Published on: 7272495. The purpose and effect of these proposed rule amendments is: (1) to reflect that the bald eagle is no longer classified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) as a threatened species under its imperiled species regulations; (2) to continue to provide to the bald eagle, which is still protected under a federal statute known as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, protections afforded by the District’s rules to wildlife species classified by FWC as endangered, threatened, or species of special concern; and (3) to update rule references to listed wildlife and plants in the definitions of “listed species,” “endangered species,” and “threatened species.” The District proposes to amend Table 12.2.7-1 in the Applicant’s Handbook: Management and Storage of Surface Waters to remove the bald eagle from the category of threatened species and to amend section 12.2.7 of the Applicant’s Handbook to refer to the bald eagle so that bald eagles’ existing nesting habitat in uplands would continue to be protected under the District’s rules. The amendments also provide that secondary impacts to the functions of wetlands or uplands for nesting of bald eagles will not be considered adverse if a valid permit under Rule 68A-16.002, F.A.C., has been issued to a permit applicant by the FWC for the same activities the applicant is proposing under Part IV of Chapter 373, F.S., or if the applicant demonstrates compliance with the FWC Eagle Management Guidelines that were adopted by the FWC and became effective May 15, 2008.
Published on: 5821569. Proposed rule revisions on Listed Species Protection, including the bald eagle.; July 24, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.; St. Johns River Water Management District’s Altamonte Springs Service Center, Econ Room, 975 Keller Road, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714-1618.
Published on: 5772972. The St. Johns River Water Management District (District) proposes to amend the definition of listed species in its rules governing the issuance of environmental resource permits (ERP) to update the rule and statutory references concerning listed wildlife and plant species, and to specifically reference the bald eagle, which is protected under a federal statute known as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Under the District’s existing rules, the bald eagle is included in the definition of listed species by reference to a previous Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision (FWC) rule identifying threatened species; however, the FWC has recently amended its rules such that the bald eagle is no longer classified as a threatened species by the FWC. Specifically, the District proposes to amend the definition of listed species in subsection 40C-4.021(20), F.A.C., and in Section 2.0 Applicant’s Handbook: Management and Storage of Surface Waters. Table 12.2.7-1 in the Applicant’s Handbook would also be amended to include the bald eagle under a new category (other) and remove it from the category of threatened species. If these amendments are adopted, the protections afforded by the District’s rules to wildlife species that are now classified as endangered, threatened or species of special concern would continue to be afforded the bald eagle which is no longer classified by FWC as a threatened species, effective May 15, 2008.