(a) Streaked horned lark (Eremophila alpestris strigata). (1) Which populations of the streaked horned lark are covered by this special rule? The components of this special rule that apply to airport management and noxious weed control cover the rangewide distribution of this bird; the agricultural component applies only to the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
(1) Which populations of the streaked horned lark are covered by this special rule? The components of this special rule that apply to airport management and noxious weed control cover the rangewide distribution of this bird; the agricultural component applies only to the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
(2) What activities are prohibited? Except as noted in paragraphs (a)(3), (4), and (5) of this section, all prohibitions of Sec. 17.31 apply to the streaked horned lark.
(3) What activities are allowed on airports on non-Federal lands? (i) Incidental take of the streaked horned lark will not be a violation of section 9 of the Act, if the incidental take results from routine management activities associated with airport operations to minimize hazardous wildlife, consistent with regulations at 14 CFR 139.337.
(ii) Hazardous wildlife is defined by the Federal Aviation Administration as species of wildlife, including feral animals and domesticated animals not under control, that are associated with aircraft strike problems, are capable of causing structural damage to airport facilities, or act as attractants to other wildlife that pose a strike hazard. Routine management activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
(A) Routine management, repair, and maintenance of roads and runways (does not include upgrades or construction of new roads or runways);
(B) Control and management of vegetation (grass, weeds, shrubs, and trees) through mowing, discing, herbicide application, or burning;
(C) Hazing of hazardous wildlife; and
(D) Habitat modification and management of sources of forage, water, and shelter to reduce the attractiveness of the area around the airport for hazardous wildlife.
(iii) Incidental take of larks caused by accidental aircraft strikes at airports on non-Federal lands is also exempted from the prohibitions of section 9 of the Act.
(4) What agricultural activities are allowed on non-Federal land in the Willamette Valley in Oregon? Incidental take of streaked horned lark will not be a violation of section 9 of the Act, if the incidental take results from accepted agricultural (farming) practices implemented on farms consistent with State laws on non-Federal lands.
(i) For the purposes of this special rule, farm means any facility, including land, buildings, watercourses and appurtenances, used in the commercial production of crops, nursery stock, livestock, poultry, livestock products, poultry products, vermiculture products, or the propagation and raising of nursery stock.
(ii) For the purposes of this special rule, an agricultural (farming) practice means a mode of operation on a farm that:
(A) Is or may be used on a farm of a similar nature;
(B) Is a generally accepted, reasonable, and prudent method for the operation of the farm to obtain a profit in money;
(C) Is or may become a generally accepted, reasonable, and prudent method in conjunction with farm use;
(D) Complies with applicable State laws; and
(E) Is done in a reasonable and prudent manner.
(iii) Accepted agricultural (farming) practices include, but are not limited to, the following activities:
(A) Planting, harvesting, rotation, mowing, tilling, discing, burning, and herbicide application to crops;
(B) Normal transportation activities, and repair and maintenance of unimproved farm roads (this exemption does not include improvement or construction of new roads) and graveled margins of rural roads;
(C) Livestock grazing according to normally acceptable and established levels;
(D) Hazing of geese or predators; and
(E) Maintenance of irrigation and drainage systems.
(5) What noxious weed control activities are allowed on non-Federal lands? Incidental take of streaked horned lark will not be a violation of section 9 of the Act, if the incidental take results from routine removal or other management of noxious weeds. Routine removal or other management of noxious weeds are limited to the following, and must be conducted in such a way that impacts to non-target plants are avoided to the maximum extent practicable:
(i) Mowing;
(ii) Herbicide and fungicide application;
(iii) Fumigation; and
(iv) Burning.
(b) Coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica). (1) Except as noted in paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) of this section, all prohibitions of Sec. 17.31(a) and (b) shall apply to the coastal California gnatcatcher.
(1) Except as noted in paragraphs (b)(2) and (3) of this section, all prohibitions of Sec. 17.31(a) and (b) shall apply to the coastal California gnatcatcher.
(2) Incidental take of the coastal California gnatcatcher will not be considered a violation of section 9 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), if it results from activities conducted pursuant to the State of California's Natural Community Conservation Planning Act of 1991 (NCCP), and in accordance with a NCCP plan for the protection of coastal sage scrub habitat, prepared consistent with the State's NCCP Conservation and Process Guidelines, provided that:
(i) The NCCP plan has been prepared, approved, and implemented pursuant to California Fish and Game Code sections 2800-2840; and
(ii) The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has issued written concurrence that the NCCP plan meets the standards set forth in 50 CFR 17.32(b)(2). The Service shall issue its concurrence pursuant to the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), dated December 4, 1991, between the California Department of Fish and Game and the Service regarding coastal sage scrub natural community conservation planning in southern California. (Copies of the State's NCCP Conservation and Process Guidelines and the MOU are available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Field Office, 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, CA 92008.) The Service shall monitor the implementation of the NCCP plan and may revoke its concurrence under this paragraph (b)(2)(ii) if the NCCP plan, as implemented, fails to adhere to the standards set forth in 50 CFR 17.32(b)(2).
(3) During the period that a NCCP plan referred to in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is being prepared, incidental take of the coastal California gnatcatcher will not be a violation of section 9 of the Act if such take occurs within an area under the jurisdiction of a local government agency that is enrolled and actively engaged in the preparation of such a plan and such take results from activities conducted in accordance with the NCCP Conservation Guidelines and Process Guidelines.
(4) The Service will monitor the implementation of the NCCP Conservation and Process Guidelines as a whole, and will conduct a review every 6 months to determine whether the guidelines, as implemented, are effective in progressing toward or meeting regional and subregional conservation objectives during the interim planning period. If the Service determines that the guidelines are not effecting adequate progress toward or meeting regional and subregional conservation objectives, the Service will consult with the California Department of Fish and Game pursuant to the MOU to seek appropriate modification of the guidelines or their application as defined therein. If appropriate modification of the guidelines or their application as defined therein does not occur, the Service may revoke the interim take provisions of this special rule on a subregional or subarea basis. The Service will publish the findings for revocation in the Federal Register and provide for a 30-day public comment period prior to the effective date for revoking the provisions of the special rule in a particular area. Revocation would result in the reinstatement of the take prohibitions set forth under 50 CFR 17.31(a) and (b) in the affected NCCP area.
(c) The following species in the parrot family: Salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis), yellow-billed parrot (Amazona collaria), and white cockatoo (Cacatua alba).
(1) Except as noted in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section, all prohibitions and provisions of Sec. Sec. 17.31 and 17.32 of this part apply to these species.
(2) Import and export. You may import or export a specimen without a permit issued under Sec. 17.32 of this part only when the provisions of parts 13, 14, 15, and 23 of this chapter have been met and you meet the following requirements:
(i) Captive-bred specimens: The source code on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) document accompanying the specimen must be ``F'' (captive born), ``C'' (bred in captivity), or ``D'' (bred in captivity for commercial purposes) (see 50 CFR 23.24); or
(ii) Specimens held in captivity prior to certain dates: You must provide documentation to demonstrate that the specimen was held in captivity prior to the applicable date specified in paragraphs (c)(2)(ii)(A), (B), or (C) of this section. Such documentation may include copies of receipts, accession or veterinary records, CITES documents, or wildlife declaration forms, which must be dated prior to the specified dates.
(A) For salmon-crested cockatoos: January 18, 1990 (the date this species was transferred to CITES Appendix I).
(B) For yellow-billed parrots: April 11, 2013 (the date this species was listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)).
(C) For white cockatoos: July 24, 2014 (the date this species was listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)).
(3) Interstate commerce. Except where use after import is restricted under Sec. 23.55 of this chapter, you may deliver, receive, carry, transport, or ship in interstate commerce and in the course of a commercial activity, or sell or offer to sell, in interstate commerce the species listed in this paragraph (c) without a permit under the Act.
(d) Lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). (1) Prohibitions. Except as noted in paragraphs (d)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section, all prohibitions and provisions of Sec. Sec. 17.31 and 17.32 apply to the lesser prairie-chicken.
(1) Prohibitions. Except as noted in paragraphs (d)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section, all prohibitions and provisions of Sec. Sec. 17.31 and 17.32 apply to the lesser prairie-chicken.
(2) Exemptions from prohibitions. Incidental take of the lesser prairie-chicken will not be considered a violation of section 9 of the Act if the take occurs:
(i) On privately owned, State, or county land from activities that are conducted by a participant enrolled in, and operating in compliance with, the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Interstate Working Group's Lesser Prairie-Chicken Range-Wide Conservation Plan, as endorsed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
(ii) On privately owned agricultural land from the following conditioned conservation practices that are carried out in accordance with a conservation plan providing for lesser prairie-chicken conservation developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
(A) Upland wildlife habitat management;
(B) Prescribed grazing;
(C) Restoration and management of rare and declining habitats;
(D) Access control;
(E) Forage harvest management;
(F) Prescribed burning;
(G) Brush management;
(H) Firebreaks;
(I) Cover crops;
(J) Critical area planting;
(K) Forage and biomass planting;
(L) Range planting;
(M) Watering facilities;
(N) Spring development;
(O) Pumping plants;
(P) Water wells;
(Q) Pipelines;
(R) Grade stabilization structures;
(S) Fences;
(T) Obstruction removal;
(U) Herbaceous weed control;
(V) Ponds;
(W) Tree and shrub planting;
(X) Heavy use protection;
(Y) Woody residue treatment;
(Z) Well decommissioning;
(AA) Conservation cover.
(iii) As a result of the continuation of routine agricultural practices, as specified below, on cultivated lands that are in row crop, seed-drilled untilled crop, hay, or forage production that meet the definition of cropland at 7 CFR 718.2, and, in addition, must have been cultivated, meaning tilled, planted, or harvested, within the 5 years preceding the proposed routine agricultural practice that may otherwise result in take. Activities covered by this provision include:
(A) Plowing, drilling, disking, mowing, or other mechanical manipulation and management of lands in cultivation.
(B) Routine activities in direct support of cultivated agriculture, including replacement, upgrades, maintenance, and operation of existing infrastructure such as buildings, irrigation conveyance structures, fences, and roads.
(C) Use of chemicals in direct support of cultivated agriculture when done in accordance with label recommendations. [43 FR 6233, Feb. 14, 1978, as amended at 58 FR 65095, Dec. 10, 1993; 60 FR 36010, July 12, 1995; 72 FR 37372, July 9, 2007; 73 FR 23970, May 1, 2008; 76 FR 30780, May 26, 2011; 76 FR 54713, Sept. 2, 2011; 78 FR 15641, Mar. 12, 2013; 78 FR 61502, Oct. 3, 2013; 79 FR 20084, Apr. 10, 2014; 79 FR 35900, June 24, 2014]