Receipt of Enhancement of Survival Permit Application and Proposed Conservation Benefit Agreement for the Benefit of the Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit in Washington; Categorical Exclusion

Короткий зміст

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for an enhancement of survival permit for take of the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit (CBPR) pursuant to Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act. This application includes a proposed conservation benefit agreement (CBA) outlining conservation measures and ongoing land management activities that non-federal participants will implement on their enrolled properties for CBPR. The purpose of this CBA is to foster collaboration among the Service, WDFW, and participants; promote voluntary conservation measures that reduce or remove threats to the covered species; provide regulatory assurances to participating landowners; and improve habitat connectivity and support geographic expansion of the CBPR in the Columbia Basin in Washington. We have prepared a draft environmental action statement documenting our preliminary determination that the permit decision may be eligible for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these documents.