Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public Hearings on Proposed Rule and Notice of Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Rule To Reclassify the Bald Eagle From Endangered to Threatened in Most of the Lower 48 States

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AC48

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public

Hearings on Proposed Rule and Notice of Extension of Comment Period on

Proposed Rule To Reclassify the Bald Eagle From Endangered to

Threatened in Most of the Lower 48 States

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Service gives notice of the agency's intent to hold public

hearings and extend the comment period on the proposed rule to

reclassify the bald eagle. The public hearings are being held in

response to written requests. The comment period will be extended to

accommodate the public hearings and to allow appropriate time for the

public to provide further comments.

DATES: The comment period on the proposed rule, which was originally

scheduled to close on October 11, 1994, will be extended to November 9,

1994.

The first public hearing will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on

Tuesday, October 18, 1994. The second public hearing will be held from

6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 25, 1994.

ADDRESSES: The first public hearing will be held at the Somerset County

Park Commission Environmental Education Center, 190 Lord Stirling Road,

Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07920. The second public hearing will be held

at St. Michael's Chapter House, Window Rock, Arizona 86515. Comments

and materials concerning this proposal should be sent to Chief,

Division of Endangered Species, Fish and Wildlife Service, Whipple

Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, Minnesota 55111-4056.

Comments and materials received will be available for public

inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours, at the above

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jody Gustitus Millar, Bald Eagle Recovery Coordinator, 309-793-5800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is

listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as

amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), in the lower 48 states, except

Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, where it is

listed as threatened. The bald eagle also occurs in Alaska and Canada,

where it is not at risk and is not protected under the Act; and in

small numbers in northern Mexico. The Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) proposed to reclassify the bald eagle from endangered to

threatened in the lower 48 states except in certain portions of the

American Southwest and to classify those eagles in adjacent Mexico as

endangered. The bald eagle would remain threatened in the five states

where it is currently listed as threatened. The special rule for

threatened bald eagles would be revised. This action would not alter

those conservation measures already in force to protect the species and

its habitats.

The Federal Register notice announcing the proposed rule was

published on July 12, 1994 (59 FR 35584). The original comment period

ended on October 11, 1994, and the deadline for receipt of public

hearing requests was August 26, 1994. Eight requests for public

hearings have been received within the deadline--three from within

Rhode Island, three from Delaware, and two from within Arizona,

including the Navajo Nation.

Those parties wishing to make statements for the record should have

available a copy of their statements to be presented to the Service at

the start of the hearing. Oral statements may be limited to 5 or 10

minutes, if the number of parties present necessitates some limitation.

There are no limits to the length of written comments presented at this

hearing or mailed to the Service.

Dated: September 26, 1994.

Sam Marler,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 94-24194 Filed 9-29-94; 8:45 am]

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