[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 39916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17060]



[[Page 39916]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XX37


Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of Intent to Prepare a 
Recovery Plan for the Sei Whale

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare recovery plan; request for 
information.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is announcing its 
intent to prepare a recovery plan for the Sei Whale (Balaenoptera 
borealis) and requests information from the public. NMFS is required by 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended, to develop plans 
for the conservation and survival of federally listed species, i.e., 
recovery plans.

DATES: To allow NMFS adequate time to conduct the reviews, all 
information must be received no later than [September 13, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the code 0648-XX37 by 
any of the following methods:
    1. Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic comments via the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov
    2. Facsimile (fax): 301-713-0376, Please identify the fax comments 
as ``Sei Whale Recovery Plan Information''
    3. Mail: National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected 
Resources, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, ATTN: Greg 
Silber

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Silber at the above address, or 
at 301-713-2322.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Management responsibility for sei whales 
lies with the Secretary of Commerce and has been delegated to NMFS. As 
such, NMFS is charged with the recovery of sei whales which are listed 
as endangered under the ESA.
    The recovery planning process is guided by the statutory language 
of Section 4(f) of the ESA and NMFS policies. Recovery planning 
identifies all methods and procedures which are necessary to recover 
any endangered species or threatened species. Section 4(f)(1)(B) of the 
ESA specifies that recovery plans must incorporate in each plan - (i) a 
description of such site-specific management actions as may be 
necessary to achieve the plan's goal for the conservation and survival 
of the species; (ii) objective, measurable criteria which when met, 
would result in a determination, that the species be removed from the 
list; and (iii) estimates of the time required and cost to carry out 
those measures needed to achieve the plan's goal and to achieve 
intermediate steps toward that goal.
    The recovery planning process is guided by the statutory language 
of Section 4(f) of the ESA, which requires that public notice and an 
opportunity for public review and comment be provided during recovery 
plan development. NMFS requests relevant information from the public 
during preparation of the draft Recovery Plan. Such information should 
address: (a) criteria for removing the sei whale from the list of 
threatened and endangered species; (b) factors that are presently 
limiting, or threaten to limit, the survival of the sei whale; (c) 
actions to address limiting factors and threats; (d) estimates of time 
and cost to implement recovery actions; and (e) research, monitoring 
and evaluation needs.
    Upon completion, the draft Recovery Plan will be available for 
public review and comment through the publication of a Federal Register 
Notice.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: July 8, 2010.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-17060 Filed 7-12-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S