[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8053-8054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02928]



[[Page 8053]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2013-0133; 4500030113]
RIN 1018-AY78


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Remove the Modoc 
Sucker From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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 public comment period on our February 13, 2014, 
proposed rule to remove the Modoc sucker (Catostomus microps) from the 
Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This action allows 
us to accept and consider additional public comments on the proposed 
rule. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they 
will be fully considered in preparation of the final listing 
determination.

DATES: We will consider comments received or postmarked on or before 
March 16, 2015. 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. Any comments that we 
receive after the closing date may not be considered in the final 
decision on this action.

ADDRESSES: Document availability: You may obtain a copy of the proposed 
rule and associated documents on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2013-0133, or by contacting 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife 
Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    Comment submission: 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 FWS-R8-ES-2013-0133, 
which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then, click the Search 
button. In the Search panel on the left side of the screen, under the 
Document Type heading, click on the box next to ``Proposed Rule'' to 
locate this document. You may submit a comment by clicking on ``Comment 
Now!''
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public 
Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R8-ES-2013-0133; Division of Policy and 
Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC; 5275 
Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We request that you send comments only by the methods described 
above. 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).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Sada, Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office, 1936 
California Avenue, Klamath Falls, OR 97601; telephone 541-885-8481; or 
facsimile 541-885-7837.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On February 13, 2014, we published in the Federal Register (79 FR 
8656) a proposed rule to remove the Modoc sucker from Federal List of 
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife due to information suggesting that 
the species no longer needs protections under the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). A completed 
scientific analysis of the biological information and threats facing 
the Modoc sucker is presented in detail in the Modoc Sucker Species 
Report (Service 2013, entire), which is available at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2013-0133. The Species 
Report was prepared by Service biologists to provide thorough 
discussion of the species' ecology and biological needs, and to provide 
an analysis of the threats that may be impacting the species.
    In order to comply with the public notification requirements of the 
Act under section 4(b)(5)(D) and to ensure that the public has an 
adequate opportunity to review and comment on our proposal, we are 
reopening the comment period on the proposed rule for an additional 30 
days (see DATES, above).

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 complete 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 
proposal to remove the Modoc sucker from the Federal List of Endangered 
and Threatened Wildlife. Please see the Information Requested section 
of the February 13, 2014, proposed rule (79 FR 8656) for a list of the 
information and comments that we particularly seek.
    If you previously submitted comments or information on the proposed 
rule, please do not resubmit them. We have incorporated them into the 
public record, and we will fully consider them in our final rulemaking. 
Our final determination concerning the proposed rule will take into 
consideration all written comments and any additional 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 ADDRESSES. 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, 
Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT).

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Authority

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

    Dated: February 2, 2015.
Stephen Guertin,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-02928 Filed 2-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P