{"abstract":"We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or the Service), amend portions of our regulations for section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act or ESA). Specifically, we revise regulations related to section 4(b)(2) of the Act. Section 4(b)(2) requires consideration of the economic impact, the impact on national security, and any other relevant impact of designating any particular area as critical habitat and authorizes the exclusion of areas from critical habitat if the benefits of excluding the area outweigh the benefits of designating it as critical habitat. These revisions articulate when and how we determine whether the benefits of excluding an area outweigh the benefits of designating the area as critical habitat (exclusion analysis). This rule reflects the Service's experience and existing case law. The intended effect of this rule is to provide greater transparency and certainty for the public and stakeholders regarding the 4(b)(2) exclusion process.","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/2026/07/21/2026-14629.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":"17","title":50}],"citation":"91 FR 45662","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This rule is effective August 20, 2026.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048","FXES11110900000-267-FF09E23000"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"20260715_NEPA_CatEx_4b2_Reg_signedAES","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-12537"},{"title":"20260710_4b2 References Cited","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-12536"},{"title":"RIN_1018–BI76_proposed_4b2 reg_100-Word Summary","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-0002"}],"agency_name":"FWS","documents":[{"comment_count":null,"comment_start_date":null,"updated_at":"2026-07-21T09:57:36.733-04:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-12535","allow_late_comments":false,"id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-12535","comment_end_date":null,"regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":3,"id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat"}],"document_number":"2026-14629","effective_on":"2026-08-20","end_page":45683,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2026/07/21/2026-14629.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/21/2026-14629/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-regulations-for-designating-critical-habitat","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2026-14629?publication_date=2026-07-21","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2026-07-21/2026-14629/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":22,"page_views":{"count":2009,"last_updated":"2026-09-20 12:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-21/pdf/2026-14629.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-14629.pdf?1784551510","publication_date":"2026-07-21","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2026/07/21/2026-14629.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1018-BI76":{"issue":"202504","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-BI76/regulations-for-designating-critical-habitat","title":"Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202504&RIN=1018-BI76&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1018-BI76"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"20260715_NEPA_CatEx_4b2_Reg_signedAES","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-12537"},{"title":"20260710_4b2 References Cited","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-12536"},{"title":"RIN_1018–BI76_proposed_4b2 reg_100-Word Summary","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-0002"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-BI76/regulations-for-designating-critical-habitat","title":"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-2025-0048","supporting_documents_count":3,"docket_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048","document_id":"FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0048-12535","regulation_id_number":"1018-BI76","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2026-07-22T16:55:03Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":45662,"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","topics":["Endangered and threatened species","Exports","Imports","Plants","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Transportation","Wildlife"],"type":"Rule","volume":91}