Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of Public Meetings, Public Hearings and Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Threatened Status for a Distinct Population Segment of Anadromous Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) in Seven Maine Rivers

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 227 and 425

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17 and 425

Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of Public Meetings,

Public Hearings and Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Threatened

Status for a Distinct Population Segment of Anadromous Atlantic Salmon

(Salmo Salar) in Seven Maine Rivers

AGENCIES: National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration, Commerce; and Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Reopening of public comment period and announcement of public

meetings and hearings.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and

Wildlife Service, collectively the Services, give notice that the

public comment period has been reopened in regards to the proposed

threatened status designation for a distinct population segment of

anadromous Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) in the Sheepscot, Ducktrap,

Narraguagus, Pleasant, Machias, East Machias, and Dennys Rivers in

Marine. There will be three public meetings to present information and

answer questions, followed immediately by more formal public hearings

to accept verbal and written comments about the designation of this

population segment as threatened. The comment period is reopened for a

period of 45 days.

DATES: The combined public meeting and hearings will be held from 7 to

10 p.m. on September 17, Augusta, Maine; from 7 to 10 p.m. on September

18, Ellsworth, Maine; and from 7 to 10 p.m. on September 19, Machias,

Maine. All scientific data and comments must be submitted to the

Services by October 11, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments: Please send any written comments to Paul

Nickerson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive,

Hadley, Massachusetts 01035, or Mary Colligan, National Marine

Fisheries Service, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, Massachusetts

01930.

Public Meetings and Hearings:

[[Page 44033]]

1. Cushnoc Room, Augusta Civic Center, Community Drive, Augusta,

Maine.

2. Ellsworth Middle School, 20 Forrest Avenue, Ellsworth, Maine.

3. Science 102, University of Maine--Machias, 9 O'Brien Avenue,

Machias, Maine.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Nickerson at (413) 253-8615 or

Mary Colligan at (508) 281-9116.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Endangered Species Act requires that a

public hearing be held on proposed regulations if requested within 45

days of the proposal's publication in the Federal Register. On

September 29, 1995 (60 FR 50530), the Services published a proposed

rule to list the DPS of Atlantic salmon as threatened. Public hearing

requests were received during the allotted time period. The public

comment period for this proposed action officially closed on December

28, 1995. Due to federal furloughs and legislative and funding

restrictions imposed, the Departments of Commerce and Interior were not

able to hold the requested public hearings during the original comment

period.

On April 26, 1996, the President waived the moratorium on ESA

listing actions, as authorized by the FY 96 Omnibus Appropriations Act

for both the Departments of Commerce and Interior. The Services may now

proceed with previously pending listing actions. Consequently we are

now reopening the comment period on this proposed rule and announcing

public hearings. The proposed rule published in September, included a

special 4(d) provision that allowed the state of Maine the opportunity

to develop a conservation plan for the species. Following publication

of the proposed rule the Governor of Maine issued an Executive Order

creating a task force to draft the conservation plan. That task force

has been actively working on the plan since October, 1995. Separate

hearings will be held by state officials on the conservation plan in

early September.

During this comment period the Services desire any scientific and

commercial data that may have become available since closure of the

previous comment period on December 28, 1995. The Services final

determination whether to list the DPS of Atlantic salmon will consider

all comments received during this and earlier comment periods and may

result in final regulations that differ from the proposal of September

29, 1995.

In response to the request for public hearings, the Services have

scheduled three combined public meetings and hearings. The meetings

will run from 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. and will be followed by a 15

minute intermission. During the public meeting, the Services will make

a brief presentation and will informally answer questions about the

proposal; state officials will also make a brief presentation on the

status of the conversation plan and informally answer questions about

the plan. The meeting will not be recorded and will not be part of the

formal record.

The public hearings, which will begin at 8:30 p.m., will provide an

opportunity for interested individuals to enter formal statements on

the proposal, which will become part of the administrative record.

Those parties wishing to make statements should present them to the

Services at the start of the hearing. Oral statements must be limited

to five minutes in length, however, there is no limit to the length of

written comments or materials. Oral and written statements receive

equal consideration during deliberations. Written comments may now be

submitted through October 11, 1996 to either of the offices in the

ADDRESSES section.

Author

The primary authors of this notice are Mary Colligan and Paul

Nicherson (addresses are above).

Authority: The authority for this section is the ESA (16 U.S.C.

1531-1544).

Dated: August 14, 1996.

Ralph C. Pisapia,

Acting Regional Director, Region 5.

Dated: August 22, 1996.

Rennie S. Holt,

Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources.

[FR Doc. 96-21505 Filed 8-26-96; 8:45 am]

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