[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 27, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3877-3878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2010]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AE59
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Rule to
List the San Bernardino Kangaroo Rat as Endangered; and Notice of
Public Hearing
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes to make
the provisions of the emergency rule listing the San Bernardino
kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami parvus) as an endangered species
pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act),
permanent. The historic range of the San Bernardino kangaroo rat has
been reduced by approximately 96 percent due to agricultural and urban
development. Of the remaining occupied habitat, a minimum of 90 percent
is threatened by habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to
sand and gravel mining operations, flood control projects, and urban
development. In addition, all of the remaining populations of San
Bernardino kangaroo rat are threatened by seasonal flood events due to
current restriction of the subspecies to these active flood plain
habitats. Additional data and information on the status of this animal,
which may assist the Service in making a final decision on this
proposed action, is solicited.
DATES: Comments from all interested parties must be received by March
30, 1998. A public hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 3,
1998, from 2-4 P.M. and 6-8 P.M.
ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning this proposal should be
submitted to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Carlsbad Field Office, 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, California
92008. Comments and materials received will be available for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above
address. The public hearing will be held at the San Bernardino Hilton,
285 E. Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino, California.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Field
Office, at the address listed above (telephone 760/431-9440).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
For a thorough discussion of biological information, previous
Federal action, a summary of the factors affecting the species, the
reasons why critical habitat is not being proposed, and conservation
measures available to listed and proposed species, consult the
emergency rule on the San Bernardino kangaroo rat published in this
same Federal Register, separate part.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service intends that any final action resulting from this
proposal will be as accurate and as effective as possible. Therefore,
comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned governmental
agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested
party concerning this proposed rule are hereby solicited.
[[Page 3878]]
Comments particularly are sought concerning:
(1) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning
any threat (or lack thereof) to this subspecies;
(2) The location of any additional populations of this subspecies;
(3) Additional information concerning the range, distribution, and
population size of this subspecies; and
(4) Current or planned activities in the subject area and their
possible impacts on this subspecies.
Any final decision on this proposal will take into consideration
the comments and any additional information received by the Service,
and such communications may lead to a final regulation that differs
from this proposal.
The Endangered Species Act provides for a public hearing on this
proposal, if requested. In anticipation of public interest, the Service
has scheduled a public hearing on Tuesday, March 3, 1998, at the San
Bernardino Hilton. Parties wishing to make statements for the record
should bring a copy of their statement to the hearing. Oral statements
may be limited in length if the number of parties present at the
hearing necessitates such a limitation. There are no limits to the
lengths of written comments or materials presented at the hearing or
mailed to the Service. Written comments carry the same weight as oral
comments. The comment period closes on March 30, 1998. Written comments
should be submitted to the Service Office listed in the ADDRESSES
section.
National Environmental Policy Act
The Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that an Environmental
Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement, as defined under the
authority of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, need not be
prepared in connection with regulations adopted pursuant to section
(4)(a) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. A notice
outlining the Service's reasons for this determination was published in
the Federal Register on October 25, 1983 (48 FR 49244).
Author
The primary author of this proposed rule is Arthur Davenport of the
Carlsbad Field Office (see ADDRESSES section).
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.
Proposed Regulation Promulgation
Accordingly, the Service hereby proposes to amend part 17,
subchapter B of chapter I, title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
as set forth below:
PART 17--[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 17 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544; 16 U.S.C.
4201-4245; Pub. L. 99-625, 100 Stat. 3500; unless otherwise noted.
2. Amend Sec. 17.11(h) by adding the following, in alphabetical
order under Mammals, to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
to read as follows:
Sec. 17.11 Endangered and threatened wildlife.
* * * * *
(h) * * *
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Species Vertebrate
-------------------------------------------------------- population where Critical Special
Historic range endangered or Status When listed habitat rules
Common name Scientific name threatened
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MAMMALS
* * * * * * *
Kangaroo rat, San Bernardino..... Dipodomys merriami U.S.A. (CA)........ Entire............. E 631,____ NA NA
parvus.
* * * * * * *
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Dated: January 20, 1998.
Jamie Rappaport Clark,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 98-2010 Filed 1-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P