[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 29, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15740]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 29, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AB97

 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public 
Hearing and Extension of Public Comment Period on Proposed Endangered 
Status for Three Insects From the Santa Cruz Mountains of California

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearing and extension of public 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531), as amended (Act), 
gives notice that a public hearing will be held on the proposed 
endangered status for the Mount Hermon June beetle (Polyphylla 
barbata), Zayante band-winged grasshopper (Trimerotropis infantilis), 
and Santa Cruz rain beetle (Pleocoma conjugens conjugens), and that the 
comment period is extended. The Service will allow all interested 
parties to submit oral and written comments on the proposal during the 
hearing and comment period. A proposed rule for these species was 
published in the Federal Register on May 10, 1994 (59 FR 24112).

DATES: The comment period on the proposal is extended until August 1, 
1994. The public hearing will be held from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, 
July 18, 1994, in Santa Cruz, California. 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 Santa Cruz County 
Government Center, 701 Ocean Street, Board of Supervisors Chambers, 
Room 525, Santa Cruz, California. Written comments and materials 
concerning this proposal should be sent to the Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2140 Eastman Avenue, Suite 100, Ventura, 
California 93003. Comments and materials received will be available for 
public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carl Benz at the Ventura Field Office (see ADDRESSES Section), 
(telephone 805-644-1766).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Mount Hermon June beetle is a small scarab beetle with a black 
head, dark blackish-brown front wings clothed with scattered long hair, 
and striped body. The Zayante band-winged grasshopper is a small 
grasshopper with a pale gray to light-brown body and forewings, and 
with dark crossbands on the forewings. The Santa Cruz rain beetle is a 
large beetle, shining reddish-brown to blackish in color, and the 
ventral surface of the body is clothed with long hair. Females are 
longer and fatter than males, chestnut colored, and lack functional 
wings. Historical habitat for these three species occurred in patches 
and totalled about 500 acres. With the exception of two sightings, all 
known localities for the three species are within a 20-square-mile 
range. Recent human activities in the Santa Cruz Mountains have 
resulted in the loss, fragmentation, and degradation of over 50 percent 
of their habitat. These three insects are threatened by urban 
development, recreational use, sand mining, agricultural activities, 
and change in the frequency of natural fires.
    Subsection 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act requires that a public hearing be 
held if it is requested within 45 days of the publication of a proposed 
rule. In response to the proposed rule, the Service received one 
request for a public hearing from William Hazeltine, Environmental 
Consultant, Oroville, California. As a result, the Service has 
scheduled a public hearing on Monday, July 18, 1994, from 6:30 to 8:00 
p.m., at the Santa Cruz County Government Center, Santa Cruz, 
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. However, no limits exist for written 
comments or materials presented at the hearing or mailed to the 
Service. The comment period closes on August 1, 1994. Written comments 
should be submitted to the Service office identified in the ADDRESSES 
section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Carl Benz, Ventura Field 
Office (see ADDRESSES section).

Authority

    The authority for this section is the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1361-1407; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544; 16 U.S.C. 4201-4245; Pub. L. 
99-625, 100 Stat. 3500; unless otherwise noted.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

    Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, and Transportation.

    Dated: June 23, 1994.
David L. McMullen,
Acting Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 94-15740 Filed 6-28-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M