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Federal Register Notice (text)
Federal Register Notice (pdf)
Previous News Release (7/16/02)

Contact: 
Jim Nickles,  916/414-6572 (cell) 916/501-6885

PUBLIC HEARING SET ON PROPOSED LISTING OF SONOMA COUNTY
POPULATION OF CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER
Deadline for comments extended until Oct. 21

To provide as many opportunities for public review as possible, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has scheduled a public hearing in the Santa Rosa area and extended the formal comment period on its proposal to list the Sonoma County population of the California tiger salamander as endangered.

Citing imminent threats to the species' survival, the Service last month enacted an emergency listing of the Sonoma County population of the California tiger salamander. The emergency listing will be in effect for no more than 240 days. At the same time, the Service opened public-comment on a proposal to permanently list as endangered the county's population of the California tiger salamander.

A species is designated as endangered if it is at risk of becoming extinct throughout all or a significant portion of its range in the foreseeable future.

The California tiger salamander, a large and stocky amphibian with a broad, rounded snout, has white or pale yellow spots or bars on a black background. The animal now occurs in scattered and increasingly isolated breeding sites within a small portion of its historic range in Sonoma County.

The public comment period, originally set to close on September 20, has been extended to Oct. 21 at 5 p.m.

The Service has scheduled a public hearing on Oct. 1 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 175 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa, CA. The hearing will take place in two sessions - from 1 to 3 p.m., and from 6 to 8 p.m. At each session, Service officials will make brief presentations on the proposed listing, then open the floor to anyone who wants to comment on it.

A notice on the public hearing and the extension of the comment period was published today in the Federal Register.

Meanwhile, the Service will conduct an informal workshop on Sept. 24, also at the Courtyard by Marriott in Santa Rosa, that is intended to answer questions from developers, consultants and landowners on the Endangered Species Act and how the emergency and proposed listings may affect their projects. The workshop, which is open to the public, will take place in two sessions - from 1 to 3 p.m., and from 6 to 8 p.m.

This population of the California tiger salamander is restricted to a portion of the Santa Rosa Plain in Sonoma County from approximately Santa Rosa south to Cotati. The population is imperiled by habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation, collection and invasive exotic species. Because of its small numbers, the population is also vulnerable to catastrophic losses due to natural events such as fires, floods or droughts.

Comments and materials concerning this proposal should be sent to Wayne S. White, Field Supervisor, Attn: CTS, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way Room W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825.

Written comments may also be sent by facsimile to 916/414-6713 or by e-mail to fw1sccaliforniatiger@r1.fws.gov. You may also hand-deliver written comments to our Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, at the above address.

Comments are particularly sought concerning:

(1) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning any threat (or lack thereof) to the Sonoma County population of the California tiger salamander;

(2) The location of any additional breeding sites of this population, and the reasons why any habitat should or should not be determined to be critical habitat;

(3) Additional information concerning the range, biology, ecology, or population size of this population, and

(4) Current or planned activities or land use practices in the subject area and their possible impacts on this species in Sonoma County.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses nearly 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

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Contact us: Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2605, Sacramento, California 95825
Phone (916) 414-6600 ~ FAX (916) 414-6713 ~ email: fw1sacweb@fws.gov

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a part of the United States Government Department of Interior

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