[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 17, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 2597-2598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00858]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2021-0099; FXIA16710900000-223-FF09A30000]
RIN 1018-BG66


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revision to the 
Section 4(d) Rule for the African Elephant

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are 
extending the comment period on our November 17, 2022, proposed rule to 
revise the rule for the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) 
promulgated under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
as amended (ESA). We are extending the comment period for 60 days to 
give all interested parties an additional opportunity to comment. 
Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they are 
already incorporated into the public record and will be fully 
considered in the proposed rule.

DATES: The comment period on the proposed rule that published November 
17, 2022, at 87 FR 68975, is extended. We will accept comments received 
or postmarked on or before March 20, 2023. 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, 
and comments submitted by U.S. mail must be postmarked by that date to 
ensure consideration.

ADDRESSES: Document availability: The proposed rule and supporting 
documents, including the draft environmental assessment and economic 
analysis, are available at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. 
FWS-HQ-IA-2021-0099.
    Written comments: You may submit comments by one of the following 
methods:
    (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-HQ-IA-2021-0099, 
which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then click on the 
Search button. On the resulting page, in the panel on the left side of 
the screen, under the Document Type heading, click on the Proposed 
Rules link to locate this document. You

[[Page 2598]]

may submit a comment by clicking on ``Comment.''
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail to: Public Comments 
Processing, Attn: FWS-HQ-IA-2021-0099, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
MS: PRB/3W, 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 https://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide 
us (see Public Comments, below, for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Cogliano, Manager, Branch of 
Permits, Division of Management Authority; U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: IA; Falls Church, VA 22041; telephone 
703-358-2104). Individuals in the United States who are deaf, 
deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 
(TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. 
Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services 
offered within their country to make international calls to the point-
of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 17, 2022, we published a proposed rule (87 FR 68975) to 
revise the rule for the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) 
promulgated under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
as amended (ESA). The proposed rule opened a 60-day comment period, 
ending January 17, 2023. We received requests to extend the public 
comment period. With this document, we are announcing an extension of 
the comment period an additional 60 days (see DATES, above) to allow 
the public further opportunity to provide comments on the proposed 
rule.
    For a description of previous Federal actions concerning the 
African elephant and information on the types of comments that would be 
helpful to us in promulgating this rulemaking action, please refer to 
the November 17, 2022, proposed rule (87 FR 68975).

Public Comments

    If you already submitted comments or information on the November 
17, 2022 (87 FR 68975), proposed rule, please do not resubmit them. Any 
such comments are incorporated as part of the public record of the 
rulemaking proceeding, and we will fully consider them in the 
preparation of any final rule.
    You may submit your comments and materials concerning this proposed 
rule by one of the methods listed under ADDRESSES. We will not accept 
comments sent by email or fax or to an address not listed under 
ADDRESSES.
    If you submit information via https://www.regulations.gov, your 
entire submission--including your personal identifying information--
will be posted on the website. 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 https://www.regulations.gov.

Signing Authority

    Shannon Estenoz, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and 
Parks, approved this action on January 4, 2023, for publication. On 
January 12, 2023, Shannon Estenoz authorized the undersigned to sign 
and submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for 
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of 
the Interior.

Maureen D. Foster,
Chief of Staff, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife 
and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2023-00858 Filed 1-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P