FWS and NOAA Extend Comment Period on Proposed Revisions to Critical Habitat

FOR  IMMEDIATE   RELEASE  
CONTACT: Crystal Feldman , Spencer Pederson or Jill Strait 
Tuesday, October 23,   2012                                            
 202-226-9019
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FWS and NOAA Extend Comment Period on Proposed Revisions to Critical Habitat Economic Impact Analyses
Sweeping Changes Could  Impact Private Property Owners, Jobs, Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. –        
Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) granted a request by House Natural Resources  Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) to extend the comment period of   the FWS and NOAA Fisheries Proposed Revisions to Critical Habitat  Economic Impact Analyses for an additional 90 days.  Chairman   Hastings initially requested the 90 day extension in a letter        
sent to FWS Director Dan Ashe and NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco on  October 19, 2012.

FWS and NOAA, the two Federal  Agencies responsible for overseeing the Endangered Species Act (ESA), released a proposal in August that would drastically change the process for analyzing the        
economic impacts of critical habitat designations under the ESA.   The proposed regulation was initially open for public comment for 60         days.  Due to the potential impacts the major policy changes would         have on
private land owners, the economy and jobs, along with concerns  over how the Obama Administration is currently conducting economic         analyses on regulations it proposes, Chairman Hastings sent a letter         requested that the comment period be extended for an additional 90 days  to allow sufficient time for stakeholders and interested parties to  provide meaningful input.

“Given the Committee’s ongoing concerns with the Obama Administration’s methodology for conducting critical habitat economic analysis, and the  potential of the Administration’s proposed rule changes to cause significant economic  impact throughout the country, I’m pleased that FWS  has granted the request for a 90 day extension of the comment   period.  This will allow more time for Congress and other affected  parties to review and provide input on these major, unilateral policy changes,” said Chairman Hastings.

###     http://naturalresources.house.gov
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