Service reopens comment period on new management rule for red wolves in North Carolina

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the public comment period on a proposed rule to replace the existing regulations governing the nonessential experimental population of the red wolf under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

On June 28, 2018, the Service published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would remove management efforts from existing private lands and instead focus continuing efforts on certain public lands in Hyde and Dare counties, North Carolina. The new proposal is based on a comprehensive four-year evaluation of the northeast North Carolina non-essential experimental population (NC NEP) of red wolves designated under section 10(j) of the ESA. On July 10, 2018, a public meeting was held in Manteo, North Carolina, that drew about 70 people, who shared comments and perspective about the proposal. A 30-day comment period on the proposal closed on July 30, 2018.

The Service is reopening the comment period to allow the public more time to review and comment on the proposed rule. Comments already submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule. The Service seeks a variety of information in a number of areas including, but not limited to: the NC NEP’s contribution to red wolf recovery; ideas and strategies for promoting tolerance of red wolves on private property outside the NC NEP management area; and ecological, agricultural and socioeconomic effects of the proposed 10(j) rule. A complete list of information the Service is seeking can be found in the proposed rule.

For more information, including a copy of the proposed rule, visit the red wolf species profile.

The public comment period for the proposed new rule will be reopened for an additional 15 days beginning August 13, 2018 and will close on August 28, 2018. The Service will accept comments received or postmarked on or before August 28, 2018.

You may submit written comments on this proposed rule by one of the following methods:

1. Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal. In the Search box, enter FWS-R4-ES-2018-0035, which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then, click on the Search button. On the resulting page, in the Search panel on the left side of the screen, under the Document Type heading, check the Proposed Rules box to locate this document. You may submit a comment by clicking on “Comment Now!” Electronic comments should be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on August 28, 2018.

2. By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R4-ES-2018-0035, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

All comments are posted on regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. To increase efficiency in downloading comments, groups providing comments from large numbers of people should submit their comments in an excel file.



Jeff
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