[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 111 (Friday, June 7, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29047-29048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14336]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of 
Comment Period and Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Endangered 
Status for the Least Chub (Iotichthys Phlegethontis) and Proposed 
Designation of Its Critical Habitat

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides notice that a 
public hearing will be held on the proposed determination of endangered 
status with critical habitat for the least chub (Iotichthys 
phlegethontis). To accommodate the public hearing, the comment period 
on the proposal is reopened. The least chub is a small fish in the 
minnow family endemic to the Bonneville Basin in Utah. All interested 
parties are invited to submit comments on this proposal.

DATES: The public hearing will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. 
to 8 p.m., with registration beginning at 2:30 p.m., on Thursday, June 
27, 1996. Comments will be accepted until July 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Wendover High School, 
110 Wildcat Blvd., Wendover, Utah. Written comments and materials 
should be sent to the Field Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service, 145 
East 1300 South, Suite 404, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84115. Comments and 
materials received will be available for inspection, by appointment, 
during normal business hours, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert D. Williams, Assistant Field Supervisor, telephone 801/524-5001 
(see ADDRESSES Section).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The least chub (Iotichthys phlegethontis) is a small monotypic 
minnow endemic to the Bonneville Basin of Utah where it was once common 
and widely distributed. Populations of least chub have declined and 
continue to be threatened by habitat loss and degradation, and the 
introduction of nonactive species which compete with and predate least 
chub. The species is now restricted to several spring systems in the 
Snake Valley of western Utah, with one additional population recently 
discovered in eastern Juab County near Mona, Utah. Listing the least 
chub as endangered would afford the species protection under the 
Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.).
    On September 29, 1995, the Service published a proposed rule (60 FR 
50518) to list the least chub as an endangered species with critical 
habitat. Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act requires that a public hearing 
be held if requested within 45 days of publication

[[Page 29048]]

of the proposal in the Federal Register. During the open comment period 
a public hearing request was received from private land owners in the 
vicinity of the species proposed critical habitat. The Service 
originally scheduled a hearing on December 18, 1995. However, this 
hearing was canceled due to the listing moratorium enacted by Congress. 
This moratorium has now been lifted and the Service is proceeding with 
the public hearing.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service has scheduled this hearing on Thursday, June 27, 1996 
from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with registration beginning 
at 2:30 p.m. mountain daylight time (see ADDRESSES above). Anyone 
wishing to make an oral statement for the record is encouraged to 
provide a written copy of their statement to be presented 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 concerning the proposed rule will 
receive equal consideration by the Service. There are no limits to the 
length of written comments presented at this hearing or mailed to the 
Service. Comments particularly are sought concerning:
    (1) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning 
any threat (or lack thereof) to the least chub;
    (2) The location of any additional populations of least chub and 
the reasons why any habitat should or should not be determined to be 
critical habitat as provided in section 4 of the Act;
    (3) Additional information concerning the range, distribution, and 
population size of this species;
    (4) Current or planned activities which may adversely modify the 
area that is being considered for critical habitat; and
    (5) Any foreseeable economic or other impacts resulting from the 
proposed designation of critical habitat.
    Legal notices and news releases announcing the date, time, and 
location of the hearing are being published in newspapers concurrently 
with this Federal Register notice.
    The previous comment period on this proposal closed on January 19, 
1996. To accommodate this hearing, the Service reopens the comment 
period. Written comments may now be submitted until July 15, 1996, to 
the Service office identified in the ADDRESSES section above. All 
comments must be received before the close of the comment period to be 
considered.

Author

    The author of this notice is Janet Mizzi, Utah Field Office (see 
Addresses above), telephone 801/524-5001.

Authority

    Authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: May 31, 1996.
Terry T. Terrell,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 6, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 96-14336 Filed 6-6-96; 8:45 am]
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