DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Marine Fisheries Service

Extension of Public Comment Period on the Environmental Assessment

and Application for a Permit To Allow Incidental Take of Threatened

and Endangered Species by Weyerhaeuser Company on Portions of Its

Lands in Lane, Linn, Benton, and Douglas Counties, OR

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife

Service is extending the comment period for the Environmental

Assessment and the Habitat Conservation Plan for the proposed issuance

of an incidental take permit to Weyerhaeuser Corporation for portions

of its land in Lane, Benton, Douglas, and Linn Counties, Oregon. This

notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the Endangered Species

Act and National Environmental Policy Act regulations.

DATES: Written comments on the permit application and Environmental

Assessment should be received on or before April 4, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the application, Environmental Assessment

or requests for those documents should be addressed to David J. Hirsh,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Northwest Habitat Conservation

Plan Program, 3773 Martin Way East, Building C--Suite 101, Olympia,

Washington 98501; telephone (360) 534-9330. Please refer to permit No.

PRT-823550 when submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Hirsh, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, or Steve Landino, National Marine Fisheries Service. Both are

located at the Pacific Northwest Habitat Conservation Plan Program,

3773 Martin Way East, Building C--Suite 101, Olympia, Washington 98501;

telephone (360) 534-9330.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 23, 1997, the Fish and Wildlife

Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (together the

Services) announced the availability of an Environmental Assessment and

the receipt of an application for the proposed issuance of a permit to

allow incidental take of threatened and endangered species on

Weyerhaeuser lands in Linn, Benton, Douglas, and Lane Counties, Oregon

(62 FR 3516, 62 FR 3500). Regulations governing permits for threatened

and endangered species are in 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32.

The Services have received requests for extension of the comment

period for this proposed action. The Services acknowledge that these

documents and the underlying principles are both lengthy and complex

and may require additional time to provide meaningful comment.

Therefore the Services have extended the comment period until April 4,

1997.

Author: David J. Hirsh, Pacific Northwest Habitat Conservation

Plan Program.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407, 1531-1544, and 4201-4245.

[[Page 14162]]

Dated: March 19, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1,

Portland, Oregon.

Dated: March 20, 1997.

Joseph R. Blum,

Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97-7538 Filed 3-24-97; 8:45 am]

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