2022-03498. Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council Charter Renewal; Request for Nominations

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) are renewing the charter for and seeking member nominations to the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council (Council). The renewed Council replaces and changes the name of the previous Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council. The Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture (Secretaries), after consultation with the General Services Administration, have renewed the Council charter for 2 years. The Council will provide recommendations to the Federal Government, through the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) and the Secretary of Agriculture, regarding the establishment and implementation of existing and proposed policies and authorities with regard to wildlife and habitat conservation endeavors that benefit wildlife resources; encourage partnership among the public, sporting conservation organizations, and Federal, State, Tribal, and territorial governments; and benefit recreational hunting and recreational shooting sports.

DATES:

Comments regarding the establishment of this Council must be submitted no later than March 7, 2022. Nominations for the Council must be submitted by March 21, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments and nominations via email to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Douglas Hobbs, by telephone at [phone], or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Council is established under the authority of the Secretary and regulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. appendix 2). The Council's duties are strictly advisory and consist of, but are not limited to, providing recommendations for implementation of Executive Order 13443, Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation; Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad; and Secretarial Order 3362, Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors. Duties include, but are not limited to:

A. Assessing and quantifying implementation of Executive Order 13443, Executive Order 14008, and Secretarial Order 3362 across relevant departments, agencies, and offices and making recommendations to enhance and expand their implementation as identified;

B. Making recommendations regarding policies and programs that accomplish the following objectives:

1. Conserve and restore wetlands, grasslands, forests, and other important wildlife habitats, and improve management of rangelands and agricultural lands to benefit wildlife;

2. Promote opportunities for fair chase hunting and safe recreational shooting sports and wildlife-associated recreation on public and private lands; encourage hunting and recreational shooting sports safety, including by developing sighting-in ranges on public lands; recruit and retain hunters; increase public awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation and the social and economic benefits of fair chase hunting, safe recreational shooting sports, and wildlife-associated recreation; and

3. Encourage coordination among the public; the hunting and shooting sports communities; wildlife conservation groups; wildlife-associated recreation interests; and Federal, State, Tribal, and territorial governments.

The Council will meet at least two times per year. The Secretaries will appoint members and their alternates to the Council to serve up to a 3-year term. The Council will not exceed 18 discretionary primary members, up to 18 alternate members, and 4 ex officio members. Ex officio members will include:

• Secretary of the Interior or designated DOI representatives;
• Secretary of Agriculture or designated Department of Agriculture representatives; and
• Executive Director, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

The Secretaries will select remaining members from among, but not limited to, the organization/interests listed below. These members must be senior-level representatives of their organization and/or have the ability to represent their designated constituencies.

• State fish and wildlife management agencies;
• Wildlife and habitat conservation/management organizations;
• Upland bird hunting organizations;
• Waterfowl hunting organizations;
• Big game hunting organizations;
• Shooting sports interests;
• Archery interests;
• Wildlife-associated recreation interests;
• Tourism, outfitter, and/or guide industries related to hunting and/or wildlife conservation;
• Tribal resource management organizations;
• Agriculture interests;
• Ranching interests; and
• Veterans' service organizations.

Member Terms and Vacancies To Fill

Each member is appointed to serve a 3-year term. Nominations are sought to fill 10 primary member positions and at least 5 alternate member positions. We are requesting nominations to fill vacancies to represent the following organizations/interests:

• Tribal resource management organizations;
• State fish and wildlife management agencies;
• Wildlife and habitat conservation/management organizations;
• Waterfowl hunting organizations;
• Shooting sports interests;
• Archery interests;
• Wildlife-associated recreation interests; and
• Big game hunting organizations.

Nomination Method and Information

Nominations should include a resume providing an adequate description of the nominee's qualifications, including information that would enable DOI to make an informed decision regarding meeting the membership requirements of the Council and the national interest potentially represented, and to permit DOI to contact a potential member.

Members of the Council serve without compensation. However, while away from their homes or regular places of business, Council and subcommittee members engaged in Council or subcommittee business that the designated Federal official (DFO) approves may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5703, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in Federal Government service.

Public Disclosure of Comments: Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Certification Statement: I hereby certify that the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council is necessary, in the public interest, and is in connection with the performance of duties imposed on the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture under 43 U.S.C. 1457 and provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1996 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ), the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq. ), the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), and Executive Order 13443, Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation.

Authority: 5 U.S.C. appendix 2.

Dated: January 24, 2022.

Deb Haaland,

Secretary, Department of the Interior.