[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 96 (Thursday, May 18, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 26712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12202]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AD20


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Special 
Rule for the Conservation of the Northern Spotted Owl on Non-Federal 
Lands

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Reopening of the Comment Period for the Proposed Special Rule.

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SUMMARY: On February 17, 1995, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) 
published a proposed special rule, pursuant to section 4(d) of the 
Endangered Species Act (Act), to replace the blanket prohibitions 
against incidental take of spotted owls with a narrower, more tailor-
made set of standards that reduce prohibitions applicable to timber 
harvest and related activities on specified non-Federal forest lands in 
Washington and California. The original deadline for comments on the 
proposed rule was May 18, 1995. The intent of this notice is to reopen 
the comment period to July 17, 1995.

DATES: The comment period for written comments is reopened until July 
17, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning this proposed rule should 
be sent to Mr. Michael J. Spear, Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, 911 N.E. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-
4181.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Curt Smitch, Assistant Regional 
Director, North Pacific Coast Ecoregion, 3704 Griffin Lane SE, Suite 
102, Olympia, Washington 98501 (360/534-9330); or Mr. Gerry Jackson, 
Deputy Assistant Regional Director, North Pacific Coast Ecoregion, 911 
N.E. 11th Avenue, Portland Oregon 97232-4181, (503/231-6159).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The implementing regulations for threatened wildlife generally 
incorporate the prohibitions of section 9 of the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended (Act), for endangered wildlife, except when a 
``special rule'' promulgated pursuant to section 4(d) of the Act has 
been issued with respect to a particular threatened species. At the 
time the northern spotted owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, was listed 
as a threatened species in 1990, the Service did not promulgate a 
special section 4(d) rule and therefore, all of the section 9 
prohibitions, including the ``take'' prohibitions, became applicable to 
the species. To replace the blanket prohibitions against take of 
spotted owls, the Service published a proposed special rule, 50 CFR 
part 17, on February 17, 1995, (60 FR 9484), in the Federal Register, 
pursuant to section 4(d) of the Act, which proposes a narrower, more 
tailor-made set of standards that reduce prohibitions applicable to 
timber harvest and related activities on specified non-Federal forest 
lands in Washington and California.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

    Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, and Transportation.

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

    Dated: May 12, 1995.
Thomas Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, 
Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 95-12202 Filed 5-17-95; 8:45 am]
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