[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]
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