Establishment of an Additional Manatee Protection Area in Lee County, FL: Proposed rule; notice of public hearing and reopening of public comment period.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), provide notice that the public comment period for the proposed rule to establish the Pine Island-Estero Bay Manatee Refuge in Lee County, Florida, is reopened to allow all interested parties to submit written comments on the proposed rule. We are reopening the public comment period to accommodate those individuals and communities that are continuing to recover from the effects of both Hurricane Charley and Hurricane Frances. Comments previously submitted during the initial comment period need not be resubmitted as they will be incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in the final determination on the proposal.