[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3817-3818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01226]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2015-0157; FXIA16710900000-156-FF09A300000]
Draft Environmental Assessment; Dallas Zoo Management; Dallas,
Texas
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are making available
the final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
under the National Environmental Policy Act regarding a permit
application submitted by Dallas Zoo Management, on behalf of the Dallas
Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, and Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo. The three zoos
have requested authorization under the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to import up to 18
live African elephants from Swaziland.
ADDRESSES:
Availability of Documents
Internet: You may obtain copies of the final environmental
assessment and finding of no significant impact by going to the Federal
e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box,
enter FWS-HQ-IA-2015-0157, which is the docket number for this notice.
Click the ``Open Docket Folder'' link.
In-Person: Copies of the final environmental assessment and finding
of no significant impact are also available for public inspection and
review at the following location, by appointment and written request
only, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of
Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy Van Norman, Chief, Branch of
Permits, Division of Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS-IA,
Falls Church, VA 22041; or by phone at (703) 358-2350.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 3818]]
We are making available the final environmental assessment (EA) and
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) for an
application submitted by Dallas Zoo Management for a permit to import
up to 18 live African elephants (Loxadonta africana) from Swaziland.
The elephants will be housed at the Dallas Zoo, Dallas, Texas; Sedgwick
County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas; and Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha,
Nebraska. The requested permit would authorize the importation, under
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES) (27 U.S.T. 1087), of up to 3 adult females, 3
subadult males, and 12 subadult females. CITES is an international
treaty designed to regulate international trade in certain animal and
plant species that are affected by trade and are now, or potentially
may become, threatened with extinction. These species are listed in the
Appendices to CITES, which are available on the CITES Secretariat's Web
site at http://www.cites.org. African elephants in Swaziland are listed
in CITES Appendix I. The Service's regulations implementing CITES are
found at title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in part 23.
The African elephant is also classified as threatened under the
U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), with a rule
under section 4(d) of the ESA at 50 CFR 17.40(e). To import African
elephants into the United States, ESA and CITES requirements must be
met. Pursuant to the ESA section 4(d) rule for the African elephant (50
CFR 17.40(e)(3)(i)), live elephants may be imported if all requirements
under Service regulations at 50 CFR part 13 (general permitting) and 50
CFR part 23 (CITES) are met.
Issuance of a CITES import permit is categorically excluded under
Department of the Interior internal agency policy and procedures from
requiring completion of an EA under NEPA (Departmental Manual Part 516,
Chapter 8.5(C)(1)). However, we decided to prepare an EA in this case
to help ensure that we have conducted a thorough review of all relevant
factors and potential impacts on the quality of the human environment
as envisioned under NEPA.
We announced the availability of the draft EA in a notice published
in the Federal Register on October 22, 2015 (80 FR 64008). The EA
considered the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the
importation of up to 18 live elephants from Swaziland, including the
measures that would be implemented to minimize and mitigate the impacts
of the importation and housing of these animals. We received more than
8,000 comments on the draft EA; they may be found at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2015-0157.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is the issuance of a CITES permit by the
Service for the importation of up to 18 African elephants from
Swaziland. The elephants are currently housed in an enclosure at the
Mkhaya Game Reserve, Swaziland. The elephants were removed from Mkhaya
Game Reserve and Hlane National Park, Swaziland, due to overpopulation
of elephants within the two protected areas and the negative impact the
elephants were having on the vegetation and other wildlife species. Big
Game Parks (BPG), the delegated authority responsible for
implementation of Swaziland's Game Act of 1953, has determined that the
number of elephants in the two protected areas must be reduced.
Further, the reduction in the number of elephants within each of the
protected areas will facilitate BGP's efforts to increase the
population of black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), a critically
endangered species, within the two protected areas.
Alternatives
We also considered two alternatives to the proposed action:
1. No Action--No CITES import permit would be issued. According to
the applicant and BGP, the 18 elephants will not be returned to the two
protected areas. Instead, if importation is not authorized, BGP has
stated that they have no option but to cull the animals.
2. Issue a CITES import permit for a reduced number of elephants--
This alternative is similar to the Proposed Action, in that the Service
would issue an import permit, but the number of elephants authorized
for import would be reduced. This alternative could result in some
elephants being imported into the United States and housed at one or
more of the three zoos. However, according to the applicant and BGP,
the elephants that are not imported into the United States would be
culled.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The proposed action of issuing the import permit for the 18
elephants is the preferred action. As evaluated in the EA, the proposed
action is not expected to result in significant effects to the human
environment within the meaning of NEPA and the regulations of the
Council on Environmental Quality. Although we describe potential
actions and consequences that could flow from each of the alternatives,
we find there is no basis to infer that any such effects, even viewed
broadly, will be significant. Therefore, based on a review and
evaluation of the information contained in the EA, it is the Service's
determination that the issuance of a permit authorizing the import of
18 African elephants from Swaziland will not have a significant effect
on the quality of the human environment under the meaning of section
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (as
amended). As such, an Environmental Impact Statement is not required.
Authority
We provide this notice under NEPA and its implementing regulations
(40 CFR 1506.6).
Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2016-01226 Filed 1-21-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P