[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 1582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-384]



[[Page 1582]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 226

[Docket No. 09022432-91321-03]
RIN 0648-AX50


Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical 
Habitat for the Cook Inlet Beluga Whale

AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:  Proposed rule; extension of public comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:  We, NMFS, are extending the date by which public comments are 
due concerning the proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the 
endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We published a 
proposed rule to designate critical habitat for this species in the 
Federal Register of December 2, 2009. The original due date for receipt 
of public comments was scheduled to end on February 1, 2010, and today 
we extend the public comment period to March 3, 2010.

DATES:  The comment date for the proposed rule published December 2, 
2009 (74 FR 63080) is extended to March 3, 2010.

ADDRESSES:  Send comments to Kaja Brix, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Protected Resources, Alaska Region, NMFS, ATTN: Ellen 
Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by ``RIN 0648-AX50'' by 
any one of the following methods:
    Electronic submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal website at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668
    Fax: 907-586-7557
    Hand deliver to the Federal Building: 709 West 9\th\ Street, Room 
420A, Juneau, AK.
    All comments received are a part of the public record and generally 
will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change. All 
Personal Identifying Information (e.g. name, address) voluntarily 
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit 
Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected 
information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the 
required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to 
electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, of 
Adobe portable document file (PDF) format only.
    The proposed rule and other materials relating to the proposed rule 
to designate critical habitat for the Cook Inlet beluga whale can be 
found on our Web site at: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kaja Brix, (907) 586-7824, or Marta 
Nammack, (301) 713-1401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We published a proposed rule to designate 
critical habitat for the Cook Inlet beluga whale in the Federal 
Register of December 2, 2009 (74 FR 63080). We received several 
requests, including from the Alaska Congressional delegation, to extend 
the comment period to allow the public to provide input to the 
designation of critical habitat and, in particular, to comment on the 
economic report. The Alaska Congressional delegation asked for an 
additional 30 days; another commenter asked for an additional 60 days. 
An additional 30-day comment period should allow sufficient time for 
responders to comment while preserving the time needed for NMFS to 
prepare the final rule. The original due date for receipt of public 
comments was scheduled to end on February 1, 2010, and today we extend 
the public comment period to March 3, 2010.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1533 et seq.

    Dated: January 6, 2010.
James W. Balsiger,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-384 Filed 1-7-10; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S