[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 68 (Friday, April 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8417]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: April 8, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AB
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public
Hearing and Reopening of the Public Comment Period on Proposed
Endangered Status for the California Red-legged Frog (Rana Aurora
Draytonii)
agency: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
action: Proposed Rule; Notice of Public Hearing and Reopening of Public
Comment Period.
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summary: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), under the
Endangered Species Act (Act), gives notice that a public hearing will
be held on the proposed endangered status for the California red-legged
frog (Rana aurora draytonii). The hearing will allow all interested
parties to submit oral or written comments on the proposal. In
addition, the Service reopens the public comment period from April 8,
1994 to May 27, 1994.
dates: The public hearing will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on
Thursday, May 12, 1994, in Sacramento, California. Comments from all
interested parties must be received by May 27, 1994. Any comments
received after the closing date may not be considered in the final
decision on this proposal.
addresses: The public hearing will be held at the Radisson Hotel, 500
Leisure Lane, Sacramento, California. Written comments and materials
should be sent directly to the Acting Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Sacramento Field Office, 2800 Cottage Way, room R-
1803, Sacramento, California 95825-1846. Comments and materials
received will be available for public inspection during normal business
hours, by appointment, at the above address.
for further information contact: Ms. Karen J. Miller, Sacramento Field
Office, at the above address (telephone (916) 967-4866).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The historical range of the California red-legged frog extended
from the vicinity of Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County,
California, coastally and from the vicinity of Redding, Shasta County,
California, inland southward to northwestern Baja California, Mexico.
Today, the California red-legged frog is found primarily in wetlands
and streams in coastal drainages of central California. It has been
extirpated from 75 percent of its former range. Seventy-seven percent
of remaining subpopulations currently are threatened by one or more
factors, including: (1) Introduction of exotic predators and
competitors, (2) urban encroachment, (3) construction of large and
small reservoirs, water diversions and well development, (4) flood
control maintenance, (5) grazing, and (6) timber harvest. Only 44
drainages, with the majority being in Monterey, Santa Barbara, and San
Luis Obispo Counties, currently provide habitat free from the above
threats. Fragmentation of habitat, however, renders these
subpopulations vulnerable to random extinction (stochastic) events.
Only three areas currently support over 350 adults. A rule proposing to
list the California red-legged frog as an endangered species was
published in the Federal Register (59 FR 4886) on February 2, 1994.
Subsection 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. et seq.),
requires that a public hearing be held if it is requested within 45
days of the publication of a proposed rule. The Service received 6
written requests for a public hearing from various agencies,
organizations, and individuals. As a result, the Service has scheduled
a public hearing for May 12, 1994, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sacramento,
California.
Parties wishing to make statements for the record should bring a
copy of their statements to the hearing. Oral statements may be limited
in length, if the number of parties present at the hearing necessitates
such a limitation. There are, however, no limits to the length of
written comments or materials presented at the hearing or mailed to the
Service. The comment period closes on May 27, 1994. Written comments
should be submitted to the Service in the ADDRESSES section.
Author
The primary author of this notice is Ms. Karen J. Miller,
Sacramento Field Office, at the above address.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1361-1407; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1543; 16 U.S.C. 4201-4245; Pub. L. 99-
625, 100 Stat. 3500; unless otherwise noted.)
List of Subject in 50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and threatened species, Exports Imports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, and Transportation.
Dated: April 4, 1994.
Don Weathers,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Endangered Status for the
California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii).
[FR Doc. 94-8417 Filed 4-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
