Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of Comment Periods and Notice of Availability of Draft Economic Analyses on Proposed Critical Habitat Determinations for the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and the Huachuca Water Umbel, a Plant

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AF36, 1018-AF37

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of

Comment Periods and Notice of Availability of Draft Economic Analyses

on Proposed Critical Habitat Determinations for the Cactus Ferruginous

Pygmy-Owl and the Huachuca Water Umbel, a Plant

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment periods and notice of

availability of draft economic analyses.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability

of draft economic analyses of the proposed designation of critical

habitat for the plant Lilaeopsis schaffneriana ssp. recurva (Huachuca

water umbel) and the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl (Glaucidium

brasilianum cactorum). We also provide notice of the reopening of the

comment periods for the two proposals to allow all interested parties

to submit written comments on the proposals and on the draft economic

analyses. We have received some comments on the proposals after the

close of the original comment periods. Those comments will be

incorporated into the public records as a part of these reopenings and

do not need to be resubmitted.

DATES: The original comment periods for both critical habitat proposals

closed on March 1, 1999. The comment periods are reopened and we will

accept comments until May 15, 1999. Comments must be received by the

closing date. Any comments that are received after the closing date may

not be considered in the final decisions on these proposals.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft economic analyses are available on the

Internet at http://ifw2irm2.irm1.r2.fws.gov/ or by writing to the Field

Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 W. Royal Palm Road,

Suite 103, Phoenix, Arizona 85021. Written comments should be sent to

the Field Supervisor. Comments and materials received will be available

for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at

the above Service address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Gatz, Endangered Species

Coordinator, at the above address (telephone 602-640-2720 ext. 240;

facsimile 602-640-2730).

[[Page 18597]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl is one of four subspecies of the

ferruginous pygmy-owl. It occurs from lowland central Arizona south

through western Mexico to the States of Colima and Michoacan, and from

southern Texas south through the Mexican States of Tamaulipas and Nuevo

Leon. Only the Arizona population of the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl

is listed as an endangered species. We proposed designation of

approximately 730,565 acres of riverine riparian and upland habitat as

critical habitat for the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl pursuant to the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Proposed critical

habitat is in Pima, Cochise, Pinal, and Maricopa counties, Arizona as

described in the proposed rule (63 FR 71820; December 30, 1999).

The Huachuca water umbel is a plant found in cienegas (desert

marshes), streams and springs in southern Arizona and northern Sonora,

Mexico, typically in mid-elevation wetland communities often surrounded

by relatively arid environments. These communities are usually

associated with perennial springs and stream headwaters, have

permanently or seasonally saturated highly organic soils, and have a

low probability of flooding or scouring. We proposed critical habitat

including a total of 83.9 km (52.1 mi) of streams or rivers in Cochise

and Santa Cruz counties, Arizona (63 FR 71838; December 30, 1999).

Section 4(b)(2) of the Act requires that the Secretary shall

designate or revise critical habitat based upon the best scientific

data available and after taking into consideration the economic impact

of specifying any particular area as critical habitat. Based upon the

previously published proposals to designate critical habitat for the

Huachuca water umbel and the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl and comments

received during previous comment periods, we have conducted a draft

economic analysis of each proposed critical habitat designation. The

draft economic analyses are available at the above Internet and mailing

addresses. In order to accept the best and most current scientific data

regarding the critical habitat proposals and the draft economic

analyses of the proposals, we reopen the comment periods at this time.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has previously conducted and recorded

three public hearings on these critical habitat designation proposals

as required under Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.

1531 et seq.). Due to the expeditious treatment of these proposed

critical habitat determinations under Federal District Court order as

described in the proposed rules, we will not conduct additional

hearings and will accept only written comments during these reopened

comment periods. Previously submitted oral or written comments on

either of these critical habitat proposals need not be resubmitted.

The current comment period on this proposal closes on May 15, 1999.

Written comments may be submitted to the Service office in the

ADDRESSES section.

Author

The primary author of this notice is Jeffrey A. Humphrey (see

ADDRESSES).

Authority

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

(16 U.S.C. 1531-1544).

Dated: April 7, 1999.

Charlie Sanchez Jr.,

Acting Regional Director, Region 2, Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 99-9153 Filed 4-14-99; 8:45 am]

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