Endangered and threatened species: Cowhead Lake tui chub,

[Federal Register: June 17, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 116)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 33033-33034]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr17jn98-26]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AE85

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Reopening of Public Comment Period on the Proposed Rule to List the Cowhead Lake Tui Chub as Endangered

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provides notice of the reopening of the comment period for the proposed endangered status for the Cowhead Lake tui chub (Gila bicolor vaccaceps). The comment period has been reopened to acquire additional information on the

[[Page 33034]]

biology, distribution, and status of the Cowhead Lake tui chub in northeastern California.

DATES: Comments from all interested parties must be received by August 3, 1998. All comments received by the closing date will be considered in the final decision on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: Written comments, materials and data, and available reports and articles concerning this proposal should be sent directly to the Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, California 95821. Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Chrisney, at the address listed above (telephone 916/979-2725, facsimile 916/979-2723).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Cowhead Lake tui chub is a fish that is found only in Cowhead Slough and connected ditches within the bed of Cowhead Lake in extreme northeastern Modoc County, California. Prior to being drained for agricultural purposes, Cowhead Lake is thought to have contained the majority of the Cowhead Lake tui chub population. The entire population appears to occur in a very confined area of 5.4 kilometers (3.4 miles) of Cowhead Slough and connected drainage within the bed of Cowhead Lake. There are no additional populations. Protection of the habitat within this limited range is required to conserve the Cowhead Lake tui chub. This subspecies is threatened throughout its range by a variety of impacts, including loss of habitat from agricultural activities, the risk of disease and contamination, loss of genetic variability and by naturally occurring random events.

On March 30, 1998, the Service published in the Federal Register a rule proposing endangered status for the Cowhead Lake tui chub (63 FR 15152). The original comment period closed May 29, 1998.

There have been requests from five parties, including private organizations and private citizens, to reopen the comment period for this listing proposal. The Service is seeking additional information concerning:

(1) The size, number, or distribution of populations of this subspecies; and

(2) Other biological, commercial, or other relevant data on any threat (or lack thereof) to this subspecies.

Written comments may be submitted until August 3, 1998 to the Service office in the ADDRESSES section.

Author

The primary author of this notice is Ann Chrisney (see ADDRESSES section).

Authority

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

Dated: June 9, 1998. Don Weathers, Acting Regional Director, Region 1.

[FR Doc. 98-15929Filed6-16-98; 8:45 am]

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