

[Federal Register: May 23, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 99)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 29604-29605]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23my06-14]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers

33 CFR Parts 325 and 332

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 230

[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0020; FRL-8173-4]
RIN 0710-AA55

 
Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources

AGENCIES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD; and Environmental 
Protection Agency.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On March 28, 2006, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the 
Corps) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a 
proposed rule to revise regulations governing compensatory mitigation 
for activities authorized by permits issued by the Department of the 
Army. The Corps and EPA announce the extension of the public comment 
period for this proposed rule until June 30, 2006. The 30-day extension 
of the comment period is a result of requests from a number of entities 
to allow more time to comment on the proposed rule. Comments previously 
submitted need not be resubmitted, as they have already been 
incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in the 
final rule.

DATES: Public comments are now due by June 30, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number EPA-HQ-
OW-2006-0020 and/or RIN 0710-AA55, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal (recommended method of comment 
submission): http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line 

instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: ow-docket@epamail.epa.gov. Include the docket 
number, EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0020, and/or the RIN number, 0710-AA55, in the 
subject line of the message.
     Mail: USEPA Docket Center, Attention Docket Number EPA-HQ-
OW-2006-0020, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: USEPA Docket Center, Room B102, EPA West, 
Attention: Docket Number EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0020, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20004. Such deliveries are only accepted during the 
Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be 
made for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Instructions for submitting comments are provided in 
the proposed rule published on March 28, 2006 (71 FR 15520). 
Consideration will be given to all comments received by June 30, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Olson at 202-761-4922 or by 
e-mail at david.b.olson@usace.army.mil, or Mr. Palmer Hough at 202-566-
8323 or by e-mail at mitigationrule@epa.gov. Information can also be 
found at the EPA compensatory mitigation Web page at: http://www.epa.gov/wetlandsmitigation
.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the March 28, 2006, issue of the Federal 
Register (71 FR 15520), the Corps and EPA published a proposed rule 
revising regulations governing compensatory mitigation for activities 
authorized by permits issued by the Department of the Army. The 
proposed regulations are intended to establish performance standards 
and criteria for the use of permittee-responsible compensatory 
mitigation and mitigation banks, and to improve the quality and success 
of compensatory mitigation projects for activities authorized by 
Department of the Army permits. The proposed regulations are also 
intended to account for regional variations in aquatic resource types, 
functions, and values, and apply equivalent standards to each type of 
compensatory mitigation to the maximum extent practicable. The proposed 
rule includes a watershed approach to improve the quality and success 
of compensatory mitigation projects in replacing losses of aquatic 
resource functions, services, and values resulting from activities 
authorized by Department of the Army permits.
    Several entities have requested an extension of the comment period 
for the proposed rule. The Corps and EPA find that a 30-day extension 
of the comment period for this proposed rule is warranted. Therefore, 
the comment period for this proposed rule is extended until June 30, 
2006.


[[Page 29605]]


    Dated: May 16, 2006.
John Paul Woodley, Jr.,
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), Department of the Army.

    Dated: May 15, 2006.
Benjamin H. Grumbles,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency.
 [FR Doc. E6-7837 Filed 5-22-06; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
