Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Green Sea Turtle

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or USFWS), propose to designate critical habitat for five distinct population segments (DPSs) of the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA or Act). The five DPSs include the federally threatened North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Central North Pacific DPSs and the federally endangered Central South Pacific and Central West Pacific DPSs. In total, approximately 8,870 acres (ac) (3,590 hectares (ha)) are proposed across 101 units in the States of Florida and Hawai[revaps]i; the territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam; the commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and two USFWS-managed areas (Midway Islands and Palmyra Atoll). We also announce five public informational meetings and public hearings and the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed critical habitat designation for the terrestrial areas included in this proposed rule. Elsewhere in today's Federal Register, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is also proposing to designate specific areas in the marine environment as critical habitat for DPSs of the green sea turtle.