Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Rescheduled Public Hearing on Proposed Threatened and Endangered Status for Five Plants and a Lizard From Monterey County, California

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of

Rescheduled Public Hearing on Proposed Threatened and Endangered Status

for Five Plants and a Lizard From Monterey County, California

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule, notice of rescheduled public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provides notice of

rescheduling of a public hearing on the proposed endangered status for

coastal dunes milkvetch (Astragalus tener var. titi), Yadon's piperia

(Piperia yadonii), Hickman's potentilla (Potentilla hickmanii),

Monterey clover (Trifolium trichocalyx) and the black legless lizard

(Anniella pulchra nigra); and threatened status for Gowen cypress

(Cupressus goveniana ssp. goveniana). All parties are invited to submit

comments on this proposal.

DATES: A public hearing was originally scheduled for Wednesday, July

17, 1996, in Monterey, California. The hearing has been rescheduled to

be held on Tuesday, August 20, 1996, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in

Monterey, California. Any comments received by August 30, 1996, will be

considered in the final decision on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel,

One Golf Course Road, Monterey, California. Written comments and

materials concerning this proposal may be submitted at the hearing or

sent directly to the Field Supervisor, Ventura Field Office, 2493

Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003. Comments and

materials will be available for public inspection, by appointment,

during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Connie Rutherford (see ADDRESSES

section) or at 805/644-1766.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Most of the habitat for the plants and lizard is found in coastal

habitats in northern Monterey County. Coastal dunes milk-vetch and

Monterey clover are restricted to private lands on the Monterey

Peninsula. Hickman's potentilla is restricted to two populations: one

on the Monterey Peninsula, and one recently discovered near Devil's

Slide in San Mateo County. Gowen cypress stands occur on the Monterey

Peninsula, and at Point Lobos State Reserve five miles to the south.

Yadon's piperia occurs primarily on private lands on the Monterey

Peninsula, with other populations extending as far south as Palo

Colorado Canyon, and as far north as Blohm

[[Page 36347]]

Ranch north of Prunedale. The black legless lizard occurs on private

and State Park lands between the Salinas and Carmel Rivers, on the

Monterey Peninsula, and along Monterey Bay. A few populations of

Yadon's piperia and the black legless lizard occur on Federal lands at

Fort Ord.

The five plant taxa and the lizard are threatened by one or more of

the following: alteration, destruction, and fragmentation of habitat

resulting from urban and golf course development; recreational

activities; highway widening; military activities; competition with

non-native species; and alteration of natural fire cycles. All taxa are

also threatened with stochastic extinction due to the small numbers of

populations or individuals.

On August 2, 1995, the Service published a proposed rule on

proposed endangered status for Astragalus tener var. titi, Piperia

yadonii, Potentilla hickmanii, Trifolium trichocalyx, and the black

legless lizard (Anniella pulchra nigra); and threatened status for

Gowen cypress (Cupressus goveniana ssp. goveniana (60 FR 39326).

Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act requires that a public hearing be held if

one is requested within 45 days of the publication of the proposed rule

in the Federal Register. A public hearing request was received within

the allotted time period from Robert D. Thornton of Nossaman, Guthner,

Knox & Elliott in Irvine, California. On June 26, 1996, the Service

announced that a public hearing was scheduled to be held on July 17,

1996 (61 FR 33082). The hearing has been rescheduled to be held on

August 20, 1996, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, One Golf Course Road,

Monterey, California.

Anyone wishing to make statements for the record should bring a

written copy of their statements to the hearing. Oral statements may be

limited in length if the number of parties present at the hearing

necessitates such a limitation. Oral and written comments receive equal

consideration. The Service places no limits to the length of written

comments or materials presented at the hearing or mailed to the

Service. Legal notices announcing the date, time, and location of the

hearing are being published in local newspapers. Written comments may

be submitted until August 30, 1996, to the Service office in the

ADDRESSES section.

Authority

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

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

Dated: July 3, 1996.

Don Weathers,

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

[FR Doc. 96-17523 Filed 7-9-96; 8:45 am]

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