424.14—Petitions.
(a) General.
Any interested person may submit a written petition to the Secretary requesting that one of the actions described in § 424.10 be taken. Such a document must clearly identify itself as a petition and be dated. It must contain the name, signature, address, telephone number, if any, and the association, institution, or business affiliation, if any, of the petitioner. The Secretary shall acknowledge in writing receipt of such a petition within 30 days.
(b) Petitions to list, delist, or reclassify species.
(1)
To the maximum extent practicable, within 90 days of receiving a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a species, the Secretary shall make a finding as to whether the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted. For the purposes of this section, “substantial information” is that amount of information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the measure proposed in the petition may be warranted. The Secretary shall promptly publish such finding in the Federal Register and so notify the petitioner.
(2)
In making a finding under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the Secretary shall consider whether such petition—
(i)
Clearly indicates the administrative measure recommended and gives the scientific and any common name of the species involved;
(ii)
Contains detailed narrative justification for the recommended measure, describing, based on available information, past and present numbers and distribution of the species involved and any threats faced by the species;
(iii)
Provides information regarding the status of the species over all or a significant portion of its range; and
(iv)
Is accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation in the form of bibliographic references, reprints of pertinent publications, copies of reports or letters from authorities, and maps.
The petitioner may provide information that describes any recommended critical habitat as to boundaries and physical features, and indicates any benefits and/or adverse effects on the species that would result from such designation. Such information, however, will not be a basis for the determination of the substantiality of a petition.
(3)
Upon making a positive finding under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the Secretary shall commence a review of the status of the species concerned and shall make, within 12 months of receipt of such petition, one of the following findings:
(i)
The petitioned action is not warranted, in which case the Secretary shall promptly publish such finding in the Federal Register and so notify the petitioner.
(ii)
The petitioned action is warranted, in which case the Secretary shall promptly publish in the Federal Register a proposed regulation to implement the action pursuant to § 424.16 of this part, or
(A)
The immediate proposal and timely promulgation of a regulation to implement the petitioned action is precluded because of other pending proposals to list, delist, or reclassify species, and
Code of Federal Regulations
(4)
If a finding is made under paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section with regard to any petition, the Secretary shall, within 12 months of such finding, again make one of the findings described in paragraph (b)(3) with regard to such petition, but no further finding of substantial information will be required.
(c) Petitions to revise critical habitat.
(1)
To the maximum extent practicable, within 90 days of receiving a petition to revise a critical habitat designation, the Secretary shall make a finding as to whether the petition presents substantial scienific information indicating that the revision may be warranted. The Secretary shall promptly publish such finding in the Federal Register and so notify the petitioner.
(2)
In making the finding required by paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the Secretary shall consider whether a petition contains—
(i)
Information indicating that areas petitioned to be added to critical habitat contain physical and biological features essential to, and that may require special management to provide for, the conservation of the species involved; or
(ii)
Information indicating that areas designated as critical habitat do not contain resources essential to, or do not require special management to provide for, the conservation of the species involved.
(3)
Within 12 months after receiving a petition found under paragraph (c)(1) of this section to present substantial information indicating that revision of a critical habitat may be warranted, the Secretary shall determine how he intends to proceed with the requested revision, and shall promptly publish notice of such intention in the Federal Register.
(d) Petitions to designate critical habitat or adopt special rules.
Upon receiving a petition to designate critical habitat or to adopt a special rule to provide for the conservation of a species, the Secretary shall promptly conduct a review in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) and applicable Departmental regulations, and take appropriate action.