Vol. 77 Tuesday, No. 54 March 20, 2012 Part II Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing and Designation of Critical Habitat for the Chiricahua Leopard Frog; Final Rule VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:12 Mar 19, 2012 Jkt 226001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\20MRR2.SGM 20MRR2 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES2 16324 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 54 / Tuesday, March 20, 2012 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Background submitting the critical habitat rules to the Federal Register. Fish and Wildlife Service It is our intent to discuss in this final We published a proposed rule to rule only those topics directly relevant reassess the listing status and propose 50 CFR Part 17 to the listing and development and critical habitat for the Chiricahua designation of critical habitat for the leopard frog in the Federal Register on [Docket No. FWS–R2–ES–2010– Chiricahua leopard frog under the Act 0085;4500030114] March 15, 2011 (76 FR 14126) with a (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). For more request for public comments. On RIN 1018–AX12 information on the biology and ecology September 21, 2011, we made available of the Chiricahua leopard frog refer to the draft environmental assessment and Endangered and Threatened Wildlife the final listing rule (67 FR 40790; June draft economic analysis for the and Plants; Listing and Designation of 13, 2002) or our April 2007 final proposed designation of critical habitat Critical Habitat for the Chiricahua recovery plan, which are available from and reopened the public comment on Leopard Frog the Arizona Ecological Services Field the proposed rule (76 FR 58441). AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Office (see ADDRESSES section). For information on Chiricahua leopard frog Summary of Comments and Interior. Recommendations ACTION: Final rule. critical habitat, refer to the proposed rule to reassess the listing status and We requested written comments from SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and propose critical habitat for the the public on the reassessment of listing Wildlife Service (Service), are Chiricahua leopard frog published in status and proposed designation of designating critical habitat for the the Federal Register on March 15, 2011 critical habitat for the Chiricahua Chiricahua leopard frog (Lithobates (76 FR 14126). Information on the leopard frog during two comment chiricahuensis) under the Endangered associated draft economic analysis for periods. The first comment period Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). the proposed rule to designate critical associated with the publication of the In total, we are designating habitat was published in the Federal proposed rule (76 FR 14126) opened on approximately 10,346 acres (4,187 Register on September 21, 2011 (76 FR March 15, 2011, and closed on May 16, hectares) as critical habitat for the 58441). 2011. We also requested comments on Chiricahua leopard frog in Apache, the reassessment of listing status, Previous Federal Actions Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, proposed critical habitat designation, Santa Cruz, and Yavapai Counties, We published a proposed rule to list associated draft economic analysis, and Arizona; and Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, the Chiricahua leopard frog as associated draft environmental Sierra, and Socorro Counties, New threatened in the Federal Register on assessement during a comment period Mexico. In addition, because of a June 14, 2000 (65 FR 37343). We that opened September 21, 2011, and taxonomic revision of the Chiricahua published a final rule listing the species closed on October 21, 2011 (76 FR leopard frog, we reassessed the status of as threatened on June 13, 2002 (67 FR 58441). We did not receive any requests and threats to the currently described 40790). Included in the final rule was a for a public hearing. We also contacted species Lithobates chiricahuensis and special rule (see 50 CFR 17.43(b)) to appropriate Federal, Tribal, State, and are listing the currently described exempt operation and maintenance of local agencies; scientific organizations; species as threatened. livestock tanks on non-Federal lands and other interested parties and invited DATES: This rule is effective on April 19, from the section 9 take prohibitions of them to comment on the proposed rule, 2012. the Act. The special rule remains in draft economic analysis, and draft environmental assessment during these ADDRESSES: This final rule and the place and is not affected by this final rule, except that we are making an comment periods. associated final economic analysis and During the first comment period, we editorial change to revise the heading of final environmental assessment are received 48 submissions from the 50 CFR 17.43(b) to reflect the currently available on the Internet at http:// public. During the second comment described species Lithobates www.regulations.gov. Comments and period, we received 14 submissions. chiricahuensis. For further information materials received, as well as supporting Most submissions addressed the on actions associated with listing the documentation used in preparing this proposed critical habitat designation, species, please see the final listing rule final rule, are available for public the draft environmental assessment, or (67 FR 40790; June 13, 2002). inspection, by appointment, during the draft economic analysis, while normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish In a May 6, 2009, order from the others provided no substantive and Wildlife Service, Arizona Ecological Arizona District Court, the Secretary of information useful to the development Services Field Office, 2321 West Royal the Interior was required to publish a of this final rule. All substantive Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix, AZ critical habitat prudency determination information provided during comment 85021; telephone 602–242–0210; for the Chiricahua leopard frog and, if periods has either been incorporated facsimile 602–242–2513. found prudent, a proposed rule to directly into this final rule or is FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: designate critical habitat by December 8, addressed below. Comments we Steve Spangle, Field Supervisor, U.S. 2010. Because of unforeseen delays received were grouped into six general Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona related to species taxonomic issues, issues specifically relating to the Ecological Services Field Office, 2321 which required an inclusion of a threats proposed critical habitat designation for West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, analysis, we requested a 3-month the Chiricahua leopard frog, and are Phoenix, AZ 85021; by telephone (602/ extension to the court-ordered deadlines addressed in the following summary 242–0210); or by facsimile (602/242– for both the proposed and final rules. and incorporated into the final rule as 2513). If you use a telecommunications On November 24, 2010, the extension appropriate. device for the deaf (TDD), call the was granted and new deadlines of Federal Information Relay Service March 8, 2011, for the proposed rule Peer Review (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. and March 8, 2012, for the final rule In accordance with our peer review SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: were established for completing and policy published on July 1, 1994 (59 FR VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:12 Mar 19, 2012 Jkt 226001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\20MRR2.SGM 20MRR2 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES2 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 54 / Tuesday, March 20, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 16325 34270), we solicited expert opinions history, and in particular, its dispersal the site from another occupied site from four knowledgeable individuals capabilities. This rationale is provided within the metapopulation. with scientific expertise that included in our discussion of the ‘‘1–3–5 rule’’ in Our Response: We exercised caution familiarity with the species or taxa, the the Dispersal section below. in expressing our understanding of the geographic region in which the species Comment 4: The peer reviewer stated Chiricahua leopard frogs’ ability to occurs, and conservation biology that the rationale for each primary withstand drought by amending this principles. We received responses from constituent element (PCE) is clear, but passage to state, ‘‘Because of their one of the peer reviewers. requiring critical habitat units to meet evolutionary history, southwestern We reviewed all comments we all of these relatively narrow criteria leopard frogs may be able to withstand received from the peer reviewer for may be too restrictive. The peer drying of stock tanks for a longer period substantive issues and new information reviewer also stated that other areas that of time than nonnative species that regarding critical habitat for the contain most of the elements and have evolved in wetter climates in the eastern Chiricahua leopard frog. The peer high restoration potential for ‘‘missing’’ United States, which could provide reviewer generally concurred with our elements should also be considered. southwestern leopard frog a selective methods and conclusions, and provided Our Response: We used the best advantage.’’ additional suggestions to improve the scientific information available in Comment 7: Under PCE 1(h), the final critical habitat rule. Peer reviewer determining the PCEs for the Chiricahua absence of the organism comments are addressed in the leopard frog. The PCEs are the elements Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis following summary and incorporated of physical or biological features that (chytrid fungus) is impossible to know into the final rule as appropriate. together provide for a species’ life- with certainty. history processes and are essential to Our Response: We amended the PCEs Peer Reviewer Comments the conservation of the species. We after the publication of the proposed Comment 1: The peer reviewer amended the PCEs after the publication rule and included the amended PCEs in suggested we provide clarification on of the proposed rule, and included the our September 21, 2011, publication (76 the geographic range and distribution of amended PCEs in our September 21, FR 58441). The amended PCEs, while the species by defining what is meant by 2011, publication (76 FR 58441).