[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 40389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20223]



[[Page 40389]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AE89


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extension of 
Comment Period and Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Threatened 
Status for Rumex Orthoneurus (Chiricahua Dock)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period and notice of public 
hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that 
a public hearing will be held and the comment period extended on the 
proposed rule to list the plant Rumex orthoneurus (Chiricahua or 
Blumer's dock) as threatened. The hearing and the extension of the 
comment period will allow all interested parties to submit oral or 
written comments on the proposal.

DATES: The comment period for this proposal will be extended from July 
30, 1998, to October 1, 1998. Comments must be received by the closing 
date. Any comments that are received after the closing date may not be 
considered in the final decision on the proposal. The public hearing 
will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on August 18, 1998, in Silver City, 
New Mexico.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at Light Hall Auditorium, 
Western New Mexico University, 1000 College Street, Silver City, New 
Mexico. Written comments should be sent to the State Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 W. Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix, 
Arizona 85021. Comments and materials received will be available for 
public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
above Service address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey A. Humphrey, at the above 
address, 602/640-2720.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes to list Rumex 
orthoneurus (commonly known as Chiricahua or Blumer's dock) as 
threatened pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Act). This plant is a rare Southwest endemic occurring within riparian 
and cienega (marshy wetland) habitats at elevations ranging from 1,950 
to 2,763 m (6,398 to 9,065 ft). The plant is known from the Chiricahua, 
Pinaleno, Huachuca, Sierra Ancha, and White mountains in Arizona. In 
New Mexico, the plant is known from the Mogollon and San Francisco 
mountains. The plant is also believed to extend into northern New 
Mexico in the Pecos Wilderness and to have been extirpated from the 
Lincoln National Forest. A site in Mexico in the Sierra de los Ajos has 
also been reported. Habitat loss and degradation due to livestock 
grazing, recreation, water diversions and development, road 
construction and maintenance, and wildfire imperil the continued 
existence of this species. This proposal, if made final, would extend 
the Act's protection to this plant. A proposed rule to list this 
species as threatened was published in the Federal Register (63 FR 
15813) on April 1, 1998.
    Pursuant to 50 CFR 424.16(c)(2), the Service may extend or reopen a 
comment period upon finding that there is good cause to do so. Full 
participation of the affected public in the species listing process, 
allowing the Service to consider the best scientific and commercial 
data available in making a final determination on the proposed action, 
is deemed as sufficient cause.
    Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act, as amended (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 four such 
requests, the Service will hold a public hearing on the date and at the 
address described 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 start of the hearing. In the event there is a 
large attendance, the time allotted for oral statements may have to be 
limited. Oral and written statements receive equal consideration. There 
are no limits to the length of written comments presented at the 
hearings or mailed to the Service. Legal notices announcing the dates, 
times, and locations of the hearings will be published in newspapers 
concurrently with the Federal Register notice.
    The current comment period on this proposal closes on July 30, 
1998. In order to accommodate this public hearing, the Service extends 
the public comment period. Written comments may now be submitted until 
October 1, 1998, to the Service office in the ADDRESSES section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Jeffrey A. Humphrey (see 
ADDRESSES).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).

    Dated: July 24, 1998.
Renne Lohoefener,
Acting Regional Director, Region 2, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 98-20223 Filed 7-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P