[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 92 (Friday, May 13, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11660]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 13, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AC09
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Public
Hearing and Reopening of Comment Period for Proposal to List the Lake
Erie Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) as a Threatened Species
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public hearing and reopening of
comment period.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that
two public hearings will be held on the proposed determination of
threatened status for the Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon
insularum) and that the comment period on the proposal is reopened. The
hearings and reopened comment period will allow comments on this
proposal to be submitted from all interested parties.
DATES: The first public hearing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on
Tuesday, May 31, 1994, in Put-in-Bay, on South Bass Island, Ohio. The
second public hearing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, June
1, 1994, in Port Clinton, Ohio. The comment period will close on June
16, 1994.
ADDRESSES: The May 31, 1994, public hearing will be held at the Village
Hall, Catawba Avenue, Put-in-Bay, Ohio. The June 1, 1994, public
hearing will be held at Port Clinton High School, 821 S. Jefferson
Street, Port Clinton, Ohio. Written comments and materials should be
sent to the Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bishop
Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling,
Minnesota 55111-4056. Comments and materials received will be available
for public inspection during normal business hours, by appointment, at
the above Regional Office address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:For information on the public hearing
contact Kent Kroonemeyer, Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Ecological Services Field Office, 6950-H Americana Parkway,
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-4415 (614/469-6923; fax 614/469-6919).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Lake Erie water snake is found on the islands of western Lake
Erie and the adjacent mainland of Ohio and Ontario, Canada. It has been
proposed for listing as a threatened species due to strong evidence
that its numbers have declined dramatically, primarily as a result of
the destruction of its habitat and human persecution, and that the
threats to the habitat and to the snakes themselves are continuing.
The Federal Register notice announcing the proposing of the Lake
Erie water snake for classification as a threatened species was
published on August 18, 1993 (58 FR 43857). The original comment period
ended on November 16, and the deadline for receipt of public hearing
requests was October 4. On October 12, 1993 (58 FR 52740), a second
notice was published extending the comment period until November 16,
1993.
On October 5, 1993, the Service received a request for a public
hearing on this proposal from Donald J. McTigue, representing
Baycliff's Corporation. A second request for a public hearing was
received by the Service on October 13, 1993, from H. R. Clagg,
President of the Johnson's Island Property Owners' Association. The
Service has scheduled two hearings in the area potentially affected by
the listing proposal. Those parties wishing to make statements for the
record should have available a copy of their statements to be presented
to the Service at the hearing. Oral statements may be limited to 5 or
10 minutes, if the number of parties present necessitates some
limitation. There are no limits to the length of written comments
presented at this hearing or mailed to the Service. Oral and written
comments receive equal consideration.
In order to accommodate the hearing, the Service also reopens the
public comment period. Written comments may now be submitted until June
16, 1994, to the Service office in the ADDRESSES section or at the
public hearing.
Author
The primary author of this notice is Ronald L. Refsnider, Division
of Endangered Species, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal
Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111-4056 (phone 612-725-3276; fax 612-
725-3526).
Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et. seq.).
Dated: May 9, 1994.
Richard N. Smith,
Acting Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 94-11660 Filed 5-12-94; 8:45 am]
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