[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4404-4405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00656]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2015-0104; 4500030113]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Status Review of 
the Northern Rocky Mountain Distinct Population Segment of the Fisher

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of initiation of status review.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
opening of an information gathering period regarding the status of the 
fisher (Pekania pennanti) throughout the range of its northern Rocky 
Mountain distinct population segment (DPS) in the United States. The 
status review will include analysis of whether the northern Rocky 
Mountain DPS of the fisher warrants listing as an endangered or a 
threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Act). We encourage all interested parties to provide us information 
regarding the status of, and any potential threats to, the northern 
Rocky Mountain DPS of the fisher.

DATES: We will accept comments from all interested parties until 
February 13, 2017. Please note that if you are using the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES, below), the deadline for submitting 
an electronic comment is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In 
the Search box, enter the FWS-R6-ES-2015-0104, which is the docket 
number for this action. Then click on the Search button. You may enter 
a comment by clicking on ``Comment Now!'' Please ensure that you have 
found the correct document before submitting your comment.
     U.S. mail or hand delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2015-0104, 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 Request for Information, below, for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jodi Bush, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Montana Ecological Services Field Office, 585 
Shepard Way,

[[Page 4405]]

Helena, MT 59601; telephone 406-449-5225; or facsimile 406-449-5339. 
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Request for Information

    This document solicits biological or other data or information on 
the status of, and potential threats to, the northern Rocky Mountain 
DPS of the fisher, a medium-sized mammal of the mustelid family. This 
information, along with other sources of data, will be used to 
determine if the northern Rocky Mountain DPS of the fisher warrants 
listing as an endangered or a threatened species under the Act (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). We request any new information concerning the 
status of the northern Rocky Mountain DPS of the fisher. Information 
submitted since the 2011 status review (which culminated in our 12-
month finding published on June 30, 2011, at 76 FR 38504) and the 2016 
90-day petition finding (81 FR 1368; January 12, 2016) will be 
considered and need not be resubmitted. We will base our status review 
on the best scientific and commercial information available, including 
all information received as a result of this publication. We are 
soliciting information and supporting data on the northern Rocky 
Mountain DPS of the fisher; we specifically seek information on the 
following:
    (1) Information regarding the species' historical and current 
population status, distribution, abundance, and trends; biology and 
ecology; and habitat selection.
    (2) Information on the effects of potential threat factors that are 
the basis for a species' listing determination under section 4(a)(1) of 
the Act (16 U.S.C. 1533(a)(1)), which are:
    (a) The present or threatened destruction, modification, or 
curtailment of the species' habitat or range;
    (b) Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes;
    (c) Disease or predation;
    (d) Inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; and
    (e) Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued 
existence.
    (3) Scientific and commercial data to assist in development of any 
proposed critical habitat designation that we may make, including:
    (a) Whether the designation of critical habitat for the northern 
Rocky Mountain DPS of the fisher would be beneficial to the 
conservation of the species or whether the identification of specific 
areas as critical habitat may increase threats to the species or its 
habitat;
    (b) Habitat selection and use, and any changes or trends in the 
amount and distribution of habitat for the northern Rocky Mountain DPS 
of the fisher;
    (c) Habitat requirements for feeding, breeding, and sheltering, 
including particular physical or biological features that are essential 
to the conservation of the species and where such physical or 
biological features are found;
    (d) Whether any of these features may require special management 
considerations or protection;
    (e) What areas that are currently occupied and contain the physical 
or biological features essential to the conservation of the species 
should be included in the critical habitat designation and why;
    (f) What areas not currently occupied at the time of listing are 
essential for the conservation of the species and why; and
    (g) The possible benefits and impacts (including probable economic 
impacts) of a possible critical habitat designation for the northern 
Rocky Mountain DPS of the fisher.
    (4) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning 
any threats (or lack thereof) to this species and regulations that may 
be addressing those threats.
    (5) Any information on the biological or ecological requirements of 
the species and ongoing conservation measures for the species and its 
habitat.
    (6) Information on land use designations and current or planned 
activities in the areas occupied by the northern Rocky Mountain DPS of 
the fisher or areas that may be important for its conservation, and 
possible impacts of these activities on this species and these areas.
    (7) Information on the projected and reasonably likely impacts of 
climate change on the northern Rocky Mountain DPS of the fisher and its 
habitat.
    (8) Information on any foreseeable economic, national security, or 
other relevant impacts that may result if we designate any area as 
critical habitat. We are particularly interested in any potential 
impacts on small entities, and the benefits of including or excluding 
areas from any possible future proposed designation that are subject to 
these impacts.
    Please support submissions with documentation such as maps; 
bibliographic references; methods used to gather and analyze the data; 
or copies of pertinent publications, reports, or letters by 
knowledgeable sources. We request data from systematic surveys, 
studies, or analyses of data regarding population size or trends, 
biology or ecology of the species, effects of current land management 
on population distribution and abundance, current condition of habitat, 
and conservation measures that have been implemented to benefit the 
species. We also request information on the current distribution of 
populations and threats to the species in relation to the five listing 
factors (as defined in section 4(a)(1) of the Act).
    Comments merely stating support for or opposition to a particular 
action without providing supporting data may not meet the standard of 
information required by section 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act, which directs 
that determinations as to whether any species is an endangered or a 
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 this 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.

Authors

    The primary authors of this document are staff of the Montana 
Ecological Services Field Office.

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

    Dated: January 5, 2017.
Stephen Guertin,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-00656 Filed 1-12-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P