[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 136 (Monday, July 17, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 36382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17422]




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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
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 (60 FR 9484), 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, however, 
on May 18, 1995 (60 FR 26712), a notice was published in the Federal 
Register announcing the reopening of the comment period to end July 17, 
1995. The intent of this notice is to reopen the comment period to 
September 15, 1995.

DATES: The comment period for written comments is reopened until 
September 15, 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, 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 amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)

    Dated: July 10, 1995.

Michael J. Spear,

Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Portland, 
Oregon.

[FR Doc. 95-17422 Filed 7-14-95; 8:45 am]

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