[Federal Register: March 25, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 57)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 14414-14415]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25mr98-36]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AE38
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public
Hearings and Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Rule to List the
Flatwoods Salamander as Threatened
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearings and reopening of
comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended, gives notice that two
public hearings will be held on its proposal to list the flatwoods
salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum) as a threatened species. The Service
also announces the reopening of the comment period for this action. The
public hearings and the reopening of the comment period will allow
additional comments on this proposal to be submitted from all
interested parties.
DATES: The first public hearing will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. on April
14, 1998, in Savannah, Georgia. The second public hearing will be held
on the evening of April 15, 1998, from 7 to 10 p.m. in Tallahassee,
Florida. The comment period on the proposal, which originally closed on
February 17, 1998, is now reopened until June 1, 1998. Any comments
received by the closing date will be considered in the final decision
on this proposal.
ADDRESSES: The April 14 public hearing will be held in the Auditorium
at the Savannah Technical Institute, 5717 White Bluff Road, Savannah,
Georgia. The April 15 public hearing will be at the Hermitage Centre,
Hermitage Room, 1801 Hermitage Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida. Written
comments and materials concerning the proposal may be submitted at the
hearing or sent directly to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 6578 Dogwood View Parkway, Jackson, Mississippi
39213. Comments and materials received will be available for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above
address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cary Norquist at the above address
(601/965-4900, ext. 28; facsimile 601/965-4340).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The flatwoods salamander occurs in isolated populations in open,
moist, longleaf/slash pine flatwoods across the lower southeastern
Coastal Plain in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Habitat loss and
degradation from agriculture, urbanization, and certain silvicultural
practices are the primary threats to the species. On December 16, 1997,
the Service published a rule proposing threatened status for the
flatwoods salamander in the Federal Register (62 FR 65787-65794).
Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act requires that a public hearing be held if
it is requested within 45 days of the publication of the proposed rule.
Public hearing requests were received within the allotted time period
from Rayonier (Southeast Forest Resources) and the Florida Forestry
Association in Florida; Georgia-Pacific and Gilman Paper Company in
Georgia; and the American Forest & Paper Association in Washington, DC.
The Service has scheduled these hearings for 7 to 10 p.m. on April
14, 1998, in Savannah, Georgia, and 7 to 10 p.m. on April 15, 1998, in
Tallahassee, Florida. Anyone expecting to make an oral presentation at
these hearings is encouraged to provide a written copy of their
statement to the hearing officer prior to the start of the hearing. In
the event there is a large attendance, the time allotted for oral
statements may have to be limited. Oral and written statements receive
equal consideration.
[[Page 14415]]
There are no limits to the length of written comments presented at
these hearings or mailed to the Service. Legal notices announcing the
date, time, and location of the hearings are being published in
newspapers concurrently with this Federal Register notice.
The comment period on the proposal initially closed on February 17,
1998. To accommodate the hearing, the public comment period is now
reopened. Written comments may be submitted until June 1, 1998, to the
Field Supervisor (see ADDRESSES section).
Author: The primary author of this document is Cary Norquist (see
ADDRESSES section).
Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: March 18, 1998.
Judy L. Jones,
Acting Regional Director, Region 4, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 98-7695 Filed 3-24-98; 8:45 am]
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