The proposed action would revise the designation of critical habitat for the endangered North Pacific right whale, pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Critical habitat for this population is currently designated in the Gulf of Alaska and the Southern Bering Sea. On March 10, 2022, NMFS received a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the North Pacific Right Whale requesting revision to the critical habitat designation for the North Pacific right whale under the ESA. NMFS announced our 90-day finding on July 12, 2022, concluding that the petition presented substantial scientific and commercial information indicating that a revision to the currently designated critical habitat may be warranted and requesting public comment. We published a 12-month finding announcing our intention to proceed with a proposed rule revising critical habitat in waters off Alaska. Impacts from a critical habitat designation for North Pacific right whales would stem mainly from Federal agencies’ requirement to consult with NMFS, under section 7 of the ESA, to ensure that any action they carry out, permit (authorize), or fund will not result in the destruction or adverse modification of the critical habitat. As required under section 4(b)(2) of the ESA, in developing this proposed rule, NMFS will consider the economic, national security, or other relevant impacts of the proposed designation, and may consider exclusion of areas where the benefits of exclusion of an area would outweigh the benefits of designating that area as critical habitat.