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Endangered and Threatened Species; Re-opening of Comment Period and Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Range Extension for Endangered Steelhead in Southern California

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 

[Federal Register: February 21, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 35)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 10983]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21fe01-22]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 224

[I.D. 072600A]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Re-opening of Comment Period
and Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Range Extension for Endangered
Steelhead in Southern California

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; public hearing and re-opening of public comment
period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is re-opening the public comment period for, and has
scheduled a public hearing on, the proposal to extend the current range
of endangered steelhead in southern California. NMFS has received
several requests for a public hearing that would allow further
opportunity for the public to participate in an exchange of information
among interested parties and to provide oral and written testimony on
the proposal. NMFS has determined that these requests are reasonable
and has scheduled a public hearing and re-opened the public comment
period to facilitate the receipt of the public's views on the proposal.

DATES: A public hearing is scheduled in San Clemente, California on
March 12, 2001, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Written comments on the proposed
range extension must be received by March 22, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the City of San
Clemente's Community Center Auditorium which is located at 100 N. Calle
Seville in San Clemente, CA. Written comments on the proposed range
extension and requests for reference materials should be sent to the
Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Division, NMFS,
Southwest Region, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA
90802-4213.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Wingert, (562) 980-4021, or
Chris Mobley, (301) 713-1401. Copies of the Federal Register documents
cited herein and additional salmon-related materials are available via
the Internet at www.nwr.noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In August 1997, NMFS listed the Southern California steelhead
Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) as an endangered species and
defined its southern limit as Malibu Creek in Los Angeles County, CA,
based on the information available at that time. On December 19, 2000,
(65 FR 79328), NMFS issued a proposed rule to extend the current range
of the Southern California steelhead ESU southward to include the
population of steelhead recently found in San Mateo Creek which is
located in northern San Diego County. This proposal was based on recent
information indicating that steelhead had been found in two coastal
river watersheds south of Malibu Creek, and had successfully spawned in
San Mateo Creek. Within this redefined Southern California steelhead
ESU, NMFS proposed to list naturally spawned steelhead and their
progeny which reside below naturally occurring and man-made barriers.
    NMFS did not announce any public hearings in its December 19, 2000
(65 FR 79328) proposal, but did indicate that it would consider
requests for hearings received by February 2, 2001. In late January
2001, NMFS received several requests for a public hearing to be held on
this proposal. Requests for a public hearing were received from
California Trout, the California Native Plant Society, the Sierra Club,
Trout Unlimited, the Surfrider Foundation, South Coast Audubon, and
several private individuals. NMFS has determined that these requests
are reasonable, and, therefore, has scheduled a public hearing and is
re-opening the public comment period to accommodate the hearing as well
as provide sufficient notice of the hearing date and location. During
the extended public comment period, NMFS is continuing to solicit any
specific information, comments, data, and/or recommendations on any
aspect of the December 19, 2000, proposal from all interested parties.
In particular, NMFS is requesting information or data as described in
the Federal Register document announcing the proposed range extension
(see 65 FR 79328). This information is considered important in helping
NMFS make a final determination on its proposal.
    NMFS will consider all information, comments, and recommendations
received during the extended comment period and the public hearing
before reaching a final decision on the proposal.

    Dated: February 15, 2001.
William T. Hogarth,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-4290 Filed 2-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

 
 

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