[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 74 (Monday, April 19, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 19108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9664]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AF35
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extension of
Comment Period and Announcement of Public Hearings on Proposal To List
the Mountain Plover as a Threatened Species
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; public hearings and extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: On February 16, 1999, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed
listing the mountain plover as a threatened species, without critical
habitat, under authority of the Endangered Species Act (64 FR 7587).
The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that five public
hearings will be held on the proposal, and that the comment period will
be extended 60 days. During the breeding season, the mountain plover is
widely distributed in shortgrass prairie, shrub steppe, and cultivated
landscapes from Montana south to Texas. Most breeding birds occur in
Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming; fewer breeding birds occur in Arizona,
Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah. Wintering plovers are
most numerous in California; some winter in Arizona, Texas, and Mexico.
DATES: The comment period on the proposal is extended to June 21, 1999.
The public hearings will be held at the following cities, dates, and
times.
Malta, Montana: Tuesday, May 25, 1999; 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Billings, Montana: Wednesday, May 26, 1999; 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. and
6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Casper, Wyoming: Wednesday, June 2, 1999; 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. and 6:00
p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Greeley, Colorado: Tuesday, May 25, 1999; 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Lamar, Colorado: Wednesday, May 26, 1999: 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The following lists the locations of the meetings cited
above:
Malta, Montana: Malta High School, #1 High School Lane.
Billings, Montana: MSU-Billings, 1500 N. 30th Street, Ballroom.
Casper, Wyoming: Holiday Inn, I-25 and Center Street.
Greeley, Colorado: Weld County Centennial Center, 915 10th Street.
Lamar, Colorado: Lamar Community College, 2401 South Main Street,
Bowman 138 Lecture Hall.
Written comments and materials should be sent to the Assistant
Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 764 Horizon Drive,
South Annex A, Grand Junction, Colorado 81506-3946. We will make
comments and materials we receive available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Leachman at the above address,
telephone 970-243-2778; facsimile 970-245-6933.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Endangered Species Act requires that
public hearings regarding proposals for listing be held promptly when
requested by the public within 45 days of the proposal's publication in
the Federal Register. Public hearing requests were received during the
allotted time period from Ken Blunt, Phillips County Prairie Ecosystem
Action Council (Montana); Francis V. Jacobs, Board of County
Commissioners, Phillips County, Montana; John Sidle, USDA Forest
Service, Nebraska; and Park County Wyoming County Commissioners. While
we received no formal requests for hearings in Colorado, we have had
numerous discussions with interested parties in Colorado who have asked
that meetings occur. Therefore we have scheduled the five hearings
listed above in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.
Anyone expecting to make an oral presentation at these hearings is
encouraged to provide a written copy of their statement to the hearing
officer prior to the start of the hearing. In the event there is a
large attendance, the time allotted for oral statements may have to be
limited. Oral and written statements receive equal consideration. There
are no limits to the length of written comments presented at these
hearings or mailed to us.
Author: The primary author of this notice is Robert Leachman (see
ADDRESSES section).
Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).
Dated: April 13, 1999.
Ralph O. Morgenwech,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 99-9664 Filed 4-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
