[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8417-8418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4549]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AD35
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of
Reopening of Public Comment Period on the Proposed Rule to List the
Pallid Manzanita as Threatened
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed Rule; notice of reopening of the comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provides notice of
reopening of the comment period on the proposed threatened status for
Arctostaphylos pallida (pallid manzanita). The comment period has been
reopened to acquire additional information from interested parties, and
to resume the proposed listing actions.
DATES: The public comment period closes March 27, 1997. Any comments
received by the closing date will be considered in the final decision
on this proposal.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials concerning this proposal
should be sent directly to the Field Supervisor, Sacramento Field
Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, California 95821-
6340. Comments and materials received will be available for inspection,
by appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betty Warne (see ADDRESSES section) at
(916) 979-2120.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On August 2, 1995, the Service published a rule proposing
threatened status for Arctostaphylos pallida (60 FR 39309-39314). The
original comment period closed on September 25, 1995. No public hearing
was requested.
Pallid manzanita is found only in the northern Diablo Range of
California. It occupies 13 sites in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
The two largest populations are located at Huckleberry Ridge and
Sobrante Ridge. The plants are found in manzanita chaparral habitat
that is frequently surrounded by oak woodlands and coastal scrub. The
plants are threatened by shading and competition from native and non-
native plants, fire suppression, habitat fragmentation, hybridization,
disease, herbicide spraying, unauthorized tree cutting and inadequate
regulatory mechanisms.
The Service was unable to make a final listing determination on
this species because of a limited budget, other endangered species
assignments driven by court orders, and higher listing priorities. In
addition, a moratorium on listing actions (Pub. L. 104-6), which took
effect on April 10, 1995, stipulated that no funds could be used to
make final listing determinations or critical habitat determinations.
Now that the funding has been restored, the Service is proceeding with
a final determination for this species.
Due to the length of time that has elapsed since the close of the
last comment period, changing procedural and biological circumstances,
and the need to review the best scientific information available during
the decision-making process, the comment period is being reopened. For
these reasons, the Service particularly seeks information concerning:
(1) The known or potential effects of fire suppression and general
fire management practices on the pallid manzanita and its habitat.
(2) other updated biological, commercial, or other relevant data on
any threats (or lack of thereof) to the species; and
(3) the current size, number, or distribution of populations of the
species.
Written comments may be submitted until March 27, 1997 to the
Service office in the ADDRESSES section.
Author: The primary author of this notice is Betty Warne (see
ADDRESSES section).
[[Page 8418]]
Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: February 14, 1997.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 97-4549 Filed 2-24-97; 8:45 am]
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