Responding to requests from Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne and others, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it intends to reopen the public comment period for 90 days on our proposal to designate critical habitat for the Columbia River Basin and Klamath River Basin distinct population segments of bull trout, a threatened species protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
The current comment period will close January 28, 2003. The new deadline will be determined when the notice of extension is published in the Federal Register. Notice of the new deadline will be publicized.
The requesting entities indicated that the scope of the proposals requires more time for review, and they are awaiting important information relevant to the pending economic analysis the Service plans to issue as a draft for public comment in April. In addition to Governor Kempthorne
