Revised Indiana Bat Survey Guidelines, Comments Due Mar 11

[David A. Riggs]

Hi all,

This is a friendly reminder that the final deadline for comments are
due to the FWS by Monday, March 11 on the proposed Indiana Bat Summer
Survey Guidelines, on the automated classification software testing
procedure, and on the contingency plan that will be in effect for the
2013 season.

- DR



On Fri, Feb 8, 2013 at 9:59 AM, King, Andrew <andre...@fws.gov> wrote:
> February 8, 2013
>
>
> Dear Interested Parties,
>
>
> The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) recently received several
> similar letters requesting a 60-day extension to our current 30-day public
> comment period to allow more time to review and prepare comments on the
> Draft Revised Rangewide Indiana Bat Summer Survey Guidelines and related
> documents. While we recognize the hardship an extension at this time will
> cause many of you that are preparing bids and planning schedules for the
> 2013 summer survey season, the Service also must ensure that all
> stakeholders have time to prepare and submit their comments. Therefore, we
> have decided to extend the public comment period for these documents for an
> additional 30 days. This extension was formally announced in the Federal
> Register today, February 8th, and will extend the comment period through
> March 11, 2013. The FR notice can be accessed at
> http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-02-08/pdf/2013-02889.pdf.
>
>
> The Service and U.S. Geological Survey are continuing to develop the test
> call library designed to evaluate automated acoustic ID software programs
> submitted for use with the revised guidelines. We acknowledge that a
> significant amount of additional time will likely be needed to 1)
> test/approve automated acoustic ID software programs and 2) review and
> consider forthcoming public comments given the 30-day extension. Therefore,
> we have decided that we will implement a contingency plan for the 2013 field
> season. A draft of the 2013 Contingency Plan is currently available for
> public comment. However, we are interested in modifying the plan to allow
> for options to incorporate mist-netting at a level that would result in
> similar probabilities of detection as acoustics and establish
> presence/probable absence of Indiana bats in summer habitat. Currently
> available information suggests a netting level much higher than the 2007
> mist-netting protocols will be needed to adequately detect Indiana bats in
> many locations (e.g., areas of the range impacted by white-nose syndrome
> [WNS] and heavily forested landscapes). We request any pertinent data that
> you may have that would assist with finalizing this level of effort,
> particularly from areas affected by WNS.
>
>
> Given the decision to move forward under a contingency plan, we encourage
> you to use some of the additional review time to prepare constructive
> comments and ideas for improving this draft document. We recognize the need
> to have final guidance in place for the 2013 field season as early as
> possible to allow survey planning to take place. With this in mind, our
> goal is to have the 2013 Contingency Plan finalized no later than April 1,
> 2013. In order to meet this goal, while fully incorporating your input, we
> respectfully request that reviewers not wait until the very end of the
> extended comment period to submit their comments. We will attempt to post
> new comments to our website as they are received. Throughout 2013, we will
> continue to work towards finalizing the Draft Revised Rangewide Indiana Bat
> Summer Survey Guidelines and plan to have a final version of them for use
> during the 2014 field season.
>
>
> The draft documents are still available for review and comment on the
> Service’s Indiana Bat Summer Survey Guidelines web page.
> http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Endangered/mammals/inba/inbasummersurveyguidance.html
>
>
> Please feel free to share this announcement with others that may be
> interested.
>
>
> Lastly, to help improve the efficiency of our review, we would greatly
> appreciate receiving your comments in a spreadsheet format with each unique
> comment entered on a separate row. Please feel free to use the attached
> Excel file as a template and to send them to us via email
> (India...@fws.gov). This is an optional format/request.
>
>
> Thank you,
>
> Andy King, Mike Armstrong and Robyn Niver
>
> ___________________________
> R. Andrew King
> Fish and Wildlife Biologist
> U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
> Bloomington Field Office
> 620 S. Walker Street
> Bloomington, IN 47403
> Phone: 812-334-4261 x1216
> Fax: 812-334-4273
>




--
David A. Riggs <david....@gmail.com>