[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 176 (Monday, September 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49497-49498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23510]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice to Reopen the Public Comment Period for the Draft Recovery 
Plan for the Giant Garter Snake (Thamnophis gigas)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of reopening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives notice that the 
comment period announced in the July 2, 1999 (64 FR 36033), notice of 
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Giant Garter Snake 
(Thamnophis gigas) will be reopened for an additional 30 days. 
Substantial public interest in the draft plan led the Service to 
distribute additional copies and to provide additional opportunities 
for the public to comment on the plan. This draft recovery plan 
contains recovery criteria and actions for threatened giant garter 
snake. Additional species of concern that will benefit from recovery 
actions taken for the giant garter snake are also discussed in the 
draft plan. The Service reopens the comment period and solicits review 
and comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATE: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by October 13, 1999 
will be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and 
Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, California 
(telephone (916) 414-6600); and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Regional Office, Ecological Services, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Eastside 
Federal Complex,

[[Page 49498]]

Portland, Oregon 97232-4181 (telephone (503) 231-2071). Requests for 
copies of the draft recovery plan and written comments and materials 
regarding this plan should be addressed to Wayne S. White, Field 
Supervisor, Ecological Services, at the above Sacramento address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Elam, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above Sacramento address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point 
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species 
program. To help guide recovery efforts, the Service is working to 
prepare recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the 
United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for 
the conservation of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or 
delisting listed species, and estimate time and cost for implementing 
the recovery measures needed. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (Act), requires the development of 
recovery plans for listed species unless such a plan would not promote 
the conservation of a particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act as 
amended in 1988 requires that public notice and an opportunity for 
public review and comment be provided during recovery plan development. 
The Service will consider all information presented during the public 
comment period prior to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. 
Substantive technical comments will result in changes to the plan. 
Substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation may not 
necessarily result in changes to the recovery plan, but will be 
forwarded to appropriate Federal or other entities so that they can 
take these comments into account during the course of implementing 
recovery actions. Individualized responses to comments will not be 
provided.
    The giant garter snake is an endemic species of wetlands in the 
Central Valley of California. Historically, giant garter snakes were 
found in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys from the vicinity of 
Butte County southward to Buena Vista Lake, near Bakersfield in Kern 
County. Today, populations of the giant garter snake are found in the 
Sacramento Valley and isolated portions of the San Joaquin Valley. They 
historically inhabited natural wetlands and now occupy a variety of 
agricultural, managed, and natural wetlands including their waterways 
and adjacent uplands. This species is threatened by historic wetland 
habitat loss and resulting habitat fragmentation, and by continuing 
urban expansion. The objective of this draft recovery plan is to delist 
the giant garter snake through implementation of a variety of recovery 
measures including (1) habitat protection; (2) public participation, 
outreach and education; (3) habitat management and restoration; (4) 
surveying and monitoring; and (5) research.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the draft recovery plan 
described. All comments received by the date specified above will be 
considered prior to approval of this plan.

    Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the 
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

    Dated: September 3, 1999.
Elizabeth H. Stevens,
Acting Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. 99-23510 Filed 9-10-99; 8:45 am]
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