Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, Notice of Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Threatened Status for the Flat- tailed Horned Lizard

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018--AC10

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, Notice of

Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Threatened Status for the Flat-

tailed Horned Lizard

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule, notice of extension of 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 an

extension of the comment period on the proposed threatened status for

the flat-tailed horned lizard (Phrynosoma mcalli). The comment period

has been extended at the request of an individual interested in

providing public comment.

DATES: The public comment period has been extended 30 days, and will

now close on June 9, 1997. Any comments received by the closing date

will be considered in the final decision on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials concerning this proposal

should be sent directly to the Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Field Office,

2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad California 92008. Comments and

materials received will be available for public inspection, by

appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Vissman, at the address listed

above (telephone 760/431-9440, facsimile 760/431-9618).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The flat-tailed horned lizard inhabits desert areas of southern

Riverside, eastern San Diego, and Imperial Counties in California;

southwestern Arizona; and adjacent regions of northwestern Sonora and

northeastern Baja California Norte, Mexico. Within the United States,

populations of the flat-tailed horned lizard are centered in portions

of the Coachella Valley, Ocotillo Wells, Anza Borrego Desert, West

Mesa, East Mesa and the Yuma Desert in California; and the area between

Yuma and the Gila Mountains in Arizona. The flat-tailed horned lizard

occurs on Federal, State, county, and privately owned lands.

This species may be threatened by one or more of the following:

commercial and residential development, agricultural development, off-

highway vehicle activity, energy developments, military activities, and

pesticide use.

On November 29, 1993, the Service published a rule proposing

threatened status for the flat-tailed horned lizard. The original

comment period closed on January 28, 1994. 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 (Pub. L. 104-6) that took effect April 10, 1995, stipulated

that no funds could be used to make final listing or critical habitat

determinations. Now that funding has been restored, the Service is

proceeding with a final determination for this species.

In response to a request from a constituent of Senator Kyl of

Arizona, the Service is extending the comment period for 30 days. This

individual requested an extension to allow

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sufficient time to review requested documents and prepare comments.

The Service continues to seek information that has become available

in the last 3 years concerning:

(1) biological, commercial, or other relevant data on any threat

(or lack thereof) to this species; and

(2) the size, number, or distribution of populations of this

species.

Written comments may be submitted through June 9, 1997, to the

Service office in the ADDRESSES section.

Author: The primary author of this notice is Sandy Vissman (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 29, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1.

[FR Doc. 97-11712 Filed 5-5-97; 8:45 am]

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