Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing of the Central California Distinct Population Segment of the California Tiger Salamander; Reclassification of the Sonoma County and Santa Barbara County Distinct Populations From Endangered to Threat

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are extending the comment period on a proposed rule that would: (1) List the Central California distinct population segment (DPS) of the California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); (2) reclassify the Sonoma County and Santa Barbara County DPSs of the California Tiger Salamander from endangered to threatened; and (3) exempt, under section 4(d) of the Act, existing routine ranching activities on private or Tribal lands from section 9 prohibitions for the three DPSs of the California tiger salamander. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they will be incorporated into the public record as part of this extended comment period, and will be fully considered in the final rule. We are also providing two additional public hearings to receive oral comments on this proposed rule.