[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 13, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31137-31138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14394]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-day Finding for
a Petition To List the Comal Springs Salamander
agency: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
action: Notice of 90-day petition finding.
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summary: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 90-day
finding for a petition to list the Comal Springs salamander (Eurycea
sp.) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Service
finds that the petition did not present substantial information
indicating that listing this species may be warranted. The Service is
continuing its status review of the species.
dates: The finding announced in this document was made on June 6, 1995.
addresses: Data, information, comments, or questions concerning this
petition finding should be submitted to the Field supervisor, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Field Office, 10711 Burnet
Road, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78758. The petition finding, supporting
data, and comments will be available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.
for further information contact: Lisa O'Donnell, Biologist, at the
above address (512/490-0057).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that the Service make a
finding on whether a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a species
presents substantial scientific or commercial information to
demonstrate that the petitioned action may be warranted. To the maximum
extent practicable, this finding is to be made within 90 days of the
date the petition was received, and notice of the finding is to be
published promptly in the Federal Register. If the finding is that
substantial information was presented, the Service is also required to
promptly commence a status review of the species.
The Service has made a negative 90-day finding on the petition to
list the Comal Springs salamander (Eurycea sp.). The Service finds that
the petitioner has not presented substantial information indicating
that the requested action for this species may be warranted, as
required under section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Act. The Service has been
assessing the status of this taxon since its designation as a category
2 candidate. The Comal Springs salamander is currently included in the
Eurycea neotenes species group, which has been a category 2 candidate
species in the Service's candidate notices of review since December 30,
1982 (47 FR 58454). No new information was presented in the petition
beyond that used by the Service to assign Eurycea neotenes to category
2. Thus, the Service has determined that the Comal Springs salamander
shall retain the Category 2 classification currently assigned to the
Eurycea neotenes species group. Category 2 means that information now
in possession of the Service indicates a proposal to determine
endangered or threatened status is possibly appropriate, but conclusive
data on biological vulnerability and threats are not currently
available to support such a proposal.
On June 6, 1994, the Service received a petition from Mr. David
Whatley, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of New
Braunfels, Texas, to add the Comal Springs salamander to the list of
Threatened and Endangered Wildlife. The letter, dated June 3, 1994, was
clearly identified as a petition and contained the name, signature,
institutional affiliation, and address of the petitioner. The petition
stated that the Comal Springs salamander is generally found in the
Comal Springs in Landa Park and Landa Lake, and is among the several
unique species in the Comal Springs ecosystem faced with the loss of
its habitat due to groundwater withdrawal from the Edwards Aquifer.
Although the Service concurs that the Comal Springs ecosystem, as well
as other spring ecosystems of the Edwards Aquifer, faces threats from
increased groundwater withdrawals and groundwater contamination, many
uncertainties still exist regarding the taxonomic status of the Comal
Springs salamander (including whether or not it represents a distinct
population segment) and its distribution. Until these uncertainties are
resolved, the Service believes the Comal Springs
[[Page 31138]] salamander should remain a category 2 candidate.
If additional data become available in the future, the Service will
reassess the need for listing the Comal Springs salamander. As part of
our continuing review of species on the Notice of Review, the Service
would appreciate any additional data, information, or comments from the
public, government agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any
other interested party concerning the status of the Comal Springs
salamander. In particular, the Service needs additional information to
determine the Comal Springs salamander's taxonomic status and
relationship to other Eurycea populations (for example, whether or not
the Comal Springs salamander represents a distinct species or a
distinct population segment) and if it is restricted to the Comal
Springs ecosystem.
References Cited
Chippindale, P., D. Hillis, and A. Price. 1990. Central Texas
Salamander Studies. Section 6 report submitted by Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal Aid
Project No: E-1-2, Job No. 3.4.
Chippindale, P., D. Hillis, and A. Price. 1992. Central Texas
Salamander Studies. Section 6 report submitted by Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal Aid
Project No: E-1-3, Job No. 3.4.
Chippindale, P., D. Hillis, and A. Price. 1993. Central Texas
Salamander Studies. Draft Section 6 report submitted by Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal
Aid Project No: E-1-4, Job No. 3.4.
Chippindale, P., D. Hillis, and A. Price. 1994. Central Texas
Salamander Studies. Draft Section 6 report, Part I, submitted by
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Federal Aid Project No: E-1-4, Job No. 3.4.
Sweet, S. 1978. The Evolutionary Development of the Texas Eurycea.
Unpublished Ph.D. Diss. Univ. of California Berkeley. 450 pp.
Sweet, S. 1982. A Distributional Analysis of Epigean Populations of
Eurycea neotenes in central Texas, with comments on the origin of
troglobitic populations. Herpetologica 38: 430-444.
Author. The primary author of this document is Lisa O'Donnell,
Austin Ecological Services Field Office (See ADDRESSES section).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. et seq.).
Dated: June 6, 1995.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 95-14394 Filed 6-12-95; 8:45 am]
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