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Southern Selkirk Mountains Caribou
Service Designates Final Caribou Critical HabitatThe Service has designated final critical habitat for the Southern Selkirk Mountains population of the Woodland Caribou. The area includes 30,010 acres in Idaho's Boundary County and Washington's Pend Oreille County as critical habitat because they contain the physical and biological features essential to the conservation of the species.The final designation, modified from the 2011 proposed 375,552-acre designation, is a result of 150 days of public involvement and extensive analysis that included public information meetings, hearings, comment periods, scientific peer review, and a reexamination of information regarding occupancy at the time of the caribou listing. Federal Register Notice 11/28/2012 (PDF 582 KB) Final Critical Habitat Map (PDF 2.42 MB) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a draft analysisThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a draft analysis that estimates costs related to the conservation of the southern Selkirk Mountains woodland caribou and its proposed critical habitat. A new 30 day public comment period is now open and will close July 2, 2012. Interested citizens are invited to attend a Service-hosted Open House information meeting on Saturday, June 16, 2012 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m at the Inn at Priest Lake, 5310 Dickensheet Road, Coolin, Idaho 83821. Citizens will have an opportunity to learn more about the DEA and the proposal by talking with Service biologists and managers at this information meeting. A public hearing will be held the same day, also at the Inn at Priest Lake, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Citizens will be able to provide formal oral comments for the Service to review and consider for its final decision. Speaker registration will begin at 1:00 p.m. All oral comments will be entered into the official public record, and will be considered in the Service's analysis for final designation. If time does not permit full oral testimony, the public is encouraged to bring written testimony for incorporation into the record. News Release (PDF 147 KB) Final draft Economic Analysis (PDF 1.78 MB) The new 60-day comment periodThe new 60-day comment period for the Caribou Proposed Critical Habitat Designation will close May 21, 2012. An information meeting and public hearing have been scheduled for April 28 in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Information about the reopening of the comment period for this proposal can be found on March 20 in the "Reading Room" at: News Release (PDF 147 KB)
Comment Period and Information Meeting/HearingComment period closes May 21, 2012 INFORMATION MEETING/HEARING The FWS information meeting is an open-house style opportunity for interested citizens to have conversations with FWS managers and biologists about the caribou proposal. The purpose of that meeting is information-sharing dialogue. The public hearing is a formal hearing for citizens to present their oral testimony to FWS, which will be entered into the public record as official comments. In addition to public hearing testimony that is recorded, comment submission is primarily through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal (see instructions below). Recognizing some citizens do not have access to electronic equipment, we will have comment forms available at the information meeting so that citizens can comment in writing. FWS will electronically submit those comments for those who can not do so themselves. We hope this will help ensure that all comments regarding the draft proposal are properly submitted to the record. Comment submission instructions: By mail:Public Comments Processing, Attn: (This number will be published in the Federal Register Notice); Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042–PDM; Arlington, VA 22203. Boundary County Meeting on April 28th: Public comments will be received through formal oral testimony, and recorded for the record. The public is encouraged to bring a full written copy of their testimony to be included in the record. Comment forms will be available for those citizens who do not have access to electronic equipment. The FWS (Idaho) will electronically submit those comments for you if you choose. We will post your entire comment – including personal identifying information – on http://www.regulations.gov. You may request at the top of your document that we withhold personal information, such as your name, street address, phone number or e-mail address from public review; however, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Proposed Critical Habitat DesignationNews Release (PDF 148 KB) Federal Register Notice - Proposed Rule (PDF 2.05 MB) Map 1- Overview of all Proposed Critical Habitat (PDF 4.5 MB) Map 2-Subunit 1 of Proposed Critical Habitat in Idaho (PDF 5.5 MB) Map 3- Subunit 2 of Proposed Critical Habitat in Washington (PDF 5.5 MB) Federal eRulemaking Portal - Comment Submissions
Comment period closes January 30, 2012.A proposal to designate critical habitat for southern Selkirk Mountains caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), an endangered woodland mammal protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), is available for public review ad comment. Comments must be received by January 30, 2012. The southern Selkirk Mountains caribou was listed as an endangered species in 1984. It occurs in the Selkirk Mountains of northern Idaho and northeastern Washington and British Columbia, and the entire distinct population segment (DPS) is estimated to include about 46 animals. In total, approximately 375,562 acres are being proposed for designation as critical habitat. The proposed critical habitat is located in Boundary and Bonner counties in Idaho, and Pend Oreille County in Washington, United States. These lands are all currently considered to be occupied by the species, and no exclusions are proposed.
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Last updated: March 25, 2013
