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Federal Wildlife Officials Seeking Input on Habitat for Canada Lynx

Posted on: Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 09:00 CDT

Federal wildlife officials will hold an informational meeting Wednesday night on a proposal to designate more than 10,000 square miles of Maine forestland as critical habitat for Canada lynx.

The meeting is intended to allow the public to ask questions and offer feedback on plans to once again include the Maine land in the critical habitat designation for lynx. The meeting is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Best Western Black Bear Inn, 4 Godfrey Drive in Orono.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided in November 2006 to exclude about 10,600 square miles of forestland in northern Maine from critical habitat designation for the lynx, which is protected under the Endangered Species Act.

At the time, Fish and Wildlife officials said they believed exempting the land would encourage timberland owners to maintain the current cooperative relationships they have regarding lynx management. Maine is the only state in the eastern U.S. with self-sustaining populations of the medium-sized wildcats.

But that controversial decision was reopened last year after allegations that a high-ranking political appointee within the U.S. Department of the Interior pressured agency staff to change decisions on a number of cases involving protected species, including the one involving Canada lynx.

The current proposal, announced in late February, once again includes 10,600-plus square miles in Maine among the 42,753 square miles of habitat nationwide. Parts of Aroostook, Franklin, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Somerset counties are included in the designation.

However, Maine's timberland owners -- including Plum Creek Timber Co. -- are expected to once again seek exemption from the rule.

Critical habitat designation requires an extra layer of bureaucratic review on possible impacts to the species for any projects on federal land or projects that involve federal money or permits. Private landowners are affected only if they receive federal money or permits.

Lori Nordstrom, who heads the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Old Town office, said agency staff are particularly interested in hearing comments on the issue of including or excluding land within the designation. Federal statutes allow such exclusions if they are determined to be more beneficial to the species than inclusion.

"There are many landowners who don't want to be in critical habitat, so they are talking to us about exclusion," Nordstrom said. The Maine Forest Products Council, which represents many of Maine's largest timberland owners, has contacted the agency about possible exclusion from the rule, she said.

Nordstrom said that if her agency decides to exclude land this time, it will likely require landowners to put in writing how they will work to protect lynx habitat.

Nordstrom pointed out that Wednesday's meeting is an informational session rather than a public hearing. That should allow for more informal discussion of the issue, but it means those wishing to have their views included in the agency's public record will have to submit written comments by April 28.

Comments should be mailed to the Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203. Comments and information may be submitted electronically by the federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.

Source: Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine)

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