Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Threatened Status for the Alaska Breeding Population of the Steller's Eider

[[Page 34225]]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN: 1018-AC19

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of

Comment Period on Proposed Threatened Status for the Alaska Breeding

Population of the Steller's Eider

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Extension of proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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

that the comment period on the proposal to classify the Alaska breeding

population of the Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) as threatened

is extended until January 14, 1996, due to significant scientific

controversy over the species' status. In addition, the public comment

period is hereby reopened.

DATES: The comment period, which originally closed on November 14,

1994, is reopened effective immediately and closes on January 14, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials should be sent to Fairbanks

Ecological Services field Office, Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, 1412 Airport Way, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99701, telephone

(907) 456-0427 or facsimile (907) 456-0346. Comments and materials

received will be available for public inspection, by appointment,

during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ted Swen at the above address (telephone 907/456-0427).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The smallest of four eider species, the Steller's eider breeds in

coastal areas of arctic Alaska and Russia. Worldwide, Steller's eiders

still number over one hundred thousand, with the vast majority of

individuals nesting in Asia and wintering in Alaskan waters. A small

portion of the world's Steller's eiders nest in Alaska and this nesting

population is being proposed for listing as a distinct vertebrate

population under the endangered Species Act. In recent years the

breeding range of the species in Alaska has contracted. The species,

which nests locally at several coastal locations in the central Yukon-

Kuskokwim Delta, has now virtually disappeared from this region. In

Alaska, the species currently nests only in the northwest portion of

the North Slope. Recent surveys suggest the species no longer nests in

certain areas in which it originally occurred on the North Slope.

Factors causing the decline of the species and the contraction of its

breeding range in Alaska are not known. Due to the reduction in numbers

and contraction of the species' breeding range in Alaska, the Service

believes that the remaining population of Steller's eiders is

increasingly vulnerable to extirpation.

On July 14, 1994, the Service published a proposed rule (59 FR

35896; July 1, 1994) to list the Alaska breeding population of

Steller's eiders as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (Act)

of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Comments received during

the initial public comment period indicate scientific controversy

exists over the Service's technical interpretation of available data.

In order to insure that decisions on endangered and threatened species

are based upon the best scientific and commercial data available, the

Service now requires that listing proposals be reviewed by three

appropriate independent specialists (59 FR 34270). To comply with this

recent policy and to adequately address the scientific controversy, the

Service is reopening the comment period on the proposal to list the

Alaska breeding population of Steller's eiders and now solicits the

expert opinions of three independent specialists. All interested

parties are invited to comment on this proposal during the comment

period. Written comments may now be submitted until January 14, 1996,

to the Service office in the ADDRESSES section.

Authors

The primary author of this notice is Ted Swem (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 20, 1995.

John G. Rogers,

Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 95-16075 Filed 6-29-95; 8:45 am]

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