[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]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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