[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 48876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23865]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AB75


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extension of 
Comment Period on Threatened Status for Copperbelly Water Snake

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides notice that 
the comment period on the proposed threatened status for the 
copperbelly water snake (Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta) is extended. 
This snake occupies portions of southern Michigan, northwestern Ohio 
and adjacent northeastern Indiana, southern Indiana, southeastern 
Illinois, and western Kentucky.

DATES: Comments from all interested parties must be received by 
November 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning this proposal should be 
sent to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 620 South Walker Street, 
Bloomington, Indiana 47403-2121.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Hudak, Field Supervisor, (see ADDRESSES section), 812/334-4261 
extension 200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    A proposed rule to list the copperbelly water snake (sometimes 
referred to as the northern copperbelly water snake) as threatened was 
published on August 18, 1993 (58 FR 43860). A public hearing on the 
proposal was held in Indianapolis on April 4, 1994. The current comment 
period began on July 16, 1996, and closes on September 16, 1996.
    On April 10, 1995, Public Law 104-06 imposed a moratorium which 
prevented the addition of any species to the Threatened and Endangered 
Species List. Thus, the Service was prevented from making a final 
decision on the proposed threatened classification of the copperbelly 
water snake. The moratorium remained in effect until April 26, 1996, at 
which time Public Law 104-134 was enacted, providing for the 
termination of the listing moratorium by the President.
    The Service is required to use the best available scientific and 
commercial data in making listing determinations under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Service's Final Listing Priority 
Guidance, published May 16, 1996, (61 FR 24722) notes that the inaction 
forced upon the Service by the moratorium and related funding 
limitations may result in a need to reopen comment periods due to 
unresolved questions or the potential for the existence of new 
information. Pursuant to this Guidance, the Service reopened the 
comment period on July 16, 1996, (61 FR 37034) for 60 days to ensure 
that the best scientific and commercial information currently available 
would be used in making a final listing determination for the 
copperbelly water snake.
    The Service has contracted for a report on the current biological 
status of the northern population (southern Michigan and the adjacent 
portions of Indiana and Ohio) of the copperbelly water snake. This 
report has not yet been completed. Due to the expected importance of 
this updated information in evaluating the status of the northern 
populations, the Service is extending the current comment period so 
that the report will be available and reviewed by the Service prior to 
making a final listing decision. Parties wishing to receive a copy of 
the northern population report were asked, in the July 16, 1996, 
Federal Register notice, to furnish their address to the Service; 
copies of the report will be sent to those parties when the report is 
received by the Service.
    During this comment period the Service has been working with 
representatives of the coal industry, the Farm Bureau Federation, State 
fish and wildlife resource agencies, and State surface mining 
regulatory agencies to develop conservation plans for the copperbelly 
water snake and its habitat in Illinois, Kentucky, and southern 
Indiana. These efforts have been productive and will be continued 
during the extended comment period. The scope and success of these and 
other conservation actions will be taken into consideration when the 
Service makes its final listing decision.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Ronald L. Refsnider, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Division of Endangered Species, Bishop Henry 
Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 
55111-4056 (612-725-3536).

Authority

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

    Dated: September 12, 1996.
John A. Blankenship,
Acting Regional Director, Region 3, Ft. Snelling, MN.
[FR Doc. 96-23865 Filed 9-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M