Brook trout are found in many cold water streams throughout Michigan and they need well oxygenated, cold water to survive.  Coaster brook trout, like steelhead, spend part of their life cycles cruising along the coastlines of large lakes.  At one time their range in Michigan included Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior, however, that range has been reduced to certain portions of Lake Superior.  The Salmon Trout River is one of the coaster brook trout’s remaining habitats and this habitat is threatened by siltation from the construction of roads and the proposed Kennecott mine. 

On February 22, 2006, the Sierra Club Mackinac Chapter and others petitioned the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to list the coaster brook trout as an endangered species and to designate its critical habitat.  The FWS issued a notice on March 20, 2008, that it had determined that the petition contained enough scientific and commercial information to possibly warrant the listing of the coaster brook trout as an endangered species.  In making its finding for the notice, the FWS considered, as one of its factors, the threat posed by the proposed Kennecott sulfide mine.

Under FWS regulations, this notice commences a 90 day public comment period during which the public can submit the following scientific and commercial information: (1) historical and current population status, distribution, biology and habitat; (2) actual or potential threats including habitat destruction or modification, over utilization, disease, lack of regulatory protection, and other factors; and (3) management programs.  This information will be used by the FWS as part of a 12 month review process that will result in a determination as to whether the coaster brook trout should be listed as an endangered species.

If the coaster brook trout is listed as an endangered species, its habitat in the Salmon Trout River would be protected from impairment and would likely result in new restrictions being imposed on the proposed Kennecott mine. 

If you would like to submit comments to the FWS, you must do so before May 19, 2008.  Comments can be submitted via regular U.S. mail (Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R3-ES-2008-0030, US FWS, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, Virginia 22203) or through the Federal ERulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov.