[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 131 (Monday, July 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-16643]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: July 11, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AB75
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Six-
Month Extension and Reopening of Public Comment Period on the Proposed
Rule To List the Northern Copperbelly Water Snake (Nerodia
Erythrogaster Neglecta) as a Threatened Species
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of extension and reopening of comment period on proposed
rule.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that
the deadline to determine whether the northern copperbelly water snake
(Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta) is a threatened species is being
extended to allow time for additional field surveys and data analysis.
This species now persists in isolated populations in southern Michigan
and adjacent Indiana and Ohio, as well as southern Indiana,
southeastern Illinois, and adjacent Kentucky. It occurs in lowland
swamps and adjacent woodland and upland areas. During prior comment
periods, new questions were raised by herpetologists and State
conservation departments as to the merits of including intergrades in
the listing and the sufficiency of information on the boundaries
between intergrade and pure populations. The comment period on the
proposal is reopened.
DATES: The new deadline for determining whether the northern
copperbelly water snake is a threatened species is February 18, 1995.
The comment period now closes November 1, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning this proposal should be
sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bishop Henry Whipple
Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, Minnesota 55111-4056.
Comments and materials received will be available for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above
address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Hudak, Supervisor, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, Field Office, 620 S. Walker
Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47403-2121 (phone 812/334-4261; fax 812/
334-4273).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The northern copperbelly water snake was proposed for listing as a
threatened species due to strong evidence that its range and numbers
have declined dramatically, primarily as a result of the destruction of
its habitat, and that the threats to the habitat and to the snakes are
continuing.
The Federal Register notice proposing the northern copperbelly
water snake for classification as a threatened species was published on
August 18, 1993 (58 FR 43860). During the subsequent comment period,
the Service received several letters from herpetologists and State
conservation departments regarding intergradation between N. e.
neglecta and N. e. flavigaster (yellow-bellied water snake). The latter
subspecies occurs in southwestern Illinois and in the western portions
of Kentucky and Tennessee, and also is widespread in the Gulf Coast
States and the southern Atlantic Coast States.
Where the ranges of the two subspecies come into contact there are
numerous individuals having characteristics intermediate between the
two subspecies. These individuals are referred to as intergrades. There
are also localized populations which are largely composed of
intergrades known as intergrade populations.
Some of the concerns that were expressed during the comment period
dealt with two inter-related issues: (1) the merits of including
intergrade populations and/or intergrade individuals in the listing and
thus giving them protection as threatened, and (2) the insufficiency of
currently available information on the locations of boundaries between
intergrade populations and ``pure'' populations of N. e. neglecta.
These concerns are particularly acute in southern Illinois where the
Department of Conservation believes that additional surveys are
critical to an adequate understanding of the status of N. e. neglecta
and its relationship to N. e. flavigaster. Results from these surveys
are expected to be placed on review at the Service Office listed in the
ADDRESSES section, when they become available.
The Endangered Species Act allows an extension of the normal 1-year
deadline for taking final actions on a proposal to list a species for
up to 6 months when there is a ``substantial disagreement regarding the
sufficiency or accuracy of the available data relevant to the
determination.'' The Service believes that there is substantial
disagreement regarding the status of N. e. neglecta.
In order to collect additional data on the extent and locations of
intergrade populations, to resolve questions regarding the most
appropriate taxonomic entity to protect under the Act, and to obtain
current data on the status of N. e. neglecta in Illinois, the Service
is extending the deadline for the listing determination until February
18, 1995.
The comment period on the proposed rule originally closed October
18, 1993. It was reopened March 22 and closed April 22, 1994. The
Service is reopening the comment period until November 1, 1994. Written
comments should be submitted to the Service office in the Addresses
section.
Author
The primary author of this notice is Ronald L. Refsnider, Division
of Endangered Species, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal
Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111-4056 (phone 612-725-3276; fax 612-
725-3526).
Authority: The Authority for this action is: 16 U.S.C. 1361-
1407; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544; 16 U.S.C. 4201-4245; Pub. L. 99-625, 100
Sta. 3500; unless otherwise noted.
Dated: June 30, 1994.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 94-16643 Filed 7-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
