[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 107 (Friday, June 2, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 35315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12494]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AF45


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of 
Comment Period and Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Rule To List 
the Southwestern Washington/Columbia River Coastal Cutthroat Trout in 
Washington and Oregon as Threatened

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period and notice of public 
hearing.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) gives notice of a 
public hearing on the proposed rule to list the southwestern 
Washington/Columbia River coastal cutthroat trout in Washington and 
Oregon. In addition, the comment period which originally closed on May 
15, 2000, will be reopened. The new comment period and hearing will 
allow all interested parties to submit oral or written comments on the 
proposal.

DATES: The comment period for this proposal now closes on July 3, 2000. 
Any comments received by the closing date will be considered in the 
final decision on this proposal. The public hearing will be held from 1 
p.m. until 3 p.m. and from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on June 20, 2000, in 
Ilwaco, Washington.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Ilwaco Heritage 
Museum, 115 SE Lake Street, Ilwaco, Washington. Written comments and 
materials should be sent to Kemper McMaster, State Supervisor, Oregon 
Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 SE 98th 
Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97266. Comments and materials 
received will be available for public inspection, by appointment, 
during normal business hours at the above FWS address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kemper McMaster, at the above 
Portland, Oregon address, phone 503-231-6179, facsimile 503-231-6195, 
for written comments or Gerry Jackson, State Supervisor, Western 
Washington Fish and Wildlife Office, 510 Desmond Dr., Suite 102, Lacey, 
Washington, phone 360-753-9440, facsimile 503-231-9008 for information 
on the public hearing.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On April 5, 1999, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and 
the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a notice in the Federal 
Register (64 FR 16397) proposing to list the coastal cutthroat trout 
(Oncorhynchus clarki clarki) population in southwestern Washington and 
the Columbia River, excluding the Willamette River above Willamette 
Falls, as threatened pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (Act). The FWS published a notice in the Federal Register (65 
FR 20123) on April 14, 2000, to extend the deadline from April 5, 2000, 
to October 5, 2000 for the final action on the proposed rule to list 
this population in Washington and Oregon; and to provide a 30-day 
comment period. The 6-month extension was necessary to obtain and 
review new information needed to resolve substantial scientific 
disagreement about the status of this population.
    In response to a request for a public hearing during the public 
comment period for the 6-month extension, the FWS will hold a public 
hearing on the date and address described in the DATES and ADDRESSES 
sections above.
    Anyone wishing to make an oral statement for the record is 
encouraged to provide a written copy of their statement and present it 
to the FWS at the hearing. In the event there is a large attendance, 
the time allotted for oral statements may be limited. Oral and written 
statements receive equal consideration. There are no limits to the 
length of written comments presented at the hearing or mailed to the 
FWS. Legal notices announcing the date, time, and location of the 
hearing will be published in newspapers concurrently with the Federal 
Register notice.
    Comments from the public regarding the accuracy of this proposed 
rule are sought, especially regarding: (1) Biological or other relevant 
data concerning any threat to cutthroat trout; (2) The range, 
distribution, and population size of coastal cutthroat trout in 
southwestern Washington and the Columbia River; (3) Current or planned 
activities in the subject area and their possible impacts on the 
species; (4) Cutthroat trout escapement, particularly escapement data 
partitioned into natural and hatchery components; (5) The proportion of 
naturally reproducing fish that were reared as juveniles in a hatchery; 
(6) Homing and straying of natural and hatchery fish; (7) The 
reproductive success of naturally reproducing hatchery fish and their 
relationship to southwestern Washington and the Columbia River coastal 
cutthroat trout populations; and (8) Efforts being made to protect 
native, naturally reproducing populations of coastal cutthroat trout.
    Reopening of the comment period will enable the FWS to respond to 
the request for a public hearing on the proposed action. The comment 
period on this proposal closes on July 3, 2000. Written comments should 
be submitted to the FWS office listed in the ADDRESSES section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Jim Muck (Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Western Washington Office, 510 Desmond Dr. SE, Suite 102, 
Lacey, Washington, 98503).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).

    Dated: May 12, 2000.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 00-12494 Filed 6-1-00; 8:45 am]
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