Subject: [Tweeters] Very Bad Eagle Rule Proposed
Date: Sep 10 17:03:22 2009
From: groovy joker - groovyjoker at gmail.com


I cannot say I support this in any way.

I do not even remember a comment period for this, and I receive automatic
notifications on this stuff from the USFWS.

The rule has already been approved - not sure what we can do about it.

Improved Eagle Management Program Helps to Incorporate Scientific Data,

Identify Information Gaps



The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a new program to issue
two new types of permits that will be used to improve the management of bald
and golden eagles under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The two
permits are designed to protect public safety and manage activities or
projects that may disturb or otherwise incidentally ?take? bald or golden
eagles or their nests, while maintaining stable or increasing populations.

Permits will only be granted when they are compatible with this goal.



When the bald eagle was listed under the Endangered Species Act, a permit
was available to take eagles incidental to an otherwise lawful activity.

But when the eagle was removed from Endangered Species Act protection in
2007, there were no provisions for issuing permits under the Bald and Golden
Eagle Protection Act for activities that could disturb or otherwise
incidentally take either species of eagle. The growing population of bald
eagles, in particular, could significantly curtail legal human activities if
such permits were not available.



?Both bald and golden eagle populations will benefit from these new
permits,? said Sam Hamilton, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
?These two new permits will be based on sound science, help us improve our
understanding of the species and ultimately our ability to successfully
manage eagle populations. In addition, the new permits provide strong
safeguards to ensure that permitted activities are consistent with the
preservation of bald and golden eagles.?



The first new permit type may be issued only where the ?take? ? in this case
referring to the disturbing, or harming of eagles ? is associated with, but
not the purpose of an activity, such as commercial or residential real
estate development.



The second new type of permit governs removal of bald or golden eagle nests
under limited circumstances, including removal of nests that create safety
concerns on or near airports. Deliberate killing of eagles will not be
allowed under either of these new permits.



?While the final rule establishing the new permit program covers the
management of both bald eagles and golden eagles, the two species represent
two very different management challenges,? said Paul Schmidt, the Service?s
Assistant Director for Migratory Birds. ?The bald eagle population has
rebounded in the past decades, and its recovery poses the challenge of
managing a healthy population still protected under the Bald and Golden
Eagle Protection Act. But unlike the bald eagle, the golden eagle population
is not expanding, and may be in decline.?



Less scientific data is available to help understand the current population
trend of the golden eagle. The final rule improves on prior management of
golden eagles by providing a new framework to better identify data gaps and
information needs pertaining to golden eagle populations ? items of critical
importance to the future management of golden eagles. Until the Service has
further data to show that golden eagle populations can withstand additional
take, it will only consider issuance of new golden eagle take permits for
safety emergencies, through programmatic permits (designed to provide net
benefits to eagles) and any other permits that will result in a reduction of
ongoing take or a net take of zero.



During the 90-day public comment period for the permit system, the Service
received substantive input from 35 commenters ? input used to help revise
the permit program. The Service later received 58 additional comments from
the subsequent 30-day public comment period on the revised permit program.

As part of this action, the Service also released a Final Environmental
Assessment (FEA) outlining the science and rationale for both of the new
permit types.



The rule will go into effect 60 days after its publication in the Federal
Register on September 11, 2009.



The Final Rule and the FEA can be found online at:

http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/


--
GroovyJoker at gmail.com
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