Volume 22, Issue 5 | May 2012

Editor: Christine Carmichael
Reporter: Will Roberts and Maggie Thomas

Wildlife Policy News is intended to foster the exchange of information about policy issues among Society leaders. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official policy of The Wildlife Society unless so stated. Please share this publication with your colleagues. Contents may be reprinted with credit to Wildlife Policy News. We welcome comments and suggestions for future issues at ccarmichael@wildlife.org.

In this Issue:

• Canada to Fast-track Environmental Project Reviews
• Bureau of Land Management Releases Draft Alaska Petroleum Reserve Plan
• Council on Environmental Quality Petitioned to Coordinate Bat Protection Efforts
• Bipartisan Bill Proposed to Extend Conservation Program
• Obama Creates Natural Gas Working Group
• Interior Proposes Extending Eagle ‘Take’ Permits for 30 years
• New Mexico County Withdraws from Mexican Wolf Agreement
• TWS Updates
  • Several Entities Express Strong Opposition to Cormorant Bill
  • Groups Insist ‘Habitat’ Term Necessary in Fisheries Act
• News Updates
  • Wildlife Groups Concerned About Proposed Logging in Owl Habitat
  • Groups Challenge Decision to Halt Bighorn Protection in Idaho

Canada to Fast-track Environmental Project Reviews
In an effort to expedite environmental reviews, Canada has unveiled a plan to reduce the number of departments that can perform environmental project reviews from 40 agencies to three. This action, taken primarily through budget cuts announced on March 29, aims to streamline the environmental review process for the betterment of Canada’s natural resource economy, according to Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver. Oliver insists that this rulemaking change is not an attempt to weaken environmental regulation, but rather an opportunity for economic growth and job creation.

The environmental review process will move to a "one project, one review" policy with strict timelines for completion. Provincial agencies, assuming they meet requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, will be the driving force behind environmental reviews under the new plan. Smaller construction projects will no longer be required to undergo environmental review. While the conservative-led federal government is in favor of this deregulation, many environmental groups fear that this proposal is aimed at accelerating projects related to oil and gas exploration and that public comment of major projects will become more difficult, allowing for gaps in scientific integrity.

Sources: CBC (April 17, 2012); The Globe and Mail (April 16, 2012); Sierra Club (March 29, 2012); Canadian Environmental Law Association (March 29, 2012).

Bureau of Land Management Releases Draft Alaska Petroleum Reserve Plan
On March 30, 2012 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released their draft plan on the management of oil and gas development, wildlife conservation, hunting, and recreation on the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). At 23 million acres, the NPR-A is the largest contiguous block of public land in America and is host to unadulterated wilderness that serves as habitat and migration grounds for critical species such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and numerous species of waterfowl. Along with wildlife habitat, the land is home to a large reserve of oil, a little less than a billion barrels according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The BLM was charged with drafting a comprehensive plan that balances wilderness protection and oil development. The agency created four different alternatives ranging in scope from no change to the current land management plans, to allowing oil development across the entire land area. The draft plan is open for comment through June 1, 2012. Comments may be submitted online or by mail to:

NPR-A IAP/EIS Comments
AECOM Project Office
1835 South Bragaw Street, Suite 490
Anchorage, AK 99508

Sources: E&E Publishing LLC (Greenwire, March 30, 2012), Bureau of Land Management (March 29, 2012), Bureau of Land Management (March 22, 2012), Federal Register (March 30, 2012)
 
Council on Environmental Quality Petitioned to Coordinate Bat Protection Efforts
In early April, 2012 the U. S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center announced the first confirmed cases of white-nose syndrome in Missouri bats. Three bats from two different caves in Missouri were found to have the disease that is responsible for nearly seven million bat deaths in the eastern U.S. Scientists say that the fungus that carries the disease was found in seven Missouri bats in April 2010 but the disease itself was not present.

Since the disease was discovered in 2006 it has spread to six species in 20 states and four Canadian provinces. On April 11, 2012 the Center for Biological Diversity sent a petition to the White House Council on Environmental Quality urging them to take a unified federal action to develop regulations on cave management in an effort to halt the spread of this disease. It is believed that the disease originated in Europe and was brought to North America by travelers who entered caves with contaminated gear. Thus, it is crucial to manage caves to limit human transport of spores, which carry the disease in bats.

Sources: E&E Publishing LLC (Greenwire, April 11, 2012), E&E Publishing LLC (E&E News PM, April 2, 2012), Missouri Department of Conservation (April 2, 2012), Center for Biological Diversity (April 11, 2012), Center for Biological Diversity (April 11, 2012), The Guardian (April 10, 2012)

Bipartisan Bill Proposed to Extend Conservation Program
On March 29, 2012, James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, introduced the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) reauthorization. Senator Inhofe was joined by Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and five other co-sponsors: Senators David Vitter (R-LA), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Mary Landrieu (D-LA). NAWCA was enacted in 1989 with the purpose of funding wetlands conservation projects in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to benefit migratory birds and other wildlife. It works by matching federal grants with funds from state, federal, and private organizations, which has shown results of approximately $3 matched to every $1 federally invested.

Sources: E&E Publishing LLC (Greenwire, March 30, 2012), U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (March 30, 2012)

Obama Creates Natural Gas Working Group
In an Executive Order released on April 13, 2012, President Obama created an interagency working group to facilitate policy efforts to ensure the safe development of domestic natural gas resources. A method of producing natural gas, called hydraulic fracturing, has attracted controversy and partly prompted the creation of the working group. This technique uses millions of gallons of water, sand, and chemicals to blast loose oil and gas deposits, which can harm wildlife and surrounding habitat. The working group will consist of more than a dozen agencies and be headed by the Director of the Domestic Policy Council. Their tasks will consist of ensuring coordination amongst agencies, sharing technical advice, engaging in long-term planning of natural gas production development, promoting communication with stakeholders, and consulting with other agencies when deemed necessary.

Sources: E&E Publishing LLC (Greenwire, April 13, 2012), The White House (April 13, 2012)

Interior Proposes Extending Eagle ‘Take’ Permits for 30 years
On April 13, 2012 the Department of the Interior announced plans to alter the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act to allow wind farms, transmission lines, and other energy projects to “take” eagles for up to 30 years, rather than five years as the rule currently allows. The President hopes that this change will instill confidence in the renewable energy sector and secure long-term financing of new projects. Along with the extended length of programmatic “take” in the proposed new rule there is also an increase in administrative and permitting fines for the extended options.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) claims that monitoring of the “take” will continue throughout the lifetime of the permits and if additional mitigation measures are needed, the FWS will enforce such actions by revoking or amending permits. While developers say that the increase in permits is necessary to confidently invest in wind energy, some environmental groups are concerned that there is still uncertainty regarding  how to adequately mitigate the effects of wind farms on eagles and that 30 years is simply too long. The FWS is accepting comments on its new 30-year permitting rule until July 12 online or by mail to:

Public Comments Processing
Attention: FWS-R9-MB-2011-0094
Division of Policy and Directives Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Drive MS 2042-PDM
Arlington, VA 22203-1610

Comments on the new permitting fees will be accepted until May 14 and may be submitted online or by mail to:

Public Comments Processing
Attention: FWS-R9-MB-2011-0054
Division of Policy and Directives Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM
Arlington, VA 22203-1610.

Sources: E&E Publishing (Greenwire, April 16, 2012), Federal Register (April 13, 2012), Federal Register (April 13, 2012)

New Mexico County Withdraws from Mexican Wolf Agreement
On March 27, 2012, Sierra County, New Mexico withdrew from a memorandum of understanding (MOU) among federal agencies and several counties, state agencies, and tribal governments in New Mexico and Arizona that had banded together to reintroduce Mexican gray wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) into the Southwest. County Manager Janet Porter Carrejo stated that residents don’t believe the reintroduction program is worthy of the federal money spent thus far, which totals $12 million since 2003. Sierra was the only county in New Mexico to originally sign on to the project, which is controversial partly due to a disagreement between ranchers and the FWS over the actual number of wolves in the wild. Ranchers say that the FWS survey’s estimation of 58 wolves is too small based on visual accounts and that an increase in wolves will endanger their livestock. The remaining partners aside from federal agencies are the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the White Mountain Apache Tribe and three Arizona counties — Greenlee, Navajo, and Graham.

Sources: E&E Publishing (E&E News PM, March 27, 2012), Santa Fe New Mexican (March 27, 2012)

TWS Updates

Several Entities Express Strong Opposition to Cormorant Bill
On Thursday March 29, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), along with several state agencies and conservation groups expressed their opposition to the "Cormorant Management and Natural Resources Protection Act" (H.R. 3074) in a Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs Legislative Hearing. Some groups feel the Act would effectively undercut the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and place double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) management in the hands of the states rather than the FWS. These organizations believe that the states cannot adequately manage the birds and that without the singular mission of the MBTA protecting cormorants, their populations will severely decrease. TWS submitted written testimony on March 27 opposing the legislation since it is duplicative of the Environmental Assessment recently developed by the FWS and currently open for public comment.

Source: E&E Publishing LLC (E&E Daily, March 30, 2012)

Groups Insist ‘Habitat’ Term Necessary in Fisheries Act
In response to an announcement that the Canadian Fisheries Act may be amended to only protect fish, and not their habitat, from development projects, the Prince Edward Island Watershed Alliance sent a letter on March 19 to Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield calling for the term “habitat” to remain protected within the Canadian Fisheries Act. The Canadian Chapter of TWS raised similar concerns regarding the proposed amendment in a letter to Ashfield on March 26, 2012.

Source: CBC News (March 27, 2012)

News Updates

Wildlife Groups Concerned About Proposed Logging in Owl Habitat
In a letter sent to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on April 2, TWS along with the Society for Conservation Biology and The American Ornithologists’ Union voiced concern over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed revision to the critical habitat designation for  the Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) released on March 8. While the plan would almost double the critical habitat acreage under the George W. Bush plan, the revision would allow active forest harvests within the critical habitat. Environmental groups are unsure about this shift and attest that a plan like this must first undergo a peer-reviewed scientific analysis before being applied on-the-ground.
 
Public comments on the rule will be accepted until June 6, and can be submitted online or by mail to:

Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R1-ES-2011-0112
Division of Policy and Directives Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM
Arlington, VA 22203

Source: E&E Publishing LLC (Greenwire, April 2, 2012)

Groups Challenge Decision to Halt Bighorn Protection in Idaho
The U. S. Forest Service (USFS) is under fire from environmental groups for cutting short its own management plan to protect bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) from a deadly pneumonia transmitted from domestic sheep populations to wild bighorn herds in the Payette National Forest. The lawsuit is aimed at a policy rider inserted into an appropriations bill last year by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) restricting the USFS from further limiting domestic sheep grazing on national forests. Three environmental organizations are currently in litigation with the USFS over the announcement, which comes amid reports of a pneumonia outbreak in at least one wild bighorn sheep herd.

Sources: E&E Publishing LLC (E&E News PM, April 9, 2012), The Republic (April 11, 2012)