[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 240 (Thursday, December 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30772]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 15, 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; Reopening of 
Comment Period on the Proposal To List the Northern Copperbelly Water 
Snake (Nerodia Erythrogaster Neglecta) as a Threatened Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that 
the comment period on the proposal is reopened. The northern 
copperbelly water snake now persists in isolated populations in 
southern Michigan and adjacent Indiana and Ohio, southern Indiana, 
southeastern Illinois, and adjacent Kentucky. It occupies lowland 
swamps and adjacent wooded and upland areas. The Service has recently 
received several reports dealing with northern copperbelly water snake 
biology, and these reports are being made available for public review 
and comment. The reopened comment period will allow interested parties 
to review these studies and submit additional comments on the proposed 
rule.

DATES: The comment period on the proposal will close on January 13, 
1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials should be sent to the 
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bishop Henry Whipple 
Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111-4056. 
Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection 
during normal business hours, by appointment, at the above Regional 
Office address (612/725-3276; fax 612/725-3526).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or copies of 
the referenced reports contact either the above office or David Hudak, 
Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services Field 
Office, 620 S. Walker Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47403-2121 (812/334-
4261; fax 812/334-4273).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The northern copperbelly water snake has been proposed for listing 
as a threatened species due to 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 
themselves are continuing.
    The Federal Register notice announcing the proposing of the 
northern copperbelly water snake for classification as a threatened 
species was published on August 18, 1993 (58 FR 43860). The original 
comment period ended on October 18, but was subsequently extended until 
November 16, 1993 (58 FR 52740). The comment period was reopened from 
March 22 through April 21, 1994 (59 FR 13472), to encompass a requested 
public hearing that was held in Indianapolis on April 5, 1994. On July 
11, 1994 (59 FR 35307), the Service published a notice indicating that 
the final decision on listing the snake as a threatened species would 
not be made by August 18, 1994, and extended the decision deadline 
until February 18, 1995. That notice also reopened the comment period 
until November 1, 1994.
    The decision on listing the snake as a threatened species was 
delayed to allow additional time to complete a field study in southern 
Illinois. The study was designed to address a concern expressed by the 
Illinois Department of Conservation regarding interbreeding between the 
northern copperbelly water snake (N. e. neglecta) and the more common 
yellowbelly water snake (N. e. flavigaster). The Service believed that 
determining the extent and location of intergradation between the two 
subspecies was sufficiently important to delay the listing decision.
    The results of that study (Brandon and Blanford 1994) have now been 
submitted to the Service and will be utilized in the listing decision 
for the snake. The Service also has received a status survey of the 
northern copperbelly water snake in western Kentucky (Bryan 1994) and 
an update of an ongoing study on the snake's movement patterns based on 
radiotelemetry work (Kingsbury 1994). Information from these studies 
will also be considered during the Service's decision whether or not to 
list the snake as a threatened species. The Service is notifying the 
public of the existence of these studies, and will provide copies of 
them to all individuals and organizations that request them. The 
Service encourages all parties interested in the northern copperbelly 
water snake to review the studies and provide comments to the address 
shown above.

References Cited

Brandon, Ronald A. 1994. Research concerning the current 
distribution, habitat requirements, and hibernation sites of the 
copperbelly water snake (Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta) and 
intergradation with the yellowbelly water snake (Nerodia 
erythrogaster flavigaster)--Preliminary report: Current distribution 
and intergradation. Unpublished report, dated October 25, 1994, 
submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Building, 
Ft. Snelling, MN 55111.
Bryan, Hal D. 1994. A status survey for the copperbelly water snake 
Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta in western Kentucky. Unpublished 
report, dated November 1994, submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Federal Building, Ft. Snelling, MN 55111.
Kingsbury, Bruce 1994. Letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
dated November 20, 1994.

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.

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: December 6, 1994.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 94-30772 Filed 12-14-94; 8:45 am]
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