Revision of the Regulations for Listing Endangered Species, Designating Critical Habitat, and Interagency Cooperation
September 24, 2018
The Office of Advocacy submits the following comments in response to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Marine Fisheries Services’ three proposed rulemakings to revise portions of the regulations concerning the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Advocacy applauds the Services’ efforts to update and revise specific provisions of the ESA to make them clearer and more consistent with the intentions of the Act. Advocacy recommends that the Services pay special consideration to the public comments and recommendations of small business, some of which are highlighted below, though this list is not exhaustive. Where applicable, the Services should consider the impacts to small business in determining the appropriate definition or standard to use.