Receipt of Application To Amend West Fork Timber Company's Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit for Western Washington To Include Canada Lynx and Bull Trout

This notice advises the public, other agencies, and Tribes that the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has received a request to add Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) to the list of species covered by Endangered Species Act incidental take permit PRT-777837, issued to the West Fork Timber Company, LLC (formerly Murray Pacific Corporation). This request is provided for under the Implementation Agreement for the Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) accompanying the incidental take permit, dated September 24, 1993, and the Amendment to the Implementation Agreement, dated June 26, 1995. This request applies to forest management activities on West Fork Timber Company lands located in the Mineral Block of eastern Lewis County, west of the Cascade Mountain Range in the State of Washington (covered lands). The purpose of this notice is to seek comments from the public, other agencies, and Tribes on the Service's proposed permit amendment. We specifically request that comments be focused on substantive information relevant to bull trout and Canada lynx that could affect the Service's decision to amend this permit.