[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20248-20249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10392]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 223, 224, and 226

[I.D. 121198A and 033198A]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Extension of Comment Period 
and Notice of Public Hearings on Proposed Designation of Critical 
Habitat for West Coast Steelhead; Notice of Public Hearings on Proposed 
De-listing of Umpqua River Cutthroat Trout

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; public hearings and extension of public comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is extending the public comment period by 60 days and 
announcing public hearings in California, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho 
on the proposed designation of critical habitat for nine Evolutionarily 
Significant Units (ESUs) of west coast steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). 
NMFS is also announcing public hearings on a proposal to de-list the 
Umpqua River ESU of coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki 
clarki).

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates and times of public 
hearings. The date of written comments on the steelhead proposed 
critical habitat designation is extended from May 6, 1999 to July 5, 
1999. Comments on both the listing and de-listing proposals are due by 
July 6, 1999.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of public 
hearings. Written comments on the proposed rules and requests for 
reference materials should be sent to Chief, Protected Species 
Division, NMFS, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-
2737.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Garth Griffin, (503) 231-2005, Craig 
Wingert, (562) 980-4021, or Chris Mobley (301) 713-1401. Copies of the 
Federal Register documents cited herein and additional salmon-related 
materials are available via the Internet at www.nwr.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On February 5, 1999 (64 FR 5740), NMFS issued a proposed rule to 
designate critical habitat for nine ESUs of west coast steelhead listed 
as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (62 
FR 43937, August 18, 1997; 63 FR 13347, March 19, 1998; 64 FR 14517, 
March 25, 1999). Proposed critical habitat for all nine ESUs is the 
current freshwater and estuarine range (including all waterways, 
substrates, and adjacent riparian zones) below longstanding, naturally 
impassable barriers (i.e., natural waterfalls in existence for at least 
several hundred years) and several dams that block access to former 
anadromous habitats. Since the proposed designation, NMFS has received 
several requests for public hearings in affected communities within the 
range of the nine ESUs and is now announcing the dates and locations of 
these hearings. In addition, the agency is extending the May 6, 1999 
comment period deadline by 60 days to allow additional time for public 
hearings and subsequent public responses to those hearings. Hence, July 
5, 1999, is the new deadline for submitting written comments on the 
steelhead proposed critical habitat designation.
    Also, on April 5, 1999, NMFS published a proposed rule to list one 
ESU of coastal cutthroat trout (Southwestern Washington/Columbia River) 
as a threatened species under the ESA and to de-list another ESU 
(Umpqua River) previously listed as an endangered species (64 FR 
16397). The agency has received a request for a hearing on the latter 
proposal but none on the former. Therefore, NMFS is also announcing 
public hearings on the Umpqua River proposed de-listing; comments on 
both the listing and de-listing proposals are due by July 6, 1999.

Public Hearings

    NMFS is soliciting specific information, comments, data, and/or 
recommendations on any aspect of these proposals from all concerned 
parties. Public hearings provide an additional opportunity for the 
public to give comments and to permit an exchange of information and 
opinion among interested parties. Department of Commerce ESA 
implementing regulations state that the Secretary of Commerce ``shall 
promptly hold at least one public hearing if any person so requests 
within 45 days of publication of a proposed regulation to 
list...species'' (50 CFR 424.16 (c)(3)). NMFS has received several 
requests for public hearings in the areas affected by the proposals and 
has made every effort to accommodate the specific requests. While the 
agency was unable to hold hearings at every site requested, the 
locations selected should be reasonably accessible to most interested 
parties. The public will have the opportunity to

[[Page 20249]]

provide oral and written testimony at the scheduled public hearings. 
Interested parties unable to attend the public hearings are encouraged 
to send comments to NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The agency will consider all 
information, comments, and recommendations received before reaching a 
final decision on these listing and critical habitat proposals. Public 
hearings will be held as follows:
    Public Hearings Regarding Steelhead Critical Habitat
    1. Tuesday, May 11, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel/
Redding, 1830 Hilltop Drive, Redding, California.
    2. Wednesday, May 12, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., The Heritage 
Hotel and Convention Center (formerly The Beverly Garland Hotel), 1780 
Tribute Road, Sacramento, California.
    3. Thursday, May 13, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Modesto 
Irrigation District, 1231 11th Street, Modesto, California.
    4. Tuesday, May 18, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel 
Sonoma County; One DoubleTree Drive, Rohnert Park, California.
    5. Wednesday, May 19, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monterey Beach 
Hotel; 2600 Sand Dunes Drive, Monterey, California.
    6. Thursday, May 20, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Fess Parker's 
Doubletree Resort; 633 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara, 
California.
    7. Tuesday, May 25, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Umpqua Discovery 
Center, 409 Riverfront Way, Reedsport, Oregon.
    8. Wednesday, May 26, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Douglas County 
Courthouse, Room 216, 1036 SE Douglas Avenue, Roseburg, Oregon.
    9. Thursday, May 27, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eugene City 
Hall, Council Chambers, 777 Pearl Street, Eugene, Oregon.
    10. Tuesday, June 1, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Chelan Center, 
317 East Johnson, Chelan, Washington.
    11. Wednesday, June 2, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Yakima County 
Courthouse, Room 420, 128 North 2nd Street, Yakima, Washington.
    12. Thursday, June 3, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Lewiston 
Community Center, 1424 Main Street, Lewiston, Idaho.
    13. Friday, June 4, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Natural Resource 
Center, Bureau of Land Management, 1387 South Binnell Way, Boise, 
Idaho.
    14. Monday, June 7, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Metro Regional 
Center, Council Chamber, 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, Oregon.
    15. Thursday, June 10, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Wasco County 
Courthouse, 511 Washington Street, Courtroom 301, The Dalles, Oregon.
    Public Hearings Regarding Umpqua River Cutthroat Trout Proposal
    1. Tuesday, May 25, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Umpqua Discovery 
Center, 409 Riverfront Way, Reedsport, Oregon.
    2. Wednesday, May 26, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Douglas County 
Courthouse, Room 216, 1036 SE Douglas Avenue, Roseburg, Oregon.

Special Accommodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other aids 
should be directed to Garth Griffin or Craig Wingert (see ADDRESSES) by 
7 days prior to each meeting date.

    Dated: April 20, 1999.
Hilda Diaz-Soltero,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-10392 Filed 4-21-99; 4:06 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F