[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1125-1126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00257]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-ES-2023-N060; FXES11140700000-234-FF07C00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-
Year Status Reviews of the Aleutian Shield Fern and the Alaska Breeding 
Population of Steller's Eider

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for information.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year 
status reviews of the Aleutian shield fern and the Alaska breeding 
population of Steller's eider under the Endangered Species Act. A 5-
year status review is based on the best scientific and commercial data 
available at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of 
any new information on these species that has become available since 
the last reviews of the species. We invite comments and information 
from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.

DATES: To ensure consideration of your comments in our preparation of 
these 5-year status reviews, we must receive your comments and 
information by March 11, 2024. However, we will accept information 
about any species at any time.

ADDRESSES: For Aleutian shield fern, please submit your information by 
one of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]; or
     U.S. mail or hand delivery: U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Attention: Sabrina Farmer, Southern Alaska Fish and Wildlife 
Field Office, 4700 BLM Road, Anchorage, AK 99507.
    For the Alaska breeding population of Steller's eider, please 
submit your information by one of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]; or
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Attention: Nathan Graff, Northern Alaska Fish and Wildlife 
Field Office, 101 12th Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701.
    For more about submitting information, see Request for Information 
in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Aleutian shield fern, contact 
Sabrina Farmer, by telephone at 907-271-2778 or by one of the methods 
in ADDRESSES.
    For the Alaska breeding population of Steller's eider, contact 
Nathan Graff, by telephone at 907-251-9428 or by one of the methods in 
ADDRESSES.
    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 status reviews of the Aleutian shield 
fern (Polystichum aleuticum) and the Alaska breeding population of 
Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). A 5-year status 
review is based on the best scientific

[[Page 1126]]

and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we 
are requesting submission of any new information on this species that 
has become available since the last 5-year reviews were conducted in 
2019.

Why do we conduct 5-year reviews?

    Under the ESA, we maintain Lists of Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife and Plants (which we collectively refer to as the List) in the 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17.11 (for animals) and 
17.12 (for plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires us to review 
each listed species' status at least once every 5 years. Further, our 
regulations at 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in the 
Federal Register announcing those species under active review. For 
additional information about 5-year reviews, go to http://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/recovery-overview.html.

What information do we consider in our review?

    In conducting these reviews, we consider the best scientific and 
commercial data that have become available since the listing 
determination or most recent status review, such as:
    1. The biology of the species, including but not limited to 
population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics;
    2. Habitat conditions, including but not limited to amount, 
distribution, and suitability;
    3. Conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit 
the species;
    4. Threat status and trends in relation to the five listing factors 
(as defined in section 4(a)(1) of the ESA); and
    5. 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 will be considered during the 5-year review and 
will also be useful in evaluating the ongoing recovery programs for the 
species.

Species Under Review

    Entity listed: Aleutian shield fern (Polystichum aleuticum).
     Where listed: Wherever found.
     Classification: Endangered.
     Date listed (publication date for final listing rule): 
February 17, 1988.
     Federal Register citation for final listing rule: 53 FR 
4626.
    Entity listed: Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri).
     Where listed: United States (Alaska breeding population 
only).
     Classification: Threatened.
     Date listed (publication date for final listing rule): 
June 11, 1997.
     Federal Register citation for final listing rule: 62 FR 
31748.

Request for Information

    To ensure that a 5-year review is complete and based on the best 
available scientific and commercial information, we request new 
information from all sources. See What Information Do We Consider in 
Our Review? for specific criteria. 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.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Contents of Submissions

    Please make your comments as specific as possible. Please confine 
your comments to issues for which we seek comments in this notice, and 
explain the basis for your comments. Include sufficient information 
with your comments to allow us to authenticate any scientific or 
commercial data you include.
    The comments and recommendations that will be most useful and 
likely to be relevant to agency decisions are: (1) Those supported by 
quantitative information or studies; and (2) Those that include 
citations to, and analyses of, the applicable laws and regulations.

Authority

    This document is published under the authority of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Peter Fasbender,
Assistant Regional Director, Fisheries and Ecological Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-00257 Filed 1-8-24; 8:45 am]
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