[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 82 (Friday, April 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 25150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6444]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. No. 031606B]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Announcement of 
Initiation of a Status Review of Cook Inlet Beluga Whales under the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA); Request for Information

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

ACTION: Reopening of the time period for submitting information.

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SUMMARY: We, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), are 
reopening the time period for submitting information to be used during 
the Status Review of Cook Inlet Beluga Whales under the ESA. The 
initial deadline for submitting information was April 24, 2006. We are 
reopening this time period for an additional 30 days.

DATES: Written information must be received by May 30, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Information should be sent to Kaja Brix, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Protected Resource Division, NMFS, Alaska Region, Attn: 
Ellen Walsh. Information may be submitted by:
    (1) Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668;
    (2) Hand Delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th Street, 
Room 420A, Juneau, AK;
    (3) FAX: 907-586-7557; or
    (4) Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line of the email the following document identifier: CI Beluga Status 
Review. Email comments, with or without attachments, are limited to 
five (5) megabytes.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Smith, NMFS Alaska Region, 
Anchorage Field Office, (907) 271-5006, or Kaja Brix, NMFS, Alaska 
Region, (907) 586-7235, or Marta Nammack, Office of Protected 
Resources, (301) 713-1401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS published a notice in the Federal 
Register on March 24, 2006 (71 FR 14836), announcing our intent to 
initiate a status review on Cook Inlet beluga whales under the ESA. The 
notice also solicited information to assist in the development of the 
status review. We have since received several requests to extend the 
deadline for providing any pertinent information. However, the deadline 
was April 24, 2006. We, therefore, are reopening the time period for 
submitting information for an additional 30 days (instead of extending 
the deadline) to allow interested parties to submit relevant 
information.
    All comments and material received, including names and addresses, 
will become part of the administrative record and may be released to 
the public.
    Please visit NMFS' Alaska Region web page at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov for more information on this status review. General 
information is available on Cook Inlet belugas at: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/protectedresources/whales/beluga.htm.

    Dated: April 24, 2006.
Jim Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-6444 Filed 4-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S