[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 16, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7819-7820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3725]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 223

[I.D. 081699C, 092199A, 092799G]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of an Additional Public 
Hearing for Proposed Rules Governing Take of West Coast Chinook, Chum, 
Coho and Sockeye Salmon and Steelhead Trout

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; notification of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is announcing an additional public hearing for the 
following: Proposed Rule Governing Take of Seven Threatened 
Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of West Coast Salmonids; 
Proposed Rule Governing Take of Threatened Snake River, Central 
California Coast, South/Central California Coast, Lower Columbia River, 
Central Valley California, Middle Columbia River, and Upper Willamette 
River Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of West Coast Steelhead; 
and Limitation on Section 9 Protections Applicable to Salmon Listed as 
Threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), for Actions Under 
Tribal Resource Management Plans. NMFS is holding this additional 
public hearing for all three rules to facilitate public participation 
in this regulatory process.

DATES: The meeting date is February 22, 2000, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Whitman College, Cordiner Hall, 
345 Boyer Avenue, Walla Walla, WA.

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

    Under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) is required to adopt such regulations 
as he deems necessary and advisable for the conservation of species 
listed as threatened. On December 30, 1999 (64 FR 73479), NMFS issued a 
proposed rule under section 4(d) of the ESA which contains the 
regulations that it believes, are necessary and advisable to conserve 
threatened Snake River, Central California Coast, South/Central 
California Coast, Lower Columbia River, Central Valley California, 
Middle Columbia River, and Upper Willamette River ESUs of West Coast 
Steelhead. The proposed rule applies ESA section 9(a)(1) prohibitions 
to the previously mentioned steelhead ESUs, but proposes not to apply 
the take prohibitions to 13 specific programs which limit impacts on 
listed steelhead to an extent that makes added protection through 
Federal regulation not necessary and advisable for the conservation of 
these ESUs (see 64 FR 73479).
    On January 3, 2000 (65 FR 170), NMFS issued a proposed rule under 
section 4(d) of the ESA which was nearly identical to the December 30, 
1999, proposal except that it applied to the following species of 
salmon: Oregon Coast Coho, Puget Sound, Lower Columbia and Upper 
Willamette Chinook, Hood Canal Summer-run and Columbia River Chum, and 
Ozette Lake Sockeye.
    Also on January 3, 2000 (65 FR 108), NMFS issued a proposed rule 
under section 4(d) of the ESA that would not impose the section 9(a)(1) 
prohibitions on take when impacts on threatened salmonids result from 
implementation of a tribal resource management plan, where the 
Secretary has determined that implementing that Tribal Plan will not 
appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery for the 
listed species. This proposal applies to threatened salmonids that are 
currently subject to ESA section 9(a)(1) take prohibitions: Snake River 
spring/summer chinook salmon; Snake River fall chinook salmon; Central 
California Coast (CCC) coho salmon; and Southern Oregon/Northern 
California Coast (SONCC) coho salmon. This proposed limitation on take 
prohibitions would also be available for all other threatened salmonid 
ESUs whenever final ESA section 9(a) prohibitions are made applicable 
to those ESUs.
    On February 14, 2000, NMFS published a Federal Register document 
under the Proposed Rules section which extended the public comment 
periods for all 3 proposed rules and announced additional public 
hearings in Washington and Idaho. Because these closely related rules 
had public comment periods that ended on different dates (February 22, 
2000, for the steelhead proposal and March 3, 2000, for the other 2 
proposals, respectively), NMFS extended the comment period for all 
three rules to March 6, 2000, to avoid confusion and to facilitate 
public participation.
    NMFS has received a request for an additional public hearing to 
allow further opportunity for the public to participate in the exchange 
of information and opinion among interested parties and to provide oral 
and written testimony. NMFS finds that the request is reasonable and 
has scheduled the meeting accordingly (see DATES and ADDRESSES).
    NMFS is soliciting specific information, comments, data, and/or 
recommendations on any aspect of the December 30, 1999, and January 3, 
2000, proposals from all interested parties.

[[Page 7820]]

This information is considered critical in helping NMFS make final 
determinations on the proposals. NMFS will consider all information, 
comments, and recommendations received during the comment period and at 
the public hearings before reaching a final decision.

Special Accommodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language or other aids should be 
directed to Garth Griffin (see ADDRESSES) 7 days before the meeting 
date.

    Dated: February 10, 2000.
Penelope D. Dalton,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Services.
[FR Doc. 00-3725 Filed 2-15-00; 8:45 am]
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