Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), open or expand hunting opportunities on 12 National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs). We also close hunting on 111 acres at Crab Orchard NWR so that the area can be repurposed for other recreational uses, including camping. We also make changes to existing station-specific regulations in order to reduce the regulatory burden on the public, increase access for hunters and anglers on Service lands and waters, and comply with a Presidential mandate for plain-language standards. Finally, the best available science, analyzed as part of this rulemaking, indicates that lead ammunition and tackle have negative impacts on both wildlife and human health. With this final rule, Canaan Valley NWR in West Virginia will require lead-free ammunition for all hunting on the new Big Cove Unit. Additionally, Des Lacs, J. Clark Salyer, Lostwood, and Upper Souris NWRs in North Dakota will require lead-free ammunition for newly opened elk hunting. While the Service continues to evaluate the future of lead use in hunting and fishing on Service lands and waters, this rulemaking does not include any opportunities that increase or authorize the new use of lead.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 32 [Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2024-0034; FXRS12610900000-245-FF09R20000] RIN 1018-BH17 AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), open or expand hunting opportunities on 12 National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs). We also close hunting on 111 acres at Crab Orchard NWR so that the area can be repurposed for other recreational uses, including camping. We also make changes to existing station-specific regulations in order to reduce the regulatory burden on the public, increase access for hunters and anglers on Service lands and waters, and comply with a Presidential mandate for plain-language standards. Finally, the best available science, analyzed as part of this rulemaking, indicates that lead ammunition and tackle have negative impacts on both wildlife and human health. With this final rule, Canaan Valley NWR in West Virginia will require lead-free ammunition for all hunting on the new Big Cove Unit. Additionally, Des Lacs, J. Clark Salyer, Lostwood, and Upper Souris NWRs in North Dakota will require lead-free ammunition for newly opened elk hunting. While the Service continues to evaluate the future of lead use in hunting and fishing on Service lands and waters, this rulemaking does not include any opportunities that increase or authorize the new use of lead. DATES: This rule is effective November 6, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ch…
Other Federal Register documents from the same docket.
Citation: 89 FR 88147
