35808 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 131 / Monday, July 8, 1996 / Notices

Generally, all species of gulls are listed in

the treaties and further identified in 50 CFR

10.13, List of Migratory Birds. Prohibited

activities involving these listed migratory

birds are more clearly identified in 50 CFR

21.11 which provides: ‘‘No person shall take

* * * any migratory bird * * * except as

permitted under the terms of a valid permit

* * *.’’

The regulations then provide for issuance

of permits for general standardized activities

(import/export, banding and marking,

scientific collecting, taxidermy, waterfowl

sale and disposal, and falconry activities)

utilizing standard form permits. They also

provide for issuance of Special Purpose

permits which authorize otherwise

prohibited activities involving migratory

birds, not otherwise covered by the standard

form permits, when: ‘‘ * * * an applicant

* * * submits a written application

containing the general information and

certification required by part 13 [50 CFR 13]

and makes a sufficient showing of * * *

compelling justification.’’ (50 CFR 21.27)

These Special Purpose Permit

regulations give the Service broad

authorities to address human safety

issues at JFKIA. The Preferred

Alternative is compatible with all

conventions and treaties and the Service

Actions identified within this Preferred

Alternative are compatible with the

intent of these conventions, treaties, and

associated regulations. The compelling

justification for these Service Actions is

the issue of human safety at JFKIA.

Revised Service Decision

The Service amends its original ROD

to allow issuance of a Special Purpose

Permit to the PA authorizing the take of

no more than 100 herring gulls, 100

great black-backed gulls, 100 ring-billed

gulls, 100 laughing gulls, and 50 Canada

geese or Canada goose nests each year.

This permit will also authorize during

the period of June 12th through August

of each year the additional shooting of

up to 8,000 laughing gulls, 1,400 herring

gulls, 200 great black-backed gulls, and

200 ring-billed gulls when posing a

threat to airplanes on JFKIA. The

Service will issue this permit for a three

year period beginning in 1996.

The laughing gull nesting colony near

JFKIA has not declined significantly

during the course of the shooting

program. ADC concluded in its

evaluation of the 1991–95 shooting

programs that the annual kill of

laughing gulls ‘‘* * * represented about

1–6% of the estimated adult population

in nesting colonies on the Atlantic coast

from Virginia to Maine * * *’’. Takes of

other species under this permit

represent approximately 1% of the

regional adult herring gull population

and less than 1% of the regional adult

populations for great black-backed gulls,

ring-billed gulls, and Canada geese. The

program, which is supported by this

Revised ROD, will likely result in takes

of migratory birds of the following

magnitudes: 3,688–8,100 laughing gulls,

184–1,600 herring gulls, 73–300 great

black-backed gulls, 36–300 ring-billed

gulls, and up to 50 Canada geese or their

nests. Given the high productivity of the

gull species and the number of gulls

taken during the 1991–95 period, the

Service believes that the environmental

impact of this Revised ROD will be the

same as, or less than the impacts

discussed in the FEIS.

In April 1996 the PA presented the

Service with a proposal to use falconry

to reduce the numbers of migratory

birds flying through JFKIA airspace by

both killing and harassment.

Unfortunately, this proposal contains no

meaningful evaluation plan, and it will

be impossible to judge whether the use

of raptors to harass birds at JFKIA will

reduce the number of strikes in 1996

without such a plan. However, the

Service will incorporate conditions in

the 1996 permit that would allow the

experimental use of falconry at JFKIA,

provided this activity is restricted to

only PA property and monitored

appropriately. Also, the Service intends

to consider future modifications of the

PA permit for the JFKIA bird hazard

management program to accommodate

other experimental approaches that

might result in a reduced kill of

migratory birds, while maintaining at a

minimum the current level of risk at

JFKIA to bird strikes.

Having reviewed and considered the

FEIS and the 1994 ROD for the gull

hazard management program at JFKIA,

the Service finds as follows:

1. The requirements of NEPA and

implementing regulations have been

satisfied; and

2. Consistent with social, economic,

programmatic and environmental

considerations from among the

reasonable alternatives thereto, the

Revised ROD is one which minimizes or

avoids adverse environmental effects to

the maximum extent, practicable,

including the effects discussed in the

FEIS; and,

3. Consistent with the social,

economic and other essential

considerations, to the maximum extent

practicable, adverse environmental

effects revealed in the EIS process will

be minimized or avoided by

incorporating as conditions those

mitigative measures identified in the

Preferred Alternative in the FEIS and its

supporting appendices; and,

4. The limitations on the numbers of

gulls and other migratory bird species

which may be taken under this permit

are compatible with the terms of the

Migratory Bird Conventions and are

made with due regard to their

distribution, abundance, breeding

habits, and migratory patterns; and

5. The compelling necessity for public

safety at JFKIA, which is documented in

the FEIS, is addressed by the proposed

actions; and

6. The PA have made a sufficient

showing of compelling justification for

these permits; and

7. All improvements to the BCU,

BHTF, and JFKIA management

programs, as specified in the June 3,

1994 Federal Register with the

amendments identified above in the

Service Actions section are hereby

adopted as part of this finding and will

be used to guide future migratory bird

permit decisions.

Having made the above findings, the

Service has decided to proceed with

implementation of the Revised Record

of Decision as indicated above.

This Revised Record of Decision will

serve as the written facts and

conclusions relied on in reaching this

decision. This Revised Record of

Decision was approved by the Regional

Director of the Service on June 24, 1996.

Dated: June 24, 1996.

Jaime Geiger,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 96–17128 Filed 7–5–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

Ruffe Control Committee Meeting

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, Fish

and Wildlife Service.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice announces a

meeting of the Ruffe Control Committee,

a committee of the Aquatic Nuisance

Species Task Force. The Committee will

meet to develop action plans to meet

three new objectives of the Ruffe

Control Program. These are: bait fish

management; fish community

management; and, Chicago Ship and

Sanitary Canal. The meeting is open to

the public. Interested persons may make

oral statements to the Committee or may

file written statements for consideration.

DATES: The Ruffe Control Committee

will meet from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on

Tuesday, July 30, 1996, and 8:00 a.m. to

12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31,

1996.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the Holiday Inn, 1000 U.S. 23 North,

Alpena, Michigan 49707.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tom Busiahn, Ruffe Control Committee

Chairperson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, at (715) 682–6185.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 131 / Monday, July 8, 1996 / Notices 35809

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant

to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.

I), this notice announces a meeting of

the Ruffe Control Committee, a

committee of the Aquatic Nuisance

Species Task Force established under

the authority of the Nonindigenous

Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and

Control Act of 1990 (P.L. 101–646, 104

Stat. 4761, 16 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.,

November 29, 1990). Minutes of meeting

will be maintained by Coordinator,

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force,

Room 840, 4401 North Fairfax Drive,

Arlington, Virginia 22203 and the

Chairperson, Ruffe Control Committee,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fishery

Resources Office, 2800 Lake Shore Drive

East, Ashland, Wisconsin 54806, and

will be available for public inspection

during regular business hours, Monday

through Friday within 30 days following

the meeting.

Dated: June 21, 1996.

Gary Edwards,

Co-Chair, Aquatic Nuisance Species Task

Force.

[FR Doc. 96–17225 Filed 7–5–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Fiscal Year (FY) 1996 Indian Child

Welfare Act (ICWA) Grant Program,

Availability of Title II ICWA Funds for

Off-Reservation Indian Organizations

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of grant

funds.

SUMMARY: Title II of the Indian Child

Welfare Act of 1978, Public Law 95–

608, makes grant funds available to offreservation Indian organizations from

the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA),

Department of the Interior, for the

purpose of establishing and operating

off-reservation Indian child and family

service programs.

DATES: The closing date for the receipt

of applications for all applicants is

August 2, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be

mailed or hand-delivered to the

appropriate Area Office of the Bureau of

Indian Affairs listed in Part IV of this

announcement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ area office

nearest to the applicant, or Betty

Tippeconnie, BIA Office of Tribal

Services, Mail Stop 4603–MIB, 1849 C

Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.

Telephone (202) 208–2721.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is published in exercise of

authority delegated by the Secretary of

the Interior to the Assistant Secretary—

Indian Affairs (Assistant Secretary) by

209 DM 8. Pursuant to 25 CFR Part 23,

the Assistant Secretary hereby

announces procedures necessary for

eligible off-reservation Indian

organizations to compete for a national

allocation of $866,000 in FY 1996 Title

II ICWA grant funds.

ICWA applications for one year grants

will be accepted under this notice.

Applications must comply with all

applicable requirements and criteria

specified in Subpart D, 25 CFR Part 23.

Copies of 25 CFR Part 23 ICWA grant

regulations may be obtained from the

Area Social Workers listed in Part IV of

this notice. It is important that

applicants carefully review all

requirements detailed in this notice

relative to application contents,

deadlines, and other special

instructions. Applications not received

by Close of Business on August 2, 1996

will not be considered in the

competition.

In accordance with 25 CFR Part 23.42,

it is incumbent upon prospective grant

applicants to request technical

assistance from the appropriate Area

Director. The deadline for the receipt of

requests for technical assistance is 10

days prior to the close of the application

deadline.

Part I. General Information

A. Background

It is the policy of the BIA to

emphasize and facilitate the

comprehensive design, development

and implementation of Indian child and

family service programs in coordination

with other Federal, state, and local

programs which strengthen and

preserve Indian families and Indian

tribes. Thus, applicants are encouraged

to design their ICWA programs/

activities to integrate with or

complement existing child and family

service programs or those administered

by the applicant.

Section 202 of the Indian Child

Welfare Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–

608, 25 U.S.C. 1932) authorizes the

Secretary to make grants to offreservation Indian organizations to

establish and operate off-reservation

Indian child and family service

programs for the purpose of stabilizing

and preventing the breakup of Indian

families and, in particular, to ensure

that the permanent removal of an Indian

child from the custody of his/her Indian

parent or custodian shall be an action of

last resort. These programs are intended

to promote the Indian Child Welfare Act

of 1978 (25 U.S.C. chapter 21).

This notice provides information on

the FY 1996 ICWA grant application

process for eligible off-reservation

Indian organizations to compete for FY

1996 ICWA grant funds.

B. Eligible Applicants

The Board of Directors of any

nonprofit off-reservation Indian

organization may apply for a grant

under this announcement. A new

application for projects of one year’s

duration may be submitted in response

to this announcement. An applicant

may not submit more than one

application nor be a beneficiary of more

than one grant under this or other prior

notices.

C. Purpose of Off-Reservation Grants

The purpose of every Indian child and

family services program shall be to

prevent the breakup of Indian families,

and ensure that the permanent removal

of an Indian child from the custody of

his/her Indian parent or custodian shall

be a last resort. Off-reservation Indian

child and family service programs may

include, but are not limited to:

(1) A system for regulating,

maintaining, and supporting Indian

foster and adoptive homes, including a

subsidy program under which Indian

adoptive children may be provided

support comparable to that for which

they would be eligible as Indian foster

children, taking into account the

appropriate state standards of support

maintenance and medical needs;

(2) The operation and maintenance of

facilities and services for the counseling

and treatment of Indian families and

Indian foster and adoptive children with

the goal of strengthening and stabilizing

Indian families;

(3) Family assistance (including

homemaker services and home

counselors), protective day care and

after school care, employment support

services, recreational activities, and

respite care with the goal of

strengthening Indian families and

contributing toward family stability; and

(4) Guidance, legal representation and

advice to Indian families involved in

state child custody proceedings.

Part II

A. Available Funds

In FY 1996, off-reservation Indian

organizations will compete for a

national allocation of $866,000, which

will be evenly distributed to the BIA’s

twelve area offices in the amount of

$72,166.66 per area. Pursuant to 25 CFR

23.34, Area Directors will determine