[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 2, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15646-15647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7448]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AD09


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 
Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Rule To List Five Plants and a 
Lizard From Monterey County, California, as Endangered or Threatened

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; Notice of reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant ot the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), gives notice that the 
comment period is reopened on the proposed rule to list Astragalus 
tener var. titi (coastal dunes milk-vetch), Piperia yadonii (Yadon's 
piperia), Potentilla hickmanii (Hickman's potentilla), Trifolium 
trichocalyx (Monterey clover) and the black legless lizard (Anniella 
pulchra nigra) as endangered; and Cupressus goveniana ssp. goveniana 
(Gowen cypress) as threatened. The comment period has been reopened to 
allow all interested parties to submit new information on the proposal 
and to provide opportunity for comment on the

[[Page 15647]]

new information on distribution and abundance of Piperia yadonii that 
was submitted at the end of the previous comment period.

DATES: The public comment period closes on May 2, 1997. Any comments 
received by the closing date will be considered in the final decision 
on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials concerning this proposal 
should be sent directly to the Field Supervisor, Ventura Field Office, 
2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California, 93003. Comments and 
materials received will be available for inspection, by appointment, 
during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Steeck of the Ventura Field 
Office (see ADDRESSES section) at (805)644-1766 or facsimile (805)644-
3958).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On August 2, 1995, the Service published a rule proposing 
endangered status for Astragalus tener var. titi (coastal dunes milk-
vetch), Piperia yadonii (Yadon's piperia), Potentilla hickmanii 
(Hickman's potentilla), Trifolium trichocalyx (Monterey clover) and the 
black legless lizard (Anniella pulchra nigra); and threatened status 
for Cupressus goveniana ssp. goveniana (Gowen cypress).
    These six taxa are currently found primarily along the coast of 
northern Monterey County, California. An extant population of 
Potentilla hickmanii is also known from San Mateo County. The five 
plant taxa and the lizard are threatened by one or more of the 
following: alteration, destruction, and fragmentation of habitat 
resulting from urban and golf course development; recreational 
activities; military activities; competition with non-native species; 
and alteration of natural fire cycles. Due to their small number of 
individuals, several taxa are also threatened with extinction due to 
random natural events or unforseen human activities.
    The initial comment period closed on October 9, 1995. Although a 
public hearing was requested, a hearing could not be held during the 
initial comment period, due to a Federal moratorium on final listing 
actions (Pub. L. 104-6), which had taken effect on April 10, 1995 and 
stipulated that no funds could be used to make final listing or 
critical habitat determinations. Once the Federal moratorium was 
lifted, on April 26, 1996, and funding was restored, the Service 
scheduled the public hearing and reopened the comment period. The 
public hearing was held on August 20, 1996, and the comment period 
closed on August 30, 1996. At the public hearing, new information was 
presented on the distribution and abundance of Piperia yadonii. This 
information was included in a report received by the Service on August 
30, 1996. The Service believes that the new information on the 
distribution and abundance of Piperia yadonii is significant and is 
providing the public an opportunity to comment on it. In addition to 
comments on Piperia yadonii, the Service requests any additional 
information on the species listed in the proposed rule, including:
    (1) Biological, commercial, or other relevant data on any threats 
(or lack thereof) to any of the species, and;
    (2) Additional information on the size, number or distribution of 
populations of any of the species.
    Comments may be submitted through May 2, 1997 to the Service office 
in the ADDRESSES section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Diane Steeck (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 17, 1997.
Michael J. Spear,
Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 97-7448 Filed 4-1-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P