[Federal Register: January 6, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 3)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 821] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr06ja99-24] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period on 90-day Finding on a Petition To List the Redband Trout in the Great Basin as Threatened or Endangered and Initiation of Status Review AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, provide notice of extending the public comment period on our 90-day finding on a petition to list the redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp.) in the Great Basin as an endangered or threatened species throughout its range. Our 90-day finding was published in the Federal Register on November 16, 1998 (63 FR 63657) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as amended (Act), and the original public comment period was opened from November 16, 1998, to January 15, 1999. This notice extends the comment period to March 16, 1999. DATES: The public comment period closes on March 16, 1999. Any information or comments received by the closing date will be considered in the status review. ADDRESSES: Information, written comments and materials, or questions concerning our 90-day finding and the petition should be submitted to the Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 SE 98th Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97266. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Antonio Bentivoglio, biologist, at the above address or telephone 503-231-6179. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background On November 16, 1998, we published a positive 90-day finding on a petition to list ``Great Basin redband trout'' as threatened or endangered pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (Act). The petition requested the listing of the indigenous redband trout in the Great Basin as endangered or threatened throughout its range in southeastern Oregon, northeastern California, and northwestern Nevada, in particular the redband trout populations in Catlow, Fort Rock (Silver Lake), Harney (Malheur Lake), Goose Lake, Warner, and Chewaucan (Lake Abert/Summer Lake) Basins (together these six closed basins make up the Great Basin as described in the petition). Our 90-day finding announced that substantial information was presented in the petition for us to begin a status review of the petitioned taxon. The original public comment period on the 90-day finding closes on January 15, 1999. We believe that up-to- date information on distribution and abundance is lacking for this taxon but is currently being gathered. Therefore, we are extending the closing date and continue to request relevant information on the Great Basin redband trout to produce as complete a status review as possible and to ensure that the status review is based on the best available scientific and commercial data. We are soliciting information concerning: (1) information on historic distribution and information on current distribution in each basin; (2) habitat conditions in each basin; (3) basic biology including age-frequency distribution of the population(s) in each basin; (4) ongoing efforts to protect Great Basin redband trout and their habitat; (5) threats to the species and its habitat; (6) any information regarding distinct vertebrate population segment status of Great Basin redband trout as one unit or as six individual units; and (7) metapopulation dynamics and interactions between lake and stream morph fishes. In addition to information pertaining to the Great Basin redband trout, we are requesting any information in categories 1-7, above, that relates to Interior redband trout. ``Interior redband trout'' is a common term referring to any rainbow/redband type trout found east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains. This information should be submitted by March 16, 1999, to the Fish and Wildlife Service office in the ADDRESSES section. Author: The primary author of this document is Antonio Bentivoglio, biologist, Oregon State Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (see ADDRESSES section). Authority The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Dated: December 30, 1998. Cynthia V. Barry, Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 99-253 Filed 1-5-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P