[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 24, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-12453] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: May 24, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Importation of Exotic Wild Birds to the United States; Implementation of the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. Action: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary: A recent district court order has declared invalid certain portions of the Fish and Wildlife Service's regulations implementing the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (WBCA). On March 29, 1994, District Judge Oberdorfer ruled that 50 CFR 15.11(b)(2) and the final sentence of Sec. 15.11(c) [which were promulgated by the Service as part of the final rule published on November 16, 1993, 58 FR 60524], violate the language of the WBCA because those regulatory sanctions purported to exclude from the coverage of the automatic import moratorium those exotic birds listed on appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) that did not originate in the country or countries that listed them in appendix III. Therefore, in keeping with the district court order, the Service announces that all exotic birds listed on CITES appendix III are covered by the automatic import moratorium of the WBCA, regardless of their country of origin. Future rule-making notices will delete the regulatory provisions that were invalidated by the court order. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Susan S. Lieberman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Management Authority, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, room 420C, Arlington, VA 22203, telephone (703) 358-2093. DATES: The court order announced in this notice was issued on March 29, 1994. This notice is effective immediately. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 23, 1992 the Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA) was signed into law, the purposes of which include promoting the conservation of exotic birds by: Ensuring that all imports into the United States of species of exotic birds are biologically sustainable and not detrimental to the species; ensuring that imported birds are not subject to inhumane treatment during capture and transport; and assisting wild bird conservation and management programs in countries of origin. On November 16, 1993 the Service published a final rule in the Federal Register (58 FR 60524) which implemented the prohibitions stipulated in the WBCA and provided permit requirements and procedures for some allowed exemptions. This final rule finalized the proposed rule published in the Federal Register of August 12, 1993 (58 FR 42926) with some modifications based on comments received and further analysis by the Service. This notice serves to announce that the Service will propose to amend 50 CFR 15.11 (b) and (c)--Prohibitions, of the final rule published in the Federal Register on November 16, 1993. In the final rule of November 16, 1993, the Service interpreted that appendix III species are considered CITES-listed species for the purposes of these regulations only if they originate in the country that listed them in appendix III. The Service noted that the listing of a species in appendix III is a unilateral action by a particular CITES Party, thereby requiring CITES permits and implementation of CITES permits issuance requirements for that country only; when the species is found in other countries that did not list it in appendix III, only a certificate of origin is required, stating that it did not originate in the country that listed the species in appendix III. Therefore, when the species is found in countries other than where listed in appendix III, it is not subject to the same level of CITES controls, and indeed is only listed in the appendices to assist the listing state in implementing its domestic legislation. Based on its understanding of the intent of Congress, the Service implemented a final rule whereby appendix III species were subject to the automatic import prohibitions of the law, if they originated in the listing country. Otherwise, they would be subject to the discretionary prohibitions of the law. The Humane Society of the United States and Defenders of Wildlife brought a civil action against the Secretary of the Interior in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia challenging that part of Sec. 15.11 which restricts the importation of certain appendix III exotic birds. Humane Society of the United States v. Babbitt, Civ. No. 94-0296 (D.D.C., Mar. 29, 1994). A hearing in District Court took place on March 7, 1994. Plaintiffs argued that this provision, which was adopted through notice and comment procedures, violates the language of the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992. They sought relief to suspend or invalidate the following exception, contained in the final rule, to the prohibition on importation of birds listed in the Convention's appendices: ``This paragraph (b) does not apply to an exotic bird species listed in appendix III to the Convention that originated in a country that has not listed the species in appendix III'' (50 CFR 15.11 (b) (2)). Plaintiffs argued that this provision violates the plain language of the Act, which bars the importation of ``any'' species listed in ``any'' appendix to the Convention. On March 29, 1994 U.S. District Judge Louis F. Oberdorfer found the contested regulation to be invalid. Therefore, effective immediately, no birds listed in CITES appendix III can be imported into the United States unless they are accompanied by an import permit or are on an approved list, pursuant to 50 CFR part 15. In a future notice, the Service will propose to amend 50 CFR 15.11 (b) and (c) consistent with the declaration in the Court Order. The Service will propose that all exotic bird species listed in CITES appendix III (in addition to those in I or II), wherever found, cannot be imported into the U.S. unless accompanied by an import permit issued pursuant to subpart C of 50 CFR part 15 or are included in an approved list. On March 17, 1994 the Service published in the Federal Register (59 FR 12784) a proposed rule establishing those approved lists. Dated May 4, 1994. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 4901-4916. George T. Frampton, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. [FR Doc. 94-12453 Filed 5-23-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P