[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 15, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 26827-26828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12173]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AH05


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of 
Comment Period for the Proposal To Designate Critical Habitat for the 
Wenatchee Mountains Checker-Mallow, and Notice of Availability of the 
Draft Economic Analysis for Proposed Critical Habitat for the Wenatchee 
Mountains Checker-Mallow

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period and notice of 
availability of draft economic analysis.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening 
of the comment period for the proposed designation of critical habitat 
for the Wenatchee Mountains checker-mallow (Sidalcea oregana var. 
calva), and the availability of the draft economic analysis for the 
plant's proposed designation of critical habitat. We are reopening the 
comment period for the proposal to designate critical habitat for this 
species to allow all interested parties to comment simultaneously on 
the proposed rule and the associated draft economic analysis. Comments 
previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they will be 
incorporated into the public record as part of this extended comment 
period and will be fully considered in the final rule.

DATES: We will accept public comments until June 14, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and information should be submitted to 
Manager, Western Washington Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 510 
Desmond Drive SE., Suite 102, Lacey, Washington 98503-1263. For the 
electronic mail address, and further instructions on commenting, refer 
to Public Comments Solicited section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact Ted 
Thomas or James Michaels, at the above address (telephone 360/753-9440; 
facsimile 360/753-9518).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Wenatchee Mountains checker-mallow (Sidalcea oregana var. 
calva) is an herbaceous perennial known from wetlands of the Wenatchee 
Mountains in central Washington. The plant ranges in height from 20 to 
150 centimeters (8 to 60 inches), with pink flower clusters with one to 
many stalked flowers arranged singly along a common stem. The species 
occurs at six locations, all are known from Chelan County, Washington.
    Pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), Sidalcea oregana var. calva was listed as an 
endangered species on December 22, 1999 (64 FR 71680). Habitat 
fragmentation and destruction from alterations of hydrology, rural 
residential development, conversion of native wetlands to orchards and 
other agricultural uses, competition form nonnative plants, seed and 
plant collection, and fire suppression and the activities associated 
with fire suppression threaten Sidalcea oregana var. calva.
    In April 2000, as a result of a suit from the Southwest Center for 
Biological Diversity and the Center for Biological Diversity, we 
reached a settlement agreement on when to publish a proposed and final 
critical habitat designation for Sidalcea oregana var. calva. We agreed 
to publish a proposed critical habitat designation for this species on 
or before December 31, 2000, and a final critical habitat designation 
on or before August 31, 2001.
    On January 18, 2001, we published a proposed rule in the Federal 
Register (66 FR 4783) to designate critical habitat for Sidalcea 
oregana var. calva. The original comment period closed on March 19, 
2001. We intend to reopen the comment period for an additional 30 days 
to allow all interested parties to comment simultaneously on the 
proposed rule and the associated draft economic analysis.
    We have proposed to designate critical habitat in one critical 
habitat unit totaling approximately 2,486 hectares (6,137 acres) in 
Chelan County, Washington. The area encompasses a majority of the Camas 
Creek and Pendleton Creek watersheds.
    Critical habitat receives protection from destruction or adverse 
modification through required consultation under section 7 of the Act 
with regard to actions carried out,

[[Page 26828]]

funded, or authorized by a Federal agency. Section 4(b)(2) of the Act 
requires that we designate or revise critical habitat based upon the 
best scientific and commercial data available, after taking into 
consideration the economic impact of specifying any particular area as 
critical habitat. Based upon the previously published proposal to 
designate critical habitat for Sidalcea oregana var. calva, we have 
prepared a draft economic analysis of the proposed critical habitat 
designation. The draft economic analysis is available on the Internet 
and from the mailing addresses in the Public Comments Solicited section 
below.

Public Comments Solicited

    We will accept written comments and information during this re-
opened comment period. If you wish to comment, you may submit your 
comments and materials concerning this proposal by any of several 
methods:
    (1) You may submit written comments and information to the Manager, 
Western Washington Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 510 Desmond 
Drive SE, Suite 102, Lacey, Washington 98503-1263.
    (2) You may send comments by electronic mail (e-mail) to: 
[email protected]. If you submit comments by e-mail, 
please submit them as an ASCII file and avoid the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption. Please also include ``Attn: RIN 
1018-AH05'' and your name and return address in your e-mail message. If 
you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have received 
your e-mail message, contact us directly by calling our Western 
Washington Office at telephone number 360/753-9440.
    (3) You may hand-deliver comments to our Western Washington Office 
at the address given above.
    Comments and materials received, as well as supporting 
documentation used in preparation of the proposal to designate critical 
habitat, will be available for inspection, by appointment, during 
normal business hours at the address under (1) above. Copies of the 
draft economic analysis are available on the Internet at 
``www.r1.fws.gov'' or by writing to the Manager at the address under 
(1) above.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Ted Thomas (see ADDRESSES 
section).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: March 14, 2001.
Rowan W. Gould,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 01-12173 Filed 5-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-U