[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 8, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58922-58923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-23997]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[FWS-R4-ES-2008-0082; 9221050083-B2]
RIN 1018-AU85


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed 
Endangered Status for Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander; Proposed 
Designation of Critical Habitat for Frosted Flatwoods Salamander and 
Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are announcing the 
location and time of a public hearing to receive public comments on the 
proposal to split the current listing under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended, of the threatened flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma 
cingulatum) into two distinct species: frosted flatwoods salamander 
(Ambystoma cingulatum) and reticulated flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma 
bishopi), due to a change in taxonomy. We also propose to list 
reticulated flatwoods salamander as endangered and propose critical 
habitat for both species. We are extending the public comment period 
until November 3, 2008. If you submitted comments previously, then you 
do not need to resubmit them because we have already incorporated them 
into the public record and we will fully consider them in preparation 
of our final determination.

DATES: Public hearing: We will hold a public hearing on this proposed 
rule on October 22, 2008, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. An open house, 
where the public may view maps of critical habitat units and obtain 
other information on the proposed rule and draft economic analysis, 
will be held 1 hour prior to the hearing from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
    Comments: We are extending the public comment period until November 
3, 2008. For more information, see ``Public Comments Solicited'' below.

ADDRESSES: Public hearing: We will hold a public hearing at Pensacola 
Junior College, 1000 College Blvd., Hagler Auditorium (Bldg. 2), Room 
252, Pensacola, FL 32504.
    Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: RIN 
1018-AU85; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 
22203.
    We will not accept e-mail or faxes. We will post all comments on 
http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any 
personal information you provide us (see the Public Comments section 
below for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray Aycock, Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Mississippi Field Office, 6578 Dogwood View 
Parkway, Jackson, MS 39213; telephone: 601-321-1122; facsimile: 601-
965-4340. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, published a proposed rule 
on February 7, 2007, (72 FR 5855) to designate critical habitat for the 
flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum), a species that was listed 
as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ) in 1999 (64 FR 15691, April 1, 1999). As the 
result of a change in taxonomy, we subsequently proposed to split the 
listing of the flatwoods salamander into two distinct species: Frosted 
flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum) and reticulated flatwoods 
salamander (Ambystoma bishopi) (73 FR 47257, August 13, 2008). Under 
our proposal, the frosted flatwoods salamander would maintain the 
status of threatened; however, we proposed to list the reticulated 
flatwoods salamander as endangered.
    We also proposed to designate critical habitat for both the frosted 
flatwoods salamander and the reticulated flatwoods salamander. In 
total, approximately 30,628 acres (ac) (12,395 hectares (ha)) (23,132 
ac (9,363 ha) for the frosted flatwoods salamander and 7,496 ac (3,035 
ha) for the reticulated flatwoods salamander) fall within the 
boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation, which is 
located in the panhandle of Florida, southwestern Georgia, and 
southeastern South Carolina. On September 18, 2008, we published 
supplemental information to our proposed rule (73 FR 54125).
    In response to a request, we will hold a public hearing on this 
proposed rule as described in DATES and ADDRESSES. In addition, we are 
extending the close of the public comment period from October 14, 2008, 
until November 3, 2008.

Public Comments Solicited

    We will accept written comments and information we receive on or 
before the date listed in DATES on our proposed critical habitat 
designation, proposed endangered status for reticulated flatwoods 
salamander, the draft economic analysis published in the Federal 
Register on August 13, 2008 (73 FR 47258), and proposed threatened 
status for frosted flatwoods salamander published in the Federal 
Register on September 18, 2008 (73 FR 54125). We will consider 
information and recommendations from all interested parties.
    You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods 
listed in the ADDRESSES section. We will not accept comments you send 
by e-mail or fax or to an address not listed in the ADDRESSES section.
    We will post your entire comment--including your personal 
identifying information--on http://

[[Page 58923]]

www.regulations.gov. If you provide personal identifying information, 
you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this 
information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we used in preparing the proposed rule and draft economic 
analysis, will be available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, during normal business hours, 
at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mississippi Field Office (see 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Author(s)

    The primary authors of this package are the staff of the 
Mississippi Field Office.

Authority

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

     Dated: October 3, 2008.
David M. Verhey,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. E8-23997 Filed 10-7-08; 8:45 am]
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