[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