[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 9, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13517-13518]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04819]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 223 and 226

[Docket No. 210303-0035]
RIN 0648-BC56


Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical 
Habitat for the Arctic Subspecies of the Ringed Seal; Extension of 
Public Comment Period

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS hereby extends the public comment period by 30 days for 
the revised proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on January 
8, 2021, to designate critical habitat for the threatened Arctic 
subspecies of the ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida) under the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA). The end of the public comment period is 
extended from March 9, 2021, to April 8, 2021.

DATES: The comment period for the revised notice of proposed rulemaking 
published at 86 FR 1452 is extended by 30 days to April 8, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit data, information, or comments regarding the 
revised proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the Arctic 
ringed seal, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2013-0114, by either of the 
following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic comments via 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov and enter 
NOAA-NMFS-2013-0114 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant 
Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, 
Attn: Records Office, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99082-1668.
    Instructions: NMFS may not consider comments sent by any other 
method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end 
of the comment period. 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), confidential business information, 
or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender 
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter 
``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).
    The revised proposed rule and supporting documents are available at 
www.regulations.gov, and on the NMFS website at www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/designation-critical-habitat-arctic-subspecies-ringed-seal.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tammy Olson, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 
271-2373; or Jon Kurland, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7638.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 8, 2021, NMFS published a revised 
proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the threatened Arctic 
ringed seal under the ESA (86 FR 1452). The proposed designation 
comprises an area of marine habitat in the northern Bering, Chukchi, 
and Beaufort seas. An area north of the Beaufort Sea shelf is proposed 
for exclusion from the proposed designation based on national security 
impacts. The revised proposed rule opened a 60-day public comment 
period to end on March 9, 2021. NMFS received two requests to extend 
the comment period in order to provide additional time to prepare 
comments in

[[Page 13518]]

a thorough manner. We considered the requests and concluded that we can 
accommodate a 30-day extension of the comment period for the revised 
proposed rule without significantly delaying the completion of the 
final rule. We are therefore extending the comment period for the 
revised proposed rule by 30 days to April 8, 2021.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: March 3, 2021.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-04819 Filed 3-8-21; 8:45 am]
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