[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 74971-74972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24027]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 223

[Docket No. 230802-0182]
RIN 0648-BL87


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed 
Protective Regulations for the Threatened Banggai Cardinalfish 
(Pterapogon Kauderni); Informational Meeting and Public Hearing

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

ACTION: Notice; informational meeting and public hearing.

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SUMMARY: We, NMFS, will hold an informational meeting and formal public 
hearing related to our proposed rule published on August 15, 2023, to 
promulgate protective regulations for the Banggai cardinalfish 
(Pterapogon kauderni). The public comment period was extended to 
December 15, 2023.

DATES: An informational meeting and virtual public hearing will be held 
online on November 17, 2023, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard 
Time).

ADDRESSES: The informational meeting and public hearing will be 
conducted as a virtual meeting, and any member of the public can join 
by internet or phone regardless of location. You may join the virtual 
meeting using a web browser, a mobile app on a phone (app installation 
required), or--to listen only--using just a phone call, as specified at 
this link: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/proposed-protective-regulations-banggai-cardinalfish.
    You may submit comments verbally at the public hearing. You may 
also submit comments in writing by the following method:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal https://www.regulations.gov 
and enter NOAA-NMFS-2023-0099 in the Search box. Click on the 
``Comment'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach 
your comments.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
https://www.regulations.gov without change. All Personal Identifying 
Information (e.g., name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the 
commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential 
Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
    We will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required fields 
if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments 
will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats 
only.
    Details on the virtual public hearing will be made available on our 
website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/proposed-protective-regulations-banggai-cardinalfish. The draft environmental assessment 
and draft initial regulatory flexibility analysis that were prepared to 
support the development of the proposed rule are available on our 
website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/proposed-protective-regulations-banggai-cardinalfish. Previous rulemaking documents related 
to the listing of the species can also be obtained electronically on 
our website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/banggai-cardinalfish/conservation-management.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Celeste Stout, NMFS, Office of 
Protected Resources, [email protected], (301) 427-8436; Erin 
Markin, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources, [email protected], 
(301) 427-8416.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 15, 2023, NMFS published a 
proposed rule to promulgate protective regulations for the Banggai 
cardinalfish under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 88 FR 55431). In 
that notice of proposed rulemaking, we also announced a 60-day public 
comment period, and an option to request a public hearing. On September 
27, 2023, we received a letter requesting a public hearing be held as 
well as a 90-day extension to the public comment period. In response, 
the public comment period was extended by another 60 days, and we are 
accepting public comments on the proposed rule through December 15, 
2023 (88 FR 71523). In addition, a virtual public hearing and will be 
held online on November 17, 2023, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard 
Time) as specified in DATES above. Public comments can be submitted as 
described under ADDRESSES.

Public Hearing

    The informational meeting and public hearing on November 17, 2023, 
will be conducted online as a virtual meeting, as specified in the 
ADDRESSES above. More detailed instructions for joining the virtual 
meeting are provided on our web page (see https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/proposed-protective-regulations-banggai-cardinalfish). The hearing will begin with a brief presentation by NMFS 
that will give an overview of the proposed rule under the ESA. After 
the presentation, there will be a question and answer session during 
which members of the public may ask NMFS staff questions about the 
proposed rule. Following the question and answer session, members of 
the public will have the opportunity to provide oral comments for the 
record regarding the proposed rule. In order to ensure all participants 
have an opportunity to speak during the hearing, the time allotted for 
individual oral comments may be limited. Therefore, anyone wishing to 
make an oral statement at the public hearing for the record is 
encouraged to prepare a written copy of their comments. All oral 
comments will

[[Page 74972]]

be recorded and added to the public comment record for the proposed 
rule.
    Written comments may also be submitted during the public comment 
period as described under DATES and ADDRESSES.

Reasonable Accommodations

    People needing accommodations so that they may attend and 
participate at the public hearing should submit a request for 
reasonable accommodations as soon as possible, and no later than 7 
business days prior to the hearing date, by contacting Celeste Stout 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

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

    Dated: October 26, 2023.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-24027 Filed 10-31-23; 8:45 am]
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