Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 17 /Tuesday, January 27, 1998 / Proposed Rules 3877

Species

Historic range

Vertebrate population where endangered or threatened

Status When

listed

Critical

habitat

Special

rules Common name Scientific name

* * * * * * *

INSECTS

* * * * * * *

Fender’s blue butterfly.Icaricia icarioides

fenderi.

U.S.A. (OR) ............. NA ........................... E .................... NA NA

* * * * * * *

3. Amend section 17.12(h) by adding

the following, in alphabetical order,

under FLOWERING PLANTS, to the List

of Endangered and Threatened Plants to

read as follows:

§ 17.12 Endangered and threatened plants.

* * * * *

(h) * * *

Species

Historic range Family Status When listed Critical

habitat

Special

rules Scientific name Common name

* * * * * * *

FLOWERING PLANTS

* * * * * * *

Erigeron decumbens

var. decumbens.

Willamette daisy ...... U.S.A. (OR) ............. Asteraceae .............. E .................... NA NA

* * * * * * *

Lupinus sulphureus

ssp. kincaidii.

Kincaid’s lupine ....... U.S.A. (OR, WA) ..... Fabaceae ................ T .................... NA NA

* * * * * * *

Dated: December 30, 1997.

Jamie Rappaport Clark,

Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 98–1851 Filed 1–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018–AE59

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

and Plants; Proposed Rule to List the

San Bernardino Kangaroo Rat as

Endangered; and Notice of Public

Hearing

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) proposes to make the

provisions of the emergency rule listing

the San Bernardino kangaroo rat

(Dipodomys merriami parvus) as an

endangered species pursuant to the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended (Act), permanent. The historic

range of the San Bernardino kangaroo

rat has been reduced by approximately

96 percent due to agricultural and urban

development. Of the remaining

occupied habitat, a minimum of 90

percent is threatened by habitat loss,

degradation, and fragmentation due to

sand and gravel mining operations,

flood control projects, and urban

development. In addition, all of the

remaining populations of San

Bernardino kangaroo rat are threatened

by seasonal flood events due to current

restriction of the subspecies to these

active flood plain habitats. Additional

data and information on the status of

this animal, which may assist the

Service in making a final decision on

this proposed action, is solicited.

DATES: Comments from all interested

parties must be received by March 30,

1998. A public hearing has been

scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 1998,

from 2–4 P.M. and 6–8 P.M.

ADDRESSES: Comments and materials

concerning this proposal should be

submitted to the Field Supervisor, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad

Field Office, 2730 Loker Avenue West,

Carlsbad, California 92008. Comments

and materials received will be available

for public inspection, by appointment,

during normal business hours at the

above address. The public hearing will

be held at the San Bernardino Hilton,

285 E. Hospitality Lane, San

Bernardino, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Field Office,

at the address listed above (telephone

760/431–9440).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

For a thorough discussion of

biological information, previous Federal

action, a summary of the factors

affecting the species, the reasons why

critical habitat is not being proposed,

and conservation measures available to

listed and proposed species, consult the

emergency rule on the San Bernardino

kangaroo rat published in this same

Federal Register, separate part.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service intends that any final

action resulting from this proposal will

be as accurate and as effective as

possible. Therefore, comments or

suggestions from the public, other

concerned governmental agencies, the

scientific community, industry, or any

other interested party concerning this

proposed rule are hereby solicited.
3878 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 17 /Tuesday, January 27, 1998 / Proposed Rules

Comments particularly are sought

concerning:

(1) Biological, commercial trade, or

other relevant data concerning any

threat (or lack thereof) to this

subspecies;

(2) The location of any additional

populations of this subspecies;

(3) Additional information concerning

the range, distribution, and population

size of this subspecies; and

(4) Current or planned activities in the

subject area and their possible impacts

on this subspecies.

Any final decision on this proposal

will take into consideration the

comments and any additional

information received by the Service, and

such communications may lead to a

final regulation that differs from this

proposal.

The Endangered Species Act provides

for a public hearing on this proposal, if

requested. In anticipation of public

interest, the Service has scheduled a

public hearing on Tuesday, March 3,

1998, at the San Bernardino Hilton.

Parties wishing to make statements for

the record should bring a copy of their

statement to the hearing. Oral

statements may be limited in length if

the number of parties present at the

hearing necessitates such a limitation.

There are no limits to the lengths of

written comments or materials

presented at the hearing or mailed to the

Service. Written comments carry the

same weight as oral comments. The

comment period closes on March 30,

1998. Written comments should be

submitted to the Service Office listed in

the ADDRESSES section.

National Environmental Policy Act

The Fish and Wildlife Service has

determined that an Environmental

Assessment or Environmental Impact

Statement, as defined under the

authority of the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969, need not be

prepared in connection with regulations

adopted pursuant to section (4)(a) of the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended. A notice outlining the

Service’s reasons for this determination

was published in the Federal Register

on October 25, 1983 (48 FR 49244).

Author

The primary author of this proposed

rule is Arthur Davenport of the Carlsbad

Field Office (see ADDRESSES section).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and threatened species,

Exports, Imports, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements,

Transportation.

Proposed Regulation Promulgation

Accordingly, the Service hereby

proposes to amend part 17, subchapter

B of chapter I, title 50 of the Code of

Federal Regulations, as set forth below:

PART 17—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 17

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361–1407; 16 U.S.C.

1531–1544; 16 U.S.C. 4201–4245; Pub. L. 99–

625, 100 Stat. 3500; unless otherwise noted.

2. Amend § 17.11(h) by adding the

following, in alphabetical order under

Mammals, to the List of Endangered and

Threatened Wildlife to read as follows:

§ 17.11 Endangered and threatened

wildlife.

* * * * *

(h) * * *

Species

Historic range

Vertebrate population where endangered or threatened

Status When listed Critical

habitat

Special

rules Common name Scientific name

MAMMALS

* * * * * * *

Kangaroo rat, San

Bernardino.

Dipodomys merriami

parvus.

U.S.A. (CA) ............. Entire ....................... E 631,ll NA NA

* * * * * * *

Dated: January 20, 1998.

Jamie Rappaport Clark,

Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 98–2010 Filed 1–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P