Future Cormorant Control is now open for “Public Scoping”

Future Cormorant Control is now open for “Public Scoping” public comments are open until March 9th.

US Fish and Wildlife Service (March 6, 2020) … Double-crested cormorants, Phalcrocorax auritus, qualify for protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal for anyone to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to Federal regulations. The migratory bird species protected by the Act are listed in 50 CFR 10.13.

UPDATE: As part of ongoing efforts to address conflicts between double-crested cormorants and wild and stocked fisheries, the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has announced an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), and intention to prepare a draft environmental review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended.

Public scoping for the rulemaking process began with the publication of the ANPR in the Federal Register on January 22, 2020, and will continue for 45 days until March 9, 2020. Please visit our  special website for more information about this process.

The Service held four public scoping webinars in early February 2020. We encourage you to watch recorded webinars and then submit your comments at  Regulations.gov (Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2019-0103).

•  Webinar 1 (Feb. 11, 1 pm) |  Start of presentation |  Start of Q&A
•  Webinar 2 (Feb. 11, 5 pm) |  Start of presentation |  Start of Q&A
•  Webinar 3 (Feb. 12, 1 pm) |  Start of presentation |  Start of Q&A
•  Webinar 4 (Feb. 12, 5 pm) |  Start of presentation |  Start of Q&A

To promulgate a proposed rule and prepare a draft environmental review document pursuant to NEPA, the Service will take into consideration all comments and any additional information received on or before March 9, 2020. You may submit written comments by one of the following methods. Please do not submit comments by both methods. We do not accept email or faxes.

Electronically
Go to the  Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow instructions there for submitting comments to  Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2019-0103

By hard copy
Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to:

Public Comments Processing
Attn: FWS–HQ–MB–2019–0103
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters
MS: JAO/1N
5275 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041–3803

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