98-9083. Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of Public Hearings on Proposed Listings and Proposed Designations of Critical Habitat for West Coast Steelhead, Chinook, Chum, and Sockeye Salmon  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 7, 1998)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 16955-16957]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-9083]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    
    50 CFR Part 424
    
    [I.D. 032498B]
    
    
    Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of Public Hearings on 
    Proposed Listings and Proposed Designations of Critical Habitat for 
    West Coast Steelhead, Chinook, Chum, and Sockeye Salmon
    
    AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
    Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
    
    ACTION: Notice of public hearings.
    
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    SUMMARY: NMFS has proposed to list 13 evolutionarily significant units 
    (ESUs)
    
    [[Page 16956]]
    
    of Pacific salmon and steelhead under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 
    of 1973. NMFS has also proposed to designate critical habitat for the 
    proposed salmon ESUs. NMFS will shortly propose critical habitat for 
    steelhead ESUs previously listed as threatened or endangered, as well 
    as for the two steelhead ESUs recently proposed as threatened under the 
    ESA.
        These proposed listings, and proposed and pending designations of 
    critical habitat include ESUs of west coast steelhead, and chinook, 
    chum and sockeye salmon in California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
        Public hearings are scheduled to provide the public with 
    opportunities to comment on the proposals and to provide information 
    and data about these species and their critical habitat.
    
    DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for hearing dates.
    
    ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for hearing addresses.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Garth Griffin, (503) 231-2005; Craig 
    Wingert, (562) 980-4021; or Joe Blum, (301) 713-1401. Copies of the 
    Federal Register notices cited herein and additional salmon-related 
    materials are available via the Internet at www.nwr.noaa.gov.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Background
    
        On February 26, 1998, NMFS issued proposed rules to protect 13 ESUs 
    of Pacific salmon and steelhead as threatened or endangered under the 
    ESA (chinook salmon--63 FR 11482, March 9, 1998; sockeye salmon--63 FR 
    11750, March 10, 1998; chum salmon--63 FR 11774, March 10, 1998; and 
    steelhead-63 FR 11798, March 10, 1998). The ESUs proposed for listing 
    include two proposed endangered ESUs: California's Central Valley 
    spring-run chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Upper Columbia 
    River spring-run chinook salmon and 11 proposed threatened ESUs: Upper 
    Willamette River steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Middle Columbia River 
    steelhead, California's Central Valley fall-run chinook salmon, 
    Southern Oregon and California coastal chinook salmon, Puget Sound 
    chinook salmon, Lower Columbia River chinook salmon, Upper Willamette 
    River chinook salmon, Columbia River chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), 
    Hood Canal summer-run chum salmon, Ozette Lake sockeye salmon 
    (Oncorhynchus nerka), and a proposal to redefine the listed Snake River 
    fall-run chinook salmon ESU to include Deschutes River fall chinook 
    salmon.
        In addition, NMFS has proposed the designation of one sockeye 
    salmon ESU (Baker River) as a candidate for listing because of 
    uncertainty regarding its status.
        NMFS concurrently proposed to designate critical habitat for the 
    proposed chinook, chum, and sockeye salmon ESUs. Critical habitat for 
    these species is described in the same Federal Register notices 
    announcing the proposed listings (see Federal Register notices cited 
    previously). In a forthcoming Federal Register notice, NMFS will also 
    propose designating critical habitat for nine ESUs of west coast 
    steelhead that have been listed or proposed for listing under the ESA.
    
    Public Hearings
    
        Public hearings on the proposed listings provide the opportunity 
    for the public to give comments and to permit an exchange of 
    information and opinion among interested parties. The Department of 
    Commerce's ESA implementing regulations state that the Secretary of 
    Commerce ``shall promptly hold at least one public hearing if any 
    person so requests within 45 days of publication of a proposed 
    regulation to list * * * a species'' (50 CFR section 424.16 (c)(3)). 
    NMFS encourages public involvement in such ESA matters and has decided 
    to schedule hearings on these proposals.
        NMFS is soliciting specific information, comments, data, and/or 
    recommendations on any aspect of the aforementioned proposals from all 
    interested parties. In particular, NMFS is requesting information or 
    data as described in the Federal Register notices announcing the 
    proposed listings for each species (see Federal Register notices cited 
    previously). This information is considered critical in helping NMFS 
    make final determinations on the proposed listings and proposed 
    designations of critical habitat. NMFS will consider all information, 
    comments, and recommendations received during the comment period or at 
    the public hearings before reaching a final decision.
        The public will have the opportunity to provide oral and written 
    testimony at the public hearings. Written comments on the proposals may 
    also be submitted (see Federal Register notices cited previously). 
    Public hearings on the proposed listings will be held as follows:
        (1) April 20, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., The Chapel, Fort Warden State 
    Park, 200 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA;
        (2) April 21, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Bellingham City Hall, Council 
    Chambers 210, Lottie Street, Bellingham, Washington;
        (3) April 22, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Bonneville Power Admin. 
    Auditorium, 911 NE 11th Ave., Portland, Oregon;
        (4) April 28, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Yakima County Courthouse, 
    Room 420, 128 North 2nd Street, Yakima, Washington;
        (5) April 29, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Chelan Center, 317 East 
    Johnson, Chelan, Washington;
        (6) April 29, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Eureka Inn, 518 Seventh 
    Street, Eureka, California;
        (7) April 30, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Columbia River Maritime, 
    Museum, 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, Oregon;
        (8) April 30, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Double Tree Hotel, 1 Double 
    Tree Drive, Rohnert Park, California;
        (9) May 4, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Lewiston Community Center, 1424 
    Main Street, Lewiston, Idaho;
        (10) May 5, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Natural Resource Center, Bureau 
    of Land Management, 1387 South Binnell Way, Boise, Idaho;
        (11) May 5, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Double Tree Hotel, 1830 Hilltop 
    Drive, Redding, California;
        (12) May 6, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Jackson County Courthouse, 10 
    South Oakdale, Medford, Oregon;
        (13) May 6, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Beverly Garland Hotel, 1780 
    Tribute Road, Sacramento, California;
        (14) May 7, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., City of Gold Beach City Hall, 
    29592 Ellensburg, Gold Beach, Oregon;
        (15) May 7, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Eugene City Hall Council 
    Chambers, 777 Pearl Street, Eugene, Oregon;
        (16) May 7, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Modesto Irrigation District, 
    1231 11th Street, Modesto, California;
        (17) May 11, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., WA State Department of Natural 
    Resources, Orca Room 1, 411 Tillicum Lane, Forks, Washington;
        (18) May 12, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., NMFS NW Fish. Sci. Ctr., 2725 
    Montlake Blvd. E, Seattle, Washington;
        (19) May 13, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., FWS/NMFS offices, Abbott 
    Raphael Bldg. - Sawyer Hall, 510 Desmond Drive SE, Olympia, Washington;
        (20) May 14, 1998, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., Columbus Gorge Discovery 
    Center & Wasco Hist. Museum, M.J. Murdock Auditorium, 5000 Discovery 
    Drive, The Dalles, Oregon.
    
    Special Accommodations
    
        These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
    disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other aids 
    should be directed to Garth Griffin or Craig
    
    [[Page 16957]]
    
    Wingert (see ADDRESSES) by 7 days prior to each meeting date.
    
    
        Dated: April 2, 1998
    Hilda Diaz-Soltero,
    Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
    Service.
    [FR Doc. 98-9083 Filed 4-6-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
04/07/1998
Department:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Notice of public hearings.
Document Number:
98-9083
Dates:
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for hearing dates.
Pages:
16955-16957 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
I.D. 032498B
PDF File:
98-9083.pdf
CFR: (1)
50 CFR 424