[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 67586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-28334]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AI11


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing the Beluga 
Sturgeon (Huso huso) as Endangered

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that a 
public hearing will be held on the proposal to list the beluga sturgeon 
(Huso huso) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The proposal was 
published on July 31, 2002 (67 FR 49657), in response to a petition 
received from the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Wildlife 
Conservation Society, and SeaWeb. The hearing will allow all interested 
parties to submit additional comments regarding the proposal to list 
beluga sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act.

DATES: The comment period on the proposal is extended through December 
28, 2002. The public hearing will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, 
December 5, 2002, in Arlington, Virginia.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held in the first floor 
conference room of the Marymount University, Ballston Campus, 1000 
North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia, on December 5, 2002. Written 
comments and materials should be sent to the Chief, Division of 
Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Room 750, 4401 N. 
Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22203, or by fax, 703-358-2276, or 
by e-mail, [email protected]. Comments and materials received 
will be available for public inspection, by appointment, from 8 a.m. to 
4 p.m. at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marie T. Maltese at the above address 
(telephone 703/358-1708).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 4 (b)(5)(E) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) requires 
that a public hearing be held on the proposed regulation if any person 
files a request for such a hearing within 45 days after the date of 
publication of general notice in the Federal Register. Public hearing 
requests were received during the allotted time period from Mark 
Berrigan, Chairman, Sturgeon Production Working Group, Florida 
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Robert Ctvrtlik, Ciram 
Corporation; Mats Engstrom, President, Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, Inc.; and 
R. Sherman Wilhelm, Director, Division of Aquaculture, Florida 
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Anyone expecting to 
make an oral presentation at these hearings is encouraged to provide a 
written copy of their statement to the hearing officer prior to the 
start of the hearing. In the event there is a large attendance, the 
time allotted for oral statements may have to be limited. Oral and 
written statements receive equal consideration. There are no limits to 
the length of written comments presented at this hearing or mailed to 
the Service. In order to accommodate the presently scheduled public 
hearing, the Service extends the public comment period. Written 
comments may now be submitted through December 28, 2002, to the office 
in the ADDRESSES section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Marie T. Maltese (See 
ADDRESSES section).

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered 
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).

    Dated: October 31, 2002.
Steve Williams,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 02-28334 Filed 11-5-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P