[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51129-51131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19705]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2012-0035; 4500030113]
RIN 1018-AY22


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 6-Month Extension 
of Final Determination for the Listing of the Georgetown Salamander and 
Salado Salamander

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 
6-month extension of the final determination of whether to list the 
Georgetown salamander (Eurycea naufragia) and Salado salamander 
(Eurycea chisholmensis) as endangered or threatened species, and we 
reopen the comment period on the proposed rule to list these species. 
We are taking this action based on our finding that there is 
substantial disagreement regarding the sufficiency or accuracy of the 
available data relevant to our determination regarding the proposed 
listing rule, making it necessary to solicit additional information by 
reopening the comment period for 30 days.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published August 22, 
2012, at 77 FR 50768, is reopened. We will consider all comments 
received or postmarked on or before September 19, 2013. If you comment 
using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES), you must submit 
your comment by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.

[[Page 51130]]


ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by one of the following 
methods:
    (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R2-ES-2012-0035, 
which is the docket number for the proposed listing rule. Then, in the 
Search panel on the left side of the screen, under the Document Type 
heading, check on the Proposed Rules link to locate this document. You 
may submit a comment by clicking on ``Comment Now!''
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public 
Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2012-0035; Division of Policy and 
Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N Fairfax 
Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.
    We request that you send comments only by the methods described 
above. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide 
us (see the Public Comments section below for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Zerrenner, Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin Ecological Services Field Office, 
10711 Burnet Rd, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78758; by telephone 512-490-
0057; or by facsimile 512-490-0974. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On August 22, 2012, we published in the Federal Register a proposed 
rule (77 FR 50768) to list the Austin blind salamander (Eurycea 
waterlooensis), Georgetown salamander (Eurycea naufragia), Jollyville 
Plateau salamander (Eurycea tonkawae), and Salado salamander (Eurycea 
chisholmensis) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). For a description of 
previous Federal actions concerning these salamanders, please refer to 
the proposed rule. That proposal had a 60-day comment period, ending 
October 22, 2012. We held a public meeting and hearing in Round Rock, 
Texas, on September 5, 2012, and a second public meeting and hearing in 
Austin, Texas, on September 6, 2012. On January 25, 2013, we reopened 
the public comment period on the August 22, 2012, proposed listing and 
critical habitat designation; announced the availability of a draft 
economic analysis; and published an amended required determinations 
section of the proposal (78 FR 5385).
    Section 4(b)(6) of the Act and its implementing regulation, 50 CFR 
424.17(a), requires that we take one of three actions within 1 year of 
a proposed listing: (1) Finalize the proposed listing; (2) withdraw the 
proposed listing; or (3) extend the final determination by not more 
than 6 months, if there is substantial disagreement among scientists 
knowledgeable about the species regarding the sufficiency or accuracy 
of the available data relevant to the determination, for the purposes 
of soliciting additional data.
    Since the publication of the proposed rule for the Georgetown and 
Salado salamanders, there has been substantial disagreement regarding: 
(1) The short- and long-term population trends of these two species; 
(2) the interpretation of water quality and quantity degradation 
information as it relates to the status of these two species; and (3) 
the effectiveness of conservation practices and regulatory mechanisms. 
This has led to significant disagreement regarding the current 
conservation status of the Georgetown and Salado salamanders.
    Therefore, in consideration of the disagreements surrounding the 
status of the Georgetown and Salado salamanders, we are extending the 
final listing determination for 6 months in order to solicit 
information that will help to clarify these issues. Consequently, our 
final determination on the critical habitat designation for the 
Georgetown and Salado salamanders will be delayed until we make a final 
listing determination for these species. Elsewhere in today's Federal 
Register, we published final listing and critical habitat 
determinations for the Austin blind and Jollyville Plateau salamanders.

Public Comments

    We will accept written comments and information during this 
reopened comment period on our proposed listing for the Georgetown and 
Salado salamanders that was published in the Federal Register on August 
22, 2012 (77 FR 50768). We will consider information and 
recommendations from all interested parties. We intend that any final 
action resulting from the proposals be as accurate as possible and 
based on the best available scientific and commercial data.
    In consideration of the disagreements surrounding the data used to 
support the proposed rulemaking, we are extending the final 
determination for 6 months in order to solicit information that will 
help to clarify these issues. We are particularly interested in new 
information and comments regarding:
    (1) Survey information and population estimates of the Georgetown 
and Salado salamanders.
    (2) Data on water quality and quantity as it relates to the status 
of these two species.
    (3) Effectiveness of conservation practices; we particularly 
request comments or information to help us assess the certainty that 
rangewide conservation efforts will be effective in conserving the 
Georgetown and Salado salamanders.
    (4) Information on existing regulatory mechanisms that may provide 
protection to the Georgetown and Salado salamanders and their habitats.
    If you previously submitted comments or information on the proposed 
listing rule, please do not resubmit them. We have incorporated them 
into the public record, and we will fully consider them in the 
preparation of our final determination. Our final determination 
concerning this proposed listing will take into consideration all 
written comments and any additional information we receive.
    You may submit your comments and materials concerning the proposed 
rule by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We request that you 
send comments only by the methods described in ADDRESSES.
    If you submit a comment via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire 
comment--including any personal identifying information--will be posted 
on the Web site. We will post all hardcopy comments on http://www.regulations.gov as well. If you submit a hardcopy comment that 
includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top 
of your document that we withhold this information from public review. 
However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we used in preparing the proposed rule, will be available 
for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-
R2-ES-2012-0035, or by appointment, during normal business hours, at 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin Ecological Services Field 
Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). You may obtain copies of 
the proposed rule on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov at 
Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2012-0035, or by mail from the Austin Ecological 
Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

[[Page 51131]]

Authority

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

    Dated: August 5, 2013.
Dan Ashe,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-19705 Filed 8-19-13; 8:45 am]
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