[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 6, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-253]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 
Extension of Public Comment Period on 90-day Finding on a Petition To 
List the Redband Trout in the Great Basin as Threatened or Endangered 
and Initiation of Status Review

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, provide notice of extending 
the public comment period on our 90-day finding on a petition to list 
the redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp.) in the Great Basin as an 
endangered or threatened species throughout its range. Our 90-day 
finding was published in the Federal Register on November 16, 1998 (63 
FR 63657) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.), as amended (Act), and the original public comment period 
was opened from November 16, 1998, to January 15, 1999. This notice 
extends the comment period to March 16, 1999.

DATES: The public comment period closes on March 16, 1999. Any 
information or comments received by the closing date will be considered 
in the status review.

ADDRESSES: Information, written comments and materials, or questions 
concerning our 90-day finding and the petition should be submitted to 
the Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 SE 98th Avenue, 
Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97266.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Antonio Bentivoglio, biologist, at the 
above address or telephone 503-231-6179.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 16, 1998, we published a positive 90-day finding on a 
petition to list ``Great Basin redband trout'' as threatened or 
endangered pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (Act). The petition requested the listing of 
the indigenous redband trout in the Great Basin as endangered or 
threatened throughout its range in southeastern Oregon, northeastern 
California, and northwestern Nevada, in particular the redband trout 
populations in Catlow, Fort Rock (Silver Lake), Harney (Malheur Lake), 
Goose Lake, Warner, and Chewaucan (Lake Abert/Summer Lake) Basins 
(together these six closed basins make up the Great Basin as described 
in the petition). Our 90-day finding announced that substantial 
information was presented in the petition for us to begin a status 
review of the petitioned taxon. The original public comment period on 
the 90-day finding closes on January 15, 1999. We believe that up-to-
date information on distribution and abundance is lacking for this 
taxon but is currently being gathered. Therefore, we are extending the 
closing date and continue to request relevant information on the Great 
Basin redband trout to produce as complete a status review as possible 
and to ensure that the status review is based on the best available 
scientific and commercial data.
    We are soliciting information concerning:
    (1) information on historic distribution and information on current 
distribution in each basin;
    (2) habitat conditions in each basin;
    (3) basic biology including age-frequency distribution of the 
population(s) in each basin;
    (4) ongoing efforts to protect Great Basin redband trout and their 
habitat;
    (5) threats to the species and its habitat;
    (6) any information regarding distinct vertebrate population 
segment status of Great Basin redband trout as one unit or as six 
individual units; and
    (7) metapopulation dynamics and interactions between lake and 
stream morph fishes.
    In addition to information pertaining to the Great Basin redband 
trout, we are requesting any information in categories 1-7, above, that 
relates to Interior redband trout. ``Interior redband trout'' is a 
common term referring to any rainbow/redband type trout found east of 
the crest of the Cascade Mountains.
    This information should be submitted by March 16, 1999, to the Fish 
and Wildlife Service office in the ADDRESSES section.
    Author: The primary author of this document is Antonio Bentivoglio, 
biologist, Oregon State Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (see 
ADDRESSES section).

Authority

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

    Dated: December 30, 1998.
Cynthia V. Barry,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 99-253 Filed 1-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P