{"abstract":"We, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively, the Services), announce a policy to provide our interpretation of the phrase \"significant portion of its range\" in the Endangered Species Act's (Act's) definitions of \"endangered species\" and \"threatened species.\" The purpose of this final policy is to provide an interpretation and application of \"significant portion of its range\" that reflects a permissible reading of the law and minimizes undesirable policy outcomes, while fulfilling the conservation purposes of the Act. This final policy provides a consistent standard for interpretation of the phrase and its role in listing determinations.","action":"Notice of final policy.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR","name":"Interior Department","id":253,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/interior-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/253","parent_id":null,"slug":"interior-department"},{"raw_name":"Fish and Wildlife Service","name":"Fish and Wildlife Service","id":197,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/fish-and-wildlife-service","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/197","parent_id":253,"slug":"fish-and-wildlife-service"},{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE","name":"Commerce Department","id":54,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/commerce-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/54","parent_id":null,"slug":"commerce-department"},{"raw_name":"National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration","name":"National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration","id":361,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/national-oceanic-and-atmospheric-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/361","parent_id":54,"slug":"national-oceanic-and-atmospheric-administration"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2014/07/01/2014-15216.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":0,"citation_url":null,"part":null,"title":50},{"chapter":0,"citation_url":null,"part":null,"title":50}],"citation":"79 FR 37578","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This policy is effective on July 31, 2014.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031","FXES11130900000C6-145-FF09E42000","DOC Docket No. 110131072-4385-02"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2014-15216","effective_on":"2014-07-31","end_page":37612,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2014/07/01/2014-15216.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/07/01/2014-15216/final-policy-on-interpretation-of-the-phrase-significant-portion-of-its-range-in-the-endangered","images":{"ER01JY14.028":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.028/ER01JY14.028_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.028/ER01JY14.028_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.028/ER01JY14.028_original_size.png"},"ER01JY14.029":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.029/ER01JY14.029_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.029/ER01JY14.029_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.029/ER01JY14.029_original_size.png"}},"images_metadata":{"ER01JY14.028":{"large":{"identifier":"ER01JY14.028","content_type":"image/png","size":54060,"width":822,"sha":"350c4a48170a5b3c23787e6189a1717b","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.028/ER01JY14.028_large.png","height":627},"medium":{"identifier":"ER01JY14.028","content_type":"image/png","size":21284,"width":473,"sha":"31bad8e6e6b74702843fcc5200a0d64e","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.028/ER01JY14.028_medium.png","height":361},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER01JY14.028","content_type":"image/png","size":128160,"width":3571,"sha":"337bc900aff2c8c39cf10da294d1173f","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.028/ER01JY14.028_original_size.png","height":2725}},"ER01JY14.029":{"large":{"identifier":"ER01JY14.029","content_type":"image/png","size":57529,"width":823,"sha":"305f2e142e0b3e0039fb3466832e96ec","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.029/ER01JY14.029_large.png","height":566},"medium":{"identifier":"ER01JY14.029","content_type":"image/png","size":24135,"width":494,"sha":"16de717d758c84ad3c2fe6e5320835aa","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.029/ER01JY14.029_medium.png","height":340},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER01JY14.029","content_type":"image/png","size":156277,"width":3730,"sha":"a622998cbb66549d7fa1048e5c6d0902","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER01JY14.029/ER01JY14.029_original_size.png","height":2566}}},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2014-15216?publication_date=2014-07-01","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2014-07-01/2014-15216/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":35,"page_views":{"count":4922,"last_updated":"2026-07-27 16:15:03 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2014-07-01/pdf/2014-15216.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2014-15216.pdf?1403881939","publication_date":"2014-07-01","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2014/07/01/2014-15216.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"0648-BA78":{"issue":"201404","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0648-BA78/final-policy-interpreting-the-phrase-significant-portion-of-its-range-in-the-endangered-species-act-","title":"Final Policy Interpreting the Phrase 'Significant Portion of Its Range' in the Endangered Species Act's Definitions","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201404&RIN=0648-BA78&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other 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15123 Dated April 2, 2009:  Northern Rocky Mountain Population of Gray Wolf","document_id":"FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031-0018"},{"title":"73 FR 6660 Dated February 5, 2008:  Gunnison's Prairie Dog","document_id":"FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031-0017"},{"title":"70 FR 17386 Dated April 6, 2005:  Green Sturgeon","document_id":"FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031-0016"},{"title":"70 FR 24359 Dated May 9, 2005:  Elkhorn and Staghorn Coral","document_id":"FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031-0015"},{"title":"75 FR 77496 Dated December 10, 2010:  Bearded Seal - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration","document_id":"FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031-0014"},{"title":"49 FR 3450 Dated August 31, 1964:  Bahama Swallowtail  Butterfly Delisting","document_id":"FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031-0013"},{"title":"41 FR 17736 Dated April 28, 1976:  Bahama swallowtail butterfly","document_id":"FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031-0012"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-AX49/policy-on-interpretation-of-the-phrase-significant-portion-of-its-range-in-the-esa-s-definitions-of-","title":"Policy on Interpretation of the Phrase \"Significant Portion of its Range\" in the ESA's Definitions of \"Endangered Species\" and \"Threatened Species\""},"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031","supporting_documents_count":20,"docket_id":"FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031","regulation_id_number":"1018-AX49","title":"Policy on Interpretation of the Phrase \"Significant Portion of Its Range\"","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2014-07-21T06:00:12Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":37578,"subtype":null,"title":"Final Policy on Interpretation of the Phrase “Significant Portion of Its Range” in the Endangered Species Act's Definitions of “Endangered Species” and “Threatened Species”","toc_doc":"Final Policy on Interpretation of the Phrase Significant Portion of Its Range","toc_subject":"Endangered Species Act; Definitions:","topics":[],"type":"Rule","volume":79}