[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 58 (Friday, March 24, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 15887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7169]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AF81


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of 
Comment Period and Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Rule To List 
the Santa Barbara County Distinct Population of the California Tiger 
Salamander as Endangered

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period and notice of public 
hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice of a 
public hearing on the proposed rule to list the Santa Barbara distinct 
population of the California tiger salamander. In addition, the comment 
period which originally closed on March 20, 2000, will be reopened. The 
new comment period and hearing will allow all interested parties to 
submit oral or written comments on the proposal.

DATES: The comment period for this proposal now closes on May 4, 2000. 
Any comments received by the closing date will be considered in the 
final decision on this proposal. The public hearing will be held from 
6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on April 20, 2000, in Santa Maria, 
California.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Santa Maria Inn, 801 
South Broadway, Santa Maria, California. Written comments and materials 
should be sent to Diane Noda, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, 
Ventura, California 93003. Comments and materials received will be 
available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business 
hours at the above Service address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl Benz, at the above Ventura, 
California address, phone 805-644-1766, facsimile 805-644-3958.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  

Background

    On January 19, 2000, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) 
published a notice in the Federal Register (65 FR 3110) proposing to 
list the Santa Barbara County distinct vertebrate population segment of 
the California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense, as endangered 
pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended (Act). 
An emergency rule listing the population was published concurrently in 
the same issue of the Federal Register. The Santa Barbara County 
population segment of the California tiger salamander is endemic to low 
elevation (typically below 300 meters (1,000 feet)) vernal pools and 
seasonal ponds and the surrounding grasslands, oak woodlands, and 
coastal scrub of Santa Barbara County, California; and is imperiled 
primarily by habitat loss from conversion of natural habitat to 
intensive agriculture and urban development, habitat fragmentation, and 
agricultural contaminants.
    Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires 
that a public hearing be held if it is requested within 45 days of the 
publication of a proposed rule. In response to three such requests, the 
Service will hold a public hearing on the date and at address described 
in the DATES and ADDRESSES sections above.
    Anyone wishing to make an oral statement for the record is 
encouraged to provide a written copy of their statement and present it 
to the Service at the hearing. In the event there is a large 
attendance, the time allotted for oral statements may be limited. Oral 
and written statements receive equal consideration. There are no limits 
to the length of written comments presented at the hearing or mailed to 
the Service. Legal notices announcing the date, time, and location of 
the hearing will be published in newspapers concurrently with the 
Federal Register notice.
    Comments from the public regarding the accuracy of this proposed 
rule are sought, especially regarding:
    (1) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning 
any threat (or lack thereof) to the species listed above;
    (2) The location of any additional populations of the species and 
the reasons why any habitat should or should not be determined to be 
critical habitat as provided by section 4 of the Act;
    (3) Additional information concerning the range, distribution, and 
population sizes of the species; and
    (4) Current or planned activities in the subject area and their 
possible impacts on the species.
    Reopening of the comment period will enable the Service to respond 
to the request for a public hearing on the proposed action. The comment 
period on this proposal now closes on May 4, 2000. Written comments 
should be submitted to the Service office listed in the ADDRESSES 
section.
    Author: The primary author of this notice is Carl Benz (see 
ADDRESSES).

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).

Elizabeth H. Stevens,
Acting Manager--California/Nevada Operations Office.
[FR Doc. 00-7169 Filed 3-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P