[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 177 (Wednesday, September 14, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22652]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 14, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public 
Hearing on Proposed Experimental Population for Reintroduction of Gray 
Wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearings.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service provides notice that public 
hearings will be held to solicit comments on proposed nonessential 
experimental population rules for the reintroduction of gray wolves 
(Canis lupus) to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho. All 
interested parties are invited to submit comments on this proposal.

DATES: The public hearings will be held from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. On 
September 27, 1994, meetings will be held in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Boise, 
Idaho; and Helena, Montana; and on September 29, 1994, meetings will be 
held in Seattle, Washington; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Washington, D.C.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held at: Best Western Hitching 
Post Inn, 1700 West Lincoln Way, Cheyenne, Wyoming; Jordan Ballroom, 
Boise State University, Boise, Idaho; Colonial Inn, 2301 Colonial 
Drive, Helena, Montana; Schafer Auditorium, Seattle University, 
Seattle, Washington; DoubleTree Inn, 215 West South Temple, Salt Lake 
City, Utah; and Jefferson Auditorium, South Agriculture Building, 14th 
and Independence, Washington, D.C. Written comments and materials 
should be sent to Project Leader, Gray Wolf Reintroduction, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 8017, Helena, Montana 59601. Comments 
and materials received will be available for public inspection during 
normal business hours, by appointment, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ed Bangs, Project Leader, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, at the above address (telephone 406/449-5202).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 15, 1994, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior 
signed the Record of Decision directing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (Service) to implement actions to reintroduce gray wolves to 
Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho, according to proposed 
actions detailed in an Environmental Impact Statement on the 
reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park and central 
Idaho. Proposed nonessential experimental population rules for the 
Yellowstone and central Idaho areas were published at 59 FR 42108 on 
August 16, 1994.
    In November 1994, about 15 wolves will be captured, radio collared, 
transported to central Idaho, and released. At the same time, wolves 
from three packs will be captured and transported to three separate 
holding facilities in Yellowstone National Park. Those wolves will be 
held and then released about January 1, 1995. All wolves will receive 
appropriate medical care and will be monitored by locating the signal 
from their radio collars. This reintroduction process may be modified 
based upon experience, but will be repeated for 3 to 5 years. When 
several wolf packs are reproducing in each area, the reintroductions 
will stop and wolf populations will be encouraged to expand naturally 
to recovery levels (a minimum of 10 breeding pairs in each area for 3 
consecutive years). Once wolves are reintroduced, all wolves in the 
experimental population areas will be managed under the experimental 
population rules until they are recovered and delisted, which is 
expected to occur by about 2002.
    Public comment on those proposed rules will be accepted until 
October 17, 1994. Persons that wish to receive a copy of the proposed 
rules may do so by contacting the Gray Wolf Reintroduction Office (see 
ADDRESSES). In addition, verbal and/or written statements may be 
presented at the hearings and will receive equal consideration. Legal 
notices announcing the dates, time, and location of the hearings are 
being published in newspapers in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana 
concurrently with this notice.
    Those who wish to give verbal testimony may sign up at the hearings 
beginning at 2:30 p.m. At 3 p.m., a short slide presentation will be 
given about wolf recovery in the northwestern United States and the 
proposed nonessential experimental population rules. The hearing will 
begin at 3:30 p.m. There will be a dinner break from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
The hearings will reconvene at 7 p.m. and conclude at 9 p.m. The order 
of testimony will be Federal, Tribal, and State elected 
representatives, and members of the general public in order of signup. 
Verbal testimony will be limited to 5 minutes per speaker. All 
testimony will be recorded by a court reporter. Submission of written 
comments also is encouraged; however, the comment period will close on 
October 17, 1994.
    Based upon public comment on the proposed rules and the results of 
continued monitoring for wolves in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, the 
Service plans to complete the final rules and begin wolf reintroduction 
in 1994. The Service and its cooperators plan to reintroduce and manage 
wolves as early as November 1994.
    Those who previously requested wolf recovery information will 
receive a copy of the Record of Decision and a hearing schedule. Other 
interested people can obtain copies of the Record of Decision or 
proposed nonessential experimental population rules by writing to the 
Gray Wolf Reintroduction Office (see ADDRESSES).

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Ed Bangs (see Addresses). 
Harold Tyus, Denver Regional Office, served as editor.

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: September 7, 1994.
Terry Terrell,
Deputy Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-22652 Filed 9-13-94; 8:45 am]
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