The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service have announced a 60-day extension to the public comment period for their proposed revisions to Endangered Species Act petition regulations. The proposed revisions were announced in May and are intended to improve the inclusiveness and transparency of the ESA petitioning processes.

The proposed revisions are part of the Administration’s broader agenda for improving the ESA outlined in 2011. They would require petitioners to solicit information for certain species from relevant state wildlife agencies, which often have unique information and insights on the imperiled species, and to include any information they provide. The revisions would also promote the use of the best available science by requiring that as much information as possible related to proposed listing and critical habitat rule notices be posted online. They would also adopt procedures for ensuring more consistent, transparent and objective peer-review of the Service’s listing decisions.

For more information on the proposed ESA petition regulations, click here.

Public comments on the proposed rule will now be accepted on or before September 18, 2015 at the Federal eRulemaking Portal.