[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 86 (Monday, May 5, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24387-24388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11567]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extension of 
Comment Period and Notice of Public Hearings on Proposed Endangered 
Status for the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus Hudsonius Preblei)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearings and extension of 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides notice that 
public hearings will be held on the proposed determination of 
endangered status for the Preble's meadow jumping mouse (Zapus 
hudsonius preblei). To accommodate the public hearings, the comment 
period on the proposal will be extended. The Preble's meadow jumping 
mouse, a small rodent of the family Zapodidae, is known to occur only 
in four counties in Colorado and two counties in Wyoming. All 
interested parties are invited to submit comments on this proposal.

DATES: Public hearings will be held as follows: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on 
Monday, May 19, 1997, in Cheyenne, Wyoming; 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on 
Wednesday, May 21, 1997, in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and, 7:00 to 
9:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, 1997, in Denver, Colorado. Registration 
will begin one hour prior to each hearing. Comments will be accepted 
until July 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held at the following locations: 
the Laramie County Library, 2800 Central Avenue, Cheyenne, Wyoming; the 
3rd Floor Hearing Room, El Paso County Office Building, 27 East 
Vermijo, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and, the Hunter Education 
Classroom, Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, 
Colorado. Written comments and materials should be sent to the Colorado 
Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486, 
Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225. Comments and materials 
received will be available for inspection, by appointment, during 
normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Colorado 
Field Office, 755 Parfet Street, Suite 361, Lakewood, Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LeRoy W. Carlson, Colorado Field Supervisor, telephone 303/275-2370 
(see ADDRESSES section).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Preble's meadow jumping mouse, a small rodent in the family 
Zapodidae, is known to occur in only four counties in Colorado and two 
counties in Wyoming. Historical surveys document its former presence in 
five additional counties in Colorado and three additional counties in 
Wyoming. The Preble's meadow jumping mouse lives primarily in heavily 
vegetated riparian habitats. Habitat loss and degradation caused by 
agricultural, residential, commercial, and industrial development 
imperil its continued existence. This proposal, if made final, would 
extend protection of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) to the Preble's meadow jumping mouse.
    On March 25, 1997, the Service published a proposed rule (62 FR 
14093) to list the Preble's meadow jumping mouse as an endangered 
species without critical habitat.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service has scheduled hearings on May 19, 21, and 22, 1997, 
with registration beginning 1 hour prior to each hearing (see DATES and 
ADDRESSES above). Anyone wishing to make an oral statement for the 
record is encouraged to provide a written copy of their statement to be 
presented to the Service at the start of the hearing. In the event that 
there is a large audience, the time allotted for oral statements may 
have to be limited.
    Oral and written statements concerning the proposed rule will 
receive equal consideration by the Service. There are no limits to the 
length of written comments presented at the hearing or mailed to the 
Service. Comments particularly are sought concerning:
    (1) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning 
any threat (or lack thereof) to the Preble's meadow jumping mouse;
    (2) The location of any additional populations of the Preble's 
meadow jumping mouse;

[[Page 24388]]

    (3) Additional information concerning the range, distribution, and 
population size of the species; and
    (4) Current or planed activities which may adversely affect known 
populations of Preble's.
    Legal notices and news releases announcing the date, time, and 
location of the hearings are being published in newspapers concurrently 
with this Federal Register notice.
    The previous comment period on this proposal is scheduled to close 
on May 27, 1997. To accommodate these hearings, the Service extends the 
comment period. Written comments may now be submitted until July 28, 
1997, to the Service office identified in the ADDRESSES section above. 
All comments must be received before the close of the comment period to 
be considered.
    Author: The author of this notice is Peter Plage, Colorado Field 
Office (see ADDRESSES above), telephone 303/275-2370.

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

    Dated: April 28, 1997.
Terry T. Terrell,
Deputy Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 97-11567 Filed 5-2-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M