Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 56 / Thursday, March 23, 1995 / Proposed Rules 15279

Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. This action

does not contain any federalism impacts

as described in Executive Order 12612.

These proposed changes in the

regulations in parts 13 and 14 are

regulatory and enforcement actions

which are covered by a categorical

exclusion from National Environmental

Policy Act procedures under 516

Department Manual and an

Environmental Action Memorandum is

on file at the Service’s office in

Arlington, Virginia. A determination has

been made pursuant to Section 7 of the

Endangered Species Act that the

proposed revision of part 14 will not

effect federally listed species. The

Department has certified to OMB that

these regulations meet the applicable

standards provided in Section 2(a) and

2(b)(2) of Executive Order 12778.

Authorship. The originators of this

proposed rule are Special Agents Frank

Shoemaker and Marty Hernandez, and Law

Enforcement Specialist Paul McGowan,

Division of Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 14

Animal welfare, Exports, Fish,

Imports, Labeling, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements,

Transportation, Wildlife.

Regulation Promulgation

For the reasons set out in the

preamble, title 50, chapter I, subchapter

B of the Code of Federal Regulations is

proposed to be amended as set forth

below:

PART 14—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 14 is

revised to read as follows:

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 704, 712, 1382,

1538(d)-(f), 1539, 1540(f), 3371–3378, 4223–

4244, and 4901–4916; 18 U.S.C. 42; 31 U.S.C.

483(a).

2. Section 14.4, as proposed to be

added at 59 FR 47217, September 14,

1994, is amended by adding paragraphs

(e) and (f) to read as follows:

§ 14.4 Definitions.

* * * * *

(e) Accredited scientific institutions

include any public museum, public

zoological park, accredited institution of

higher education, accredited member of

the American Zoological Association,

accredited member of the American

Zoological Association, accredited

member of the American Association of

Systematic Collections, or any State or

Federal government agency that

conducts biological or medical research.

(f) Accredited scientist includes any

individual associated with, employed

by, or under contract to and accredited

by an accredited scientific institution

for the purposes of conducting

biological or medical research, and

whose research activities are approved

and sponsored by the scientific

institution granting accreditation.

3. A new § 14.24 is added to read as

follows:

§ 14.24 Scientific specimens.

Except for wildlife requiring a permit

pursuant to parts 16, 17, 18, 21, 22 and

23 of this subchapter, dead, preserved,

dried, or embedded scientific specimens

or parts thereof, imported or exported

by accredited scientists and/or

accredited scientific institutions may be

imported or exported through any U.S.

Customs port, or may be shipped

through the international mail system.

Provided: That this exception will not

apply to any specimens or parts thereof,

taken as a result of sport hunting.

4. Section 14.55 is amended by

adding paragraph (d) to read as follows:

§ 14.55 Exceptions to clearance

requirements.

* * * * *

(d) Dead, preserved, dried, or

embedded scientific specimens or parts

thereof, imported or exported by

accredited scientists and/or accredited

scientific institutions for taxonomic or

systematic research purposes. Provided:

That this exception will not apply to

any specimens or parts thereof, taken as

a result of sport hunting.

5. Section 14.62 is amended by

revising paragraph (c) and adding

paragraph (d) to read as follows:

§ 14.62 Exceptions to import declaration

requirements.

* * * * *

(c) General declarations for certain

specimens. Notwithstanding the

provisions of § 14.61 and except for

wildlife included in paragraph (d) of

this section, scientific specimens

imported for scientific institutions for

taxonomic, systematic research, or

faunal survey purposes may be

described in general terms on a

Declaration for the Importation or

Exportation of Fish or Wildlife (Form 3–

177). An amended Form 3–177 must be

filed within 180 days after filing of the

general declaration with the Service.

The specimens must be identified to the

most accurate taxonomic classification

reasonably practicable using the best

available taxonomic information.

Extensions of the 180 day period may be

granted by the Director.

(d) Except for wildlife requiring a

permit pursuant to parts 16, 17, 18, 21,

22 and 23 of this subchapter, a

Declaration for the Importation or

Exportation of Fish or Wildlife (Form 3–

177) does not have to be filed at the time

of importation for shipments of dead,

preserved, dried, or embedded scientific

specimens or parts thereof, imported by

accredited scientists and/or accredited

scientific institutions for taxonomic or

systematic research purposes. A Form

3–177 must be filed within 180 days of

importation with the appropriate

Assistant Regional Director—Law

Enforcement in the Region where the

importation occurs. The specimens

must be identified to the most accurate

taxonomic classification reasonably

practicable using the best available

taxonomic information, and the country

of origin must be declared. Provided:

That this exception will not apply to

any specimens or parts thereof, taken as

a result of sport hunting.

6. Section 14.64 is amended by

adding paragraph (b)(3) to read as

follows:

§ 14.64 Exceptions to export declaration

requirements.

* * * * *

(b) * * *

(3) Except for wildlife requiring a

permit pursuant to parts 16, 17, 18, 21,

22 and 23 of this subchapter, a

Declaration for the Importation or

Exportation of Fish or Wildlife (Form 3–

177) does not have to be filed at the time

of exportation for shipments of dead,

preserved, dried, or embedded scientific

specimens or parts thereof, exported by

accredited scientists and/or accredited

scientific institutions for taxonomic or

systematic research purposes. A Form

3–177 must be filed within 180 days of

exportation with the appropriate

Assistant Regional Director—Law

Enforcement in the Region where the

exportation occurs. The specimens must

be identified to the most accurate

taxonomic classification reasonably

practicable using the best available

taxonomic information, and the country

of origin must be declared. Provided:

That this exception shall not apply to

any specimens or parts thereof, taken as

a result of sport hunting.

Dated: February 10, 1995.

George T. Frampton Jr.,

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and

Parks.

[FR Doc. 95–7085 Filed 3–22–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M