Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Endangered Status for Three Aquatic Invertebrates in Comal and Hays Counties, Texas

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public

Hearing on Proposed Endangered Status for Three Aquatic Invertebrates

in Comal and Hays Counties, Texas

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives notice that a public

hearing will be held on the proposed determination of endangered status

for three aquatic invertebrates: Peck's cave amphipod (Stygobromus

pecki), Comal Springs riffle beetle (Heterelmis comalensis), and Comal

Springs dryopid beetle (Stygoparnus comalensis). These species are

known only from springs in Comal County and Hays County, Texas, and, in

the case of the amphipod and dryopid beetle, the associated aquifer.

All interested parties are invited to submit comments on this proposal.

DATES: The public hearing will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on July

24, 1995, in New Braunfels, Texas. The comment period on this proposal

closes on August 4, 1995. Comments must be postmarked by the closing

date to be considered in the final decision on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held on July 24, 1995 from 6 p.m.

to 9 p.m. at the New Braunfels Civic Center, 380 South Seguin Street,

New Braunfels, Texas. Written comments and materials should be sent

directly to the Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological

Services Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200, Austin, Texas

78758. Comments and materials received will be available for public

inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Stanford, Ecologist, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, Austin Ecological Services Field Office, at the

above address, telephone: (512) 490-0057.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Peck's cave amphipod, Comal Springs riffle beetle, and Comal

Springs dryopid beetle are restricted in distribution to spring sites

in Comal and Hays counties, Texas, and, in the case of the latter two

species, the associated aquifer. Peck's cave amphipod is known from

Comal Springs and Hueco Springs, both in Comal County. The Comal

Springs riffle beetle is known from Comal Springs and San Marcos

Springs (Hays County). The Comal Springs dryopid beetle is known from

Comal Springs and Fern Bank Springs (Hays County). The water flowing

out of each of these spring orifices comes from the Edwards Aquifer

(Balcones Fault Zone--San Antonio Region), which extends from Hays

County on the east to Kinney County on the west. Comal Springs are

located in Landa Park, which is owned and operated by the City of New

Braunfels, and on private property adjacent to Landa Park. Hueco

Springs and Fern Bank Springs are located on private property. San

Marcos Springs is located on the property of Aquarena Springs, owned by

Southwest Texas State University. The primary threat to the habitat of

these aquatic invertebrates is a decrease in water quantity and quality

as a result of water withdrawal and other activities by humans

throughout the San Antonio segment of the Edwards Aquifer.

A proposal of endangered status for these invertebrates was

published in the Federal Register (60 FR 29537) on June 5, 1995.

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 it

is requested within 45 days of the publication of a proposed rule. On

June 23, 1995, a request for a public hearing on this proposal was

received from Mr. David Langford, Executive Vice President of the Texas

Wildlife Association, San Antonio, Texas.

[[Page 35375]]

Anyone wishing to make an oral statement for the record is

encouraged to provide a copy of his or her statement at the start of

the hearing. In the event that there is a large attendance, the time

allotted for oral statements may have to be limited. There is, however,

no limit to the length of written comments or materials presented at

the hearing or mailed to the Service. Oral and written comments receive

equal consideration.

The comment period on the proposed rule closes on August 4, 1995.

Written comments must be postmarked by August 4, 1995, and sent to the

Service office in the ADDRESSES section.

Author: The primary author of this notice is Ruth A. Stanford,

Austin Ecological Service Field Office, at the above address.

Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered

Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1361-1407; U.S.C. 1531-1543; 16

U.S.C. 4201-4245; Pub. L. 99-625, Stat. 3500; unless otherwise

noted).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and

record-keeping requirements, Transportation.

Dated: June 29, 1995.

Joseph P. Mazzoni,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 95-16775 Filed 7-6-95; 8:45 am]

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