[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 170 (Friday, August 30, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 45931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-22139]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AC63


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of 
Comment Period on Proposed Threatened Status for Helianthus Eggertii 
(Eggert's Sunflower) in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service provides notice that the comment 
period is reopened on a proposal to list Helianthus eggertii (Eggert's 
sunflower) as threatened, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (Act), as amended. The Service is reopening the comment period on 
this proposal to allow members of the public to submit comments on this 
proposal.

DATES: The comment period on this proposal is extended until September 
30, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials concerning the proposal 
should be sent to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
160 Zillicoa Street, Asheville, North Carolina, 28801. Comments and 
materials received will be available for public inspection, by 
appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J. Allen Ratzlaff at the above address 
(telephone 704/258-3939, ext. 229, fax 704/258-5330).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 9, 1994, the Service proposed to add Eggert's 
sunflower to the list of endangered and threatened plants (59 FR 174). 
At that time, Eggert's sunflower was known from 24 populations in 13 
counties--in Alabama, one population in Blount County; in Kentucky, one 
population from the Edmonson/Barren County line, and one additional 
population from each of those counties, one population from Grayson 
County, and four populations from Hart County; in Tennessee, one 
population each in Dickson, Franklin, Lewis, Marion, Maury, and 
Williamson Counties, four in Lawrence County, and five in Coffee 
County. Since the closing of the comment period on November 8, 1994, 
ten additional populations have been discovered--nine within the 
counties listed above and one new population in Hardin County, 
Kentucky. The current range and distribution of the species is now--in 
Alabama, one population in Blount County; in Kentucky, one population 
from Grayson and Hardin Counties, two populations from Edmonson and 
Barren Counties, and seven populations from Hart County; in Tennessee, 
one population each in Dickson, Marion, and Williamson Counties, two in 
Franklin (and part of a third) and Maury Counties, three in Lewis 
County, four in Lawrence County, and six in Coffee County. Over half of 
the known populations are very small (less than 500 square meters) and 
many are even smaller (less than 300 square meters).
    A moratorium on listing actions (Public Law 104-6) took effect 
April 10, 1995, and prevented the Service from making a final decision 
on this proposal by the August 1995 administrative deadline. The 
moratorium was lifted on April 26, 1996, when the appropriation for the 
Department of the Interior for the remainder of fiscal year 1996 was 
enacted into law. In a Federal Register document published on May 16, 
1996 (61 FR 24722), the Service outlined in detail the history of the 
moratorium and indicated the priorities it would follow in eliminating 
the listing program backlog resulting from the moratorium. Preparation 
of the final rule for this proposed species is considered a Tier 2 
priority--processing final decisions on proposed listings. For more 
information on the moratorium and the priority for backlogged listing 
actions, refer to the May 15, 1996, Federal Register notice.
    The Service does not believe that the new distributional 
information has changed the status of the species. However, we are 
reopening the comment period on the proposed rule to solicit comments 
on this new information and request any additional information on 
scientific studies conducted since the comment period last closed on 
November 8, 1994. The Service hereby announces reopening of the comment 
period until September 30, 1996.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is J. Allen Ratzlaff, Asheville 
Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 160 Zillicoa Street, 
Asheville, North Carolina, 28801 (704/258-3939, ext. 229., fax 704/258-
5330).

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

    Dated: August 22, 1996.
Richard A. Ivarie,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region, Fish and Wildlife Service
[FR Doc. 96-22139 Filed 8-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P