Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of the Comment Period on Proposed Critical Habitat Determination for Woundfin, Virgin River Chub, and Virgin Spinedace

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AD 22

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of the

Comment Period on Proposed Critical Habitat Determination for Woundfin,

Virgin River Chub, and Virgin Spinedace

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides notice that

the comment period is reopened on the proposal to designate critical

habitat for woundfin (Plagopterus argentissimus) and Virgin River chub

(Gila seminuda = G. robusta seminuda), two species of fish federally

listed as endangered pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (Act), and

for Virgin spinedace (Lepidomeda mollispinis mollispinis), a species

proposed for listing as threatened under the Act. All three species of

fish are endemic to the Virgin River Basin of southwestern Utah,

northwestern Arizona, and southeastern Nevada. Comments received during

the entire comment period, April 5 to June 20, 1995, will be considered

before finalizing the designation of critical habitat.

DATES: The comment period, which originally closed on June 5, 1995,

will now close on June 20, 1995. The comment period has been extended

due to several requests from the public.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials concerning this proposal

should be sent to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Salt Lake City Field Office, 145 East 1300 South, Suite 404, Lincoln

Plaza, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115. Comments and materials received will

be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal

business hours at the above address. Copies of comments and materials

received also will be available for public inspection at the Washington

County Public Library in St. George, Utah.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Robert D. Williams, Assistant Field Supervisor, at the above

address, telephone (801) 524-5001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The woundfin, Virgin River chub and Virgin spinedace are endemic to

the Virgin River Basin. The Virgin River originates in south-central

Utah, running in a southwest direction from Utah, to northwestern

Arizona, and southeastern Nevada for approximately 320 kilometers (km)

(200 miles (mi)) before emptying into Lake Mead. The Virgin River

populations of these fishes have declined due to the cumulative effects

of environmental impacts that resulted in habitat loss including:

Dewatering from numerous diversions, proliferation of nonactive fishes,

alterations to natural flow, temperature, and sediment regimes.

There is considerable overlap in critical habitat proposed for the

three species, and the proposed designation includes 330.8 km (206.8

mi) of the Virgin River in portions of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. The

Service proposes 151.7 km (94.8 mi) of critical habitat for the

woundfin (approximately 13.5 percent of its historical range); 151.7 km

(94.8 mi) for the Virgin River chub (70.8 percent of its historical

range, excluding the range historically occupied by the Muddy River

form); and 201.9 km (126.2 mi) for the Virgin spinedace (87.3 percent

of its historical range).

The proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the three

fishes was published on April 5, 1995 (60 FR 17296). A public hearing

was held on [[Page 31445]] May 8, 1995, in St. George, Utah. No further

public hearings will be held.

Author

The primary authors of this notice are Susan C. Linner and Robert

D. Williams of the Service's Salt Lake City Field Office (see

ADDRESSES).

Authority

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

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

Dated: June 8, 1995.

Terry T. Terrell,

Deputy Regional Director, Region 6, Denver, Colorado, Fish and Wildlife

Service.

[FR Doc. 95-14634 Filed 6-14-95; 8:45 am]

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