[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5498-5499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01970]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 226

[Docket No. 120912447-4999-02]
RIN 0648-BC56


Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical 
Habitat for the Arctic Ringed Seal; Extension of Comment Period and 
Notice of Public Hearing

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of public comment period; notice of 
public hearing.

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SUMMARY: We, NMFS, published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on 
December 9, 2014, to designate critical habitat for the threatened 
Arctic subspecies (Phoca hispida hispida) of the ringed seal (Phoca 
hispida) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and announced that the 
public comment period would close on March 9, 2015. With this document, 
we extend the comment period through March 31, 2015, to provide 
additional time for the public to submit comments. We also announce the 
specific date and location for a public hearing on the proposal in 
Bethel, AK.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of comments on the proposed rule 
published at 79 FR 73010 on December 9, 2014, is extended from March 9, 
2015, to March 31, 2015. A public hearing on the proposed rule will be 
held in Bethel, AK, on February 26, 2015, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Yupiit Piciryarait 
Cultural Center, 420 Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway, Bethel, AK 99559.
    You may submit written comments on the proposed rule, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2013-0114, by any one of the following methods:
    <bullet> Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0114, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
    <bullet> Mail: Address written comments to Jon Kurland, Assistant 
Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Alaska Region NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen

[[Page 5499]]

Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
    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 http://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 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). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in 
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Electronic copies of the proposed rule, list of references and 
supporting documents, and the draft economic report (i.e., Regulatory 
Impact Review (RIR)/4(b)(2) Preparatory Assessment/Initial Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (IRFA) report) prepared for this action are available 
from http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0114 or 
from the NMFS Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tamara Olson, NMFS Alaska Region, 
(907) 271-2373; Jon Kurland, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7638; or 
Marta Nammack, NMFS Office of Protected Resources, (301) 427-8469.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 9, 2014, we published a proposed rule to designate 
critical habitat for the threatened Arctic ringed seal under the ESA, 
and opened a public comment period on the proposed rule through March 
9, 2015 (79 FR 73010). Subsequently, on January 13, 2015, we announced 
the specific dates and locations for four public hearings on the 
proposed rule in Alaska, one each in Nome, Anchorage, Kotzebue, and 
Barrow (80 FR 1618). At that time, we also announced our intention to 
hold a fifth public hearing in Bethel, AK. In this document we announce 
the specific date and location for the public hearing in Bethel. In 
addition, to provide the public with additional time to submit 
comments, we also announce in this document an extension of the comment 
period (see DATES).

Public Hearings

    During the public hearings, a brief opening presentation on the 
proposed rule will be provided before accepting public testimony. 
Written comments may be submitted at the hearings or via the Federal e-
Rulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES) until the scheduled close of the 
comment period (see DATES). In the event that attendance at the public 
hearings is large, the time allotted for oral statements may be 
limited. Oral and written statements receive equal consideration. There 
are no limits on the length of written comments submitted to us.

Special Accommodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
accommodations should be directed to Tamara Olson (see ADDRESSES) as 
soon as possible, but no later than 7 business days prior to the 
hearing date.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: January 26, 2015.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-01970 Filed 1-30-15; 8:45 am]
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