[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-94]



[[Page 325]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 226

[I.D. 110904F]


Endangered and Threatened Species: Notice of Public Hearings on 
Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for Seven Evolutionarily 
Significant Units of Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and 
Steelhead (O. mykiss) in California

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings.

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SUMMARY: On December 10, 2004, NMFS proposed critical habitat 
designations for two Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of chinook 
salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and five ESUs of O. mykiss (inclusive 
of anadromous steelhead and resident rainbow trout) in California that 
are listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The public comment 
period for this proposal presently closes on February 8, 2005. In this 
document, NMFS is announcing that public hearings have been scheduled 
at four locations in California in January and early February 2005 to 
provide additional opportunities for the public and other interested 
parties to comment on the subject proposals.

DATES: Written comments on the proposed critical habitat designations 
must be received by February 8, 2005. In order to provide the public 
additional opportunity to comment on these critical habitat designation 
proposals, NMFS will be holding four public hearings in California at 
the specific dates and locations listed below:
    January 13, 2005; 6:30-9:30pm at the North Coast Inn, 4975 Valley 
West Blvd., Arcata, CA 95521; January 19, 2005; 6:30-9:30pm at the 
DoubleTree Hotel Sonoma Wine Country, One DoubleTree Drive, Rohnert 
Park, CA 94928;
    January 20, 2005; 6:30-9:30pm at the Radisson Hotel Sacramento, 500 
Leisure Lane, Sacramento, CA 95815;
    February 1, 2005; 6:30-9:30pm at Fess Parker's DoubleTree Resort, 
633 East Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara, CA 93103.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the proposed critical habitat 
designations, identified by docket number [041123329-4329-01] and RIN 
number [0648-AO04], by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include docket 
number and RIN number in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Submit written comments and information to Assistant 
Regional Administrator, NMFS, Protected Resources Division, 501 W. 
Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213. You may hand-
deliver written comments to our office during normal business hours at 
the address given above.
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov
     Fax: 562-980-4027.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Wingert, NMFS, Southwest Region, 
562/ 980-4021; or Marta Nammack at 301/713-1401. The proposed rule, 
maps and other materials related to the proposal can be found on the 
Southwest Region's website at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 10, 2004, NMFS proposed critical habitat designations 
for two Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of chinook salmon 
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and five ESUs of O. mykiss (inclusive of 
anadromous steelhead and resident rainbow trout) in California that are 
listed as threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973 (69 FR 71880). The seven ESU of salmon and O. mykiss 
include: (1) California Coastal chinook salmon, (2) Northern California 
O. mykiss, (3) Central California Coast O. mykiss, (4) South-Central 
California Coast O. mykiss, (5) Southern California O. mykiss, (6) 
Central Valley spring-run chinook salmon, and (7) Central Valley O. 
mykiss. The public comment period for these proposals opened on 
December 10, 2004 and closes on February 8, 2005.

Public Hearings

    Joint Commerce-Interior ESA implementing regulations state that the 
Secretary shall promptly hold at least one public hearing if any person 
requests one within 45 days of publication of a proposed regulation to 
list a species or to designate critical habitat (see 50 CFR 
424.16(c)(3)). NMFS has already scheduled hearings to allow affected 
stakeholders and members of the public the opportunity to provide 
comments directly to agency staff during the comment period (see DATES, 
above). However, these public meetings are not the only opportunity for 
the public to provide input on these proposals. The public and 
stakeholders are encouraged to continue to comment and provide input to 
NMFS on the proposals (via correspondence, e-mail, and the Internet; 
see ADDRESSES, above) up until the scheduled close of the comment 
period on February 8, 2005.

References

    Copies of the Federal Register notices and related materials cited 
herein are available on the Southwest Region's website at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov or upon request (see ADDRESSES section above).

    Dated: December 29, 2004.
P. Michael Payne,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-94 Filed 1-3-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S