[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 219 (Thursday, November 13, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67356-67359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26893]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2014-0055; 4500030113]
RIN 1018-BA63
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Adding 20 Coral
Species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in
accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act),
are amending the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (List) by
adding 20 species of corals: Boulder star coral (Orbicella franksi),
lobed star coral (Orbicella annularis), mountainous star coral
(Orbicella faveolata), pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus), rough
cactus
[[Page 67357]]
coral (Mycetophyllia ferox), Acropora globiceps, Acropora jacquelineae,
Acropora lokani, Acropora pharaonis, Acropora retusa, Acropora rudis,
Acropora speciosa, Acropora tenella, Anacropora spinosa, Euphyllia
paradivisa, Isopora crateriformis, Montipora australiensis, Pavona
diffluens, Porites napopora, and Seriatopora aculeata. These amendments
are based on previously published determinations by the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Department of Commerce, which has jurisdiction for
these species.
DATES: This rule is effective November 13, 2014. Applicability date:
The 20 coral listings were applicable as of October 10, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Krofta, Chief, Branch of
Endangered Species Listing, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS-ES, 5275
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803; 703-358-2171.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In accordance with the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and
Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970 (35 FR 15627; October 6, 1970), NMFS
has jurisdiction over the marine and anadromous taxa identified in this
rule. Under section 4(a)(2) of the Act, NMFS must decide whether a
species under its jurisdiction should be classified as an endangered or
threatened species. NMFS makes these determinations via its rulemaking
process. We, the Service, are then responsible for publishing final
rules to amend the List in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) at 50 CFR 17.11(h).
On December 7, 2012, NMFS published a proposed rule (77 FR 73220)
to list 66 petitioned coral species, 12 as endangered and 54 as
threatened, and to reclassify from threatened to endangered two coral
species (elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and staghorn coral (Acropora
cervicornis)) already listed under the Act. NMFS solicited public
comments on the proposed rule through March 7, 2013. On September 20,
2013, NMFS published a notice of 6-month extension of the deadline for
the final coral species' determinations because of substantial
disagreement regarding the sufficiency and accuracy of the data and
analyses relevant to the proposed listing determinations (78 FR 57835).
On September 10, 2014, NMFS published a final rule (79 FR 53852) to
list 20 of the 66 proposed coral species as threatened species. The
listing of the 20 species was effective October 10, 2014. In that same
rule, NMFS also determined that elkhorn coral and staghorn coral did
not warrant reclassification from threatened to endangered. However, we
revise the elkhorn coral and staghorn coral listings in this rule to
make the information in the Historic Range column consistent with the
other coral entries; the listing status of threatened remains unchanged
for these two species.
In the September 10, 2014, final rule (79 FR 53852), NMFS addressed
all public comments received in response to the proposed rule. By
publishing this final rule, we are simply taking the necessary
administrative step to codify these changes in the List in 50 CFR
17.11(h).
Administrative Procedure Act
Because NMFS provided a public comment period on the proposed rules
for these taxa, and because this action of the Service to amend the
List in accordance with the determination by NMFS is nondiscretionary,
the Service finds good cause that the notice and public comment
procedures of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) are unnecessary for this action. We also
find good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to make this rule effective
immediately. The NMFS rules extended protection under the Act to these
species and listed them in 50 CFR parts 223 and 224; this rule is an
administrative action to add the species to the List of Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife at 50 CFR 17.11(h). The public would not be served
by delaying the effective date of this rulemaking action.
Required Determinations
National Environmental Policy Act
We have determined that an environmental assessment, as defined
under the authority of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969,
need not be prepared in connection with regulations adopted pursuant to
section 4(a) of the Act. We outlined our reasons for this determination
in the Federal Register on October 25, 1983 (48 FR 49244).
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 set forth below:
PART 17--[AMENDED]
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1. The authority citation for part 17 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407; 1531-1544; 4201-4245, unless
otherwise noted.
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2. Amend Sec. 17.11(h) under Corals by:
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a. Revising the entries for ``Coral, elkhorn'' and ``Coral, staghorn''
to read as set forth below; and
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b. Adding 20 entries in alphabetical order for: ``Coral, [no common
name]'' (15 entries); ``Coral, boulder star''; ``Coral, lobed star'';
``Coral, mountainous star''; ``Coral, pillar''; and ``Coral, rough
cactus'', to read as follows:
Sec. 17.11 Endangered and threatened wildlife.
* * * * *
(h) * * *
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Species
-------------------------------------------------- Historic range Vertebrate population where Status When Critical Special
Common name Scientific name endangered or threatened listed habitat rules
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* * * * * * *
Corals
Coral, [no common name]... Acropora U.S.A. (Guam, Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
globiceps. Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana
Islands, Pacific
Remote Island Areas,
American Samoa); and
wider Indo-Pacific.
Coral, [no common name]... Acropora U.S.A. (American Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
jacquelineae. Samoa); and wider
Indo-Pacific.
[[Page 67358]]
Coral, [no common name]... Acropora lokani.. Indo-Pacific.......... Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
Coral, [no common name]... Acropora Indo-Pacific.......... Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
pharaonis.
Coral, [no common name]... Acropora retusa.. U.S.A. (Guam, Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana
Islands, Pacific
Remote Island Areas,
American Samoa); and
wider Indo-Pacific.
Coral, [no common name]... Acropora rudis... U.S.A. (American Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
Samoa); and wider
Indo-Pacific.
Coral, [no common name]... Acropora speciosa U.S.A. (Pacific Remote Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
Island Areas,
American Samoa); and
wider Indo-Pacific.
Coral, [no common name]... Acropora tenella. Indo-Pacific.......... Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
Coral, [no common name]... Anacropora Indo-Pacific.......... Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
spinosa.
Coral, [no common name]... Euphyllia U.S.A. (American Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
paradivisa. Samoa); and wider
Indo-Pacific.
Coral, [no common name]... Isopora U.S.A. (American Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
crateriformis. Samoa); and wider
Indo-Pacific.
Coral, [no common name]... Montipora Indo-Pacific.......... Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
australiensis.
Coral, [no common name]... Pavona diffluens. Indo-Pacific.......... Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
Coral, [no common name]... Porites napopora. Indo-Pacific.......... Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
Coral, [no common name]... Seriatopora U.S.A. (Guam, Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
aculeata. Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana
Islands); and wider
Indo-Pacific.
Coral, boulder star....... Orbicella franksi U.S.A. (FL, PR, USVI, Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
Gulf of Mexico); and
wider Caribbean.
Coral, elkhorn............ Acropora palmata. U.S.A. (FL, PR, USVI); Entire...................... T 853 226.216 223.208
and wider Caribbean.
Coral, lobed star......... Orbicella U.S.A. (FL, PR, USVI, Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
annularis. Gulf of Mexico); and
wider Caribbean.
Coral, mountainous star... Orbicella U.S.A. (FL, PR, USVI, Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
faveolata. Gulf of Mexico); and
wider Caribbean.
Coral, pillar............. Dendrogyra U.S.A. (FL, PR, USVI); Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
cylindrus. and wider Caribbean.
Coral, rough cactus....... Mycetophyllia U.S.A. (FL, PR, USVI); Entire...................... T 853 NA NA
ferox. and wider Caribbean.
Coral, staghorn........... Acropora U.S.A. (FL, PR, USVI); Entire...................... T 853 226.216 223.208
cervicornis. and wider Caribbean.
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* * * * *
Dated: November 4, 2014.
Stephen Guertin,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-26893 Filed 11-12-14; 8:45 am]
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