[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 156 (Monday, August 13, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39979-39980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17320]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2018-0035; FXES11130900000C2-189-FF09E42000]
RIN 1018-BB98


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed 
Replacement of the Regulations for the Nonessential Experimental 
Population of Red Wolves in Northeastern North Carolina

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are 
reopening the public comment period on our June 28, 2018, proposed rule 
to replace the existing regulations governing the nonessential 
experimental population designation of the red wolf (Canis rufus) under 
section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). 
We are reopening the comment period to allow the public an additional 
opportunity to review and comment on the proposed rule. Comments 
already submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully 
considered in preparation of the final rule.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published on June 28, 
2018, at 83 FR 30382 is reopened. We will accept comments received or 
postmarked on or before August 28, 2018. Comments submitted 
electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES, 
below) must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing 
date.

ADDRESSES: Availability of documents: The proposed rule is available on 
http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2018-0035 and on our 
website at http://www.fws.gov/Raleigh. Comments and materials we 
receive, as well as supporting documentation we used in preparing the 
proposed rule, are also available for public inspection at http://www.regulations.gov. All comments, materials, and documentation that we 
considered in the proposed rule are available for public inspection, by 
appointment, during normal business hours, at the Raleigh Ecological 
Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 551F Pylon 
Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606; telephone 919-856-4520; facsimile 919-856-
4556. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.
    Comment submission: You may submit written comments on the proposed 
rule by one of the following methods:
    (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R4-ES-2018-0035, 
which is the docket number for the rulemaking. Then, click on the 
Search button. On the resulting page, in the Search panel on the left 
side of the screen, under the Document Type heading, check the Proposed 
Rule box to locate this document. You may submit a comment by clicking 
on ``Comment Now!''
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public 
Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R4-ES-2018-0035, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We request that you send comments only by the methods described 
above. See Information Requested, below, for more information on 
submitting comments on the proposed rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pete Benjamin, Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Raleigh Ecological Services Field Office, 
551F Pylon Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606; telephone 919-856-4520; facsimile 
919-856-4556. Persons who use a TDD may call the Federal Relay Service 
at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 28, 2018, we published in the Federal Register a proposed 
rule (83 FR 30382) to replace the regulations governing the northeast 
North Carolina (NC) nonessential experimental population (NEP) of the 
red wolf, which were codified in 1995 in title 50 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) at Sec.  17.84(c) (50 CFR 17.84(c)). That 
proposal had a 30-day comment period, ending July 30, 2018. The purpose 
of the proposed action is to incorporate the most recent science and 
lessons learned related to the management of red wolves to implement 
revised regulations that will better further the conservation of the 
red wolf. We propose to establish a more manageable wild propagation 
population that will allow for more resources to support the captive 
population component of the red wolf program (which is the genetic fail 
safe for the species); serve the future needs of new reintroduction 
efforts; retain the influences of natural selection on the species; 
eliminate the regulatory burden on private landowners; and provide a 
population for continued scientific research on wild red wolf behavior 
and population management.

Information Requested

    We will accept written comments and information during this 
reopened comment period and will consider information and 
recommendations from all interested parties. If you previously 
submitted comments or information on the proposed rule, please do not 
resubmit them. We have incorporated them into the public record, and we 
will fully consider them in the preparation of our final determination. 
We intend that any final action resulting from the proposal will be 
based on the best scientific and commercial data available and be as 
accurate and as effective as possible.
    We request comments or information from other concerned 
governmental

[[Page 39980]]

agencies, Native American tribes, the scientific community, industry, 
or any other interested parties concerning the June 28, 2018, proposed 
rule. We particularly seek comments concerning:
    (1) Contribution of the NC NEP to recovery goals for the red wolf;
    (2) The relative effects that management of the NC NEP under the 
proposed rule would have on the conservation of the species;
    (3) The extent to which the NC NEP may be affected by existing or 
anticipated Federal or State actions or private activities within or 
adjacent to the proposed NC NEP management area;
    (4) Appropriate provisions for protections and ``take'' of red 
wolves;
    (5) Ideas and strategies for promoting tolerance of red wolves on 
private property outside the NC NEP management area; and
    (6) Appropriate means to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed 
action, including relevant performance measures.
    Additionally, we seek comments on the identification of direct, 
indirect, beneficial, and adverse effects that may result from the June 
28, 2018, proposed rule. You may wish to consider the extent to which 
the proposed rule will affect the following when providing comments:
    (1) Impacts on floodplains, wetlands, wild and scenic rivers, or 
ecologically sensitive areas;
    (2) Impacts on Federal, State, local, or Tribal park lands; refuges 
and natural areas; and cultural or historic resources;
    (3) Impacts on human health and safety;
    (4) Impacts on air, soil, and water;
    (5) Impacts on prime agricultural lands;
    (6) Impacts to other species of wildlife, including other 
endangered or threatened species;
    (7) Disproportionately high and adverse impacts on minority and low 
income populations;
    (8) Any socioeconomic or other potential effects; and
    (9) Any potential conflicts with other Federal, State, local, or 
Tribal environmental laws or requirements.
    Please include sufficient information with your submission (such as 
scientific journal articles or other publications) to allow us to 
verify any scientific or commercial information you include.
    We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. If you 
submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire 
submission--including any 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 http://www.regulations.gov.
    Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we used in preparing the proposed rule, are available for 
public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, 
during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Raleigh Ecological Services Field Office (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: July 30, 2018.
James W. Kurth,
Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Exercising the 
Authority of the Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-17320 Filed 8-10-18; 8:45 am]
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