Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public Hearings and Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Extension of Endangered Status for the Jaguar in the United States

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AC61

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public

Hearings and Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Extension of

Endangered Status for the Jaguar in the United States

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of public hearings and reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that

three public hearings will be held, and the comment period reopened,

regarding the proposed rule to extend endangered species status to the

jaguar (Panthera onca) in the United States. These hearings and

reopening of the comment period will allow all interested parties to

submit oral or written comments on the proposal.

DATES: Three public hearings have been scheduled for the following

dates and times: Tuesday, November 15, 1994, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.,

Thatcher, Arizona; Thursday, November 17, 1994, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00

p.m., in El Paso, Texas; and Tuesday, November 29, 1994, 7:00 p.m. to

10:00 p.m., in Weslaco, Texas. The comment period for this proposal,

which originally closed September 12, 1994, is now reopened from

November 15, 1994, to December 14, 1994. 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 this proposal.

ADDRESSES: The November 15, 1994, public hearing will be held at Lee

Little Theater, Eastern Arizona College, 600 Church Street, Thatcher,

Arizona. The November 17, 1994, public hearing will be held at the

North Hall room at the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, 1

Civic Center Plaza, El Paso, Texas. The November 29 public hearing will

be held at Hoblitzelle Auditorium, Texas A&M Experimental Station, 2415

East Highway 83, Weslaco, Texas. Written comments and materials should

be sent to the State Supervisor, Arizona Ecological Services State

Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 West 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 address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lorena Wada or Timothy Tibbitts, at

the above address, telephone (602) 379-4720.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The jaguar is currently listed as endangered from the border

between the United States and Mexico southward including Mexico,

Central America, and South America. In the United States the primary

threat to this species is from shooting. Loss and modification of the

jaguar's habitat may have also contributed to their decline.

While no breeding population of the jaguar is known to survive in

the U.S., the species is present in northern Mexico, and wandering

individuals occasionally cross the border. Jaguars historically

occurred in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and possibly, Louisiana and

California. A minimum of 64 jaguars were killed in Arizona since 1900.

The most recent was in 1986. A proposed rule to extend endangered

status to the jaguar in the U.S., without critical habitat, was

published in the Federal Register on July 13, 1994 (59 FR 35674).

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. The

Service has determined that good cause exists, in that full

participation of the affected public in the species listing process

will allow the Service to consider the best scientific and commercial

data available in making a final determination on the proposed action.

Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that a public hearing be

held if requested within 45 days of the publication of a proposed rule.

In response to numerous requests, the Service is holding three

hearings. The three public hearings will be held on the dates and at

the addresses 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. To facilitate the uninhibited

exchange of information, cameras and videotape recorders will not be

allowed within the public hearing rooms. Legal notices announcing the

dates, times, and locations of the hearings will be published in

newspapers concurrently with this Federal Register notice.

Author

The primary author of this notice is Lorena L.L. Wada (see

ADDRESSES).

Authority

The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973

(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Dated: October 18, 1994.

Lynn B. Starnes,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 94-26370 Filed 10-24-94; 8:45 am]

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