36020 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 132 / Tuesday, July 9, 1996 / Proposed Rules

financial responsibility and familiarity

with the FHWA’s safety regulations. The

financial responsibility coverage of forhire motor carriers is continuously

monitored. Policy pre-expiration notices

obtained from the insurance companies

as well as internal audits are used to

determine compliance. Prior to an

insurance policy lapsing, the carrier is

contacted. Enforcement action,

including litigation, can be used to stop

the carrier from operating without

financial responsibility. A carrier’s

operating authority can be revoked if

financial responsibility is not obtained.

A similar procedure applies to motor

carriers that have been authorized to

self-insure.

The Single State Registration System

(SSRS) program was created to succeed

the ‘‘bingo card’’ program administered

by the ICC. The SSRS program is a baseState system whereby a motor carrier

registers its interstate operating

authority with and provides proof of

financial responsibility coverage to one

State (a base-State) instead of multiple

States. The base State then distributes

the collected fees to other participating

States in which the motor carrier’s

vehicles operate. State participation in

the System was limited to those States

participating in the bingo card program

prior to January 1991. Fee amounts were

limited to those imposed prior to

November 1991, not to exceed $10 per

vehicle.

Under the Act, the SSRS will

continue to operate. However, the

Department is required to consolidate

the current USDOT identification

number system, the SSRS, the ICC

registration system (including financial

responsibility registration) into a single,

on-line Federal system. The new system

will contain information on, and

identification of, all foreign and

domestic motor carriers, brokers, and

freight forwarders (as well as others

required to register with the Department

of Transportation) as well as

information on safety fitness and

compliance with the required levels of

financial responsibility coverage. The

Secretary may establish fees to fully

operate the system, including any

personnel to support the overall

registration and financial responsibility

filing system.

Request for Comments

The FHWA requests comments on the

Alliance’s final report and

recommendations, as outlined in this

notice. As discussed above, several

major activities related to the hazardous

materials transportation registration and

permitting processes are also underway.

The FHWA encourages commenters to

consider these activities and their

relationship to the final report and

recommendations of the Alliance. Based

upon the comments received, the

FHWA may hold public meetings to

further discuss these issues.

Copies of the report (‘‘Final Report:

Uniform Program Pilot Project,’’ March

15, 1996) may be ordered at no charge

from the National Governors’

Association. Requests should be

addressed to: National Governors’

Association, c/o Mr. Kyle Winston, Hall

of the States, 444 North Capitol Street,

Suite 267, NW., Washington, D.C.

20001–1512. Request for copies may

also be made by calling the NGA at

(202) 624–5300 or via fax (202) 624–

5395.

All comments received before the

close of business on the comment

closing date indicated above will be

considered and will be available for

examination in the docket at the above

address. Comments received after the

comment closing date will be filed in

the docket and will be considered to the

extent practical. In addition to late

comments, the FHWA will also

continue to file relevant information in

the docket as it becomes available after

the closing date. Interested persons

should continue to examine the docket

for new material.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 397

Hazardous materials transportation,

Highway safety, Motor carriers.

Issued on: July 2, 1996.

Rodney E. Slater,

Federal Highway Administrator.

[FR Doc. 96–17420 Filed 7–8–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018–AC63

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

and Plants; Reopening of Comment

Period on Proposed Endangered

Status for Five Freshwater Mussels

and Proposed Threatened Status for

Two Freshwater Mussels From Eastern

Gulf Slope Drainages of Alabama,

Florida, and Georgia

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of

comment period.

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service

provides notice that the comment

period is reopened on a proposal to list

the fat three-ridge, shiny-rayed

pocketbook, Gulf moccasinshell,

Ochlockonee moccasinshell, and oval

pigtoe as endangered, and the Chipola

slabshell and purple bankclimber as

threatened, pursuant to the Endangered

Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended.

The Service is reopening the comment

period on this proposal to allow

members of the public to submit

comments on these proposals.

DATES: The comment period on this

proposal is extended until July 26, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

materials concerning the proposal

should be sent to the Field Supervisor,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620

Southpoint Drive South, Suite 310,

Jacksonville, Florida, 32216. Comments

and materials received will be available

for public inspection, by appointment,

during normal business hours at the

above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert S. Butler at the above address

(telephone: 904/232–2580, fax 904/232–

2404).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On August 3, 1994, the Service

proposed to add seven freshwater

mussels (fat three-ridge, shiny-rayed

pocketbook, Gulf moccasinshell,

Ochlockonee moccasinshell, oval

pigtoe, Chipola slabshell, and purple

bankclimber) to the list of endangered

and threatened animals (59 FR 39524).

These seven species are endemic to the

Apalachicolan Region of the eastern

Gulf Slope, defined as the rivers from

the Escambia River in the west to the

Suwannee River in the east. These

drainages comprise southeast Alabama,

southwest Georgia, and north Florida.

Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended,

requires that a public hearing be held if

it is requested within 45 days of the

publication of a proposed rule. By

September 19, 1994, the Service had

received 12 public hearing requests on

the proposal to list these seven mussels.

The Service conducted five public

informational meetings and five public

hearings in January 1995. A notice of

the public informational meetings,

public hearings, and reopening of the

comment period until February 10,

1995, was published in the Federal

Register on December 12, 1994 (59 FR

63987). In a Federal Register notice

appearing on April 24, 1995 (60 FR

20072), the Service extended the open

comment period until May 5, 1995.

A moratorium on listing actions

(Public Law 104–6) took effect April 10,
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 132 / Tuesday, July 9, 1996 / Proposed Rules 36021

1995, and prevented the Service from

making a final decision on these

proposals by the August 1995

administrative deadline. The

moratorium was lifted on April 26,

1996, when the appropriation for the

Department of the Interior for the

remainder of fiscal year 1996 was

enacted into law. In a Federal Register

document published on May 16, 1996

(61 FR 24722), the Service outlined in

detail the history of the moratorium and

indicated the priorities it would follow

in eliminating the listing program

backlog resulting from the moratorium.

Preparation of final rules for these

proposed species is considered a Tier 2

priority—processing final decisions on

proposed listings. For more information

on the moratorium and the priority for

backlogged listing actions, refer to the

May 15, 1996, Federal Register notice.

The Service hereby announces

another reopening of the comment

period until July 26, 1996. Reopening of

the comment period will allow the

Service to accept information on

scientific studies conducted since the

comment period last closed on May 5,

1995. Any other comments from the

interested public will also be solicited

concerning these proposals.

Author

The primary author of this notice is

Robert S. Butler, Jacksonville Field

Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

6620 Southpoint Drive South, Suite 310,

Jacksonville, Florida 32216 (904/232–

2580 or fax 904/232–2404).

Authority: The authority for this action is

the Endangered Species Act (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).

Dated: July 1, 1996.

Noreen K. Clough,

Regional Director, Southeast Region, Fish and

Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 96–17222 Filed 7–8–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

and Plants: 90-day Finding on a

Petition to List the Santa Ana Speckled

Dace, Santa Ana Sucker, and the Shay

Creek Threespine Stickleback as

Endangered

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of 90-day petition

finding.

SUMMARY: The U. S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) announces a 90-day

finding on a petition to list three fish as

endangered, pursuant to the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended. The

Service finds that the petition did not

present substantial scientific or

commercial information indicating the

petitioned action may be warranted for

two of the three species because it does

not substantiate that the Santa Ana

speckled dace and Shay Creek

threespine stickleback are described

subspecies or distinct vertebrate

population segments as described in the

Service’s vertebrate population policy.

Furthermore, the Service presently

regards the Shay Creek threespine

stickleback as a population of the

unarmored threespine stickleback

(Gasterosteus aculeatus williamsoni), a

species that is already listed as

endangered. Regarding the third fish

species, the Service finds that

substantial information exists to support

a decision that listing may be warranted

for the Santa Ana sucker.

DATES: The finding announced in this

notice was made on June 28, 1996.

Comments and materials may be

submitted until further notice.

ADDRESSES: Data, information,

comments, or questions concerning the

finding should be submitted to the Field

Supervisor, Carlsbad Field Office, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker

Avenue West, Carlsbad, California

92008. The petition, finding, and

supporting data are available for public

inspection, by appointment, during

normal business hours at the above

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

J. Barrett (see ADDRESSES above),

telephone (619) 431–9440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered

Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended

(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that the

Service make a finding on whether a

petition to list, delist, or reclassify a

species presents substantial scientific or

commercial information indicating that

the petitioned action may be warranted.

To the maximum extent practicable, this

finding is to be made within 90 days of

the receipt of the petition, and the

finding is to be published promptly in

the Federal Register. This finding is

based on information contained in the

petition, supporting information

submitted with the petition, and

otherwise available to the Service at the

time the finding is made. If the Service

determines that the petitioned action

may be warranted, the Service will

commence a review of the status of the

involved species. Status reviews will be

commenced in accordance with

priorities established by the Service

pursuant to the May 16, 1996, Final

Listing Priority Guidance (61 Fed Reg

24722).

On September 6, 1994, the Service

received a petition dated September 2,

1994, to list the Santa Ana speckled

dace (Rhinichthys osculus ssp.), Santa

Ana sucker (Catostomus santaanae),

and the Shay Creek threespine

stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus ssp.)

as endangered species. The petition was

submitted by the Sierra Club Legal

Defense Fund, Inc., on behalf of seven

groups. The seven groups are the

California-Nevada Chapter of the

American Fisheries Society, The Nature

School, The California Sportfishing

Protection Alliance, Friends of the

River, Izaak Walton League of America,

California Trout, and Trout Unlimited.

The letter clearly identified itself as a

petition and contained the names,

signatures, and addresses of the

petitioners. Accompanying the petition

was supporting information relating to

taxonomy, ecology, and past and

present distribution of all three species.

The petition, supporting

documentation, and other information

available in the Service files has been

reviewed to determine if substantial

information is available to indicate that

the requested actions may be warranted.

On the basis of the best scientific and

commercial information available, the

Service finds the petitioned action may

be warranted for the Santa Ana sucker

because of the threats to low population

numbers, and is not warranted for the

Santa Ana speckled dace based on

taxonomic uncertainty. While the

petitioners failed to present substantial

information indicating that the Shay

Creek threespine stickleback should be

listed as a subspecies or distinct

vertebrate population segment, the Shay

Creek threespine stickleback is

presently regarded as a population of

the unarmored threespine stickleback

and already receives the protections of

the Act. A status review will be

commenced in accordance with the

Final Listing Priority Guidance for the

Santa Ana sucker.

Santa Ana Sucker

The Santa Ana sucker (Catostomus

santaanae) is a member of the sucker

family (Catostomidae). The Santa Ana

sucker was originally described as

Pantosteus santa-anae by Snyder (1908,

as in Moyle 1976). The genus

Pantosteus was reduced to a subgenus

of Catostomus and the hyphen omitted

from the specific name in a subsequent

revision of the nomenclature (Smith

1966). The American Fisheries Society