USFWS and NMFS, added a definition of "habitat" to their regulations that implement section 4 of the ESA. This rulemaking responds to Supreme Court case law regarding the designation of critical habitat and provides transparency, clarity, and consistency for stakeholders. This final regulation is effective on 15 January 2021. POCs are Gary Frazer, USFWS, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240, tel: (202) 208-4646; or Samuel D. Rauch, III, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, tel: (301) 427-8403.
(Federal Register 16 December 2020 [Rule] Pages 81411-81421)