Migratory Bird Permits; Regulations Governing Take of Migratory Birds; Environmental Impact Statement

This document advises that we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a draft environmental impact statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The Service hereby notifies Federal, State, and local agencies, tribes, and the public of our intentions to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of a proposal to adopt a regulation that clarifies that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act's prohibitions on pursuing, hunting, taking, capturing, killing, or attempting to do the same, apply only to actions directed at migratory birds, their nests, or their eggs, and, therefore, do not extend to incidental take, which occurs when injury or mortality to migratory birds results from, but is not the purpose of, an activity. The review will analyze the environmental effects of the proposed approach and will provide detailed analysis of the environmental effects of the proposed rule. We invite input from other Federal and State agencies, tribes, nongovernmental organizations, and members of the public on the scope of the proposed NEPA analysis, the pertinent issues we should address, and alternatives to our proposed approach for implementing the MBTA. We will hold multiple public scoping webinars to inform the public about the proposal.