Natural resource damage assessment plans; availability, etc.: Grand Calumet River et al., IN,

[Federal Register: October 1, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 190)]

[Notices]

[Page 52742]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr01oc98-86]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of Addendum #1 to the Assessment Plan for the Grand Calumet River, Indiana Harbor Ship Canal, Indiana Harbor and Associated Lake Michigan Environments

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of 30-day comment period.

SUMMARY: Notice is given that the document titled ``Addendum #1 to the Assessment Plan for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment of the Grand Calumet River, Indiana Harbor Ship Canal, Indiana Harbor and Associated Lake Michigan Environments'' (``The Addendum'') will be available for public review and comment on the date of publication in the Federal Register.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, and The State of Indiana (``trustees'') are acting as trustees for natural resources considered in this assessment, pursuant to subpart G of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, 40 CFR 300.600 and 300.610, and Executive Order 12580.

The assessment, including the activities addressed in this addendum, will be conducted in accordance with the guidance of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Regulations found at 43 CFR Part 11. The public review of the Addendum announced by this Notice is provided for in 43 CFR 11.32(c).

Interested members of the public are invited to review and comment on the Addendum. Copies of the Addendum, and the ``Assessment Plan for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment of the Grand Calumet River, Indiana Harbor Ship Canal, Indiana Harbor and Associated Lake Michigan Environments'' (``The Plan'') issued on October 14, 1997 (FR Doc. 97- 26788), can be requested from the address listed below. All written comments will be considered and included in the Report of Assessment, at the conclusion of the assessment process.

DATES: Written comments on the Plan must be submitted on or before November 2, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the Addendum and/or the Plan may be made to:

Supervisor, Ecological Services Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 620 S. Walker Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47403 or: Natural Resource Trustee, Office of Legal Counsel, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, 100 N. Senate Avenue, P.O. Box 6015, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6015; (317) 233-6822.

Comments on the Addendum should be sent to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management at the address listed above. The trustees will coordinate comment review.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this natural resource damage assessment is to confirm and quantify the suspected injuries to natural resources in the Grand Calumet River, Indiana Harbor Ship Canal, Indiana Harbor and Associated Lake Michigan Environments resulting from exposure to hazardous substances released by area steel mills, refineries and other potential sources. It is suspected that this exposure has caused injury and resultant damages to trustee resources. The injury and resultant damages will be assessed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended, and the Clean Water Act, as amended. The Addendum addresses additional collection activities that will be undertaken to provide additional information. John Christian, Acting Regional Director, Region 3, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 98-25968Filed9-30-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-M