[Federal Register: October 8, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 196)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 58922-58923]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08oc08-30]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
[FWS-R4-ES-2008-0082; 9221050083-B2]
RIN 1018-AU85
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed
Endangered Status for Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander; Proposed
Designation of Critical Habitat for Frosted Flatwoods Salamander and
Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period and notice of public
hearing.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are announcing the
location and time of a public hearing to receive public comments on the
proposal to split the current listing under the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended, of the threatened flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma
cingulatum) into two distinct species: frosted flatwoods salamander
(Ambystoma cingulatum) and reticulated flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma
bishopi), due to a change in taxonomy. We also propose to list
reticulated flatwoods salamander as endangered and propose critical
habitat for both species. We are extending the public comment period
until November 3, 2008. If you submitted comments previously, then you
do not need to resubmit them because we have already incorporated them
into the public record and we will fully consider them in preparation
of our final determination.
DATES: Public hearing: We will hold a public hearing on this proposed
rule on October 22, 2008, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. An open house,
where the public may view maps of critical habitat units and obtain
other information on the proposed rule and draft economic analysis,
will be held 1 hour prior to the hearing from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Comments: We are extending the public comment period until November
3, 2008. For more information, see ``Public Comments Solicited'' below.
ADDRESSES: Public hearing: We will hold a public hearing at Pensacola
Junior College, 1000 College Blvd., Hagler Auditorium (Bldg. 2), Room
252, Pensacola, FL 32504.
Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: RIN
1018-AU85; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA
22203.
We will not accept e-mail or faxes. 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: Ray Aycock, Field Supervisor, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Mississippi Field Office, 6578 Dogwood View
Parkway, Jackson, MS 39213; telephone: 601-321-1122; facsimile: 601-
965-4340. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD),
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, published a proposed rule
on February 7, 2007, (72 FR 5855) to designate critical habitat for the
flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum), a species that was listed
as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ) in 1999 (64 FR 15691, April 1, 1999). As the
result of a change in taxonomy, we subsequently proposed to split the
listing of the flatwoods salamander into two distinct species: Frosted
flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum) and reticulated flatwoods
salamander (Ambystoma bishopi) (73 FR 47257, August 13, 2008). Under
our proposal, the frosted flatwoods salamander would maintain the
status of threatened; however, we proposed to list the reticulated
flatwoods salamander as endangered.
We also proposed to designate critical habitat for both the frosted
flatwoods salamander and the reticulated flatwoods salamander. In
total, approximately 30,628 acres (ac) (12,395 hectares (ha)) (23,132
ac (9,363 ha) for the frosted flatwoods salamander and 7,496 ac (3,035
ha) for the reticulated flatwoods salamander) fall within the
boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation, which is
located in the panhandle of Florida, southwestern Georgia, and
southeastern South Carolina. On September 18, 2008, we published
supplemental information to our proposed rule (73 FR 54125).
In response to a request, we will hold a public hearing on this
proposed rule as described in DATES and ADDRESSES. In addition, we are
extending the close of the public comment period from October 14, 2008,
until November 3, 2008.
Public Comments Solicited
We will accept written comments and information we receive on or
before the date listed in DATES on our proposed critical habitat
designation, proposed endangered status for reticulated flatwoods
salamander, the draft economic analysis published in the Federal
Register on August 13, 2008 (73 FR 47258), and proposed threatened
status for frosted flatwoods salamander published in the Federal
Register on September 18, 2008 (73 FR 54125). We will consider
information and recommendations from all interested parties.
You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods
listed in the ADDRESSES section. We will not accept comments you send
by e-mail or fax or to an address not listed in the ADDRESSES section.
We will post your entire comment--including your personal
identifying information--on http://
[[Page 58923]]
www.regulations.gov. If you provide 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 and draft economic
analysis, will be available for public inspection on http://
www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, during normal business hours,
at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mississippi Field Office (see
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Author(s)
The primary authors of this package are the staff of the
Mississippi Field Office.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: October 3, 2008.
David M. Verhey,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. E8-23997 Filed 10-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P