[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 89 (Monday, May 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26611-26612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11412]


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EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Office of National Drug Control Policy


Designation of Forty (40) Counties as Part of the High Intensity 
Drug Trafficking Area

AGENCY: Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the 
President.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice lists forty (40) counties as additions to various 
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) programs. These new 
counties are: Mohave in the Arizona HIDTA; the Colorado counties of 
Boulder, Larimer, Weld, Pueblo, Grand, Routt and Moffatt, the Utah 
county of Davis and the Wyoming counties of Campbell and Unita in the 
Rocky Mountain HIDTA; the Iowa counties of Appanoose, Black, Hawk, and 
Marshall, the Kansas counties of Barton, Finney, Franklin, Miami, 
Sedgewick and Shawnee, the Missouri counties of Benton, Buchanan, 
Greene, Jasper, Marion, Platte and Texas, the Nebraska counties of 
Dodge, Gage, Jefferson, Madison and Platte as well as the South Dakota 
counties of Beadle, Brookings and Brown in the Midwest HIDTA; the Texas 
counties of Smith in the North Texas HIDTA and the Texas counties of 
Hardin, Jefferson, Liberty and Orange in the Houston HIDTA. HIDTAs are 
domestic regions identified as having the most critical drug 
trafficking problems that adversely affect the United States. These new 
counties are designated in an effort to promote more effective 
coordination of drug control efforts. This action will support local, 
state and federal law enforcement officers in assessing regional drug 
threats, designing strategies to combat the threats, developing 
initiatives to implement the strategies, and evaluating the 
effectiveness of their coordinated efforts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments and questions regarding this 
notice should be directed to Mr. Kurt Schmid, National HIDTA Director, 
Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Executive Office of the 
President, Washington, DC 20503; 202-395-6692.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1990, the Director of ONDCP designated 
the first five HIDTAs. These original HIDTAs, areas through which most 
illegal drugs enter the United States, are the Southwest Border, 
Houston, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, and South Florida. In 1994, 
the Director designated the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA to address the 
extensive drug distribution networks serving hardcore drug users and 
the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA based upon the significant 
amount of drugs entering the United States through this region. In 
1995, HIDTAs were designated in Atlanta, Chicago, and Philadelphia/
Camden to target drug abuse and drug trafficking in those areas. In 
1997, the Gulf Coast HIDTA (includes parts of Alabama, Louisiana, and 
Mississippi), the Lake County HIDTA, the Midwest HIDTA (includes parts 
of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota, with the focus 
on methamphetamine), the Northwest HIDTA (includes seven counties of 
Washington State), the Rocky Mountain HIDTA (includes parts of 
Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming), and the San Francisco HIDTA were 
designated. In 1998, new HIDTAs were designated in Appalachia (includes 
parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia), Central Florida, 
Milwaukee, North Texas, and Southeast Michigan.

[[Page 26612]]

In 1999, new HIDTAs were designated in Central Valley California, 
Hawaii, New England, Ohio and Oregon.
    The HIDTA Program supports over 462 collocated joint task forces in 
twenty-seven regions of the country, including the entire Southwest 
Border. The HIDTA Program strengthens local, state, and federal drug 
trafficking and money laundering task forces, bolsters drug enforcement 
information networks and, improves integration of law enforcement, drug 
treatment, and drug abuse prevention programs, where appropriate.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 13th day of April, 2000.
Barry R. McCaffrey,
Director.
[FR Doc. 00-11412 Filed 5-5-00; 8:45 am]
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