[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 72 (Thursday, April 14, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 22041-22042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08615]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2015-0129; 4500030113]
RIN 1018-BA93


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species 
Status for Platanthera integrilabia (White Fringeless Orchid)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of the comment period.

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SUMMARY: On September 15, 2015, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), announced a proposed rule to list Platanthera integrilabia 
(white fringeless orchid), a plant species from Alabama, Georgia, 
Kentucky,

[[Page 22042]]

Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as a threatened species 
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We now 
announce that we are reopening the comment period for the proposed 
rule, in order to completely satisfy the notification requirements 
under the Act.

DATES: We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before June 
13, 2016. Comments submitted electronically using the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES, below) must be received by 11:59 
p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. We must receive requests for 
public hearings, in writing, at the address shown in FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT by May 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: 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-R4-ES-2015-0129, 
which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then, in the Search 
panel on the left side of the screen, under the Document Type heading, 
click on the Proposed Rules link 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-R4-ES-2015-0129; 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 Information Requested, below, for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Jennings, Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office, 
446 Neal Street, Cookeville, TN 38501; by telephone 931-528-6481; or by 
facsimile 931-528-7075. Persons who use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 15, 2015, we published in the Federal Register a 
proposed rule to list Platanthera integrilabia (white fringeless 
orchid) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (80 FR 
55304). However, we have since determined that we did not completely 
satisfy the notice requirements of 16 U.S.C. 1533(b)(5) at the time of 
publication. Therefore, in order to ensure that we follow the proper 
procedures for notification in accordance with 16 U.S.C. 1533(b)(5), so 
that there is adequate opportunity to review and comment on the 
proposed rule, we are reopening the comment period for an additional 60 
days.

Information Requested

    We intend that any final action resulting from this 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 governmental agencies, 
Native American tribes, the scientific community, industry, or any 
other interested parties concerning this proposed rule. Please see the 
Information Requested section of the September 15, 2015, proposed 
listing rule (80 FR 55304) for a list of the topics on which we 
particularly seek comment.
    For more background on our proposed rule, see the September 15, 
2015, Federal Register (80 FR 55304), which is available at the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov (see ADDRESSES).
    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 this proposed rulemaking 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, 
Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT).
    Because we will consider all comments and information received 
during the public comment periods, our final determinations may differ 
from the proposal.

Public Hearing

    Section 4(b)(5) of the Act provides for one or more public hearings 
on this proposal, if requested. Requests must be received by the date 
specified above in DATES. Such requests must be sent to the address 
shown in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. We will schedule public 
hearings on this proposed rule, if any are requested, and announce the 
dates, times, and places of those hearings, as well as how to obtain 
reasonable accommodations, in the Federal Register and local newspapers 
at least 15 days before the hearing.

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

    Dated: April 5, 2016.
Noah Matson,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-08615 Filed 4-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P