[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 43 (Monday, March 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13850-13851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04349]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R5-ES-2022-N063; FXES11130500000-201-FF05E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-
Year Reviews of Two Northeastern Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year 
reviews under the Endangered Species Act, as amended, for two 
northeastern species. A 5-year review is based on the best scientific 
and commercial data available at the time of the review. We are 
requesting submission of any such information that has become available 
since the previous 5-year review for each species.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please submit your written information 
by April 5, 2023. However, we will continue to accept new information 
about any listed species at any time.

ADDRESSES: For instructions on how and where to submit information, see 
Request for New Information and Table 2--Contacts under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    General Information: Martin Miller, by telephone at 413-253-8615, 
via email at [email protected], or via U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035.
    Species-Specific Information and Submission of Comments: Contact 
the appropriate person or office listed in Table 2--Contacts in 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    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: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), are initiating 5-year reviews under the Endangered Species 
Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), for two northeastern 
species: the endangered Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus 
(=Plecotus) townsendii virginianus) and Furbish's lousewort 
(Pedicularis furbishiae).

[[Page 13851]]

    A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data 
available at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of 
any such information that has become available since the most recent 
status review for each species.

Why Do we conduct 5-year reviews and species status assessments?

    Under the ESA, we maintain Lists of Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife and Plants (which we collectively refer to as the List) in 
title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 17.11(h) (for 
wildlife) and 50 CFR 17.12(h) (for plants). Listed wildlife and plants 
can also be found at https://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/pub/listedAnimals.jsp and https://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/pub/listedPlants.jsp, respectively. Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires 
us to review each listed species' status at least once every five 
years. Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a 
notice in the Federal Register announcing species under active review. 
For additional information about 5-year reviews, refer to our fact 
sheet at https://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/recovery-overview.html.

What species are under review?

    We are initiating 5-year status reviews of the species in table 1.

                                          Table 1--Species Under Review
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                                                                                                Listing date and
          Common name             Scientific name           Status             Where listed         citation
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Virginia big-eared bat.........  Corynorhinus       Endangered............  Wherever found...  11/30/1979, 44 FR
                                  (=Plecotus)                                                   69206 69208.
                                  townsendii
                                  virginianus.
Furbish's lousewort............  Pedicularis        Endangered............  Wherever found...  04/26/1978, 43 FR
                                  furbishiae.                                                   17910 17916.
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What information do we consider in our 5-year reviews and species 
status assessments?

    A 5-year review considers all new information available at the time 
of the review. In conducting the review, we consider the best 
scientific and commercial data that have become available since the 
most recent status review. We are seeking new information specifically 
regarding:
    (1) Species biology, including but not limited to life-history and 
habitat requirements and impact tolerance thresholds;
    (2) Historical and current population conditions, including but not 
limited to population abundance, trends, distribution, demographics, 
and genetics;
    (3) Historical and current habitat conditions, including but not 
limited to amount, distribution, and suitability;
    (4) Historical and current threats, threat trends, and threat 
projections in relation to the five listing factors (as defined in 
section 4(a)(1) of the ESA);
    (5) Conservation measures for the species that have been 
implemented or are planned; and
    (6) Other new information, data, or corrections, including but not 
limited to taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of 
erroneous information contained in the List, and improved analytical 
methods.
    Any new information received will be considered during the 5-year 
review and will also be useful in evaluating ongoing recovery programs 
for the species.

Request for New Information

    To ensure that 5-year reviews are based on the best available 
scientific and commercial information, we request new information from 
all sources. If you submit information, please support it with 
documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, methods used to 
gather and analyze the data, and/or copies of any pertinent 
publications, reports, or letters by knowledgeable sources.

How do I ask questions or provide information?

    Please submit your questions, comments, and materials to the 
appropriate contact in table 2, below.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, electronic mail 
address, or other personal identifying information in your submission, 
you should be aware that your entire submission--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. Although you can request that personal information be withheld 
from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Contacts

    New information on the species covered in this notice should be 
submitted by mail or electronic mail to the appropriate contact shown 
in table 2, by the deadline provided above in DATES.

                                                Table 2--Contacts
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             Species                    Contact person, email                     Contact address
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Virginia big-eared bat...........  Liz Stout,                      U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, West Virginia
                                    [email protected].        Field Office, 6263 Appalachian Highway,
                                                                    Davis, WV 26260.
Furbish's lousewort..............  Hannah Mullally,                U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maine Field
                                    [email protected].        Office, 306 Hatchery Road, East Orland, ME
                                                                    04431.
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Authority

    We publish this document under the authority of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Kyla Hastie,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2023-04349 Filed 3-3-23; 8:45 am]
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