[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 1997)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 6934-6935] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-3806] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 50 CFR Part 424 [I.D. 010997C] Endangered and Threatened Species and Designation of Critical Habitat; Petition To Designate Critical Habitat for the Atlantic Green and Hawksbill Turtles. AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of receipt of a petition presenting substantial information and request for additional information. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS announces receipt of a petition to designate critical habitat for the Atlantic green and hawksbill turtles pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). NMFS is soliciting public comment and information on the petition to designate critical habitat. DATES: Written comments will be accepted through April 15, 1997. ADDRESSES: Written comments on this announcement may be submitted to the Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Schroeder, 301-713-1401, or Charles A. Oravetz, 813-570-5312. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background On November 7, 1996, Ms. Cindy Gines-Sanchez, Esq., on behalf of the Mision Industrial de Puerto Rico, Inc. and Chelonia, The Puerto Rico Herpetological Society, Inc., petitioned NMFS to designate critical habitat for the Atlantic green and hawksbill turtles to include all coastal waters surrounding the islands of the Culebra archipelago, including Isla de Culebra, Cayo Norte, Cayo Ballena, Cayos Geniqui, Isla Culebrita, Arrecife Culebrita, Cayo de Luis Pena, Las Hermanas, El Mono, Cayo Lobo, Cayo Lobito, Cayo Botijuela, Alcarraza, Los Gemelos, and Piedra Steven, from the Mean High Water line out to 3 nautical miles (nm)(4.2 km). Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and 50 CFR part 424 contain provisions allowing interested parties to petition for the designation of critical habitat. Although the ESA does not require that the time frames outlined in section 4(b) of the ESA be followed for designation of critical habitat for species listed prior to 1982, NMFS will apply those time frames to the referenced petition, as a matter of policy, to the greatest extent practicable. NMFS has determined that the petition presents substantial information indicating that designation may be warranted. A copy of the information submitted with the petition is available upon request (see ADDRESSES). NMFS will conduct a review to determine if the petitioned action to designate critical habitat is warranted. The determination concerning critical habitat will be made on the best available scientific and commercial data and the economic impacts of such designation. NMFS will make a determination by November 7, 1997, 12 months after receipt of the petition. A notice of finding will be published in the Federal Register and, if the action is warranted, a proposed regulation to implement the action will be included. Unlike listing a species as endangered or threatened, economic impacts must be considered when designating critical habitat. An area may be excluded from the designation if it is determined that the benefits of an exclusion outweigh the benefits of including the area as critical habitat, and the exclusion will not result in the extinction of the species. NMFS is soliciting information and comments concerning the petition to [[Page 6935]] ensure that the review is complete and is based on the best available information. In addition, NMFS is soliciting information and comments concerning other areas in the U.S. Caribbean where the designation of critical habitat for listed sea turtles may be warranted. We request that the information and comments be accompanied by (1) supporting documentation such as maps, biological references or reprints of pertinent publications and (2) the person's name, address and association, institution, or business that the person represents. Dated: February 10, 1997. Rolland A. Schmitten, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 97-3806 Filed 2-13-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F