[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 18, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 68657-68659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27407]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R5-ES-2011-0024; 4500030113]
RIN 1018-AY98


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species 
Status for the Northern Long-Eared Bat

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

[[Page 68658]]


ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
reopening of the comment period for our October 2, 2013, proposed rule 
to list the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) as an 
endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Act). We are taking this action to notify the public of new 
information that was supplied to us by, or on behalf of, State agencies 
within the range of the species. This reopening of the comment period 
will allow the public to provide comments on our proposed rule in light 
of that new information. We also are notifying the public that we have 
scheduled an informational meeting followed by a public hearing on the 
proposed rule. Comments previously submitted on the proposal need not 
be resubmitted, as they are already incorporated into the public record 
and will be fully considered in our final determination.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published October 2, 
2013 (78 FR 61046), is reopened. Written comments: We request that 
comments on the proposal be submitted on or before December 18, 2014. 
Comments submitted electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal 
(see ADDRESSES section, below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern 
Time on the closing date.
    Public hearing: We will hold an informational meeting followed by a 
public hearing in Sundance, Wyoming, on December 2, 2014. The 
informational meeting will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., 
followed by a public hearing from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please direct 
all requests for interpreters, close captioning, or other accommodation 
to the Twin Cities Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) by 5:00 p.m. on November 15, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Document availability: You may obtain copies of the proposed 
rule and the information provided to the Service by the State agencies 
on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R5-ES-
2011-0024, or by mail from the Twin Cities Ecological Services Field 
Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    Written comments: You may submit comments by one of the following 
methods:
    (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter Docket No. FWS-R5-ES-
2011-0024, which is the docket number for this rulemaking. You may 
submit a comment by clicking on ``Comment Now!'' Please ensure that you 
have found the correct rulemaking before submitting your comment.
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public 
Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R5-ES-2011-0024; Division of Policy and 
Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC; 5275 
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide 
us (see the Information Requested section, below, for more 
information).
    Public hearing: We will hold a public hearing in Sundance, Wyoming 
in the Community Room at the Crook County Courthouse Basement, 309 
Cleveland Street.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Fasbender, Field Supervisor, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Twin Cities Ecological Services Field 
Office, 4101 American Boulevard East, Bloomington, MN 55425; telephone 
612-725-3548; or facsimile 612-725-3609. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), please call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Information Requested

    We intend that any final action resulting from the proposed rule 
will be based on the best scientific and commercial data available and 
be as accurate and as effective as possible. Therefore, we request 
comments or information from other concerned Federal and State 
agencies, the scientific community, or any other interested party 
concerning the proposed rule. We particularly seek comments concerning:
    (1) The northern long-eared bat's biology, range, and population 
trends, including:
    (a) Habitat requirements for feeding, breeding, and sheltering;
    (b) Genetics and taxonomy;
    (c) Historical and current range, including distribution patterns;
    (d) Historical and current population levels, and current and 
projected trends; and
    (e) Past and ongoing conservation measures for the species, its 
habitat, or both.
    (2) Any information on the biological or ecological requirements of 
the northern long-eared bat, and ongoing conservation measures for the 
species and its habitat.
    (3) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning 
any threats (or lack thereof) to this species and regulations that may 
be addressing those threats.
    (4) Current or planned activities in the areas occupied by the 
species and possible impacts of these activities on this species.
    (5) Additional information regarding the threats to the northern 
long-eared bat under the five listing factors, which are:
    (a) The present or threatened destruction, modification, or 
curtailment of its habitat or range;
    (b) Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes;
    (c) Disease or predation;
    (d) The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; and
    (e) Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued 
existence.
    (6) The reasons why areas should or should not be designated as 
critical habitat as provided by section 4 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.), including the possible risks or benefits of designating critical 
habitat, including risks associated with publication of maps 
designating any area on which this species may be located, now or in 
the future, as critical habitat.
    (7) The following specific information on:
    (a) The amount and distribution of habitat for the northern long-
eared bat;
    (b) What areas, that are currently occupied and that contain the 
physical and biological features essential to the conservation of this 
species, should be included in a critical habitat designation and why;
    (c) Special management considerations or protection that may be 
needed for the essential features in potential critical habitat areas, 
including managing for the potential effects of climate change;
    (d) What areas not occupied at the time of listing are essential 
for the conservation of this species and why;
    (e) The amount of forest removal occurring within known summer 
habitat for this species;
    (f) Information on summer roost habitat requirements that are 
essential for the conservation of the species and why; and
    (g) Information on the features and requirements of the species' 
winter habitat (hibernacula).
    (8) Information on the projected and reasonably likely impacts of 
changing environmental conditions resulting from climate change on the 
species and its habitat.
    (9) Information on the data and reports submitted to the Service by 
affected States and how that information

[[Page 68659]]

relates to our determination of whether the northern long-eared bat is 
an endangered or a threatened species.
    If you previously submitted comments or information on the October 
2, 2013, proposed rule (78 FR 61046), please do not resubmit them. We 
have incorporated them into the public record, and we will fully 
consider them in our final determination. Our final determination 
concerning the proposed rulemaking will take into consideration all 
written comments and any information we receive.
    Please note that submissions merely stating support for or 
opposition to the action under consideration without providing 
supporting information, although noted, will not be considered in 
making a determination, as section 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act directs that 
determinations as to whether any species is an endangered or threatened 
species must be made ``solely on the basis of the best scientific and 
commercial data available.''
    You may submit your comments and materials concerning the proposed 
rule by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We request that you 
send comments only by the methods described in the ADDRESSES section. 
If you submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire 
submission--including any personal identifying information--will be 
posted on the Web site. If your submission is made via a hardcopy that 
includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top 
of your document that we withhold this information from public review. 
However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will 
post all hardcopy submissions on http://www.regulations.gov. Please 
include sufficient information with your comments to allow us to verify 
any scientific or commercial information you include.
    Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we used in preparing the proposed rule, will be available 
for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, 
during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Twin Cities Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT). You may obtain copies of the proposed rule on the 
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R5-ES-2011-
0024, or by mail from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Twin Cities 
Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Background

    On October 2, 2013, we published a proposed rule (78 FR 61046) to 
list the northern long-eared bat as an endangered species under the 
Act. That proposal had a 60-day comment period, ending December 2, 
2013. On December 2, 2013, we extended the proposal's comment period 
for an additional 30 days, ending January 2, 2014 (78 FR 72058). On 
June 30, 2014, we announced a 6-month extension of the final 
determination of whether to list the northern long-eared bat as an 
endangered species, and we reopened the comment period on the proposal 
for 60 days, ending August 29, 2014 (79 FR 36698). We will publish a 
listing determination for the northern long-eared bat on or before 
April 2, 2015. For a description of previous Federal actions concerning 
the northern long-eared bat, please refer to the October 2, 2013, 
proposed listing rule (78 FR 61046).
    Since the publication of the 6-month extension (79 FR 36698, June 
30, 2014), we have received additional information from multiple State 
agencies within the range of the northern long-eared bat. We are 
reopening the comment period on our proposal to list the northern long-
eared bat as an endangered species for 30 days (see DATES) to allow the 
public an opportunity to review that information and provide comment on 
our proposal in light of that new information.

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

    Dated: November 12, 2014.
Stephen Guertin,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-27407 Filed 11-17-14; 8:45 am]
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