[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7434-7435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3275]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 226

RIN 0648-AX06


Endangered and Threatened Species; Proposed Rule to Revise the 
Critical Habitat Designation for the Endangered Leatherback Sea Turtle; 
Extension of Public Comment Period

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: On January 5, 2010, NMFS proposed regulations to revise the 
critical habitat designation for the endangered leatherback sea turtle 
(Dermochelys coriacea) by designating additional areas within the 
Pacific Ocean. Specific areas proposed for designation include two 
adjacent marine areas totaling approximately 46,100 square miles 
(119,400 square km) stretching along the California coast from Point 
Arena to Point Vincente; and one 24,500 square mile (63,455 square km) 
marine area stretching from Cape Flattery, WA, to the Umpqua River 
(Winchester Bay), OR, east of a line approximating the 2,000 meter 
depth contour. The areas proposed for designation comprise 
approximately 70,600 square miles (182,854 square km) of marine 
habitat. NMFS is extending the comment period on the proposed 
regulations until April 23, 2010.

[[Page 7435]]


DATES: Comments and information regarding this proposed rule must be 
received by April 23, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted, 
identified by RIN 0648-AX06, and addressed to: David Cottingham, Chief, 
Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division, by any of the 
following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic comments via 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov;
     Facsimile (fax): 301-713-4060, Attn: David Cottingham;
     Mail: Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation 
Division, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD, 20910.
    Instructions: No comments will be posted for public viewing until 
after the comment period has closed. All comments received are a part 
of the public record and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change. NMFS may elect not to post comments 
that contain obscene or threatening content. All Personal Identifying 
Information (for example, name, address, etc.) 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). You may submit attachments to 
electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF 
file formats only. The proposed rule and supporting documents, 
including the biological report, economic report, initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis, and 4(b)(2) report, are also available 
electronically at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/leatherback.htm#documents.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara McNulty, NMFS, Office of 
Protected Resources, 301-713-2322; Elizabeth Petras, NMFS Southwest 
Region, 562-980-3238; Steve Stone, NMFS Northwest Region, 503-231-2317.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 5, 2010, NMFS published the 
Proposed Rule to Revise the Critical Habitat Designation for the 
Endangered Leatherback Sea Turtle (75 FR 319). That Federal Register 
notice began NMFS' 60-day comment period, ending on March 8, 2010.
    NMFS subsequently received a request from the Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council) to extend the public comment period for an 
additional 45 days. The date the initial comment period closes falls in 
the middle of the Council's March 2010 meeting, precluding an 
opportunity for the Council to formulate and transmit comments. 
Additionally, the Council felt this proposed rule would be more 
appropriately discussed at the April Council meeting, where they plan 
to develop their comments. In this notice NMFS is extending the public 
comment period until April 23, 2010, in order to allow adequate time 
for the Council and others to thoroughly review and thoughtfully 
comment on the proposed rule.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: February 12, 2010.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-3275 Filed 2-18-10; 8:45 am]
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