[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7790]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 1, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AB97

 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extension of 
Comment Period and Public Hearings on Proposed Designation of Critical 
Habitat for the Louisiana Black Bear

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; public hearings and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that two 
public hearings will be held on the proposed designation of critical 
habitat for the Louisiana black bear, Ursus americanus luteolus. The 
Louisiana black bear occupies the Tensas and Atchafalaya River basins 
with possible remnant numbers in the lower Mississippi River Delta and 
the bluffs south of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The proposed critical 
habitat areas are limited to forests within the Tensas and Atchafalaya 
River basins and south of U.S. Highway 90, west from the lower 
Atchafalaya River along the coastline to the Vermillion Parish line, 
north to Highway 14, thence east to U.S. Highway 90. These hearings 
will allow additional comments on this proposal to be submitted from 
all interested parties.

DATES: The comment period on the proposal is extended through May 25, 
1994. The public hearings will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on May 10, 
1994, in West Monroe, Louisiana; and from 6 to 10 p.m. on May 11, 1994, 
in New Iberia, Louisiana.

ADDRESSES: The May 10th hearing will be held at the West Monroe 
Convention Center, 901 Ridge Avenue, West Monroe, Louisiana; and the 
May 11th hearing will be held in the auditorium of the New Iberia 
Senior High School, 1301 E. Admiral Doyle Drive, New Iberia, Louisiana. 
Written comments and materials should be sent to the Field Supervisor, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6578 Dogwood View Parkway, suite A, 
Jackson, Mississippi 39213. Comments and materials received will be 
available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business 
hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wendell A. Neal at the above address 
(601/965-4900).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Endangered Species Act requires the Service to designate 
critical habitat to the maximum extent prudent and determinable 
concurrently with listing a species. Although the Service found that 
designation of critical habitat was not prudent in the proposed rule of 
June 21, 1990 (55 FR 25341) for listing the Louisiana black bear as 
threatened, in the final rule listing the Louisiana black bear as 
threatened, published on January 7, 1992 (57 FR 588), the Service 
changed its earlier finding to indicate that designation of critical 
habitat may be prudent, but that it was not then determinable. A 
proposal to designate three areas as critical habitat was published in 
the Federal Register on December 2, 1993 (58 FR 63560). The actual 
critical habitat within these areas is limited to forestland.
    Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Endangered Species Act requires that a 
public hearing be held on proposed designation of critical habitat if 
requested within 45 days of the proposal's publication in the Federal 
Register. Public hearing requests were received during the allotted 
time period from Robert Lamar Boese, the Honorable Bill Tauzin, Pietro 
L. Pipari, and Henry Stickler. An earlier public hearing was scheduled 
for March 23, 1994, and announced in the Federal Register on March 7, 
1994 (59 FR 10607). The comment period was reopened until April 4, 
1994. The hearing scheduled for March 23rd was canceled and has been 
rescheduled, and a second hearing scheduled in West Monroe as the 
result of a request from the Louisiana Congressional Delegation.
    Anyone expecting to make an oral presentation at these hearings is 
encouraged to provide a written copy of their statement to the hearing 
officer prior to the start of the hearing. In the event there is a 
large attendance, the time allotted for oral statements may have to be 
limited. Oral and written statements receive equal consideration. There 
are no limits to the length of written comments presented at these 
hearings or mailed to the Service.
    The previous hearing notice reopened the comment period until April 
4, 1994. In order to accommodate the presently scheduled public 
hearings, the Service extends the public comment period. Written 
comments may now be submitted through May 25, 1994, to the office in 
the ADDRESSES section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Wendell A. Neal (See ADDRESSES 
section).

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered 
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).

    Dated: March 25, 1994.
James W. Pulliam, Jr.,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-7790 Filed 3-31-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M