[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 11, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 21600-21601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07437]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Parts 223 and 226
[Docket No.230309-0070; RTID 0648-XC913]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Listing
Determination for the Sunflower Sea Star Under the Endangered Species
Act; Public Hearings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of public hearings.
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SUMMARY: We, NMFS, will hold two public hearings related to our March
16, 2023, proposed rule to list the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia
helianthoides) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
DATES: Written comments must be received by May 15, 2023. Both hearings
are open to all interested parties and we encourage participation by
members of the public wishing to provide oral comments. In-person
public hearings will be held, convening at 4 p.m. and concluding no
later than 7 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT), on the following dates:
May 2, 2023 (Kodiak, Alaska) and May 10, 2023 (Petersburg, Alaska).
Teleconference will also be available (see ADDRESSES). NMFS may close
the hearings 15 minutes after the conclusion of public testimony and
after responding to any clarifying questions from hearing participants
about the proposed rule. Contact Sadie Wright (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT) if you intend to join the public hearing after
5:30 p.m. so we can leave the public testimony portion open to
accommodate you.
ADDRESSES: The May 2 public hearing will be held in the Harbor Room of
the Best Western Kodiak Inn at 236 Rezanof Drive, Kodiak, Alaska 99615.
The May 10 public hearing will be held at Petersburg Borough Assembly
Chambers at 12 South Nordic Drive, Petersburg, Alaska 99833.
Individuals unable to attend in person may participate in either
hearing via conference call. Toll free conference call information for
both hearings is the same: Telephone: (888) 790-2053, Conference Code:
2314303.
You may submit written data, information, or comments regarding the
proposed rule to list the sunflower sea star as threatened under the
ESA, identified by Docket ID NOAA-NMFS-2021-0130-0038, 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-2021-0130 in the Search box. Click the ``Submit a Formal
Comment'' or ``Comment'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Dayv Lowry, NMFS West
Coast Region Lacey Field Office, 1009 College St. SE, Lacey, WA 98503,
USA.
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 proposed rule and supporting documents are available in the
docket for the proposed rule at www.regulations.gov, and on the NMFS
website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/sunflower-sea-star#conservation-management.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sadie Wright, NMFS Alaska Region,
(907) 586-7630, [email protected]; or Dayv Lowry, NMFS West Coast
Region, (253) 317-1764, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On August 18, 2021, we received a petition from the Center for
Biological Diversity to list the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia
helianthoides) as a
[[Page 21601]]
threatened or endangered species under the ESA. On December 27, 2021,
we published a positive 90-day finding (86 FR 73230, December 27, 2021)
announcing that the petition presented substantial scientific or
commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be
warranted. We also announced the initiation of a status review of the
species, as required by section 4(b)(3)(A) of the ESA, and requested
information to inform the agency's decision on whether this species
warrants listing as threatened or endangered. We completed a
comprehensive status review for the sunflower sea star. Based on the
best scientific and commercial information available (including the
draft status review report), and after taking into account efforts
being made to protect the species, we determined that the sunflower sea
star is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable
future throughout its range. Therefore, on March 16, 2023, we proposed
to list the sunflower sea star as a threatened species under the ESA.
The proposed rule opened a public comment period through May 15, 2023.
Public Hearings
We will hold two in-person public hearings, with associated
conference calls, to accept comments on the proposed rule to list the
sunflower sea star as threatened under the ESA on the dates and at the
times listed above (see ADDRESSES and DATES). Please see the Public
Comments Solicited section of the March 16, 2023, proposed rule
regarding the types of information and data we particularly seek (88 FR
16212).
During each public hearing, NMFS will provide a brief opening
presentation on the proposed ESA-listing rule before accepting public
testimony for the record. The hearings will be recorded for the purpose
of preparing transcripts of oral comments received. Attendees will be
asked to identify themselves before giving testimony in-person or
before joining the hearing via teleconference. For the teleconference,
once connected to the call, telephone lines will be automatically
muted. During the public testimony portion of the hearing, the
teleconference moderator will ask participants if they have comments.
The teleconference moderator will inform participants with comments
when it is their turn to comment. When it is your turn to offer your
comment, the moderator will unmute your individual line. Commenters
will be asked to state their full name and the identity of any
organization on whose behalf they may be speaking. In the event that
attendance at the public hearings is large, the time allotted for each
commenter may be limited.
Anyone wishing to make an oral statement at the public hearing is
encouraged to also submit a written copy of their statement to us
during the comment period by either of the methods identified above
(see ADDRESSES and DATES). There are no limits on the length of written
comments submitted to us. Written statements and supporting data and
information submitted during the comment period will be considered with
the same weight as oral statements provided during the public hearings.
These public hearings are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. People needing reasonable accommodations to participate
in these hearings should submit a request as soon as possible, and no
later than 10 business days before the accommodation is needed, by
contacting Sadie Wright (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: April 5, 2023.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-07437 Filed 4-10-23; 8:45 am]
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