[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 210 (Tuesday, October 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55789-55790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27727]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 102396B]


Endangered Species; Permits

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of an application for modification 2 to enhancement 
permit 895 (P504D).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
in Walla Walla, WA (Corps) has applied in due form for a modification 
to a permit that authorizes takes of endangered and threatened 
anadromous fish for the purpose of enhancement.

DATES: Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application must be received on or before November 29, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review in the following offices, by appointment:
    Office of Protected Resources, F/PR3, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226 (301-713-1401); and
    Environmental and Technical Services Division, 525 NE Oregon 
Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-4169 (503-230-5400).
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing should be 
submitted to the Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of 
Protected Resources.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps requests a modification to a 
permit under the authority of section 10 of the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973 (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and the NMFS regulations governing 
ESA-listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 217-227).
    The Corps requests modification 2 to enhancement permit 895 for an 
increase in the annual indirect take of adult, threatened, Snake River 
fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) associated with the 
juvenile fish transportation facilities at four hydroelectric projects 
on the Snake and Columbia Rivers in the Pacific Northwest (Lower 
Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental, and McNary Dams). Permit 895 
authorizes annual takes of adult and juvenile, endangered, Snake River 
sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka); adult and juvenile, threatened, 
naturally-produced and artificially-propagated, Snake River spring/
summer chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha); and adult and 
juvenile, threatened, Snake River fall chinook salmon associated with 
the operation of the Juvenile Fish Transportation Program.

[[Page 55790]]

    At the four projects with juvenile fish transportation facilities, 
a small percentage of adult salmon that pass each project move back 
downstream by entering the juvenile fish bypass systems. The adult fish 
that cross the juvenile fish separators at each project are bypassed 
back to the river to continue their migration. Passing the adults from 
the separators usually requires some handling of the fish or delays in 
adult fish passage through the facilities. An increase in the annual 
indirect take of adult, ESA-listed, Snake River fall chinook salmon is 
requested because the Corps anticipates larger adult fall chinook 
salmon runs, earlier migrating runs, and/or an increase in the 
incidence of adult salmon fallbacks. Modification 2 is requested for 
the duration of the permit. Permit 895 expires on December 31, 1998.
    Those individuals requesting a hearing should set out the specific 
reasons why a hearing on this application would be appropriate (see 
ADDRESSES). The holding of such a hearing is at the discretion of the 
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and 
opinions contained in this application summary are those of the 
applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS.

    Dated: October 23, 1996.
Eric H. Ostrovsky,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-27727 Filed 10-28-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F