[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 69712-69713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27270]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
[Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2018-0105; 4500030113]
RIN 1018-BD85
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species
Status for West Coast Distinct Population Segment of Fisher With
Section 4(d) Rule
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Revised proposed rule; reopening of public comment period.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), recently
published a document proposing changes to our October 7, 2014, proposed
rule to list the West Coast distinct population segment (DPS) of fisher
(Pekania pennanti) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species
Act (Act) and proposing a rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act for
this DPS. We announced the opening of a 30-day public comment period on
the revised proposed rule, ending December 9, 2019. We now reopen the
public comment period for an additional 15 days, to allow all
interested parties more time to comment on the revised proposed rule.
Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted and will be fully
considered in preparation of the final determination.
DATES: The public comment period on the revised proposed rule that
published November 7, 2019, at 84 FR 60278, is reopened. We will accept
comments received or postmarked on or before January 3, 2020. Please
note that if you are using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see
ADDRESSES, below), the deadline for submitting an electronic comment is
11:59 p.m. Eastern time on this date.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
(1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R8-ES-2018-0105,
which is the docket number for the action. Then, click on the Search
button. On the resulting page, in the Search panel on the left side of
the screen, under the Document Type heading, click on the Proposed Rule
box to locate the correct document. You may submit a comment by
clicking on ``Comment Now!'' Please ensure that you have found the
correct rulemaking before submitting your comment.
(2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand delivery to: Public
Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2018-0105, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, MS: JAO/1N, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA
22041-3803.
We request that you send comments only by the methods described
above. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide
us (see Public Comments, below, for more information).
Document availability: The revised proposed rule is available on
http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2018-0105 and on our
website at https://www.fws.gov/Yreka. Comments and materials we
received during a previous comment period, as well as supporting
documentation we used in preparing the preceding proposed rule, are
also available for public inspection at Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2014-0041.
In addition, the supporting files for the revised proposed rule will be
available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business
hours, at our Yreka Fish and Wildlife Office, 1829 South Oregon Street,
Yreka, CA 96097; telephone 530-842-5763.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenny Ericson, Field Supervisor, Yreka
Fish and Wildlife Office, telephone: 530-842-5763. Direct all questions
or requests for additional information to: WEST COAST DPS FISHER
QUESTIONS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Yreka Fish and Wildlife
Office, 1829 South Oregon Street, Yreka, CA 96097. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay
Service at 1-800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On November 7, 2019, we published in the Federal Register (84 FR
60278) a document that proposed: (1) Changes to our October 7, 2014,
proposed rule (79 FR 60419) to list the West Coast DPS of fisher as a
threatened species under the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and (2) a
rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act for this DPS. The November 7,
2019, Federal Register publication (84 FR 60278) opened a 30-day public
comment period, ending December 9, 2019. The Service now reopens the
comment period as specified above in DATES.
See the November 7, 2019, Federal Register publication (84 FR
60278) for more information about previous Federal actions concerning
this DPS.
Public Comments
We will accept comments and information during this reopened
comment period on our November 7, 2019, revised proposed rule (84 FR
60278). We will consider information and recommendations from all
interested parties. We intend that any final action resulting from the
proposal will be based on the best scientific and commercial data
available and will be as accurate and as effective as possible. Our
final determination will take into consideration all comments and any
additional information we receive during the comment period. Therefore,
the final decision may differ from the November 7, 2019, revised
proposed rule (84 FR 60278), based on our review of all information we
receive during this rulemaking. Comments previously submitted need not
be resubmitted and will be fully considered in preparation of the final
determination.
Comments should be as specific as possible. Please include
sufficient information with your submission (such as scientific journal
articles or other publications) to allow us to verify any scientific or
commercial information you assert. Please note that submissions merely
stating support for, or opposition to, the action under consideration
without providing supporting information, although noted, will not meet
the standard of best available scientific and commercial data. Section
[[Page 69713]]
4(b)(1)(A) of the Act directs that determinations as to whether any
species is endangered or threatened must be made ``solely on the basis
of the best scientific and commercial data available.''
You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods
listed in ADDRESSES. We request that you send comments only by the
methods described in ADDRESSES. If you submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire submission--including your personal
identifying information--will be posted on the website. If your
submission is made via a hardcopy that includes personal identifying
information, you may request at the top of your document that we
withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hardcopy
submissions on http://www.regulations.gov.
Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting
documentation we used in preparing this proposed rule, will be
available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov at Docket
No. FWS-R8-ES-2018-0105, or by appointment, during normal business
hours, at the Yreka Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES). Our final
determination concerning the November 7, 2019, revised proposed rule
(84 FR 60278) will take into consideration all written comments we
receive during the open comment periods and comments from peer
reviewers. These comments will be included in the public record for
this rulemaking, and we will fully consider them in the preparation of
our final determination.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: December 10, 2019.
Margaret E. Everson,
Principal Deputy Director, Exercising the Authority of the Director for
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-27270 Filed 12-18-19; 8:45 am]
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