[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 39 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11013-11014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04257]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2021-0108; FF09E21000 FXES1111090FEDR 223]
RIN 1018-BE90


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Foothill Yellow-
Legged Frog; Threatened Status With Section 4(d) Rule for Two Distinct 
Population Segments and Endangered Status for Two Distinct Population 
Segments

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are 
extending the comment period on our December 28, 2021, proposed rule to 
list four distinct population segments (DPSs) of the foothill yellow-
legged frog (Rana boylii), a stream-dwelling amphibian from Oregon and 
California, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). 
We are extending the proposed rule's comment period for 30 days to give 
all interested parties an additional opportunity to comment. Comments 
previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they are already 
incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in the 
final rule.

DATES: The comment period on the proposed rule that published December 
28, 2021, at 86 FR 73914, is extended. We will accept comments received 
or postmarked on or before March 30, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
    (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R8-ES-2021-0108, 
which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then, click on the 
Search button. On the resulting page, in the panel on the left side of 
the screen, under the Document Type heading, check the Proposed Rule 
box to locate the document. You may submit a comment by clicking on 
``Comment.''
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail to: Public Comments 
Processing, Attn: FWS-R8-ES-2021-0108, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We request that you send comments only by the methods described 
above. We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally

[[Page 11014]]

means that we will post any personal information you provide us (see 
Public Comments, below, for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Fris, Field Supervisor, 
Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 
95825; telephone 916-414-6700. Individuals in the United States who are 
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay 
services offered within their country to make international calls to 
the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On December 28, 2021, we published a proposed rule (86 FR 73914) to 
list the South Sierra and South Coast DPSs of the foothill yellow-
legged frog as endangered and the North Feather and Central Coast DPSs 
of the foothill yellow-legged frog as threatened with rules issued 
under section 4(d) of the Act. The proposed rule opened a 60-day 
comment period, ending February 28, 2022. On January 31, 2022, we 
received a request to extend the public comment period. With this 
document, we extend the public comment period for an additional 30 
days, as specified above in DATES.

Public Comments

    We will accept written comments and information during the extended 
comment period on our proposed rule to list the South Sierra, South 
Coast, North Feather, and Central Coast DPSs of the foothill yellow-
legged frog. We will consider information and recommendations from all 
interested parties. We intend that any final action resulting from the 
proposal will be based on the best scientific and commercial data 
available. Our final determination will take into consideration all 
comments and any additional information we receive during the open 
comment period on the proposed rule.
    Because we will consider all comments and information we receive 
during the open comment period, our final determinations may differ 
from our December 28, 2021, proposed rule (86 FR 73914). In addition, 
we may change the parameters of the prohibitions or the exceptions to 
those prohibitions in the proposed rule issued under section 4(d) of 
the Act (i.e., the ``proposed 4(d) rule'') for the North Feather or 
Central Coast DPS if we conclude it is appropriate in light of comments 
and new information received. For example, we may expand the 
prohibitions in the proposed 4(d) rule for the North Feather or Central 
Coast DPS to include prohibiting additional activities if we conclude 
that those additional activities are not compatible with conservation 
of either DPS. Conversely, we may establish additional exceptions to 
the prohibitions in the final rule if we conclude that the activities 
would facilitate or are compatible with the conservation and recovery 
of either DPS.
    If you already submitted comments or information on the December 
28, 2021, proposed rule, please do not resubmit them. Any such comments 
are incorporated as part of the public record of the rulemaking 
proceeding, and we will fully consider them in the preparation of our 
final determinations.
    Comments should be as specific as possible. Please include 
sufficient information with your submission (such as scientific journal 
articles or other publications) to allow us to verify any scientific or 
commercial information you assert.
    Please note that submissions merely stating support for, or 
opposition to, the action under consideration without providing 
supporting information, although noted, do not provide substantial 
information necessary to support our determination, as section 
4(b)(1)(A) of the Act directs that determinations as to whether any 
species is an endangered species or a threatened species must be made 
``solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data 
available.''
    We request that you send comments and materials only by one of the 
methods listed in ADDRESSES. If you submit information via https://www.regulations.gov, your entire submission--including your personal 
identifying information--will be posted on the website. If your 
submission is made via a hardcopy that includes personal identifying 
information, you may request at the top of your document that we 
withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hardcopy 
submissions on https://www.regulations.gov.
    Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we used in preparing the proposed rule, will be available 
for public inspection on https://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-
R8-ES-2021-0108.

Authors

    The primary authors of this document are the staff members of the 
Fish and Wildlife Service's Species Assessment Team and the California 
Great Basin Regional Office (Interior Region 10).

Authority

    The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.), is the authority for this action.

Martha Williams,
Principal Deputy Director, Exercising the Delegated Authority of the 
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-04257 Filed 2-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P