Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, Notice of Second Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for the Peninsular Ranges Population of the Desert Bighorn Sheep

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AB73

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, Notice of Second

Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for the

Peninsular Ranges Population of the Desert Bighorn Sheep

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule, notice of second reopening 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 a

second reopening of the comment period on the proposed endangered

status for the Peninsular Ranges population of desert bighorn sheep

(Ovis canadensis). On April 7, 1997, the Service reopened the comment

period to acquire additional information from interested parties, and

to resume the proposed listing action (62 FR 16518). In addition, the

Service sought public comment on various articles and reports

concerning the distinctiveness and status of bighorn sheep in the

Peninsular Ranges. Because of a request to allow for further

development of biological, distributional, and status information on

the bighorn sheep, the comment period is reopened again for another 15

days.

DATES: The public comment period closes July 2, 1997. Any comments

received by the closing date will be considered in the final decision

on this proposal.

ADDRESSES: Written comments, materials and data, and available reports

and articles concerning this proposal should be sent directly to the

Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 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: Peter Sorensen, at the address listed

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Peninsular Ranges population of the desert bighorn sheep occurs

along desert slopes of the Peninsular Ranges from the vicinity of Palm

Springs, California, into northern Baja California, Mexico. Depressed

recruitment, habitat loss and degradation, disease, loss of dispersal

corridors, and random events (e.g., drought) affecting small

populations threaten the desert bighorn sheep in the Peninsular Ranges.

On May 8, 1992, the Service published a rule proposing endangered

status for the Peninsular Ranges population of the desert bighorn sheep

(57 FR 19837). The original comment period closed on November 4, 1992.

The Service was unable to make a final listing determination regarding

the bighorn sheep 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 or critical habitat determinations. Now that

funding has been restored, the Service is proceeding with a final

determination for the Peninsular Ranges population of the desert

bighorn sheep.

Due to the length of time that has elapsed since the close of the

initial comment period, changing procedural and biological

circumstances and the need to review the best scientific information

available during the decision-making process, the Service reopened the

comment period for 30 days on April 7, 1997 (62 FR 16518). Moreover,

the Service reopened the comment period to ensure that this proposed

listing of a population of desert bighorn sheep is consistent with

Service policy published on February 7, 1996, regarding the recognition

of distinct vertebrate population segments (61 FR 4722). This policy

requires that distinct population segments be discrete from other

populations of the species, be biologically and/or ecologically

significant to the species, and meet the standards of an endangered or

threatened species under section 4(a) of the Act. On May 6, 1997, the

Service received a request from Mr. Francis D. Logan, Jr., a

representative of a landowner potentially affected by this proposal, to

hold a public hearing and to extend the comment period to allow for the

development of further biological, distributional, and status

information on the bighorn sheep. Though the Service will not hold a

hearing, the Service reopens the comment period for 15 days. In this

regard, the following recent articles and reports contained in Service

files, including other non-cited information, remain available for

public review:

Berger, J. 1990. Persistence of different-sized populations: An

empirical assessment of rapid extinctions. Conservation Biology

4:91-98.

Bleich, V., C., J. D. Wehausen, and S. A. Holl. 1990. Desert-

dwelling mountain sheep: Conservation implications of a naturally

fragmented distribution. Conservation Biology 4:383-390.

Bleich, V., C., J. D. Wehausen, R. R. Ramey II, and J. L. Rechel.

1997. Metapopulation theory and mountain sheep: Implications for

conservation. Pages 353-373 in D. R. McCullough, editor.

Metapopulations and Wildlife Conservation, Island Press, Washington,

D.C.

Bighorn Institute. 1996. Summary of the San Jacinto Mountains

helicopter survey of Peninsular bighorn sheep. unpublished report, 2

pp.

Bighorn Institute. 1996. Summary of the Santa Rosa Mountains

helicopter survey of Peninsular bighorn sheep. unpublished report, 3

pp.

Boyce, W. M., P. W. Hedrick, N. E. Muggli-Cockett, S. Kalinowski, M.

C. T. Penedo, and R. R. Ramey II. 1997. Genetic variation of major

histocompatibility complex and microsatellite loci: A comparison in

bighorn sheep. Genetics 145:421-433.

DeForge, J. R., E. M. Barrett, S. D. Ostermann, M. C. Jorgensen, and

S. G. Torres. 1995. Population dynamics of Peninsular bighorn sheep

in the Santa Rosa Mountains, California. Desert Bighorn Council

Trans. 39:50-57.

R. R. Ramey II. 1995. Mitochondrial DNA variation, population

structure, and evolution of mountain sheep in the south-western

United States and Mexico. Molecular Ecology 4:429-439.

Rubin, E., and W. Boyce. 1996. Results of helicopter survey

conducted in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. unpublished memo to

Steve Torres (CDFG Bighorn Sheep Coordinator) and project

collaborators. 6 pp.

Wehausen, J. D., and R. R. Ramey II. 1993. A morphometric

reevaluation of the Peninsular bighorn subspecies. Desert Bighorn

Council Trans. 37:1-10.

Regarding the above articles and reports, the Service particularly

seeks information concerning:

(1) the biological and ecological distinctiveness of bighorn sheep

in the Peninsular Ranges from other populations of bighorn sheep;

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

threat (or lack thereof) to bighorn sheep in the Peninsular Ranges; and

(3) the current size, number, or distribution of bighorn sheep

populations in the Peninsular Ranges.

[[Page 32734]]

Written comments may now be submitted until July 17, 1997 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: June 9, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1.

[FR Doc. 97-15807 Filed 6-16-97; 8:45 am]

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