Source: http://gao.gov/products/GAO-13-86R
Timestamp: 2015-05-24 19:29:51
Document Index: 641514477

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 801', '§ 603', '§ 1532', '§ 551', '§ 3501', '§ 703']

U.S. GAO - Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service: Migratory Bird Hunting; Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations on Certain Federal Indian Reservations and Ceded Lands for the 2012-13 Late Season	Skip Navigation
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service: Migratory Bird Hunting; Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations on Certain Federal Indian Reservations and Ceded Lands for the 2012-13 Late Season
GAO-13-86R: Oct 5, 2012
GAO reviewed the Department of the Interior (Interior), Fish and Wildlife Service's new rule on migratory bird hunting; migratory bird hunting regulations on certain federal Indian reservations and ceded lands for the 2012-13 late season. GAO found that (1) the final rule prescribes special late-season migratory bird hunting regulations for certain tribes on federal Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands, and ceded lands. The final rule also allows the establishment of season bag limits and, thus, harvest at levels compatible with populations and habitat conditions; (2) Interior complied with the applicable requirements in promulgating the rule. B-323946 October 5, 2012 The Honorable Barbara BoxerChairmanThe Honorable James M. InhofeRanking MemberCommittee on Environment and Public WorksUnited States SenateThe Honorable Doc HastingsChairmanThe Honorable Edward MarkeyRanking MemberCommittee on Natural ResourcesHouse of RepresentativesSubject: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service: Migratory Bird Hunting; Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations on Certain Federal Indian Reservations and Ceded Lands for the 2012-13 Late Season Pursuant to section 801(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United States Code, this is our report on a major rule promulgated by the Department of the Interior (Interior), Fish and Wildlife Service, entitled Migratory Bird Hunting; Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations on Certain Federal Indian Reservations and Ceded Lands for the 2012-13 Late Season (RIN: 1018-AX97). We received the rule on September 20, 2012. It was published in the Federal Register as a final rule on September 21, 2012. 77 Fed. Reg. 58,658. The final rule prescribes special late-season migratory bird hunting regulations for certain tribes on federal Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands, and ceded lands. The final rule also allows the establishment of season bag limits and, thus, harvest at levels compatible with populations and habitat conditions. Enclosed is our assessment of Interiors compliance with the procedural steps required by section 801(a)(1)(B)(i) through (iv) of title 5 with respect to the rule. Our review of the procedural steps taken indicates that Interior complied with the applicable requirements. Section 808(1) of title 5, United States Code, exempts any rule that establishes, modifies, opens, closes, or conducts a regulatory program for commercial, recreational, or subsistence activity related to hunting, fishing, or camping from the 60-day delay in the effective date otherwise required by section 801(a)(3)(A). This is a rule relating to hunting and, therefore, the 60-day delay is not applicable. This final rule is effective on September 24, 2012. If you have any questions about this report or wish to contact GAO officials responsible for the evaluation work relating to the subject matter of the rule, please contact Shirley A. Jones, Assistant General Counsel, at (202) 512-8156. signed Robert J. CramerManaging Associate General Counsel Enclosure cc: Ron W. KokelWildlife BiologistU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceDepartment of the Interior ENCLOSURE REPORT UNDER 5 U.S.C. § 801(a)(2)(A) ON A MAJOR RULEISSUED BY THEDEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICEENTITLED"MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING; MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTINGREGULATIONS ON CERTAIN FEDERAL INDIAN RESERVATIONSAND CEDED LANDS FOR THE 2012-13 LATE SEASON"(RIN: 1018-AX97)(i) Cost-benefit analysis Interior relied on the economic analysis that was prepared for the 2008-09 season, because it made no changes to the season frameworks from the previous season. For that reason, Interior stated that it did not conduct a new economic analysis, but instead included the analysis for the 2008-09 season in the record. Interior estimated a consumer surplus of $205-$270 million. (ii) Agency actions relevant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 603-605, 607, and 609 Interior determined that this final rule will have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Interior relied on a small entity flexibility analysis that was last updated in 2008. The primary source of information about hunter expenditures for migratory game bird hunting is the National Hunting and Fishing Survey, which is conducted at 5-year intervals. The 2008 analysis was based on the 2006 National Hunting and Fishing Survey and the U.S. Department of Commerces County Business Patterns from which it was estimated that migratory bird hunters would spend approximately $1.2 billion at small businesses in 2008. (iii) Agency actions relevant to sections 202-205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. §§ 1532-1535 Interior certified that this final rule will not impose a cost of $100 million or more in any given year on local or state government or private entities. (iv) Other relevant information or requirements under acts and executive orders Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq. Interior published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on August 16, 2012. 77 Fed. Reg. 49,680. Interior published a final rule on early season dates on September 5, 2012. 77 Fed. Reg. 54,451. Interior found good cause under section 553(d)(3) of title 5, allowing this final rule to take effect immediately upon publication. Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3520 There are no new information collections under this final rule that would require the Office of Management and Budgets (OMB) approval. OMB has approved the existing information collection requirements of the Migratory Bird Surveys and assigned control number 1018-0023, which expires on April 30, 2014. Statutory authorization for the rule Interior promulgated this final rule under authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C. §§ 703-711. Executive Order No. 12,866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) OMB determined that this rule is a significant regulatory action and, therefore, has reviewed the rule under Executive Order 12,866. Executive Order No. 13,132 (Federalism) Interior determined that the regulations that prescribe frameworks from which the states make selections regarding the hunting of migratory birds do not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a federalism assessment. Find Recent Legal Decisions »