Federal Register/Vol. 83, No. 2/Wednesday, January 3, 2018
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330 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 2 / Wednesday, January 3, 2018 / Proposed Rules process. Applicants who claim a Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Register and make a determination on competitive bidding exemption must (List). our proposal within 1 year. Critical submit relevant documentation to allow DATES: We will accept comments habitat shall be designated, to the the Administrator to verify that the received or postmarked on or before maximum extent prudent and applicant is eligible for the claimed March 5, 2018. Comments submitted determinable, for any species exemption. electronically using the Federal determined to be an endangered or * * * * * eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES, threatened species under the Act. ■ 7. Amend § 54.645 by revising below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Listing a species as an endangered or paragraph (b) to read as follows: Eastern Time on the closing date. We threatened species and designations and must receive requests for public § 54.645 Payment Process. revisions of critical habitat can be hearings, in writing, at the address completed only by issuing a rule. * * * * * shown in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION This rule proposes adding the Panama (b) Before the Administrator may CONTACT by February 20, 2018. City crayfish (Procambarus econfinae) process and pay an invoice, both the ADDRESSES: Document availability: The as a threatened species to the List of Consortium Leader (or health care report upon which this proposed rule is Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in provider, if participating individually) based (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) and the vendor must certify that they is available at http:// title 50 of the Code of Federal have reviewed the document and that it www.regulations.gov in Docket No. Regulations (50 CFR 17.11(h)). is accurate. The service provider must FWS–R4–ES–2017–0061 and on the The basis for our action. Under the certify on the invoice that it has Service’s Southeast Region website at Act, we may determine that a species is reviewed all applicable requirements for https://www.fws.gov/southeast/. an endangered or threatened species the program, including the competitive Comment submission: You may based on any of five factors: (A) The bidding requirements described in submit comments by one of the present or threatened destruction, § 54.642, and has complied with those following methods: modification, or curtailment of its requirements. All invoices must be (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal habitat or range; (B) Overutilization for received by the Administrator within eRulemaking Portal: http:// commercial, recreational, scientific, or six months (180 days) of the end date of www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, educational purposes; (C) Disease or the time period covered by the funding enter FWS–R4–ES–2017–0061, which is predation; (D) The inadequacy of commitment. the docket number for this rulemaking. existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E) Then, in the Search panel on the left [FR Doc. 2017–27746 Filed 1–2–18; 8:45 am] Other natural or manmade factors side of the screen, under the Document BILLING CODE 6712–01–P affecting its continued existence. We Type heading, click on the Proposed Rules link to locate this document. You have determined that habitat loss and may submit a comment by clicking on fragmentation from development (Factor DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ‘‘Comment Now!’’ A) is the primary threat to the Panama City crayfish. Fish and Wildlife Service (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Supporting Documents 50 CFR Part 17 Processing, Attn: FWS–R4–ES–2017– 0061; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A species status assessment (SSA) [Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2017–0061; MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls team prepared an SSA report for the 4500030113] Church, VA 22041–3803. Panama City crayfish. The SSA team We request that you send comments was composed of Service biologists, in RIN 1018–BC14 only by the methods described above. consultation with other species experts. We will post all comments on http:// Endangered and Threatened Wildlife The SSA report represents a www.regulations.gov. This generally compilation of the best scientific and and Plants; Threatened Species Status means that we will post any personal for the Panama City Crayfish commercial data available concerning information you provide us (see Public the status of the species, including the AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Comments, below, for more impacts of past, present, and future Interior. information). factors (both negative and beneficial) ACTION: Proposed rule. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: affecting the species. Maps depicting the Catherine Phillips, Field Supervisor, historical range and current populations SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Panama are included in the SSA for reference. Wildlife Service (Service), announce a City Ecological Services Field Office, Peer review. We solicited independent 12-month finding on a petition to list 1601 Balboa Avenue, Panama City, FL peer review of the SSA Report by six the Panama City crayfish (Procambarus 32405; telephone 850–769–0552; econfinae), a semi-terrestrial crayfish facsimile 850–763–2177. Persons who individuals with expertise in crayfish; species native to Bay County, Florida, as use a telecommunications device for the aquatic invertebrates, population, or a threatened species under the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay landscape ecology; genetics and Endangered Species Act (Act). After Service at 800–877–8339. conservation genetics; and/or speciation and conservation biology. We received review of the best available scientific SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: and commercial information, we find comments from one of the six peer that listing this species is warranted. Executive Summary reviewers. The SSA report and other Accordingly, we propose to list the Why we need to publish a rule. Under materials relating to this proposal can be Panama City crayfish as a threatened the Act, if we determine that a species found on the Service’s Southeast Region species under the Act. If we finalize this is an endangered or threatened species website at https://www.fws.gov/ rule as proposed, it would extend the throughout all or a significant portion of southeast/ and at http:// Act’s protections to this species and add its range, we are required to promptly www.regulations.gov under Docket No. this species to the Federal List of publish a proposal in the Federal FWS–R4–ES–2017–0061. VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:19 Jan 02, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\03JAP1.SGM 03JAP1 jstallworth on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with PROPOSALS Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 2 / Wednesday, January 3, 2018 / Proposed Rules 331 Information Requested (e) Activities that maintain native accommodations, in the Federal vegetation near occupied or likely to be Register and local newspapers at least Public Comments occupied Panama City crayfish habitat; 15 days before the hearing. We intend that any final action (f) Sustainable silviculture practices Peer Review resulting from this proposed rule will be that primarily occur adjacent to Panama based on the best scientific and City crayfish habitat and that are In accordance with our joint policy on commercial data available and be as implemented according to certified best peer review published in the Federal accurate and as effective as possible. management practices; or Register on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 34270), Therefore, we request comments or (g) Any additional activities that and our August 22, 2016, memorandum information from other concerned should fall under the 4(d) rule. updating and clarifying the role of peer governmental agencies, Native Please include sufficient information review of listing actions under the Act, American tribes, the scientific with your submission (such as scientific we sought the expert opinions of six community, industry, or any other journal articles or other publications) to appropriate specialists regarding the interested parties concerning this allow us to verify any scientific or SSA report, which informed this proposed rule. We particularly seek commercial information you include. proposed rule. We received a response comments concerning: Please note that submissions merely from one of the six peer reviewers. The (1) The Panama City crayfish’s stating support for or opposition to the purpose of peer review is to ensure that biology, range, and population trends, action under consideration without our listing determination is based on including: providing supporting information, scientifically sound data, assumptions, (a) Biological or ecological although noted, will not be considered and analyses. The peer reviewers have requirements of the species, including in making a determination, as section expertise in crayfish biology, habitat, habitat requirements for feeding, 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act directs that and stressors to the species. We invite breeding, and sheltering; determinations as to whether any any additional comment from the peer (b) Genetics and taxonomy; species is an endangered or threatened reviewers during this public comment (c) Historical and current range, species must be made ‘‘solely on the period; these comments will be including distribution patterns; basis of the best scientific and available along with other public (d) Historical and current population commercial data available.’’ comments in the docket for this You may submit your comments and levels, and current and projected trends; proposed rule. materials concerning this proposed rule and Previous Federal Action by one of the methods listed in (e) Past and ongoing conservation ADDRESSES. We request that you send In 2010, the Center for Biological measures for the species, its habitat, or comments only by the methods Diversity (CBD) petitioned the Service both. described in ADDRESSES. to list 404 aquatic, riparian, and wetland (2) Factors that may affect the If you submit information via http:// species from the Southeastern United continued existence of the species, www.regulations.gov, your entire States under the Act.