Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Designation of Critical Habitat for the Kootenai River Population of the White Sturgeon

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), for the Kootenai River population of the white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). A total of 18 river kilometers (11.2 river miles) of the Kootenai River in Idaho is designated as critical habitat. Section 7 of the Act requires Federal agencies to ensure that actions they authorize, fund, or carry out are not likely to destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat. State or private actions, with no Federal involvement, would not be affected by this rulemaking action. As required by section 4 of the Act, we considered economic and other impacts prior to making a final decision on what area to designate as critical habitat.