[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 101 (Thursday, May 26, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12846]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 26, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AC22
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of
Comment Period and Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Endangered
Status for the Barton Springs Salamander
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearing and reopening of
comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides notice that a
public hearing will be held on the proposed determination of endangered
status for the Barton Springs salamander (Eurycea sosorum) and that the
comment period on the proposal is reopened. This salamander is found
only in Barton Springs, Travis County, Texas. All interested parties
are invited to submit comments on this proposal.
DATES: the public hearing will be held in two sessions, from 1 p.m. to
4:30 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., on June 16, 1994, in Austin,
Texas. The comment period, which originally closed on April 18, 1994,
has been reopened and now closes on July 1, 1994. The Service will
accept comments received between April 18, 1994 and July 1, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Both sessions of the public hearing will be held at the
Lyndon Baines Johnson Auditorium, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
Complex, 2315 Red River Street, University of Texas campus, Austin,
Texas. Written comments and materials should be sent to the Field
Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 611
East 6th Street, room 407, Austin, Texas 78701. Comments and materials
received will be available for public inspection, by appointment,
during normal business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lisa O'Donnell, Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin
Ecological Services Field Office, at the above address (telephone 512/
482-5436).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Baron Springs salamander is completely aquatic and currently
known only from Barton Springs in Travis County, Texas. The salamander
is threatened by contamination of the waters that feed Barton Springs,
reduced groundwater supplies, and disturbances to its surface habitat
in the pools where it is found (such as use of chemicals and high
pressure hoses for pool cleaning).
On February 17, 1994, the Service published a proposed rule in the
Federal Register (59 FR 7968) to list the Barton Springs salamander as
endangered under the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act requires that a
public hearing be held if requested within 45 days of the proposal's
publication in the Federal Register. The first public hearing request
received within the allotted time period came from Mr. Jon Beall,
President of the Save Barton Creek Association, Austin, Texas. Several
other hearing requests were subsequently received.
The Service has scheduled the requested hearing in two sessions,
from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., on June 16, 1994,
at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Auditorium, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
Complex, 2315 Red River Street, University of Texas campus, Austin,
Texas. Anyone wishing to make an oral statement for the record is
encouraged to provide a written copy of their statement at the start of
the hearing. So that everyone has the opportunity to make an oral
statement, each person who wishes to do so should make their statement
at only one of the sessions. In the event there is a large attendance,
the time allotted for oral statements may have to be limited. Oral and
written statements receive equal consideration. There are no limits to
the length of written comments presented at this hearing or mailed to
the Service.
The comment period on the proposed rule originally closed on April
18, 1994. The Service finds that good cause exists to reopen the
comment period to accommodate the hearing. Written comments may now be
submitted until July 1, 1994, to the Service office in the ADDRESS
section. The Service will also accept comments received between April
18, 1994, and the publication date of this notice.
Author
The primary author of this notice is Lisa O'Donnell (see
ADDRESSES).
Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.1531 et seq.).
Dated: May 20, 1994.
John Cross,
Acting Regional Director, Region 2, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 94-12846 Filed 5-25-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M