Draft RIR/ESA Section 4(b)(2) Preparatory Assessment/IRFA of Critical Habitat Designation for the Beringia Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Bearded Seal

This Regulatory Impact Review /Endangered Species Act Section 4(b)(2) Preparatory Assessment/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis addresses the designation of critical habitat for the Beringia distinct population segment of the bearded seal in waters of the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas adjacent to the coast of Alaska under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The purpose of this assessment and analysis is to identify and evaluate the economic, socioeconomic, and other costs and benefits associated with designating critical habitat for the Beringia distinct population segment of the bearded seal. This evaluation will assist the Secretary of Commerce in determining whether the benefits of excluding any particular area from the critical habitat designation outweigh the benefits of inclusion.