[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51264-51266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20463]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
[Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2012-0103; 4500030114]
RIN 1018-AY71
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of
Critical Habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population
Segment of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle; Correction
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, published a final rule
in the Federal Register on July 10, 2014, that designated specific
areas in the terrestrial environment of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of
Mexico coasts as critical habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean
distinct population segment of the loggerhead sea turtle under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. On July 23, 2014, we
published another final rule that set forth additions, removal,
updates, and corrections to the List of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife for marine and anadromous taxa, including the loggerhead sea
turtle. Neither the July 10, 2014, final rule nor the July 23, 2014,
final rule presented a complete and accurate entry for the loggerhead
sea turtle in the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; the
complete and accurate entry is a combination of the
[[Page 51265]]
two, as well as an additional citation. With this document, we correct
the entry for the loggerhead sea turtle in the List of Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife.
DATES: Effective August 28, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anissa Craghead, (703) 358-2445.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
share authority with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to
protect certain marine and anadromous species, including sea turtles.
Endangered and threatened animal species are listed in the Code of
Federal Regulations in title 50 at part 17 (50 CFR 17.11(h)) in the
List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (List).
We published a final rule in the Federal Register on July 10, 2014
(79 FR 39756), that designated specific areas in the terrestrial
environment of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts as critical
habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean distinct population segment
(DPS) of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). That final rule
became effective on August 11, 2014.
On July 23, 2014, we published a final rule (79 FR 42687) that set
forth additions, removal, updates, and corrections to the List for
marine and anadromous taxa, including the loggerhead sea turtle, based
on rules previously issued by NMFS. That rule was effective upon
publication on July 23, 2014.
The July 10 and July 23 rules were developed simultaneously for
different purposes, and both rules amended the entry on the List for
the Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPS of the loggerhead sea turtle for
different reasons.
The entry in the List for the Northwest Atlantic DPS of the
loggerhead sea turtle in the July 10, 2014, final rule did not
incorporate the uniform language adopted in the July 23, 2014, final
rule for all DPSs of loggerhead sea turtle for the following columns:
(1) Common name, and (2) Vertebrate population where endangered or
threatened. The July 10, 2014, final rule also did not list the
applicable citations for NMFS protective regulations in the ``Special
rules'' column of the List for the DPS. Lastly, it did not cite NMFS'
designation of critical habitat in the marine environment for the DPS.
The entry in the List for the Northwest Atlantic DPS of loggerhead
sea turtle in the July 23, 2014, final rule to adopt the NMFS changes
did not incorporate the applicable citations in the ``Critical
habitat'' column for the DPS.
We regret the errors presented in the differing List entries for
this species and any confusion they have caused. In order to set forth
a complete and accurate entry in the List for the Northwest Atlantic
DPS of the loggerhead sea turtle, we are publishing this correction. In
this document, we are also correcting the heading (title) of our
(terrestrial environment) critical habitat entry for the Northwest
Atlantic DPS of the loggerhead sea turtle so that it includes ``DPS''
in order to match the information in the DPS's entry in the List. This
document does not increase, decrease, or otherwise revise in any way
the threatened species status or critical habitat designation for the
Northwest Atlantic DPS of the loggerhead sea turtle.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.
Regulation Promulgation
Accordingly, we amend part 17, subchapter B of chapter I, title 50
of the Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:
PART 17--[AMENDED]
0
1. The authority citation for part 17 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544; 16 U.S.C.
4201-4245, unless otherwise noted.
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2. Amend Sec. 17.11(h) by revising the entry for ``Sea turtle,
loggerhead, Northwest Atlantic Ocean'' in the List of Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife under REPTILES to read as follows:
Sec. 17.11 Endangered and threatened wildlife.
* * * * *
(h) * * *
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Species Vertebrate
---------------------------------------------------- population where Critical
Historical range endangered or Status When listed habitat Special rules
Common name Scientific name threatened
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* * * * * * *
REPTILES
* * * * * * *
Sea turtle, loggerhead Caretta caretta... Northwest Atlantic Loggerhead sea T........... 794 17.95(c), 223.205,
(Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPS). Ocean Basin. turtles 226.223 223.206,
originating from 223.207
the Northwest
Atlantic Ocean
north of the
equator, south
of 60[deg] N.
Lat., and west
of 40[deg] W.
Long..
* * * * * * *
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* * * * *
Sec. 17.95 [Amended]
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3. Amend Sec. 17.95(c), in the heading of the entry for ``Loggerhead
Sea Turtle, Northwest Atlantic Ocean (Caretta caretta),'' by adding the
word ``DPS''
[[Page 51266]]
immediately following the word ``Ocean''.
Dated: August 22, 2014.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-20463 Filed 8-27-14; 8:45 am]
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