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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized a rule specifying the scope of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The rule clarifies that the MBTA's prohibitions on actions like pursuing, hunting, capturing, or killing migratory birds apply only to deliberate actions directed at these birds, their nests, or their eggs. It explains that the incidental harm or death of birds resulting from activities not aimed at them is not covered under this law. This decision aims to provide legal clarity and reduce regulatory uncertainty for industries and individuals.

The National Park Service is proposing changes to how the U.S. participates in the World Heritage Convention. These updates aim to align U.S. regulations with the latest guidelines from UNESCO regarding cultural and natural heritage sites. The proposal includes refining procedures for nominating U.S. sites to the World Heritage List, ensuring adequate legal protection for nominated sites, and encouraging public involvement in heritage preservation. The public is invited to comment on these proposed rules, with feedback due by February 3, 2025.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has revised the critical habitat designation for the northern spotted owl, resulting in the exclusion of approximately 3.5 million acres across Washington, Oregon, and California. These exclusions reflect a reconsideration of various impacts, including economic and environmental factors, as well as new information since the 2012 designation. The decision is based on the determination that these exclusions will not lead to the extinction of the species, considering the threats posed by invasive barred owls and ongoing habitat conservation efforts. The revised designation continues to protect critical habitat areas for the owl's survival while balancing other land management priorities.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing changes to regulations for West Coast salmon fisheries. They plan to remove rebuilding plans for the Queets River and Strait of Juan de Fuca coho salmon from the rules because these fish stocks have been successfully rebuilt. This action aims to prevent confusion by eliminating outdated plans that are no longer necessary under the Pacific Fishery Management Council's guidelines. Additionally, this proposed rule is considered a deregulatory action, meaning it simplifies existing regulations without significant economic impacts on small fishing businesses.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has proposed a rule to designate critical habitat for the Beringia distinct population segment of the bearded seal under the Endangered Species Act. The proposed critical habitat includes marine areas in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas, and focuses on sea ice habitat essential for the species' survival, such as areas for whelping, nursing, molting, and breeding communication. Public comments on this proposal are being requested, and considerations include potential impacts on existing activities and economic factors. The ultimate goal is to protect the areas critical for the conservation of these seals.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced a final rule to adjust civil penalties for inflation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. These adjustments are required annually by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and are intended to maintain the effectiveness of penalties. The rule updates specific penalty amounts and applies to violations of Federal civil statutes. No public comment period or prior notice was required for this adjustment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing changes to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the carbon black production industry. The proposal aims to improve air quality by addressing hazardous emissions from production units, setting new requirements for startup, shutdown, and malfunction processes, and mandating electronic reporting of specific data. Additionally, the EPA evaluated the risks of emissions and decided that while the risks are currently acceptable, these updates will help ensure better protection of public health and the environment. The changes will also include electronic reporting to make data collection more efficient and transparent.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing changes to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the Cyanide Chemicals Manufacturing source category. These changes stem from a review under the Clean Air Act to ensure the current standards are effective in protecting public health and addressing any emission risks. While the EPA found current emissions pose acceptable risks, they are proposing updated standards for process wastewater and emphasizing electronic reporting. The aim is to enhance monitoring, compliance, and data accuracy without expecting significant changes in emissions or economic impacts for the industry.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) concerning the Clean Water Act Section 404 State-Assumed Programs. This request, aimed at extending a currently approved information collection, allows states and tribes to manage their own permit programs for certain water discharges. The EPA seeks public comments on the necessity and accuracy of this proposed information gathering, which involves significant hours of work for applicants and states. The total estimated cost for the programs is over $5 million, and the collected information will be available for public review.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a rule to list several Caribbean skink species as endangered or threatened. The Puerto Rican skink, Lesser Virgin Islands skink, and Virgin Islands bronze skink are proposed as endangered, while the Culebra skink is proposed as threatened. The proposal also includes designating critical habitats for these species to aid in their conservation. Public comments on the proposal will be accepted until February 18, 2025.