[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 13, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31137-31138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14394]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-day Finding for 
a Petition To List the Comal Springs Salamander

agency: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

action: Notice of 90-day petition finding.

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summary: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 90-day 
finding for a petition to list the Comal Springs salamander (Eurycea 
sp.) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Service 
finds that the petition did not present substantial information 
indicating that listing this species may be warranted. The Service is 
continuing its status review of the species.

dates: The finding announced in this document was made on June 6, 1995.

addresses: Data, information, comments, or questions concerning this 
petition finding should be submitted to the Field supervisor, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Field Office, 10711 Burnet 
Road, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78758. The petition finding, supporting 
data, and comments will be available for public inspection, by 
appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

for further information contact: Lisa O'Donnell, Biologist, at the 
above address (512/490-0057).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that the Service make a 
finding on whether a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a species 
presents substantial scientific or commercial information to 
demonstrate that the petitioned action may be warranted. To the maximum 
extent practicable, this finding is to be made within 90 days of the 
date the petition was received, and notice of the finding is to be 
published promptly in the Federal Register. If the finding is that 
substantial information was presented, the Service is also required to 
promptly commence a status review of the species.
    The Service has made a negative 90-day finding on the petition to 
list the Comal Springs salamander (Eurycea sp.). The Service finds that 
the petitioner has not presented substantial information indicating 
that the requested action for this species may be warranted, as 
required under section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Act. The Service has been 
assessing the status of this taxon since its designation as a category 
2 candidate. The Comal Springs salamander is currently included in the 
Eurycea neotenes species group, which has been a category 2 candidate 
species in the Service's candidate notices of review since December 30, 
1982 (47 FR 58454). No new information was presented in the petition 
beyond that used by the Service to assign Eurycea neotenes to category 
2. Thus, the Service has determined that the Comal Springs salamander 
shall retain the Category 2 classification currently assigned to the 
Eurycea neotenes species group. Category 2 means that information now 
in possession of the Service indicates a proposal to determine 
endangered or threatened status is possibly appropriate, but conclusive 
data on biological vulnerability and threats are not currently 
available to support such a proposal.
    On June 6, 1994, the Service received a petition from Mr. David 
Whatley, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of New 
Braunfels, Texas, to add the Comal Springs salamander to the list of 
Threatened and Endangered Wildlife. The letter, dated June 3, 1994, was 
clearly identified as a petition and contained the name, signature, 
institutional affiliation, and address of the petitioner. The petition 
stated that the Comal Springs salamander is generally found in the 
Comal Springs in Landa Park and Landa Lake, and is among the several 
unique species in the Comal Springs ecosystem faced with the loss of 
its habitat due to groundwater withdrawal from the Edwards Aquifer. 
Although the Service concurs that the Comal Springs ecosystem, as well 
as other spring ecosystems of the Edwards Aquifer, faces threats from 
increased groundwater withdrawals and groundwater contamination, many 
uncertainties still exist regarding the taxonomic status of the Comal 
Springs salamander (including whether or not it represents a distinct 
population segment) and its distribution. Until these uncertainties are 
resolved, the Service believes the Comal Springs 
[[Page 31138]] salamander should remain a category 2 candidate.
    If additional data become available in the future, the Service will 
reassess the need for listing the Comal Springs salamander. As part of 
our continuing review of species on the Notice of Review, the Service 
would appreciate any additional data, information, or comments from the 
public, government agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any 
other interested party concerning the status of the Comal Springs 
salamander. In particular, the Service needs additional information to 
determine the Comal Springs salamander's taxonomic status and 
relationship to other Eurycea populations (for example, whether or not 
the Comal Springs salamander represents a distinct species or a 
distinct population segment) and if it is restricted to the Comal 
Springs ecosystem.

References Cited

Chippindale, P., D. Hillis, and A. Price. 1990. Central Texas 
Salamander Studies. Section 6 report submitted by Texas Parks and 
Wildlife Department to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal Aid 
Project No: E-1-2, Job No. 3.4.
Chippindale, P., D. Hillis, and A. Price. 1992. Central Texas 
Salamander Studies. Section 6 report submitted by Texas Parks and 
Wildlife Department to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal Aid 
Project No: E-1-3, Job No. 3.4.
Chippindale, P., D. Hillis, and A. Price. 1993. Central Texas 
Salamander Studies. Draft Section 6 report submitted by Texas Parks 
and Wildlife Department to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal 
Aid Project No: E-1-4, Job No. 3.4.
Chippindale, P., D. Hillis, and A. Price. 1994. Central Texas 
Salamander Studies. Draft Section 6 report, Part I, submitted by 
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service. Federal Aid Project No: E-1-4, Job No. 3.4.
Sweet, S. 1978. The Evolutionary Development of the Texas Eurycea. 
Unpublished Ph.D. Diss. Univ. of California Berkeley. 450 pp.
Sweet, S. 1982. A Distributional Analysis of Epigean Populations of 
Eurycea neotenes in central Texas, with comments on the origin of 
troglobitic populations. Herpetologica 38: 430-444.
    Author. The primary author of this document is Lisa O'Donnell, 
Austin Ecological Services Field Office (See ADDRESSES section).

Authority

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

    Dated: June 6, 1995.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 95-14394 Filed 6-12-95; 8:45 am]
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