[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 18, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 77466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31875]



[[Page 77466]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Status Review for 
the Westslope Cutthroat Trout

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Reopening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening 
of the public comment period for a new status review for the westslope 
cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) in the United States, 
pursuant to a recent Court order and the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended. We request additional data, information, technical 
critiques, and relevant comments that may be available for this 
subspecies of fish, as previously described in the Federal Register (67 
FR 56257; September 3, 2002).

DATES: The reopened comment period closes on February 15, 2003. Any 
comments that are received after the closing date will not be 
considered in the status review.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to Westslope Cutthroat 
Comments, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2900 4th Avenue North, Room 
301, Billings, MT 59102. Comments also may be submitted electronically 
to <[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn R. Kaeding at e-mail <[email protected] or telephone (406) 582-0717.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    A September 3, 2002, Federal Register notice (67 FR 56257) 
announced the opening of a 60-day public comment period for a new 
status review for the westslope cutthroat trout in the United States, 
pursuant to a recent Court order and the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended. During that comment period, we received written 
requests for an extension of the comment period from the game and fish 
departments of the States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, as 
well as the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and the Earthjustice Legal 
Foundation. In their letters, those entities indicated that they were 
assembling or awaiting important information relevant to the status of 
westslope cutthroat trout and that those entities wanted to make such 
information available to us for use in the status review. The present 
action satisfies those requests.

Author

    The primary author of this document is Lynn R. Kaeding, Chief, 
Branch of Native Fishes Management, Montana Fish and Wildlife 
Management Assistance Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4052 
Bridger Canyon Road, Bozeman, MT 59715.

Authority

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

    Dated: December 4, 2002.
Marshall P. Jones, Jr.,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 02-31875 Filed 12-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P