[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20248-20249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10392]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Parts 223, 224, and 226
[I.D. 121198A and 033198A]
Endangered and Threatened Species; Extension of Comment Period
and Notice of Public Hearings on Proposed Designation of Critical
Habitat for West Coast Steelhead; Notice of Public Hearings on Proposed
De-listing of Umpqua River Cutthroat Trout
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; public hearings and extension of public comment
period.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is extending the public comment period by 60 days and
announcing public hearings in California, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
on the proposed designation of critical habitat for nine Evolutionarily
Significant Units (ESUs) of west coast steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
NMFS is also announcing public hearings on a proposal to de-list the
Umpqua River ESU of coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki
clarki).
DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates and times of public
hearings. The date of written comments on the steelhead proposed
critical habitat designation is extended from May 6, 1999 to July 5,
1999. Comments on both the listing and de-listing proposals are due by
July 6, 1999.
ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of public
hearings. Written comments on the proposed rules and requests for
reference materials should be sent to Chief, Protected Species
Division, NMFS, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-
2737.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Garth Griffin, (503) 231-2005, Craig
Wingert, (562) 980-4021, or Chris Mobley (301) 713-1401. Copies of the
Federal Register documents cited herein and additional salmon-related
materials are available via the Internet at www.nwr.noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On February 5, 1999 (64 FR 5740), NMFS issued a proposed rule to
designate critical habitat for nine ESUs of west coast steelhead listed
as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (62
FR 43937, August 18, 1997; 63 FR 13347, March 19, 1998; 64 FR 14517,
March 25, 1999). Proposed critical habitat for all nine ESUs is the
current freshwater and estuarine range (including all waterways,
substrates, and adjacent riparian zones) below longstanding, naturally
impassable barriers (i.e., natural waterfalls in existence for at least
several hundred years) and several dams that block access to former
anadromous habitats. Since the proposed designation, NMFS has received
several requests for public hearings in affected communities within the
range of the nine ESUs and is now announcing the dates and locations of
these hearings. In addition, the agency is extending the May 6, 1999
comment period deadline by 60 days to allow additional time for public
hearings and subsequent public responses to those hearings. Hence, July
5, 1999, is the new deadline for submitting written comments on the
steelhead proposed critical habitat designation.
Also, on April 5, 1999, NMFS published a proposed rule to list one
ESU of coastal cutthroat trout (Southwestern Washington/Columbia River)
as a threatened species under the ESA and to de-list another ESU
(Umpqua River) previously listed as an endangered species (64 FR
16397). The agency has received a request for a hearing on the latter
proposal but none on the former. Therefore, NMFS is also announcing
public hearings on the Umpqua River proposed de-listing; comments on
both the listing and de-listing proposals are due by July 6, 1999.
Public Hearings
NMFS is soliciting specific information, comments, data, and/or
recommendations on any aspect of these proposals from all concerned
parties. Public hearings provide an additional opportunity for the
public to give comments and to permit an exchange of information and
opinion among interested parties. Department of Commerce ESA
implementing regulations state that the Secretary of Commerce ``shall
promptly hold at least one public hearing if any person so requests
within 45 days of publication of a proposed regulation to
list...species'' (50 CFR 424.16 (c)(3)). NMFS has received several
requests for public hearings in the areas affected by the proposals and
has made every effort to accommodate the specific requests. While the
agency was unable to hold hearings at every site requested, the
locations selected should be reasonably accessible to most interested
parties. The public will have the opportunity to
[[Page 20249]]
provide oral and written testimony at the scheduled public hearings.
Interested parties unable to attend the public hearings are encouraged
to send comments to NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The agency will consider all
information, comments, and recommendations received before reaching a
final decision on these listing and critical habitat proposals. Public
hearings will be held as follows:
Public Hearings Regarding Steelhead Critical Habitat
1. Tuesday, May 11, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel/
Redding, 1830 Hilltop Drive, Redding, California.
2. Wednesday, May 12, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., The Heritage
Hotel and Convention Center (formerly The Beverly Garland Hotel), 1780
Tribute Road, Sacramento, California.
3. Thursday, May 13, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Modesto
Irrigation District, 1231 11th Street, Modesto, California.
4. Tuesday, May 18, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel
Sonoma County; One DoubleTree Drive, Rohnert Park, California.
5. Wednesday, May 19, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monterey Beach
Hotel; 2600 Sand Dunes Drive, Monterey, California.
6. Thursday, May 20, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Fess Parker's
Doubletree Resort; 633 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara,
California.
7. Tuesday, May 25, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Umpqua Discovery
Center, 409 Riverfront Way, Reedsport, Oregon.
8. Wednesday, May 26, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Douglas County
Courthouse, Room 216, 1036 SE Douglas Avenue, Roseburg, Oregon.
9. Thursday, May 27, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eugene City
Hall, Council Chambers, 777 Pearl Street, Eugene, Oregon.
10. Tuesday, June 1, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Chelan Center,
317 East Johnson, Chelan, Washington.
11. Wednesday, June 2, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Yakima County
Courthouse, Room 420, 128 North 2nd Street, Yakima, Washington.
12. Thursday, June 3, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Lewiston
Community Center, 1424 Main Street, Lewiston, Idaho.
13. Friday, June 4, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Natural Resource
Center, Bureau of Land Management, 1387 South Binnell Way, Boise,
Idaho.
14. Monday, June 7, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Metro Regional
Center, Council Chamber, 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, Oregon.
15. Thursday, June 10, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Wasco County
Courthouse, 511 Washington Street, Courtroom 301, The Dalles, Oregon.
Public Hearings Regarding Umpqua River Cutthroat Trout Proposal
1. Tuesday, May 25, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Umpqua Discovery
Center, 409 Riverfront Way, Reedsport, Oregon.
2. Wednesday, May 26, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Douglas County
Courthouse, Room 216, 1036 SE Douglas Avenue, Roseburg, Oregon.
Special Accommodations
These hearings are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other aids
should be directed to Garth Griffin or Craig Wingert (see ADDRESSES) by
7 days prior to each meeting date.
Dated: April 20, 1999.
Hilda Diaz-Soltero,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-10392 Filed 4-21-99; 4:06 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F