[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 215 (Monday, November 7, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 68710-68711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28784]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 226

RIN 0648-BA81


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed 
Rulemaking To Revise Critical Habitat for Hawaiian Monk Seals

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), published a 
proposed rule in the Federal Register on June 2, 2011, proposing to 
revise critical habitat for the Hawaiian monk seal under the Endangered 
Species Act and requesting information related to the proposed action. 
As part of that proposal, we provided a 90-day comment period, ending 
August 31, 2011. We have received requests for an extension of the 
public comment period. In response to these requests, NMFS is reopening 
the public comment period for the proposed action.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published June 2, 2011, 
at 76 FR 32026, is reopened. Written comments on this proposed rule 
must be received by January 6, 2012. Comments received between the 
close of the first comment period on August 31, 2011, and the reopening 
of the comment period November 7, 2011 will be considered timely 
received.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments on the proposed rule 
identified by 0648-BA81 by any one of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail or hand-delivery: Submit written comments to 
Regulatory Branch Chief, Protected Resources Division, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional Office, 1601 Kapiolani 
Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814, Attn.: Hawaiian monk seal 
proposed critical habitat.
    Instructions: Comments must be submitted to one of these two 
addresses to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and 
considered by NMFS. Comments sent to any other address or individual, 
or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered. 
All comments received are a part of the public record and will 
generally 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. We will accept anonymous comments (enter ``NA'' in the 
required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to 
electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, 
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only. The petition, 90-day 
finding, 12-month finding, draft biological report, draft economic 
analysis report, draft ESA 4(b)(2) report, and other reference 
materials regarding this determination can be downloaded via the NMFS 
Pacific Islands Regional Office Web site: http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/PRD/

[[Page 68711]]

prd--critical--habitat.html or by submitting a request to the 
Regulatory Branch Chief, Protected Resources Division, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional Office, 1601 Kapiolani 
Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814, Attn: Hawaiian monk seal 
proposed critical habitat. Background documents on the biology of the 
Hawaiian monk seal, the July 2, 2008, petition requesting revision of 
its critical habitat, and documents explaining the critical habitat 
designation process, can be downloaded from http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/PRD/prd_critical_habitat.html, or requested by phone or email from 
the NMFS staff in Honolulu (area code 808) listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Higgins, NMFS, Pacific Islands 
Regional Office, (808) 944-2157; Lance Smith, NMFS, Pacific Islands 
Regional Office, (808) 944-2258; or Marta Nammack, NMFS, Office of 
Protected Resources (301) 427-8469.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On June 2, 2011, we published a proposed rule to revise the current 
critical habitat for the Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) by 
extending the current designation in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 
(NWHI) out to the 500-meter (m) depth contour and including Sand Island 
at Midway Islands; and by designating six new areas in the main 
Hawaiian Islands (MHI), pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA). The proposed rule allowed for a 90-day public comment 
period, which ended on August 31, 2011.
    NMFS subsequently received requests to extend the public comment 
period. These requests identified that additional time was needed to 
more fully consider the proposed rulemaking and provide comments on the 
proposed designation. In response to these requests, we are reopening 
the public comment period until January 6, 2012, to receive additional 
local and public information and comments that may be relevant to any 
aspect of the proposal. We will consider additional information 
received prior to making a final decision on critical habitat 
designation.

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

    Dated: November 2, 2011.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-28784 Filed 11-4-11; 8:45 am]
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