{"abstract":"We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or Service), amend portions of our regulations that implement section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The revisions set forth a process for excluding areas of critical habitat under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, which mandates our consideration of the impacts of designating critical habitat and permits exclusions of particular areas following a discretionary exclusion analysis. These regulations outline when and how the Service will undertake an exclusion analysis, including identifying a non-exhaustive list of categories of potential impacts that we will consider. This rule, reflects agency experience, codifies some current agency practices, makes some modifications to current agency practice, and responds to applicable Supreme Court case law. The intended effect of this rule is to provide greater transparency and certainty for the public and stakeholders.","action":"Final rule.","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"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2020/12/18/2020-28033.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":17,"title":50}],"citation":"85 FR 82376","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Effective date: This final regulation is effective on January 19, 2021.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115","FF09E23000 FXES1111090FEDR 212"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2020-28033","effective_on":"2021-01-19","end_page":82389,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2020/12/18/2020-28033.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/12/18/2020-28033/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-regulations-for-designating-critical-habitat","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2020-28033?publication_date=2020-12-18","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2020-12-18/2020-28033/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":14,"page_views":{"count":4393,"last_updated":"2026-04-04 20:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-12-18/pdf/2020-28033.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2020-28033.pdf?1608212751","publication_date":"2020-12-18","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2020/12/18/2020-28033.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1018-BD84":{"issue":"202204","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-BD84/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-revision-of-the-regulations-for-designating-critical-h","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revision of the Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202204&RIN=1018-BD84&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1018-BD84"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"CatEx determination 4b2 rescission","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-41611"},{"title":"Endangered and Threatened Species: Designating Critical Habitat","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-41610"},{"title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Regulations for Listing Endangered and Threatened Species and Designating Critical Habitat","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-39647"},{"title":"Effects of 4(b)(2) Rescission","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-28665"},{"title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-28664"},{"title":"Final economic analysis 4b2 regulations","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-28663"},{"title":"Endangered and Threatened Species: Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-28662"},{"title":"Economic Analysis of the Proposed Revision of U.S. Fish and Wildlife\nService’s Regulations Defining the Process for Conducting Section\n4(b)(2) Exclusion Analysis in Designating Critical Habitat","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-0002"},{"title":"Endangered and Threatened Species: Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-0001"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-BD84/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-revision-of-the-regulations-for-designating-critical-h","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revision of the Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat"},"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"FWS","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115","supporting_documents_count":9,"docket_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0115-28662","regulation_id_number":"1018-BD84","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revision of the Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2020-12-21T04:30:14Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":82376,"subtype":null,"title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","toc_doc":"Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","toc_subject":"Endangered and Threatened Species:\n","topics":["Endangered and threatened species","Exports","Imports","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Transportation"],"type":"Rule","volume":85}