Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of Public Comment Period on the Proposed Rule to List the Pallid Manzanita as Threatened

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AD35

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of

Public Comment Period on the Proposed Rule to List the Pallid Manzanita

as Threatened

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of the comment period.

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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

reopening of the comment period on the proposed threatened status for

Arctostaphylos pallida (pallid manzanita) which was published in the

Federal Register on August 2, 1995. The comment period has been

reopened to acquire additional information from interested parties, and

to resume the proposed listing actions.

DATES: The public comment period closes June 4, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials concerning this proposal

should be sent directly to the Field Supervisor, Sacramento Field

Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, California 95821-

6340. Comments and materials received will be available for inspection,

by appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dwight Harvey (see ADDRESSES section)

at (916) 979-2725.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On August 2, 1995, the Service published a rule proposing

threatened status for Arctostaphylos pallida (60 FR 39309-39314). The

original comment period closed on September 25, 1995. No public hearing

was requested. The Service was unable to make a final listing

determination on this species because of a limited budget, other

endangered species assignments driven by court orders, and higher

listing priorities. In addition, a moratorium on listing actions

(Public Law 104-6), which took effect on April 10, 1995, stipulated

that no funds could be used to make final listing determinations or

critical habitat determinations.

After funding was restored, the Service proceeded with a final

determination for this species by reopening the comment period from

February 25, 1997 until March 27, 1997 (62 FR 8417, February 25, 1997).

During this period, the Service received a request that the comment

period be reopened an additional 30 days in order that all interested

and affected parties have sufficient opportunity to submit their

comments in writing.

Pallid manzanita is found only in the northern Diablo Range of

California. It occupies 13 sites in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

The two largest populations are located at Huckleberry Ridge and

Sobrante Ridge. The plants are found in manzanita chaparral habitat

that is frequently surrounded by oak woodlands and coastal scrub. The

plants are threatened by shading and competition from native and non-

native plants, fire suppression, habitat fragmentation, hybridization,

disease, herbicide spraying, and unauthorized tree cutting.

The Service particularly seeks information concerning:

(1) The known or potential effects of fire suppression and general

fire management practices on the pallid manzanita and its habitat.

In addition, the Service seeks information that has become

available in the last two years concerning:

(2) Other biological, commercial, or other relevant data on any

threats (or lack of thereof) to the species; and

(3) The size, number, or distribution of populations of the

species.

Written comments may be submitted through June 4, 1997 to the

Service office in the ADDRESSES section.

Any comments received by the closing date will be considered in the

final decision on this proposal.

Author: The primary author of this notice is Dwight Harvey (see

ADDRESSES section).

Authority

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

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

Dated: April 28, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Portland, OR.

[FR Doc. 97-11572 Filed 5-2-97; 8:45 am]

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