance conservation of polar bears

and their habitat, and provide for non-consumptive uses such as eco-

tourism, as well as consumptive uses.

The selected alternative (Alternative 3) of the Final EA describes

a bilateral management scenario where a governmental-to-government

agreement establishes the guiding framework and ultimate oversight role

for an Alaska-Chukotka Native-to-Native agreement. A harvest system

would be established by an international joint commission composed of

one Federal and one Native representative from each country. Harvest

levels would be binding. Joint research and managmenet, population and

harvest monitoring, enforcement, habitat conservation, and conservation

education would be the primary elements of the agreement. Alternative 3

is the preferred alternative because it provides the basis for a

comprehensive and coordinated conservation program. The agreement would

provide guidance for Russian and American governments and Native

entities to manage the shared population stock and it would support

Russian efforts to curb threats to polar bears associated with illegal

unquantified hunting and lack of enforcement. A government-to-

government bilateral agreement would also ensure closer coordination

and involvement in management decisions by the primary users, namely

the Native people of Alaska and Chukotka.

In response to comments and testimony received from the public, the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has revised the draft EA, and now issues

the Final EA for the proposed action. The comment period on the draft

EA was open for 60 days form July 19, 1996, to September 17, 1996.

During this period the Service received written comments from seven

organizations, and one individual. In addition, public hearings were

conducted in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 14, 1996, and in Washington,

D.C., on August 21, 1996. Transcripts of the proceedings from the

public hearings are on file at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Alaska Regional Office. The Service also conducted community meetings

in Wales, Shishmaref, Gambell, Savoonga, Barrow, and Wainwright during

the period of August 26 to September 6, 1996. Additionally, the Service

received comments from three governmental organizations at the

conclusion of the comment period. Copies of all written comments are on

file at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office.

Overall many of the public comments endorsed the need for a

bilateral treaty between the U.S. and Russia. There were no comments

supporting Alternative 1, the status quo, and several which opposed

it's continuation. Generally public support for a coordinated U.S./

Russia bilateral agreement was contingent upon the Service, and

ultimately the agreement, addressing a number of issues. The Service

has evaluated these issues and provides a description of them with a

corresponding response in Section VI of the Final EA. Public comments

that provided clarity have been incorporated into the text of the Final

EA.

The Service requests interested persons to submit comments,

information, and suggestions concerning these actions. The Final EA

will be available during a 30-day comment period which ends on April

21, 1997. Copies of the Final EA have been sent to individuals or

organizations which commented or attended meetings to entertain comment

on the draft EA. Copies are available upon request at the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management Office, 1011 East Tudor

Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503.

DATES: Written comments on the Environmental Assessment should be

received on or before April 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Supervisor, Marine

Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor

Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Comments may also be hand delivered to

the same address or sent by FAX (907) 786-3816.

Comments and materials received in response to this action will be

available for public inspection at this address during normal working

hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Schliebe at the U.S Fish and

Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, 1011 East Tudor Road,

Anchorage, Alaska 99503, (800) 362-5148 or (907) 786-3812.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Discussions regarding development of a unified management approach

between Russia and the United States were initiated in Sochi, Russia in

October 1988, at the IUCN Polar Bear Specialists Group Meeting. Further

talks occurred in May 1990, and correspondence supporting the

development of a bilateral agreement followed. Between 1992 and 1995,

protocols of agreement were developed between the natural resource

agencies of the respective countries and the Native users of Alaska and

Chukotka. During this period numerous discussions between the Service

and Native representatives occurred and general consensus was reached

to develop a government-to-government conservation agreement and a

companion Native-to-Native agreement. These agreements would be

consistent with the terms of the 1973 Agreement and include the

principles of population sustainability, support for research and the

collection of biological information and local knowledge, habitat

conservation, and conservation education. In April 1994, the ``Protocol

of Intentions between the Indigenous Peoples of Chukotka and Alaska on

the Conservation, Protection, Management, and Study of the Bering and

Chukchi Sea Shared Polar Bear Population'' was signed. In the United

States a working group consisting of representatives of the Service,

Department of State, Department of the Interior, the Marine Mammal

Commission, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, North Slope Borough,

Alaska Nanuuq Commission, and the Audubon Society has met several times

to discuss the principles for a conservation agreement. The need for

public input and review led to the development of the draft EA in June

1996. Responses to comments received during the 60 day comment period

ending September 17, 1996 were either incorporated into the text or

included in Section VI. The Service will consider submitting a request

to the Department of State to enter into formal negotiations with

Russia, following publication of the Notice of Availability of the

Final EA.

Dated: March 12, 1997.

Robyn Thorson,

Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 97-7149 Filed 3-20-97; 8:45 am]

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