WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (the Services) announced a 60-day extension to the public comment period for proposed revisions to Endangered Species Act (ESA) petition regulations. The proposed revisions were announced in May and are designed to improve the inclusiveness and transparency of the ESA petitioning processes. The comment period is being extended to allow for additional public comment.

The proposed revisions are part of the Administration’s broader agenda for improving the ESA outlined in 2011. They would require petitioners to solicit information for certain species from relevant state wildlife agencies, which often have unique information and insights on the imperiled species, and to include any information they provide. The revisions would also promote the use of the best available science by requiring that as much information as possible related to proposed listing and critical habitat rule notices be posted online. They would also adopt procedures for ensuring more consistent, transparent and objective peer-review of the Service’s listing decisions.

For more information on the proposed ESA petition regulations, go to http://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2015/proposed-revised-petition-regulations.pdf.

Public comments on the proposed rule will now be accepted on or before September 18, 2015.

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FWS-HQ-ES-2015-0016-0001. Click the “Comment Now” button in the top right hand corner.
• U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-HQ-ES-2015-0016-0001; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042–PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.

The Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1973 to provide a critical safety net for fish, wildlife and plants, and has prevented the extinction of hundreds of imperiled species, while promoting the recovery of many others. The Service is actively engaged with conservation partners and the public in the search for new and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species. To learn more about the ESA and FWS programs, visit www.fws.gov/endangered.

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