Migratory Bird Special Canada Goose Permit

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 21

RIN 1018-AE46

Migratory Bird Special Canada Goose Permit

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; re-opening of comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the re-

opening of the comment period for the Service's proposed rule on the

establishment of a Canada goose damage management program. The program

is designed to provide a biologically sound and more cost-effective and

efficient method for the control of locally-breeding (resident) Canada

geese that pose a threat to health and human safety and are responsible

for damage to personal and public property.

DATES: The original comment period for the proposed rule closed June 1,

1998. The re-opened comment period will end on September 21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should submit written comments on the

proposal to the Chief, Office of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, ms 634-ARLSQ, 1849 C

Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. The public may inspect comments

during normal business hours in room 634, ARLSQ Building, 4401 N.

Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul R. Schmidt, Chief, Office of

Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (703) 358-

1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 31, 1998, the Service published in

the Federal Register (63 FR 15698) a proposal to amend 50 CFR part 21.

The proposal dealt with the establishment of a Canada goose damage

management program. This program is designed to provide a biologically

sound and more cost-effective and efficient method for the control of

locally-breeding (resident) Canada geese that pose a threat to health

and human safety and are responsible for damage to personal and public

property. More specifically, the Service proposed to add a new permit

option available to State conservation agencies specifically for

resident Canada goose control and damage management. The special permit

would only be available to a State conservation or wildlife management

agency responsible for migratory bird management. Under this permit,

States and their designated agents could initiate resident goose damage

management and control injury problems within the conditions/

restrictions of the program. Those States not wishing to obtain this

new permit would continue to operate under the current permitting

process.

The comment period is being re-opened to incorporate views from all

parties that have expressed an interest in reviewing the proposed rule

and environmental assessment. All previously submitted comments

received after the original June 1, 1998, closing date will be

considered.

In addition, the Service notifies the public of an administrative

error associated with this proposal. In compliance with the

requirements of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(C)), and the Council on Environmental

Quality's regulation for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508), the

Service prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) on the proposed

establishment of the program and options considered in the

``Environmental Assessment: Permits for the Control and Management of

Injurious Resident Canada Geese.'' In conjunction with that EA, the

Service had prepared a draft finding that the new permit option would

not be a major Federal action that would significantly affect the

quality of the human environment as an administrative convenience. In

error, the draft finding was included in the materials accompanying the

final EA and was mistakenly finalized. The Service is now rescinding

that inadvertent finding and will be considering the NEPA requirements

if and when it makes a final decision on the proposed action. The EA is

available to the public at the location indicated under the ADDRESSES

caption.

Paperwork Reduction Act and Information Collection

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.

3507(d)), the Service submitted the necessary paperwork to the Office

of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval to collect the information

required by the applicant and permittee. Under the Act, information

collections must be approved by OMB. After review, the information

collection requirements of the Special Canada Goose Permit were

approved by OMB and assigned clearance number 1018-0099. The

information collection requirement will be used to administer this

program and, particularly in the issuance and monitoring of these

special Canada goose permits. The information requested will be

required to obtain a special Canada goose permit, and to determine if

the applicant meets all the permit issuance criteria, and to protect

migratory birds.

Authority: Pub. L. 95-616, 92 Stat. 3112 (16 U.S.C. 712(2)).

Dated: July 17, 1998.

Stephen C. Saunders,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

[FR Doc. 98-19625 Filed 7-22-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-P