[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 203 (Thursday, October 19, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 62690-62691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26704]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AG32


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extending of 
Comment Period on Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for the 
California Red-Legged Frog (Rana aurora draytonii).

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice of 
the extension of the comment period on the proposed rule to designate 
critical habitat for the California Red-Legged Frog (Rana aurora 
draytonii). The extension of the comment period will be for 30 
additional days. The extension of the comment period will allow all 
interested parties to submit written comments on the proposal. We are 
seeking comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned 
governmental agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other 
interested parties concerning the proposed rule. Comments already 
submitted on the proposed rule need not be resubmitted as they will be 
fully considered in the final determination.

DATES: The comment period for this proposal now closes on November 20, 
2000. Any comments received by the closing date will be considered in 
the final decision on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning this proposal should be 
sent to the Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-2605, Sacramento, 
California 95825. Comments and materials received will be available for 
public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
above address.
    If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments and materials 
concerning this proposal by any one of several methods.
    1. You may submit written comments and information to the Field 
Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-2605, Sacramento, California 95825.
    2. You may also send comments by electronic mail (e-mail) to 
[email protected]. See the Public Comments Solicited section below for

[[Page 62691]]

file format and other information about electronic filing.
    3. You may hand-deliver comments to our Sacramento Fish and 
Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Suite W. 2605, Sacramento, California 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Curt McCasland or Stephanie Brady, at 
the above address, phone 916-414-6600, facsimile 916-414-6710.
    For information about Monterey, Los Angeles, San Benito, San Luis 
Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Ventura counties, contact Diane 
Noda, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
2394 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003 (telephone 805/
644-1766; facsimile 805/644-3958).
    For information about areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los 
Angeles County or Riverside and San Diego counties, contact Ken Berg, 
Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2730 
Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, California 92008 (telephone 760/431-9440; 
facsimile 760/431-9624).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments from the public regarding the 
accuracy of this proposed rule are sought, especially regarding:
    (1) The reasons why any habitat should or should not be determined 
to be critical habitat for California red-legged frogs as provided by 
section 4 of the Act, including whether the benefits of designation 
will outweigh any benefits of exclusion;
    (2) Specific information on the distribution of California red-
legged frogs, the amount and distribution of the species' habitat, and 
what habitat is essential to the conservation of the species, and why;
    (3) Land use practices and current or planned activities in the 
subject areas and their possible impacts on proposed critical habitat;
    (4) Any foreseeable economic or other impacts resulting from the 
proposed designation of critical habitat, including, in particular, any 
impacts on small entities or families; and
    (5) Economic and other values associated with designating critical 
habitat for California red-legged frogs, such as those derived from 
nonconsumptive uses (e.g., hiking, camping, bird-watching, enhanced 
watershed protection, improved air quality, increased soil retention, 
``existence values'', and reductions in administrative costs).

Background

    On September 11, 2000, the Service published a proposed rule to 
designate critical habitat for the California Red-legged frog in the 
Federal Register (65 FR 54892). The original comment period closed on 
October 11, 2000. The comment period now closes on November 20, 2000. 
Written comments should be submitted to the Service (see ADDRESSES 
section).
    Approximately 2,175,000 hectares (5,373,650 acres) of land fall 
within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. 
Specifically, aquatic and upland areas where suitable breeding and 
nonbreeding habitat is interspersed throughout the landscape and is 
interconnected by unfragmented dispersal habitat are areas proposed as 
critical habitat. Proposed critical habitat is located in Alameda, 
Butte, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, 
Marin, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Plumas, Riverside, San Benito, 
San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, 
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tehama, 
Tuolumne, Ventura, and Yuba counties, California. Critical habitat 
receives protection from destruction or adverse modification through 
required consultation under section 7 of the Act with regard to actions 
carried out, funded, or authorized by a Federal agency. Section 4 of 
the Act requires us to consider economic and other relevant impacts 
when specifying any particular area as critical habitat.
    The comment period on this proposal now closes on November 20, 
2000. Written comments should be submitted to the Service office listed 
in the ADDRESSES section.
    Author: The primary authors of this notice are Curt McCasland and 
Stephanie Brady (see ADDRESSES section).

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

    Dated: October 12, 2000.
Elizabeth H. Stevens,
Acting Manager.
[FR Doc. 00-26704 Filed 10-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P