[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 6755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2753]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 223

RIN 0648-XZ58


Endangered and Threatened Species; Extension of Public Comment 
Period on Proposed Threatened Status for Distinct Population Segments 
of the Bearded Seal

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: We, NMFS, are extending the date by which public comments are 
due concerning the proposed rule to list the Beringia and Okhotsk 
Distinct Population Segments (DPSs) of the bearded seal (Erignathus 
barbatus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (ESA). On December 10, 2010, we published a proposed rule in 
the Federal Register to list these DPSs as threatened. As part of that 
proposal, we announced a public comment period to end on February 8, 
2011. Today we extend the public comment period to March 25, 2011.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of comments on the proposed rule 
published on December 10, 2010 (75 FR 77496), is extended from February 
8, 2011, to March 25, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Kaja Brix, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Protected Resources Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn: 
Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by RIN 0648-XZ58, 
by any one of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
     Fax: (907) 586-7557.
     Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th 
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
    All comments received are a part of the public record. No comments 
will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov for public viewing until 
after the comment period has closed. Comments will generally be posted 
without change. 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.
    We 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, status review report, and other materials 
relating to this proposal can be found on the Alaska Region Web site 
at: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tamara Olson, NMFS Alaska Region, 
(907) 271-5006; Kaja Brix, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7235; or Marta 
Nammack, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD (301) 713-
1401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 10, 2010 (75 FR 77496), we published a proposed rule to 
list the Beringia and Okhotsk DPSs of the bearded seal as threatened 
under the ESA. Based on the status of these DPSs, we also proposed 
protective regulations pursuant to section 4(d) of the ESA for these 
DPSs to include all of the prohibitions in section 9(a)(1) of the ESA.
    We received requests to extend the public comment period on the 
proposed rule due to partial overlap of the comment period with the 
holiday season, and also because the comment period is scheduled 
concurrently with the comment period for the proposed listing of 
subspecies of the ringed seal (Phoca hispida) (75 FR 77476). Three 
requesters asked for an additional 30 days; and one requester asked for 
an additional 60 days. We have considered these requests and conclude 
that a 45-day extension should allow sufficient time for responders to 
submit comments without significantly delaying this rulemaking process. 
We are therefore extending the public comment period, which was 
scheduled to end February 8, 2011, to March 25, 2011, to allow 
additional time for public comment. A 45-day extension of the public 
comment period on the proposed rule to list subspecies of the ringed 
seal is published concurrently as a separate notice.

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

    Dated: January 31, 2011.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-2753 Filed 2-7-11; 8:45 am]
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