[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 133 (Friday, July 11, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40054-40055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16150]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 223 and 224

RIN 0648-XD267


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 90-Day Finding on a Petition 
To Identify the Central North Pacific Population of Humpback Whale as a 
Distinct Population Segment (DPS) and Delist the DPS Under the 
Endangered Species Act; Extension of Public Comment Period

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

ACTION: Extension of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce the extension of the public comment period 
on our June 26, 2014, 90-day finding on a petition to designate the 
Central North Pacific population of humpback whale (Megaptera 
novaeangliae) as a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) and delist the DPS 
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). As part of that finding, we 
solicited scientific and commercial information about the status of 
this population and announced a 30-day comment period to end on July 
28, 2014. Today, we extend the public comment period to August 27, 
2014. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they 
will be fully considered in the agency's final determination.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of comments is extended from July 28, 
2014 until August 27, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by FDMS 
Docket Number NOAA-NMFS-2014-0051, by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014-0051, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Address written comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant 
Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802-1668.
    Instructions: 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 by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
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. 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, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Interested persons may obtain a copy of the petition online at the 
NMFS Alaska Region Web site: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/protectedresources/whales/humpback/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aleria Jensen, NMFS Alaska Region, 
(907) 586-7248 or Jon Kurland, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7638.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 26, 2014 we published a proposed rule (79 FR 36281) 
announcing a positive 90-day finding on a petition to designate the 
Central North Pacific population of humpback whale as a Distinct 
Population Segment (DPS) and delist the DPS under the Endangered 
Species Act (ESA). In that notice we also solicited comments and 
information from the public to inform the continued development of our 
humpback whale status review to determine whether the Central North 
Pacific humpback whale population constitutes a DPS under the ESA, and 
if so, the risk of extinction to this DPS.
    We have received requests to extend the public comment period by 30 
days

[[Page 40055]]

to be consistent with previous 60-day comment periods for other listing 
and delisting actions under the ESA. Given the complexity of the issues 
raised in the petition, this extension would provide the public with 
additional time to gather relevant information and adequately comment 
on the validity of the petitioned action in a meaningful and 
constructive manner. We considered these requests and concluded that a 
30-day extension should allow sufficient time for responders to submit 
comments without significantly delaying the completion of the status 
review. We are therefore extending the close of the public comment 
period from July 28, 2014, to August 27, 2014. Although we have 
extended the public comment period, we are unable to extend the 
deadline for completing the status review. As such, we urge members of 
the public to submit their comments as soon as possible to allow us 
more time to review and incorporate the submitted information where 
appropriate.

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: July 7, 2014.
Perry F. Gayaldo,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-16150 Filed 7-10-14; 8:45 am]
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