Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extension of Comment Period for Draft Conservation Agreement for the Wasatch Front and West Desert Populations (Utah) of Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Extension of

Comment Period for Draft Conservation Agreement for the Wasatch Front

and West Desert Populations (Utah) of Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces an extension of the

public review and comment period for the Draft Conservation Agreement

for the spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) in Utah. The Service announced

the availability of the draft Conservation Agreement for the Wasatch

Front and West Desert populations (Utah) of spotted frog for review and

comment on November 28, 1997 (62 FR 63375). The original comment period

requested comments be received on or before December 29, 1997. On

December 16, 1997, the Service received an official request for an

extension of the comment period to the week of January 13, 1998.

DATES: Comments on the Draft Conservation Agreement must now be

received on or before January 16, 1998, to be considered by the Service

during preparation of the final conservation agreement and prior to the

Service's determination whether it will be a signatory party to the

agreement.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the Draft Conservation Agreement

may obtain a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, 145 East 1300 South, Suite 404, Salt Lake City, Utah

84115. Written comments and materials regarding the Draft Conservation

Agreement should also be directed to the same address. Comments and

written materials will be available upon request for public inspection,

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Reed E. Harris, Field Supervisor

(see ADDRESSES section) (telephone 801/524-5001).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) is a

candidate for Federal listing pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended. In 1989 the Service received a petition from the

Board of Directors of the Utah Nature Study Society requesting that the

Service add the spotted frog (then referred to as Rana pretiosa) to the

List of Threatened and Endangered Species. The Service subsequently

published a notice of a 90-day finding in the Federal Register (54 FR

42529) on October 17, 1990, and a notice of a 12-month petition finding

in the Federal Register (58 FR 27260) on May 7, 1993. In the 12-month

petition finding the Service found that listing of the spotted frog as

threatened in some portions of its range was warranted but precluded by

other higher priority listing actions.

Shortly after the 12-month petition finding the Utah Department of

Natural Resources began development of a Conservation Agreement,

working cooperatively with other agencies, in an effort to reduce the

threats affecting the spotted frog.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service will use information received in its determination on

whether it should be a signatory party to the agreement. Comments or

suggestions from the public, other concerned government agencies, the

scientific community, industry, or any other interested party

concerning this draft document are hereby solicited. All comments and

materials received will be considered prior to the approval of any

final document.

Author

The primary author of this notice is Janet A. Mizzi, Utah Field

Office (see ADDRESSES section) (telephone 801/524-5001).

Authority

The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the Fish and Wildlife Act of

1956, the Fish and Wildlife Service Coordination Act of 1964, and the

National Memorandum of Understanding (94(SMU-056)).

Dated: December 18, 1997.

Ralph O. Morgenweck,

Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.

[FR Doc. 97-33538 Filed 12-23-97; 8:45 am]

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