[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 10983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4290]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 224

[I.D. 072600A]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Re-opening of Comment Period 
and Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Range Extension for Endangered 
Steelhead in Southern California

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; public hearing and re-opening of public comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is re-opening the public comment period for, and has 
scheduled a public hearing on, the proposal to extend the current range 
of endangered steelhead in southern California. NMFS has received 
several requests for a public hearing that would allow further 
opportunity for the public to participate in an exchange of information 
among interested parties and to provide oral and written testimony on 
the proposal. NMFS has determined that these requests are reasonable 
and has scheduled a public hearing and re-opened the public comment 
period to facilitate the receipt of the public's views on the proposal.

DATES: A public hearing is scheduled in San Clemente, California on 
March 12, 2001, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Written comments on the proposed 
range extension must be received by March 22, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the City of San 
Clemente's Community Center Auditorium which is located at 100 N. Calle 
Seville in San Clemente, CA. Written comments on the proposed range 
extension and requests for reference materials should be sent to the 
Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 
Southwest Region, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 
90802-4213.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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

    In August 1997, NMFS listed the Southern California steelhead 
Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) as an endangered species and 
defined its southern limit as Malibu Creek in Los Angeles County, CA, 
based on the information available at that time. On December 19, 2000, 
(65 FR 79328), NMFS issued a proposed rule to extend the current range 
of the Southern California steelhead ESU southward to include the 
population of steelhead recently found in San Mateo Creek which is 
located in northern San Diego County. This proposal was based on recent 
information indicating that steelhead had been found in two coastal 
river watersheds south of Malibu Creek, and had successfully spawned in 
San Mateo Creek. Within this redefined Southern California steelhead 
ESU, NMFS proposed to list naturally spawned steelhead and their 
progeny which reside below naturally occurring and man-made barriers.
    NMFS did not announce any public hearings in its December 19, 2000 
(65 FR 79328) proposal, but did indicate that it would consider 
requests for hearings received by February 2, 2001. In late January 
2001, NMFS received several requests for a public hearing to be held on 
this proposal. Requests for a public hearing were received from 
California Trout, the California Native Plant Society, the Sierra Club, 
Trout Unlimited, the Surfrider Foundation, South Coast Audubon, and 
several private individuals. NMFS has determined that these requests 
are reasonable, and, therefore, has scheduled a public hearing and is 
re-opening the public comment period to accommodate the hearing as well 
as provide sufficient notice of the hearing date and location. During 
the extended public comment period, NMFS is continuing to solicit any 
specific information, comments, data, and/or recommendations on any 
aspect of the December 19, 2000, proposal from all interested parties. 
In particular, NMFS is requesting information or data as described in 
the Federal Register document announcing the proposed range extension 
(see 65 FR 79328). This information is considered important in helping 
NMFS make a final determination on its proposal.
    NMFS will consider all information, comments, and recommendations 
received during the extended comment period and the public hearing 
before reaching a final decision on the proposal.

    Dated: February 15, 2001.
William T. Hogarth,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-4290 Filed 2-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S