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Notice #: 0000017190-01
Uncategorized

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of Public Hearing for the Revised Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for 12 Hawaiian Picture-wing Flies in the Hawaiian Islands

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives notice of a public hearing for the proposed critical habitat designation for 12 species of Hawaiian picture-wing flies in the Hawaiian Islands, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We are proposing to designate approximately 9,238 acres of critical habitat for Drosophila aglaia, D. differens, D. hemipeza, D. heteroneura, D. montgomeryi, D. mulli, D. musaphilia, D. neoclavisetae, D. obatai, D. ochrobasis, D. substenoptera, and D. tarphytrichia on the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu. The public hearing on the island of Oahu and extension of the comment period will allow all interested parties to submit oral or written comments on the proposal. We are seeking comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested parties concerning the proposed rule. Comments already submitted on the revised proposed rule need not be resubmitted as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

A complete copy of the proposal to designate critical habitat for these species was published in the Federal Register (72 FR 67428) on November 28, 2007, and can be found at our website at http://pacificislands.fws.gov, or you may call us at 808-792-9400 during business hours (8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday) and request a printed copy.

DATES: A public hearing is scheduled for April 10, 2008, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel located in Honolulu, island of Oahu. An informal information session will take place from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm prior to the public hearing. Comments not submitted at the scheduled public hearing must be postmarked by April 25, 2008, to be considered in preparation of the final rule.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments and materials concerning the revised proposed rule by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: RIN 1018-AU93; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203.

We will not accept comments sent by e-mail or fax or to an address not listed above. We will not accept anonymous comments; your comment must include your first and last name, city, State, country, and postal (zip) code. Finally we will not consider hand-delivered comments that we do not receive, or mailed comments that are not postmarked by April 25, 2008. We will accept written comments at the public hearing. We will post your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – on http://www.regulations.gov. If you provide personal identifying information in addition to the required items specified earlier in this paragraph, such as your street address, phone number, or e-mail address, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting documentation we used in preparing the revised proposed rule, will be available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Leonard, Field Supervisor, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 3-122, Honolulu, HI 96850 (telephone (808) 792-9400). (SB17190 3/21/08)
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