Extension of the Comment Period for the Draft Memorandum of Agreement Between the Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service Regarding Enhanced Coordination Under the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6311-5]

Extension of the Comment Period for the Draft Memorandum of

Agreement Between the Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and

Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service Regarding

Enhanced Coordination Under the Clean Water Act and the Endangered

Species Act

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice, extension of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: EPA is extending the public comment period on the Draft

Memorandum of Agreement Between the Environmental Protection Agency,

Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service

Regarding Enhanced Coordination Under the Clean Water Act and the

Endangered Species Act. The notice and request for comments was jointly

published by EPA, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine

Fisheries Service in the Federal Register on January 15, 1999.

DATES: Comments on all issues regarding the notice will be accepted

until April 15, 1999. Comments postmarked after this date may not be

considered.

ADDRESSES: An original and 4 copies of written comments should be

submitted to W-98-32, ESA Comment Clerk, Water Docket (MC4101), USEPA

401 M Street SW, Washington, DC, 20460. Commenters who want EPA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments should enclose a self-addressed,

stamped envelope. No facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted. Comments may

also be submitted electronically to [email protected].

Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use

of special characters and any form of encryption. Electronic comments

must be identified by docket number W-98-32. Comments will also be

accepted on disks in WP 5.1, WP 6.1, or ASCII file format.

The record for this draft Memorandum of Agreement has been

established under docket number W-98-32, and includes supporting

documentation as well as printed, paper versions of electronic

comments. The record is available for inspection from 9 to 4 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays at the Water Docket, EB

57, USEPA Headquarters, 401 M Street, Washington, D.C. For access to

docket materials, call 202-260-3027 to schedule an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara McLeod, Office of Water,

Environmental Protection Agency (telephone 202-260-5681); Margaret

Lorenz, Endangered Species Division, National Marine Fisheries Services

(telephone 301-713-1401); or Richard Hannan, Division of Endangered

Species, Fish and Wildlife Service (telephone 703-358-2171).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),

and the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries

Service have developed a draft Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) describing

how we will cooperate in implementing our respective responsibilities

under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The notice and request for comments on the draft MOA appeared in the

Federal Register on January 15, 1999 (64 FR 2741) and provided for a 60

day public comment period, ending on March 16, 1999. EPA has received

requests from several interested parties for additional time to

comment.

Dated: March 12, 1999.

J. Charles Fox,

Assistant Administrator for Water.

[FR Doc. 99-6485 Filed 3-15-99; 8:45 am]

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