Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Public Hearing and Reopening of Public Comment Period on Proposed Critical Habitat for the Marbled Murrelet

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Public Hearing and

Reopening of Public Comment Period on Proposed Critical Habitat for the

Marbled Murrelet

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearing and extension of public

comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), under the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended, (Act) gives notice that a public

hearing will be held on the proposal to designate critical habitat in

Washington, Oregon, and California for the marbled murrelet

(Brachyramphus marmoratus marmoratus). The hearing will allow all

interested parties to submit oral and written comments on the proposal.

The public comment period will be reopened until June 9, 1994.

DATES: A public hearing will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from

6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m on May 24, 1994, in North Bend, Oregon. Each

session will begin with a presentation on the proposal, after which a

panel of Fish and Wildlife Service staff will answer questions and take

verbal comments on the proposal from people who have registered to

speak. The public comment period will be reopened until June 9, 1994.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the North Bend Community

Center, 2222 Broadway, North Bend, Oregon. Written comments and

materials may be submitted at the hearing and may be sent to the

Assistant Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological

Services, 911 Northeast 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97232. Comments

and materials received will be available for public inspection, by

appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dale Hall, Assistant Regional

Director for Ecological Services at the above address (503/231-6159).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The marbled murrelet is a small seabird of

the Alcidae family that feeds on small fish in near-shore marine waters

and nests in mature and old-growth forests up to 50 miles inland. The

subspecies ranges from the Aleutian Archipelago in Alaska to central

California. The subspecies is listed as threatened in Washington,

Oregon, and California.

Between 8,000 and 10,000 birds are estimated in Washington, Oregon,

and California. Estimated recruitment rates of juvenile birds are

extremely low, indicating a declining population. The species is

primarily threatened by historic and ongoing loss of forest nesting

habitat, with additional mortality from gill-net fishery operations and

oil spills.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed on January 27, 1994,

(59 FR 3811) to designate critical habitat in Washington, Oregon, and

California, for the marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus

marmoratus), a threatened species under the Act. Proposed critical

habitat units are located on Federal lands.

Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. et seq.),

requires that a public hearing be held if it is requested within 45

days of the publication of a proposed rule. In response to the proposed

rule, Cary J. Jones, Executive Director, Douglas Timber Operators,

requested a public hearing in a letter dated March 14, 1994. As a

result, the Service has scheduled a public hearing at North Bend

Community Center, 2222 Broadway, North Bend, Oregon on May 24, 1994.

Those parties wishing to make a statement for the record should

bring a copy of their statement to present to the Service at the start

of the hearing. Oral statements and questions may be limited in length,

if the number of parties present at the hearing necessitates such a

limitation. There are, however, no limits on the length of written

comments or materials presented at the hearing or mailed to the

Service. Written comments will be given the same weight as oral

comments. Written comments must be submitted at the hearing or mailed

to the address given in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. The

comment period closes on June 9, 1994.

Authority

The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361-1407; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544; 16 U.S.C.

4201-4245; Pub. L. 99-625, 100 Stat. 3500; unless otherwise noted).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting, and

recordkeeping requirement, and Transportation.

Dated: May 2, 1994.

Marvin L. Plenert,

Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 94-11088 Filed 5-6-94; 8:45 am]

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