Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Public Hearing and Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Critical Habitat for the Tidewater Goby

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AE30

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Public Hearing and

Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Critical Habitat for the

Tidewater Goby

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearing and reopening of

comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, pursuant to the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provide notice of a public

hearing and reopening of the comment period on the proposed rule to

designate critical habitat for the tidewater goby Eucyclogobius

newberryi, an endangered species. The comment period is reopened to

accommodate public hearing requests received from the Agua Hedionda

Lagoon Foundation, the Bristol Cove Boat and Ski Club, the Bristol Cove

Property Owners Association, Carlsbad Aquafarm Incorporated, Cabrillo

Power I LLC, and the Hubbs Sea World Institute. Thus, we have scheduled

a public hearing to be held in Carlsbad, California (see DATES and

ADDRESSES). The reopening of the comment period will also allow further

opportunity for all interested parties to submit comments on the

proposal which is available (see ADDRESSES). We are seeking comments or

suggestions from the public, other concerned governmental agencies, the

scientific community, industry, or any other interested parties

concerning the proposed designation.

DATES: The public hearing will be held on Thursday, November 4, from

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Carlsbad,

California. The comment period closes November 30, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at La Costa Resort,

Conference Center Theater, La Costa Del Mar Road, Carlsbad, California.

Comments and materials concerning this proposal should be sent to the

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

Wildlife 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: Glen Knowles, Carlsbad Fish and

Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES section) at (760) 491-9440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On August 3, 1999, the service published a rule proposing critical

habitat for the tidewater goby Eucyclogobius newberryi in the Federal

Register (64 FR 42250), a species now classified as endangered

throughout its entire range. The original comment period closed on

October 4, 1999. Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)

requires that a public hearing be held if it is requested within 45

days of the publication of the proposed rule. In response to a request

for a public hearing from the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, Bristol

Cove Boat and Ski Club, the Bristol Cove Property Owner's Association,

Carlsbad Aquafarm Incorporated, Cabrillo Power I LLC, and the Hubbs Sea

World Institute a public hearing will be held in Carlsbad, California

on November 4, 1999, at the La Costa Resort, Conference Center Theater

(see ADDRESSES). Parties wishing to make statements for the record

should bring a 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. There are no limits to the

length of written comments or materials presented at the hearing or

mailed to us. Written comments carry the same weight as oral comments.

The comment period now closes on November 30, 1999. Written comments

should be submitted to us at the hearing, or mailed to the Carlsbad

Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES section).

The tidewater goby is a small, grayish brown fish approximately 2

inches long which lives for about one year. It occurs in lagoons, tidal

bays, and brackish tributaries along the California coastline. This

fish is threatened by habitat loss and degradation, predation by non-

native species, and extreme weather and streamflow conditions. Comments

from the public regarding the accuracy of this proposed rule are

sought, especially regarding:

(1) The reasons why any habitat should or should not be determined

to be critical habitat as provided by section 4 of the Act, including

whether the benefits of designation will outweigh any threats to the

species due to designation;

(2) Specific information on the amount and distribution of

tidewater goby habitat, and what habitat is essential to the

conservation of the species and why;

(3) Land use practices and current or planned activities in the

subject areas and their possible impacts on proposed critical habitat;

(4) Any foreseeable economic or other impacts resulting from the

proposed designation of critical habitat, in particular, any impacts on

small entities or families; and

(5) Economic and other values associated with designating critical

habitat for the tidewater goby, such as those derived from non-

consumptive

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uses (e.g., camping, hiking, bird-watching, enhanced watershed

protection, improved air quality, increased soil retention, ``existence

values,'' and reductions in administrative costs).

Author: The primary author of this notice is Glen Knowles (see

ADDRESSES section).

Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered

Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Dated: October 10, 1999.

Elizabeth H. Stevens,

Acting Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office.

[FR Doc. 99-26787 Filed 10-14-99; 8:45 am]

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