Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of Public Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for the San Diego Fairy Shrimp

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of

Public Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for the San Diego

Fairy Shrimp

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of reopening of comment period.

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

the comment period on the proposed rule to list the San Diego fairy

shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegoensis) as endangered is reopened through

March 6, 1995. The Service has reopened the comment period to allow all

interested parties to submit additional written comments on the

proposal.

DATES: The public comment period, which was extended to October 31,

1994, is reopened and closes on March 6, 1995. Comments from all

interested parties must be received by March 6, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials may be submitted directly to

the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker Avenue

West, Carlsbad, California 92008. Comments and materials received will

be available for public inspection during business hours by

appointment, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Field Supervisor, at the address

listed above (telephone 619/431-9440).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On August 4, 1994, the Service published a proposed rule in the

Federal Register to list the San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta

sandiegoensis) as endangered (59 FR 39874). A public hearing was

scheduled on October 19, 1994, to accept public input on the proposed

endangered status. The comment period was extended to October 31, 1994,

to [[Page 70]] accommodate the public hearing. In response to the new

information received on the distribution of the taxon and public

requests, the Service reopens the public comment period.

The San Diego fairy shrimp a member of the Branchinectidae, a

freshwater crustacean family in the Order Anostraca (fairy shrimp). It

is a small and delicate animal with large stalked compound eyes, no

carapace, and 11 pairs of swimming legs. The San Diego fairy shrimp is

restricted to vernal pools in San Diego County from San Marcos and

Ramona south to Otay Mesa and at Valle de Palmas in northwestern Baja

California, Mexico. This species is threatened by one or more of the

following factors: grazing, habitat destruction and fragmentation from

agricultural and urban development, alteration of wetlands,

recreational activities, human disturbances, and the inadequacy of

existing regulatory mechanisms.

The Service reopens the comment period to allow all interested

parties to submit additional written comments on the proposal. All

comments received on the San Diego fairy shrimp will be summarized in

the final decision document and will be included in the administrative

record of the final decision.

Authority

The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.

Dated: December 20, 1994.

Thomas Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 94-32260 Filed 12-30-94; 8:45 am]

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