[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 165 (Wednesday, August 26, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45445-45446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21120]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AF03


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 
Additional Public Hearing on the Proposal To List the Contiguous United 
States Distinct Population Segment of the Canada Lynx as a Threatened 
Species; and the Captive Population of Canada Lynx Within the 
Coterminous United States (lower 48 States) as Threatened Due to 
Similarity of Appearance, With a Special Rule

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of additional public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provides notice of 
one additional public hearing on the proposed threatened status of the 
contiguous United States population of the Canada lynx.

DATES: The comment period closes on September 30, 1998. There will be 
eleven public hearings, including one additional public hearing in 
Idaho on September 17, 1998 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. 
until 8 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials concerning this proposal may 
be submitted at the hearings or sent directly to Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Field Office, 100 N. Park Ave., 
Suite 320, Helena, Montana 59601. Comments and materials received will 
be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal 
business hours at the above address.
    The additional hearing will be held at the Rodeway Inn, 1115 North 
Custis Rd., Boise, ID.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kemper McMaster at 406/449-5225; or by 
fax at 406/449-5339 (see ADDRESSES section).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public hearings on this proposal will be 
held in the following locations:

Western States

Colorado

Wednesday, July 22, 1998 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Ramada Inn, 
124 W. 6th St., Glenwood Springs, Colorado. This public hearing will be 
preceded by an informational open house from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, July 28, 1998, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Sheraton Denver 
West, 360 Union Boulevard, Lakewood, Colorado. This public hearing will 
be preceded by an informational open house from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Idaho

Thursday, September 10, 1998, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. 
until 8 p.m. at the Coeur d'Alene Inn and Conference Center, 414 West 
Appleway Avenue, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Thursday, September 17, 1998, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. 
until 8 p.m. at the Rodeway Inn, 1115 North Curtis Road, Boise, Idaho.

Montana

Tuesday, July 21, 1998, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. until 
8 p.m. at the Colonial Inn Best Western, 2301 Colonial Drive, Helena, 
Montana.
Wednesday, July 22, 1998, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. 
until 8 p.m. at Cavanaugh's at Kalispell Center, 20 North Main, 
Kalispell, Montana.

Oregon

Tuesday September 15, 1998, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. 
until 8 p.m. at Eastern Oregon University, Hoke University Center, 1410 
L Avenue, Rooms 201-203, LaGrande, Oregon.

Washington

Tuesday, September 8, 1998, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. 
until 8 p.m. at the Cedars Inn, 1 Appleway, Okanogan, Washington.

Wyoming

Wednesday, August 12, 1998, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m 
until 8 p.m. at the Cody Auditorium, Cody Club Room, 1234 Beck Avenue, 
Cody, Wyoming.

Eastern States

Maine

Tuesday, September 15, 1998 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Old Town 
High School, 240 Stillwater Avenue, Old Town, Maine.

Great Lakes States

Wisconsin

Tuesday, September 15, 1998 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Northern Great 
Lakes Center on County Road G near Hwy 2, west of Ashland, Wisconsin. 
This public hearing will be preceded by an informational open house 
from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Background

    On July 8, 1998, the Service proposed to list the contiguous United 
States population segment of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) as 
threatened, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Act) (63 FR 36994). This population segment includes the States of 
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Minnesota, 
Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, 
Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The contiguous United States population 
segment of the Canada lynx is threatened by human alteration of 
forests, low numbers as a result of past overexploitation, expansion of 
the range of competitors (bobcats (Felix rufus) and coyotes (Canis 
latrans)), and elevated levels of human access into lynx habitat. The 
proposal lists the captive population of Canada lynx within the 
coterminous United States (lower 48 States) as threatened due to 
similarity of appearance with a special rule.
    Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires 
that a public hearing be held if it is requested within 45 days of the 
publication of the proposed rule. An additional public hearing was 
requested by the Governor of Idaho within the allotted time period. The 
Service has scheduled an additional public hearing in Boise, Idaho (See 
above Supplemental Information).

[[Page 45446]]

    Oral and written comments will be accepted and treated equally. 
Parties wishing to make statements for the record should bring a copy 
of their statements to the hearings. Oral statements may be limited in 
length, if the number of parties present at the hearings necessitates 
such a limitation. There are no limits to the length of written 
comments or materials presented at the hearings or mailed to the 
Service. Written comments carry the same weight as oral comments. Legal 
notices announcing the date, time, and location of the hearings are 
being published in newspapers concurrently with this Federal Register 
notice.
    Comments from all interested parties must be received by September 
30, 1998.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Jeri Wood, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, #368, Boise, Idaho 83704.

Authority

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

    Dated: August 3, 1998.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 98-21120 Filed 8-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P