Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Public Hearing and Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for Lost River Sucker and Shortnose Sucker

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Public Hearing and

Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Determination of Critical

Habitat for Lost River Sucker and Shortnose Sucker

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides notice that a

public hearing will be held on the proposed determination of critical

habitat for Lost River sucker (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose sucker

(Chasmistes brevirostris). In addition, the Service has extended the

comment period. All parties are invited to submit comments on this

proposal.

DATES: The public hearing will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.

on March 7, 1995, in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The comment period, which

originally was to close on January 30, 1995, now closes on March 17,

1995. Any comments received by the closing date will be considered in

the final decision on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Oregon Institute of

Technology, College Union Auditorium, 3201 Campus Drive, Klamath Falls,

Oregon. Comments and materials should be submitted to the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Portland Field Office, 2600 S.E. 98th Avenue, Suite

100, Portland, Oregon 97266. Comments and materials received will be

available for public inspection during normal business hours, by

appointment, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rollie White (See ADDRESSES section) at (503) 231-6179.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Lost River sucker (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose sucker

(Chasmistes brevirostris) are large, long-lived fishes endemic to the

Upper Klamath River Basin of Oregon and California. Listed as

endangered pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act) on July

18, 1988 (52 FR 32145), the Service proposed to designate a total of

approximately 182,400 hectares (456,000 acres) of stream, river, lake,

and shoreline areas as critical habitat for the shortnose sucker, and

approximately 170,000 hectares (424,000 acres) of stream, river, lake,

and shoreline areas as critical habitat for the Lost River Sucker on

December 1, 1994 (59 FR 61744).

Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires

that a public hearing be held if it is requested within 45 days of the

publication of the proposed rule. Public hearing requests were received

from a number of requesters. As a result, the Service has scheduled a

public hearing on March 7, 1995, at the Oregon Institute of Technology,

College Union Auditorium in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Anyone wishing to

make statements for the record should bring a written copy of their

statements to the hearing. Oral statements may be limited in length if

the number of parties present at the hearing necessitates such a

limitation. Oral and written comments receive equal consideration. The

Service places on limits on the length of written comments or materials

presented at the hearing or mailed to the Service.

The comment period on the proposal was to close on January 30,

1995. To accommodate the hearing, the Service extends the public

comment period. Written comments may now be submitted until March 17,

1995, to the Service in the ADDRESSES section. [[Page 5894]]

Authority

The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)

Dated: January 25, 1995.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 95-2277 Filed 1-30-95; 8:45 am]

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