Vol. 80 Friday, No. 191 October 2, 2015 Part IV Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Two Foreign Macaw Species; Final Rule VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:34 Oct 01, 2015 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\02OCR3.SGM 02OCR3 asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES 59976 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 191 / Friday, October 2, 2015 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR agreement, the Service agreed to submit 12866. Therefore, we have not analyzed a determination as to whether the its costs or benefits. Fish and Wildlife Service petitioned action is warranted, not Background warranted, or warranted but precluded 50 CFR Part 17 by other listing actions for the military Section 4(b)(3)(B) of the ESA (16 macaw (Ara militaris) and the great U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that, for [Docket No. FWS–R9–ES–2011–0101; 450 any petition to revise the Federal Lists 003 0115] green macaw (Ara ambiguus) to the Federal Register by June 30, 2012. On of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife RIN 1018–AY33 July 6, 2012, the Service published a and Plants that contains substantial proposed rule (77 FR 40172) to add the scientific or commercial information Endangered and Threatened Wildlife military macaw and great green macaw that listing the species may be and Plants; Two Foreign Macaw as endangered species to the Federal warranted, we make a finding within 12 Species List of Endangered and Threatened months of the date of receipt of the petition (‘‘12-month finding’’). In this AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife. This final rule completes the finding, we determine whether the Interior. listing process for these species. petitioned action is: (a) Not warranted, ACTION: Final rule. II. Summary of the Major Provisions of (b) warranted, or (c) warranted, but the Regulatory Action immediate proposal of a regulation SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and implementing the petitioned action is Wildlife Service (Service), are listing the We are listing the military macaw precluded by other pending proposals to military macaw (Ara militaris) and the (Ara militaris) and the great green determine whether species are great green macaw (Ara ambiguus) as macaw (Ara ambiguus) as endangered endangered or threatened, and endangered under the Endangered species under the Act. We are finalizing expeditious progress is being made to Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). this action primarily because of the add or remove qualified species from These species are both endemic to effects of poaching, habitat loss, the Federal Lists of Endangered and Central and South America. Despite fragmentation, and degradation on their Threatened Wildlife and Plants. Section conservation efforts, these species’ populations; their small and declining 4(b)(3)(C) of the ESA requires that we populations are in decline, primarily population sizes; and inadequate treat a petition for which the requested due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and regulatory mechanisms to ameliorate the action is found to be warranted but degradation; small population size; threats to the species throughout their precluded as though resubmitted on the poaching; and regulatory mechanisms ranges. date of such finding, that is, requiring a that are inadequate to ameliorate these In this final rule, we used public subsequent finding to be made within threats throughout their ranges. comments and peer review to inform 12 months. We must publish these 12- DATES: This rule becomes effective our final determination, as required month findings in the Federal Register. November 2, 2015. under the Act. When we published the In this document, we announce that ADDRESSES: This final rule is available proposed rule on July 6, 2012 (77 FR listing these two species as endangered on the Internet at http:// 40172), we opened a 60-day comment species is warranted, and we are adding www.regulations.gov and comments and period on the proposed listing for these these two species to the Federal List of materials received, as well as supporting species. During the comment period, we Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in documentation used in the preparation sought comments from independent title 50 of the Code of Federal of this rule, will be available for public specialists (peer reviewers) on the Regulations. inspection, by appointment, during specific assumptions and conclusions in Petition History normal business hours at: U.S. Fish and our listing proposal to ensure that the Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, designation of these species as On January 31, 2008, the Service Falls Church, VA 22041. endangered is based on scientifically received a petition dated January 29, sound data, assumptions, and analyses. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 2008, from Friends of Animals, as In addition, we sought comments from Janine Van Norman, Chief, Branch of represented by the Environmental Law interested parties and the public. We Foreign Species, Endangered Species Clinic, University of Denver, Sturm considered all comments and Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, College of Law, requesting that we list information received during the 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 14 parrot species under the ESA. The comment period. In this final rule, we 22041; telephone 703–358–2171. If you petition clearly identified itself as a present and respond to peer reviewer use a telecommunications device for the petition and included the requisite and public comments. This rule deaf (TDD), call the Federal Information information required in the Code of finalizes the protections proposed for Relay Service (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. Federal Regulations (50 CFR 424.14(a)). these two foreign bird species as On July 14, 2009 (74 FR 33957), we SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: endangered species, following careful published a 90-day finding in which we Executive Summary consideration of all comments we determined that the petition presented received during the public comment substantial scientific and commercial I. Purpose of the Regulatory Action period. information to indicate that listing may On January 31, 2008, the Service III. Costs and Benefits be warranted for 12 of the 14 parrot received a petition dated January 29, species. 2008, from Friends of Animals, Section 4(b)(1)(A) of the ESA directs In our 90-day finding on this petition, represented by the Environmental Law that determinations as to whether any we announced the initiation of a status Clinic, University of Denver, Sturm species is an endangered or threatened review to list as endangered or College of Law, requesting that we list species must be made ‘‘solely on the threatened under the ESA the following 14 parrot species under the Endangered basis of the best scientific and 12 parrot species: Blue-headed macaw Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA commercial data available.’’ Further, (Primolius couloni), crimson shining or Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). As part this action is not a ‘‘significant’’ parrot (Prosopeia splendens), great of a court-approved settlement regulatory action under Executive Order green macaw (Ara ambiguus), grey- VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:34 Oct 01, 2015 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\02OCR3.SGM 02OCR3 asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 191 / Friday, October 2, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 59977 cheeked parakeet (Brotogeris comment period, which ended on Our Response: We have reviewed the pyrrhoptera), hyancith macaw September 4, 2012. Following additional literature and incorporated (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), military publication of the proposed rule, we the new information into our finding. macaw (Ara militaris), Philippine implemented the Service’s peer review Although the new information has been cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), process and during the 60-day comment incorporated into the final rule, the new red-crowned parrot (Amazona period, solicited scientific and survey provided did not change our viridigenalis), scarlet macaw (Ara commercial information on the species finding that the military macaw meets macao), white cockatoo (Cacatua alba), from all interested parties. the definition of an endangered species. yellow-billed parrot (Amazona collaria), The species’ overall population remains Previous Federal Actions and yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua small and fragmented despite additional sulphurea). We initiated the status In our proposed rule, published July macaws being observed in this one review to determine if listing each of the 6, 2012 (77 FR 40172), we announced location, and the species is still at risk 12 species is warranted, and initiated a that listing the military macaw and the of extinction due to habitat loss, 60-day public comment period to allow great green macaw as endangered was poaching, and small population size. all interested parties an opportunity to warranted, and we issued a proposed Public Comments provide information on the status of rule to add these two species to the these 12 species of parrots. The public Federal List of Endangered and (2) Comment: Several commenters comment period closed on September Threatened Wildlife. The comment expressed concerns about the potential 14, 2009. period ended on September 4, 2012; we impact the listings might have on their On July 21, 2010, a settlement received 59 comments from the public. business. agreement was approved by the Court In response to requests received Our Response: We acknowledge that (CV–10–357,