23794 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 4, 2021 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR • By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail need modifications. Changing or hand delivery: Public Comments environmental conditions, State and Fish and Wildlife Service Processing, Attn: FWS–HQ–NWRS– Federal regulations, and other factors 2021–0027; U.S. Fish and Wildlife affecting fish and wildlife populations 50 CFR Parts 32 and 71 Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB and habitat may warrant modifications [Docket No. FWS–HQ–NWRS–2021–0027; (JAO/3W); Falls Church, VA 22041– to station-specific regulations to ensure FXRS12610900000–212–FF09R20000] 3803. the continued compatibility of hunting We will not accept email or faxes. We and sport fishing programs and to RIN 1018–BF09 will post all comments on http:// ensure that these programs will not www.regulations.gov. This generally 2021–2022 Station-Specific Hunting materially interfere with or detract from means that we will post any personal and Sport Fishing Regulations the fulfillment of station purposes or the information you provide us (see Request Service’s mission. AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, for Comments, below, for more Provisions governing hunting and Interior. information). sport fishing on refuges are in title 50 of ACTION: Proposed rule. Information collection requirements: the Code of Federal Regulations at part Send your comments and suggestions 32 (50 CFR part 32), and on hatcheries SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and on the information collection at part 71 (50 CFR part 71). We regulate Wildlife Service (Service), propose to requirements to the Service Information hunting and sport fishing to: open, for the first time, seven National Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish • Ensure compatibility with refuge Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) that are and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg and hatchery purpose(s); currently closed to hunting and sport Pike, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), Falls Church, • Properly manage fish and wildlife fishing. In addition, we propose to open VA 22041–3803 (mail); or Info_Coll@ resource(s); • or expand hunting and sport fishing at fws.gov (email). Please reference OMB Protect other values; • Ensure visitor safety; and 83 other NWRs, and add pertinent Control Number 1018–0140 in the • station-specific regulations for other subject line of your comments. Provide opportunities for fish- and NWRs that pertain to migratory game Supporting documents: For wildlife-dependent recreation. On many stations where we decide to bird hunting, upland game hunting, big information on a specific refuge’s or allow hunting and sport fishing, our game hunting, and sport fishing for the hatchery’s public use program and the general policy of adopting regulations 2021–2022 season. We also propose to conditions that apply to it, contact the identical to State hunting and sport open hunting or sport fishing on one respective regional office at the address fishing regulations is adequate in unit of the National Fish Hatchery or phone number given in Available meeting these objectives. On other System (NFH). We propose to add Information for Specific Stations under stations, we must supplement State pertinent station-specific regulations SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. regulations with more-restrictive that pertain to migratory game bird FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Federal regulations to ensure that we hunting, upland game hunting, big game Christian Myers, (571) 422–3595. meet our management responsibilities, hunting, and sport fishing at this NFH SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: as outlined under Statutory Authority, for the 2021–2022 season. Finally, we below. We issue station-specific hunting propose to make regulatory changes to Background and sport fishing regulations when we existing station-specific regulations in The National Wildlife Refuge System open wildlife refuges and fish order to reduce the regulatory burden on Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. hatcheries to migratory game bird the public, increase access for hunters 668dd–668ee), as amended hunting, upland game hunting, big game and anglers on Service lands and (Administration Act), closes NWRs in hunting, or sport fishing. These waters, and comply with a Presidential all States except Alaska to all uses until regulations may list the wildlife species mandate for plain language standards. opened. The Secretary of the Interior that you may hunt or fish; seasons; bag DATES: (Secretary) may open refuge areas to any or creel (container for carrying fish) Written comments: We will accept use, including hunting and/or sport limits; methods of hunting or sport comments received or postmarked on or fishing, upon a determination that the fishing; descriptions of areas open to before July 6, 2021. use is compatible with the purposes of hunting or sport fishing; and other Information collection requirements: the refuge and National Wildlife Refuge provisions as appropriate. If you wish to comment on the System mission. The action also must be information collection requirements in in accordance with provisions of all Statutory Authority this proposed rule, please send your laws applicable to the areas, developed The Administration Act, as amended comments and suggestions on this in coordination with the appropriate by the National Wildlife Refuge System information collection by July 6, 2021. State fish and wildlife agency(ies), Improvement Act of 1997 (Improvement ADDRESSES: consistent with the principles of sound Act; Pub. L. 105–57), governs the Written comments: You may submit fish and wildlife management and administration and public use of comments by one of the following administration, and otherwise in the refuges, and the Refuge Recreation Act methods: public interest. These requirements of 1962 (16 U.S.C. 460k–460k–4) • Electronically: Go to the Federal ensure that we maintain the biological (Recreation Act) governs the eRulemaking Portal: http:// integrity, diversity, and environmental administration and public use of refuges www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, health of the Refuge System for the and hatcheries. type in FWS–HQ–NWRS–2021–0027, benefit of present and future generations Amendments enacted by the which is the docket number for this of Americans. Improvement Act were built upon the rulemaking. Then, click on the Search We annually review hunting and Administration Act in a manner that button. On the resulting screen, find the sport fishing programs to determine provides an ‘‘organic act’’ for the Refuge correct document and submit a whether to include additional stations System, similar to organic acts that exist comment by clicking on ‘‘Comment or whether individual station for other public Federal lands. The Now!’’ regulations governing existing programs Improvement Act serves to ensure that VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:24 May 03, 2021 Jkt 253001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\04MYP2.SGM 04MYP2 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS2 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 4, 2021 / Proposed Rules 23795 we effectively manage the Refuge public recreation as an appropriate refuges to the lists of areas open to System as a national network of lands, incidental or secondary use only to the hunting and sport fishing in 50 CFR waters, and interests for the protection extent that doing so is practicable and parts 32 and 71. We ensure continued and conservation of our Nation’s not inconsistent with the primary compliance by the development of wildlife resources. The Administration purpose(s) for which Congress and the comprehensive conservation plans and Act states first and foremost that we Service established the areas. The step-down management plans, and by focus our Refuge System mission on Recreation Act requires that any annual review of hunting and sport conservation of fish, wildlife, and plant recreational use of refuge or hatchery fishing programs and regulations. lands be compatible with the primary resources and their habitats. The Proposed Amendments to Existing purpose(s) for which we established the Improvement Act requires the Secretary, Regulations before allowing a new use of a refuge, refuge and not inconsistent with other or before expanding, renewing, or previously authorized operations. Updates to Hunting and Fishing extending an existing use of a refuge, to The Administration Act and Opportunities on NWRs and NFHs determine that the use is compatible Recreation Act also authorize the This document proposes to codify in with the purpose for which the refuge Secretary to issue regulations to carry the Code of Federal Regulations all of was established and the mission of the out the purposes of the Acts and the Service’s hunting and/or sport Refuge System. The Improvement Act regulate uses. fishing regulations that we would established as the policy of the United We develop specific management update since the last time we published States that wildlife-dependent plans for each refuge prior to opening it a rule amending these regulations (85 recreation, when compatible, is a to hunting or sport fishing. In many FR 54076; August 31, 2020) and that are legitimate and appropriate public use of cases, we develop station-specific applicable at Refuge System and the Refuge System, through which the regulations to ensure the compatibility Hatchery System units previously American public can develop an of the programs with the purpose(s) for opened to hunting and/or sport fishing. appreciation for fish and wildlife. The which we established the refuge or We propose