[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 189 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66911-66912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23530]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 226

[Docket No. 150818735-6236-01]
RIN 0648-BF28 and 0648-BF32


Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical 
Habitat for Five Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic Sturgeon; 
Reopening of Public Comment Period

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

ACTION: Proposed rule, reopening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS hereby reopens the comment period on the proposed

[[Page 66912]]

designation of critical habitat for five distinct population segments 
(DPSs) of Atlantic sturgeon. Critical habitat for the five DPSs was 
proposed in two separate proposed rules, published on June 3, 2016, 
with a 90-day comment period.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rules that published on June 
3, 2016 (81 FR 35701 and 81 FR 36078) are reopened. Comments must be 
submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal or received at the 
appropriate address (see ADDRESSES) by October 14, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2015-0107 
for the proposed rule for the Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, and 
Chesapeake Bay DPSs and identified by NOAA-NMFS-2015-0157 for the 
Carolina and South Atlantic DPSs, by either 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-2015-0107 or www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2015-0157, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Mail: For docket NOAA-NMFS-2015-0107, submit comments to 
Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 
Greater Atlantic Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, 
MA 01930. For docket NOAA-NMFS-2015-0157, submit comments to Assistant 
Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Division, NMFS, Southeast 
Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
    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 us. 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. We will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Herndon, NMFS, SERO at 727-824-
5312; Lynn Lankshear, NMFS, GARFO at 978-282-8473; or Lisa Manning, 
NMFS, Office of Protected Resources at 301-427-8466.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Reopening

    On June 3, 2016, we, NMFS, published two proposed rules (81 FR 
35701and 81 FR 36078) to designate critical habitat for the Gulf of 
Maine, New York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolina, and South Atlantic 
DPSs of Atlantic sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(ESA), as amended. A 90-day public comment period was provided. Public 
comments were due by September 1, 2016. NMFS received multiple requests 
for extension of the comment period. Based on the requests, the comment 
period for each of these proposed rules is reopened for an additional 
15 days to provide further opportunity for public comment.
    We are soliciting comments from the public on all aspects of the 
proposal, including information on the economic, national security, and 
other relevant impacts. Comments already received during the 90-day 
comment period and additional comments received during the reopened 15-
day comment period will be considered prior to making the final 
designations.

Background

    We propose to designate critical habitat for the Gulf of Maine, New 
York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolina, and South Atlantic Distinct 
Population Segments (DPSs) of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus 
oxyrinchus). The specific areas proposed for designation include 
approximately 244 kilometers (152 miles) of aquatic habitat for the 
Gulf of Maine DPS, 547 kilometers (340 miles) of aquatic habitat for 
the New York Bight DPS, and 729 kilometers (453 miles) of aquatic 
habitat for the Chesapeake Bay DPS. Our proposed determinations for the 
Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, and Chesapeake Bay DPSs are described in 
the document identified by NOAA-NMFS-2015-0107. We also propose to 
designate approximately 1,997 kilometers (1,241 miles) of occupied 
aquatic habitat and 383 kilometers (238 miles) of unoccupied aquatic 
habitat for the Carolina DPS, and approximately 2,911 kilometers (1,809 
miles) of occupied aquatic habitat and 33 kilometers (21 miles) of 
unoccupied aquatic habitat for the South Atlantic DPS. Our proposed 
determinations for the Carolina and South Atlantic DPSs are described 
in the document identified by NOAA-NMFS-2015-0157. We do not propose to 
exclude any particular areas from the proposed critical habitat 
designations.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1533.

    Dated: September 26, 2016.
Samuel D Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-23530 Filed 9-28-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P