Notice of Extension of Comment Period. Assessment Plan: Lower Fox River/Green Bay Natural Resource Damage Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Extension of Comment Period. Assessment Plan: Lower Fox

River/Green Bay Natural Resource Damage Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Notice is given that the public comment period for the

document titled ``Assessment Plan: Lower Fox River/Green Bay NRDA''

(The Plan'') is extended for 60 days. Initial notice of availability

was published on August 23, 1996 with a deadline for submittal of

comments of September 23, 1996. This notice extends the comment period

until 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, The Menominee Indian Tribe of

Wisconsin, and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin (``trustees'')

are trustees for natural resources considered in this assessment,

pursuant to subpart G of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances

Pollution Contingency Plan, 40 CFR 300.600 and 300.610, and Executive

Order 12580.

The trustees are following the guidance of the Natural Resource

Damage Assessment Regulations found at 43 CFR Part 11. The public

review of the Plan announced by this Notice is provided for in 43 CFR

11.32(c).

Interested members of the public are invited to review and comment

on the Plan. Copies of the Plan can be requested from the address

listed below. All written comments will be considered by the trustees

and included in the Report of Assessment, at the conclusion of the

assessment process.

DATES: Written comments on the Plan must be submitted on or before

November 25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the Plan may be made to: Frank

Horvath, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 3 (ATTN: ES/EC-NRDA),

B.H.W. Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, MN

55111.

Comments on the Plan should be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service at the address listed above. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

will provide copies of all comments to the other trustees.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The trustees are undertaking an assessment

of damages resulting from the suspected injury to natural resources of

the Lower Fox River, Green Bay and Lake Michigan which have been

exposed to hazardous substances released by area paper mills and other

potential sources. It is suspected that this exposure has caused injury

and resultant damages to trustee resources. The injury and resultant

damages will be assessed under the Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended, and the Clean

Water Act, as amended. The Plan addresses the trustees' overall

assessment approach and utilizes existing data. Plan addenda may be

prepared by the trustees to provide public notice of additional data

collection activities.

William F. Hartwig,

Regional Director, Region 3, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 96-24466 Filed 9-23-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-M