Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 94 / Monday, May 15, 2000 / Proposed Rules 30951

Dated: April 12, 2000.

Jamie Rappaport Clark,

Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 00–12123 Filed 5–12–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018–AF98

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

and Plants; Reopening of Comment

Period on Proposed Determination of

Critical Habitat for the Alameda

Whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis

euryxanthus)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of

comment period and notice of public

hearing.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) gives notice of a public

hearing on the proposed rule to

designate critical habitat for the

threatened Alameda whipsnake

(Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus). In

addition, the comment period which

originally closed on May 8, 2000, will

be reopened. The new comment period

and hearing will allow all interested

parties to submit oral or written

comments on the proposal. We are

seeking comments or suggestions from

the public, other concerned

governmental agencies, the scientific

community, industry, or any other

interested parties concerning the

proposed rule. Comments already

submitted on the proposed rule need

not be resubmitted as they will be fully

considered in the final determination.

DATES: The comment period for this

proposal now closes on June 12, 2000.

Any comments received by the closing

date will be considered in the final

decision on this proposal. The public

hearing will be held from 1:00 p.m. to

3:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00

p.m. on June 1, 2000, in San Ramon,

California.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be

held at the San Ramon Marriott, 2600

Bishop Drive, Salon E, San Ramon,

California. Comments and materials

concerning this proposal should be sent

to the Field Supervisor, Sacramento

Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way,

Suite W–2605, Sacramento, California

95825. Comments and materials

received will be available for public

inspection, by appointment, during

normal business hours at the above

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jason Davis or Heather Bell, at the above

address, phone 916–414–6600, facsimile

916–414–6710.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On March 8, 2000, the Service

published a proposed rule to designate

critical habitat for the threatened

Alameda whipsnake in the Federal

Register (65 FR 12155). The original

comment period closed on May 8, 2000.

The comment period now closes on

June 12, 2000. Written comments

should be submitted to the Service (see

ADDRESSES section).

A total of approximately 164,663

hectares (406,708 acres) of land fall

within the boundaries of the proposed

critical habitat designation. Proposed

critical habitat is located in Contra

Costa, Alameda, San Joaquin, and Santa

Clara counties, California. If this

proposal is made final, section 7 of the

Act prohibits destruction or adverse

modification of critical habitat by any

activity funded, authorized, or carried

out by any Federal agency. Section 4 of

the Act requires us to consider

economic and other impacts of

specifying any particular area as critical

habitat.

Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act (16 U.S.C.

1531 et seq.), requires that a public

hearing be held if it is requested within

45 days of the publication of a proposed

rule. In response to three such requests,

the Service will hold a public hearing

on the date and at address described in

the DATES and ADDRESSES sections

above.

Anyone wishing to make an oral

statement for the record is encouraged

to provide a written copy of their

statement and present it to the Service

at the hearing. In the event there is a

large attendance, the time allotted for

oral statements may be limited. Oral and

written statements receive equal

consideration. There are no limits to the

length of written comments presented at

the hearing or mailed to the Service.

Legal notices announcing the date, time,

and location of the hearing will be

published in newspapers concurrently

with the Federal Register notice.

Comments from the public regarding

the accuracy of this proposed rule are

sought, especially regarding:

(1) The location of any additional

populations of Alameda whipsnakes

and the reasons why any habitat should

or should not be determined to be

critical habitat;

(2) Additional information regarding

the validity of the primary constituent

elements described in the proposed

rule; and (3) Additional information

regarding areas that may be essential as

travel corridors for connecting

individual Alameda whipsnake

populations.

Reopening of the comment period

will enable the Service to respond to the

request for a public hearing on the

proposed action. The comment period

on this proposal now closes on June 12,

2000. Written comments should be

submitted to the Service office listed in

the ADDRESSES section.

Author

The primary authors of this notice are

Jason Davis and Heather Bell (see

ADDRESSES section).

Authority

The authority for this action are the

Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Dated: May 2, 2000.

John Engbring,

Manager.

[FR Doc. 00–11450 Filed 5–12–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P