[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 48876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23865]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AB75
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extension of
Comment Period on Threatened Status for Copperbelly Water Snake
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides notice that
the comment period on the proposed threatened status for the
copperbelly water snake (Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta) is extended.
This snake occupies portions of southern Michigan, northwestern Ohio
and adjacent northeastern Indiana, southern Indiana, southeastern
Illinois, and western Kentucky.
DATES: Comments from all interested parties must be received by
November 15, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning this proposal should be
sent to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 620 South Walker Street,
Bloomington, Indiana 47403-2121.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Hudak, Field Supervisor, (see ADDRESSES section), 812/334-4261
extension 200.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
A proposed rule to list the copperbelly water snake (sometimes
referred to as the northern copperbelly water snake) as threatened was
published on August 18, 1993 (58 FR 43860). A public hearing on the
proposal was held in Indianapolis on April 4, 1994. The current comment
period began on July 16, 1996, and closes on September 16, 1996.
On April 10, 1995, Public Law 104-06 imposed a moratorium which
prevented the addition of any species to the Threatened and Endangered
Species List. Thus, the Service was prevented from making a final
decision on the proposed threatened classification of the copperbelly
water snake. The moratorium remained in effect until April 26, 1996, at
which time Public Law 104-134 was enacted, providing for the
termination of the listing moratorium by the President.
The Service is required to use the best available scientific and
commercial data in making listing determinations under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Service's Final Listing Priority
Guidance, published May 16, 1996, (61 FR 24722) notes that the inaction
forced upon the Service by the moratorium and related funding
limitations may result in a need to reopen comment periods due to
unresolved questions or the potential for the existence of new
information. Pursuant to this Guidance, the Service reopened the
comment period on July 16, 1996, (61 FR 37034) for 60 days to ensure
that the best scientific and commercial information currently available
would be used in making a final listing determination for the
copperbelly water snake.
The Service has contracted for a report on the current biological
status of the northern population (southern Michigan and the adjacent
portions of Indiana and Ohio) of the copperbelly water snake. This
report has not yet been completed. Due to the expected importance of
this updated information in evaluating the status of the northern
populations, the Service is extending the current comment period so
that the report will be available and reviewed by the Service prior to
making a final listing decision. Parties wishing to receive a copy of
the northern population report were asked, in the July 16, 1996,
Federal Register notice, to furnish their address to the Service;
copies of the report will be sent to those parties when the report is
received by the Service.
During this comment period the Service has been working with
representatives of the coal industry, the Farm Bureau Federation, State
fish and wildlife resource agencies, and State surface mining
regulatory agencies to develop conservation plans for the copperbelly
water snake and its habitat in Illinois, Kentucky, and southern
Indiana. These efforts have been productive and will be continued
during the extended comment period. The scope and success of these and
other conservation actions will be taken into consideration when the
Service makes its final listing decision.
Author
The primary author of this notice is Ronald L. Refsnider, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Division of Endangered Species, Bishop Henry
Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota
55111-4056 (612-725-3536).
Authority
Authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: September 12, 1996.
John A. Blankenship,
Acting Regional Director, Region 3, Ft. Snelling, MN.
[FR Doc. 96-23865 Filed 9-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
