[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 7, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 48134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19091]



[[Page 48134]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 224

RIN 0648-XZ50


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding 
and Proposed Endangered Listing of Five Species of Sawfish Under the 
Endangered Species Act

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, published a proposed rule to list five sawfish 
species: the narrow sawfish (A. cuspidata); dwarf sawfish (P. clavata); 
largetooth sawfish (collectively P. pristis; formerly P. pristis, P. 
microdon, and P. perotteti); green sawfish (P. zijsron); and the non-
listed population(s) of smalltooth sawfish P. pectinata as endangered 
under the ESA on 4 June 2013 (78 FR 33300). As part of the proposal we 
provided a 60-day public comment period, scheduled to end August 5, 
2013. We received a request to extend the public comment period by 45 
days. In response to this request, we are extending the public comment 
period for the proposed action until September 19, 2013. The proposed 
rule also includes a proposed change in the scientific name for 
largetooth sawfish to codify the taxonomic reclassification of P. 
perotteti to P. pristis.

DATES: Written comments and information regarding the proposed rule 
must be received by September 19, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the following 
document number, NOAA-NMFS-2011-0073, by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2011-0073, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Fax: (727)-824-5309; Attn: Assistant Regional 
Administrator for Protected Resources.
    Instructions: You must submit comments by one of the above methods 
to ensure that we receive, document, and consider them. Comments sent 
by any other method, 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 
for public viewing on http://www.regulations.gov without change. All 
personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.) 
confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information 
submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. We 
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, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    You can obtain the petition, the proposed rule, and the list of 
references electronically on our NMFS Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pr.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shelley Norton, NMFS, Southeast 
Regional Office, (727) 824-5312; or Dr. Dwayne Meadows, NMFS, Office of 
Protected Resources, (301) 427-8403.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On June 4, 2013, we published a proposed rule in the Federal 
Register (78 FR 33300) in response to a petition submitted by WildEarth 
Guardians requesting we list six sawfish species: knifetooth, narrow, 
or pointed sawfish (A. cuspidata); dwarf or Queensland sawfish (P. 
clavata; largetooth sawfish (P. pristis and P. microdon); green sawfish 
(P. zijsron); and the non-listed population(s) of smalltooth sawfish 
(P. pectinata) as endangered or threatened under the ESA; or 
alternatively to list any distinct population segments (DPS) that exist 
under the ESA. We proposed that the narrow sawfish (A. cuspidata); 
dwarf or Queensland sawfish (P. clavata); largetooth sawfish (P. 
pristis); green sawfish (P. zijsron); and the non-listed population(s) 
of smalltooth sawfish (P. pectinata) warrant listing as endangered 
under the ESA, and we also proposed a change in the scientific name for 
largetooth sawfish to codify the taxonomic reclassification of P. 
perotteti to P. pristis.
    We subsequently received a request to extend the public comment 
period for an additional 45 days. We have determined that an extension 
of 45 days, until September 19, 2013, will allow adequate time for the 
public to thoroughly review and comment on the proposed rule while 
still providing the agency with sufficient time to meet our statutory 
deadlines.

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

    Dated: August 1, 2013.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-19091 Filed 8-6-13; 8:45 am]
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