[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 5199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2679]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AC99
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 30-Day
Extension and Reopening of Public Comment Period on the Proposed Rule
To List 10 Plants From the Foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains as
Threatened or Endangered
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of extension and reopening of comment period on proposed
rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 endangered status for
Brodiaea pallida (Chinese Camp brodiaea), Calyptridium puchellum
(Mariposa pussypaws), Lupinus citrinus var. deflexus (Mariposa lupine)
and Mimulus shevockii (Kelso Creek monkeyflower) and proposed
threatened status for Allium tuolumnense (Rawhide Hill onion),
Carpenteria californica (carpenteria), Clarkia springvillensis
(Springville clarkia), Fritillaria striata (striped adobe lily),
Navarretia setiloba (Piute Mountains navarretia), and Verbena
californica (California vervain). The comment period is reopened to
acquire new and updated information from interested parties on these 10
plants.
DATES: The public comment period closes March 6, 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 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: Ken Fuller of the Sacramento Field
Office (see ADDRESSES section) at (916) 979-2120.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On October 4, 1994, the Service published a rule proposing
endangered status for Brodiaea pallida, Calyptridium puchellum, Lupinus
citrinus var. deflexus and Mimulus shevockii and proposed threatened
status for Allium tuolumnense, Carpenteria californica, Clarkia
springvillensis, Fritillaria striata, Navarretia setiloba, and Verbena
californica. The original comment period closed on December 5, 1994. On
December 29, 1994, the comment period was reopened and extended until
February 13, 1995 (59 FR 67268) to accommodate the public hearing that
was requested. Due to requests for additional time, the comment period
was extended until June 4, 1995 (60 FR 8342).
These 10 plants and their habitats are known from annual
grasslands, chaparral, Joshua tree, pinyon-juniper, blue oak, and
digger pine woodland communities in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada
Mountains in central California. These plants are threatened by one or
more of the following: agricultural land conversion, urbanization,
logging, highway construction and road maintenance activities,
inappropriate grazing, off-highway vehicle use, mining, insect
predation, inadequate regulatory mechanisms, stochastic extinction from
random natural events, and incompatible fire management activities.
The Service was unable to make a final listing determination on
these species because a moratorium on listing actions (Public Law 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. With the lifting, on April 26, 1996, of the moratorium
on final listing actions and the restoration of significant funding for
listing through passage of the omnibus budget reconciliation law on,
the Service is proceeding with a final determination for these species.
Due to the length of time that has elapsed since the close of the last
comment period, the comment period is being reopened. Changes in
procedural and biological circumstances, and the need to consider the
best scientific information available in this rulemaking process
necessitate this action. The Service believes that updated threat
information may be available that may significantly affect final
listing determinations. For these reasons, the Service seeks
information made available in the last 2 years concerning:
(1) Biological, commercial, or other relevant data on any threats
(or lack thereof) to any of these 10 species, but particularly for
Calyptridium puchellum, Fritillaria striata, Lupinus citinus var.
deflexus, and Navarretia setiloba;
(2) Additional information on the size, number or distribution of
populations; and
(3) Specific information concerning the known or potential effects
of fire suppression and general fire management practices on
Carpenteria californica.
Written comments may be submitted through March 6, 1997 to the
Service office in the ADDRESSES section.
Author
The primary author of this notice is Ken Fuller (see ADDRESSES
section).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: January 28, 1997.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 97-2679 Filed 2-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
