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that habitat is defined broadly to include not only an adequate amount of
<br />suitable (air, land, or water) space, but also requisite or limiting
<br />constituent elements such as physical structures, topography, biota, climate,
<br />human activity, and the qual ity and chemical content of land, water, and ai r,
<br />all factors which may affect the selection of a given area for use by a
<br />speci es.
<br />1.2.2 Platte River Critical Habitat Designation
<br />In the December 16, 1975 issue of the Federal Register (40 FR 58308 - 58312), the
<br />U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter referred to as "the Service")
<br />proposed the determination of critical habitat for the whooping crane and f ive
<br />other endangered species. Proposed designations for the whooping crane
<br />included ni ne zones in seven states -- Texas, Okl ahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Idaho,
<br />Colorado, and New Mexico. The critical habitat proposed for Nebraska included
<br />an extensive area in the southcentral portion of the state encompassing the
<br />central Platte River Valley and the wetl and area to the south known as the
<br />Rai nwater Basin. This was, in fact, the largest single zone included i n the
<br />Service's recommended designations, and comprised approximately 2,670 square
<br />miles or 1.7 million acres. Its perimeter ran from Lexington east to Grand
<br />Island along Highway 30, south from Grand Island to Red Cloud, then west to
<br />Alma, north f ran Alma to Hol drege, northwest of Hol drege to Elwood, and
<br />northeast of Elwood back to Lexington.
<br />The rationale provided in the December 16, 1975 Federal Register (40 FR 58309)
<br />for Nebraska's proposed critical habitat designation was that the Matte River
<br />Valley and wetlands to the south form "the most important stopping site on the
<br />migration route of the whooping crane." It was further stated that the unique
<br />association of habitat (e.g., the Platte River channel and adjacent wet
<br />meadows, rainwater basins, and farmlands) i n this area is the most valuable
<br />part of the species' entire migration route. The Service concluded that:
<br />"Reduction in the q ual ity or size of this habitat association, especially in
<br />the water level of the area, could be expected to have an adverse effect on the
<br />surviving population of the species."
<br />However, in its final determination issued on May 15, 1978 (43 FR 20938-20942),
<br />the Service did, in fact, substantially reduce the amount of critical habitat
<br />in Nebraska. In this ruling, effective June 14, 1978, the service redefined
<br />the Nebraska zone to include:
<br />"An area of land, water and air space in Dawson, Buffalo,
<br />Hall, Phelps, Kearney, and Adams counties within the
<br />following boundaries: Platte River bottoms - a strip of
<br />river bottom with a north -south width 3 miles, a southern
<br />boundary paral l el ing Interstate 80, begi nni ng at the j uncti on
<br />of U.S. Highway 283 and Interstate 80 near Lexington, and
<br />extending eastward along Interstate 80 to the interchange for
<br />Shelton and Denman, Nebraska, near the Buffalo-Hall County
<br />line. " (43 FR May 15, 1978 20 941)
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