[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 88 (Monday, May 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 22584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-11237]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Marine Mammals; Polar Bear Habitat Conservation

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Extension of comment period on a draft Habitat Conservation 
Strategy for Polar Bears in Alaska.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is extending for 15 
days the comment period on the draft Habitat Conservation Strategy for 
Polar Bears in Alaska (Strategy). The decision to extend the comment 
period was made in response to several requests.

DATES: Comments on the draft Strategy must be received by May 16, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft Strategy are available by contacting the 
Office of Marine Mammals Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. 
Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503; Telephone: 907/786-3800; FAX: 907/786-
3816.
    Written comments should be submitted either by mail or FAX to David 
McGillivary, Supervisor, Office of Marine Mammals Management at the 
above identified address or FAX number.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David McGillivary in Anchorage, Alaska, at 907/786-3800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 28, 1995, the Service published 
in the Federal Register (60 FR 10868) a public notice of availability 
of a draft Strategy and requested comments on the document by May 1, 
1995. Near the end of the original 60-day comment period, the Service 
received two separate letters dated April 28, 1995, requesting a 30-day 
extension of the comment period to May 31, 1995. Both requests stated 
that additional time was needed to complete a review of the draft 
Strategy.
    While the Service has agreed to extend the comment period, we have 
determined that a 30-day extension would not allow us adequate time to 
analyze comments and to make a decision on the draft Strategy and on 
the associated proposed rule to extend the effective period of the 
Service's incidental take regulations (at 50 CFR 18.121). Those 
regulations authorize and govern the incidental, unintentional take of 
small numbers of polar bear and walrus during year-round oil and gas 
operations (exploration, development, and production) in the Beaufort 
Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska; they will expire on June 16, 
1995, unless decisions are made to extend the effectiveness of the 
regulations beyond June 16, 1995.
    Because of the short timeframe involved, the Service has determined 
that the draft Strategy's comment period can only be extended for 15 
days through May 16, 1995. This deadline will also coincide with the 
close of the comment period associated with the Service's proposed rule 
published in the Federal Register on March 17, 1995, (60 FR 14408), 
that proposes to extend for an additional 42 months the effectiveness 
of the final incidental take regulations for the Beaufort Sea as 
described in the previous paragraph.

    Dated: May 3, 1995.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 95-11237 Filed 5-4-95; 9:04 am]
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