Agenda

Back to Calendar Return

ARF- 2072

Regular Agenda Item 3. H.

Regular BOS Meeting

Meeting Date:	09/03/2013
Submitted For:	Don McDaniel Jr.
Submitted By:	Jacque Griffin, Asst. County Manager/Librarian, Asst County Manager/Library District
Department:	Deputy County Mgr/Library District

Information

Request/Subject

Submit two letters to Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding Mexican wolf proposed actions

Background Information

On June 13, 2013, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) opened the comment period regarding delisting the gray wolf as endangered and relisting the Mexican wolf. Comment Period closes September 11, 2013. In addition, on June 13, 2013, a proposal was announced to revise the nonessential experimental population designation of the Mexican wolf, with the comment period also closing on September 11, 2013. A Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed revision to the nonessential experimental population of the Mexican wolf was published, with a comment period opening on August 5, 2013 and closing on September 19, 2013.

USFWS personnel have stated in several public meetings that the first two comment periods which end on September 11, 2013, will be extended; however, to date no extension has been published. The most recent comment from a USFWS employee is that it is expected that the comment period will be re-opened. The comment period on the EIS process (which closes September 19, 2013) is not currently being considered for extension.

Evaluation

There are also several serious concerns regarding the processes used by the USFWS regarding the ongoing Mexican Wolf Recovery Initiative. With the confusion regarding separate but connected proposed actions, the differing dates for comment periods, the promise but no guarantee of extending of the deadlines, and the general public being largely unaware that this is happening or what the potential impacts may be, the County needs to take several steps to ensure that the public and the County have ample time to be involved in these processes.

Conclusion

The County needs to approve official comments regarding (1) a request to the USFWS for the deadlines to be sufficiently extended to allow all stakeholders, interested parties and the general public to fully understand the possible implications and impacts and make meaningful comments regarding the USFWS various proposed actions, and (2) our grave concerns with the entire process to date.

Recommendation

Staff recommends that the Board approve and send two letters to the Director of the USFWS -one that requests combining and extending the comment periods to ensure there is adequate time for the general public as well as stakeholders to understand and make meaningful comments, and a second that points out the serious concerns with regard to the processes that have been followed to this point.

Suggested Motion

Information/Discussion/Action to approve two letters addressed to the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): (1) requesting immediate action to grant an extension to the various comment periods involved in the gray wolf delisting, the relisting of the Mexican wolf, the revision of the nonessential, experimental revised rules, and the proposed draft Environmental Impact Statement on the revision to the Mexican wolf nonessential experimental population rule; and (2) expressing grave concerns with regard to the processes that have been followed by the USFWS related to the entire Mexican Wolf Initiative. (Jacque Griffin)

Attachments
Wolves Concerns
Wolves Extension Letter