[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 24 (Monday, February 7, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6394-6395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2292]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 226

[Docket Nos. 030716175-4327-03, 041123329-4329-01; I.D. Nos. 070303A, 
110904F]
RIN 0648-AQ77, 0648-AO04


Endangered and Threatened Species; Extension of Public Comment 
Period on Proposed Critical Habitat Designations for West Coast 
Salmonids

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of public comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), are 
extending the comment period on proposed critical habitat designations 
for 20 Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) of Pacific salmon and O. 
mykiss (inclusive of anadromous steelhead and resident rainbow trout) 
listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The 
proposed designations include habitat areas in California, Oregon, 
Washington, and Idaho. A recent court-approved Amendment to the Consent 
Decree, that established the schedule for completing these 
designations, extends the comment period until March 14, 2005, and the 
date to submit final rules until August 15, 2005. These extensions will 
allow the public additional time to provide information related to the 
proposed designations and will provide NMFS with the time needed to 
review, consider, and respond to comments. We are soliciting 
information and comments from the public on all aspects of the 
proposals, including information on the economic, national security, 
and other relevant impacts of the proposed designations.

DATES: Written comments are due by 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on 
March 14, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments pertaining to California ESUs must include 
reference to docket number [041123329-4329-01] and RIN number [0648-
AO04]. Comments pertaining to ESUs in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho must 
include reference to docket number [030716175-4327-03] and RIN number 
[0648-AQ77]. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

[[Page 6395]]

     E-mail: For California ESUs, send e-mail comments to 
critical [email protected]. For ESUs in Washington, Oregon, or 
Idaho, send e-mail comments to [email protected]. In the 
subject line of your e-mail please include the pertinent docket and RIN 
numbers specified above.
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Agency Web Site: http://ocio.nmfs.noaa.gov/ibrm-ssi/index.shtml. Follow the instructions for submitting comments at http://ocio.nmfs.noaa.gov/ibrm-ssi/process.shtml.
     Mail: For California ESUs, submit written comments and 
information to: Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources 
Division, NMFS, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-
4213. For ESUs in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho, submit written comments 
and information to: Chief, NMFS, Protected Resources Division, 525 NE 
Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-2737. You may hand-deliver 
written comments to our offices during normal business hours at the 
addresses given above (although after February 18, 2005, the Portland 
address will change to 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, Portland, OR 
97232).
     Fax: Submit fax comments to the NMFS Southwest Regional 
Office at 562-980-4027, or the NMFS Northwest Regional Office at 503-
230-5441.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: In California, contact Craig Wingert 
at the address above or at 562-980-4021. In Washington, Oregon, and 
Idaho, contact Steve Stone at the above address or at 503-231-2317. The 
proposed rules, maps, and other materials relating to these proposals 
can be found on the agency's Southwest Region website at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/salmon.htm and the Northwest Region website at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/1salmon/salmesa/crithab/CHsite.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 10 and 14, 2004, NMFS published separate critical 
habitat proposed rules addressing 20 ESUs of Pacific salmon and O. 
mykiss (inclusive of anadromous steelhead and resident rainbow trout) 
listed under the ESA. The first proposed rule (69 FR 71880, December 
10, 2004) addressed 7 ESUs in California and announced a public comment 
period extending through February 8, 2005. The second proposed rule (69 
FR 74572, December 14, 2004) addressed 13 ESUs in Washington, Oregon, 
and Idaho, and announced a public comment period extending through 
February 14, 2005. The timeline for completion of these proposed rules 
was established pursuant to litigation between NMFS and the Pacific 
Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, Institute for Fisheries 
Resources, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Oregon Natural 
Resources Council, the Pacific Rivers Council, and the Environmental 
Protection Information Center (PCFFA et al.) and are subject to a 
Consent Decree and Stipulated Order of Dismissal (Consent Decree) 
approved by the D.C. District Court.
    We received several requests, including a request from PCFFA et 
al., to extend the public comment period. We recently submitted to the 
D.C. District Court a joint request with PCFFA et al. to extend the 
comment period and to modify the schedule for submission of final rules 
designating critical habitat for the 20 ESUs to the Federal Register 
established in the Consent Decree. The court approved the joint request 
on January 26, 2005. Pursuant to that approval we are extending the 
deadline for accepting public comments on both proposed rules until 
March 14, 2005. Also, on or before August 15, 2005, we will complete 
both rulemakings by submitting to the Federal Register for publication 
the final rules designating critical habitat for those of the 20 ESUs 
that are included on the lists of threatened and endangered species as 
of August 15, 2005. These extensions will allow the public additional 
time to provide information related to the proposed designations and 
will provide us with the time needed to review, consider, and respond 
to comments.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: January 1, 2005.
William T. Hogarth,
Assistant Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-2292 Filed 2-4-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S