Document B82LDE9mGKB9or5ao6Xg0p9Lj

From: To: Subject: Date: Attachments: Parramore, laury Barbara Wainman; Matthew Huaaler: Vanessa Kauffman HEAD"S UP: Greenwire story today on mitigation policy comment period Thursday, January 4, 2018 11:01:09 AM Mitigation Policies Reopening Bulletin Final.docx Mike Doyle is running a piece today on the mitigation policy and public comments. We put out a bulletin on this Nov. 3 (attached). Comment period closes tomorrow (only 130 comments per regulations.gov). Tried to explain to him last night this isn't really a big story, and he initially concurred but guess it must be slow news day. Laury Marshall Parramore Assistant Chief, Public Affairs U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service MS: EA 5275 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 703/358 2541 -- direct 703/589 6947 -- mobile November 3, 2017 Contact: Vanessa Kauffman 703-358-2138 vanessa kauffman@fws.gov U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Solicits Public Input on Mitigation Policies To help ensure that its policies are consistent, effective and transparent, and provide a level of certainty to all involved parties, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is soliciting public review of and comment on its Service-wide Mitigation Policy and its Endangered Species Act - Compensatory Mitigation Policy (ESACMP). These policies provide direction to Service employees on how to develop mitigation recommendations to offset the impacts of development activities on species or their habitats. The review is part of a broader Service effort to re-evaluate several regulations and policies related to the Secretary of the Interior's Order 3349 on American Energy Independence (March 29, 2017). The order directed bureaus to review policies to ensure consistency with directives in effect at the time Secretarial Order 3349 was issued. The existing Mitigation Policy, which revised the long-standing 1981 Service Mitigation Policy, articulates general policy and principles intended to guide recommended mitigation across all Service programs. These principles were in turn stepped down into the ESA-CMP. The Service is soliciting additional input regarding whether to retain or modify the mitigation goals or other policy direction articulated within our mitigation policies. Based on comments received, the Service will decide whether and how to revise the policies. The notice will publish in the Federal Register on November 6, 2017. Written comments and information concerning this proposal can be submitted by one of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to: o Mitigation Policy at Docket No. [FWS-HQ-ES-2015-0126] o ESA-CMP at Docket No. [FWS-HQ-ES-2015-0165] U. S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. [FWS-HQ-ES2015-0126 or FWS-HQ-ES-2015-0165]; Division of Policy, Performance and Management Programs; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike - MS: BPHC Falls Church, VA 22041-3808. The Service invites comments, information and recommendations from governmental agencies, Indian Tribes, the scientific community, industry groups, environmental interest groups and any other interested parties. Comments must be received within 60 days, on or before January 5, 2018. The Service will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means the agency will post any personal information provided through the process. The Service is not able to accept email or faxes. For more information, please visit: http://www.fws.gov/ecological-services/habitat-conservation/cp.html. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats_for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov, or connect with us through any of these social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. -FWS-