[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 70932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30247]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Draft Stage I Assessment Plan for 
the Kalamazoo River Environment Site Natural Resource Damage Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Notice is given that the draft ``Stage I Assessment Plan [for 
the] Kalamazoo River Environment Site'' is available for public review 
and comment. The public comment period started with local newspaper 
notices and placement of the document at repositories at the Allegan 
Public Library, Charles Ransom Library, Kalamazoo Public Library, 
Otsego District Library, Saugatuck-Douglas Library, and Waldo Library 
on November 20, 2000.
    The U.S. Department of the Interior (``Department''), the Michigan 
Department of Environmental Quality, the Michigan Attorney General, and 
the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are acting as 
co-trustees for natural resources considered in this assessment plan, 
pursuant to subpart G of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances 
Pollution Contingency Plan, 40 CFR 300.600 and 300.610, and Executive 
Order 12580.
    The assessment plan describes the first stage of a natural resource 
damage assessment which the trustees are conducting pursuant to the 
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Regulations found at 43 CFR Part 11. 
The public review of the assessment plan announced by this Notice is 
provided for in 43 CFR 11.32(c)(1).
    Interested members of the public are invited to review and comment 
on the assessment plan. Copies of the assessment plan can be requested 
from the address listed below. The trustees may revise the assessment 
plan in response to issues raised during the comment period. All 
written comments will be considered.
    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Michigan Department of 
Environmental Quality will hold an informational meeting regarding the 
assessment plan at 7 p.m. on Monday, December 4, 2000, at the Plainwell 
Comfort Inn, 622 Allegan Street (M-89), Plainwell, MI (616-685-9891).

DATES: Written comments on the assessment plan described in this notice 
must be submitted on or before January 16, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The assessment plan is available at repositories at the 
Allegan Public Library, Charles Ransom Library, Kalamazoo Public 
Library, Otsego District Library, Saugatuck-Douglas Library, and Waldo 
Library, all in southwestern Michigan. The document can be also 
accessed online through the Internet at the following website: http://midwest.fws.gov/nrda/kalamazoo. Written requests for paper copies may 
be made to: Lisa L. Williams, Ph.D., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
2651 Coolidge Road, Suite 101, East Lansing, MI 48823.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this natural resource damage 
assessment is to confirm and quantify injuries to natural resources, 
resultant economic damages, and the natural resource restoration 
necessary to address those injuries in the Kalamazoo River environment 
resulting primarily from exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls released 
by Kalamazoo River and Portage Creek paper mills. The injury and 
required restoration are assessed under the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended, the Clean Water 
Act, as amended, and, for the state trustees, Michigan's Natural 
Resources and Environmental Protection Act, as amended.

    Dated: November 20, 2000.
William F. Hartwig,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 00-30247 Filed 11-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M