7596 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 40 / Wednesday, February 28, 1996 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR appointment in the Regional Offices SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: listed below. Fish and Wildlife Service Information relating to particular taxa Background in this notice may be obtained from the The Endangered Species Act (Act) of 50 CFR Part 17 Service's Endangered Species 1973, as amended, (16 U.S.C. 1531 et Coordinator in the lead Regional Office seq.) requires the Service to identify Endangered and Threatened Wildlife identified for each taxon and listed species of wildlife and plants that are and Plants; Review of Plant and below: endangered or threatened, based on the Animal Taxa That Are Candidates for Region 1. California, Commonwealth best available scientific and commercial Listing as Endangered or Threatened of the Northern Mariana Islands, information. As part of the program to Species Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Pacific accomplish this, the Service has AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Territories of the United States, and maintained a list of species regarded as Interior. Washington. candidates for listing. The Service maintains this list for a variety of ACTION: Notice of review. Regional Director (TE), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Eastside Federal reasons, includingÐto provide advance SUMMARY: In this notice the Fish and Complex, 911 N.E. 11th Avenue, knowledge of potential listings that Wildlife Service (Service) presents an Portland, Oregon 97232±4181 (503± could affect decisions of environmental updated list of plant and animal taxa 231±6131). planners and developers; to solicit input native to the United States that are Region 2. Arizona, New Mexico, from interested parties to identify those regarded as candidates for possible Oklahoma, and Texas. candidate species that may not require addition to the List of Endangered and Regional Director (TE), U.S. Fish and protection under the Act or additional Threatened Wildlife and Plants under Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 1306, species that may require the Act's the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103 (505± protections; and to solicit information amended (Act). Identification of 766±3972). needed to prioritize the order in which candidate species can assist Region 3. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, species will be proposed for listing. At environmental planning efforts by Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, present, there are 182 taxa included in providing advance notice of potential and Wisconsin. Table 1 of this notice that are Regional Director (TE), U.S. Fish and listings, allowing resource managers to considered by the Service as candidates Wildlife Service, Federal Building, Fort for possible addition to the List of alleviate threats and thereby possibly Snelling, Twin Cities, Minnesota 55111 Endangered and Threatened Plants, as remove the need to list species as (612±725±3276). well as 238 U.S. taxa for which endangered or threatened. Even if a Region 4. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, proposed rules to list have been issued. candidate species is subsequently listed, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, The Service encourages their the early notice provided here could Mississippi, North Carolina, South consideration in environmental result in fewer restrictions on activities Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and planning, such as in environmental by prompting candidate conservation the U.S. Virgin Islands. impact analysis under the National measures to alleviate threats to the Regional Director (TE), U.S. Fish and Environmental Policy Act of 1969 species. Wildlife Service, 1875 Century (implemented at 40 CFR Parts 1500± Through the publication of this Boulevard, Atlanta, Georgia 30345 (404± 1508). Information regarding the range, notice, the Service requests additional 679±7096). status, and habitat needs of these status information that may be available Region 5. Connecticut, Delaware, species is available from the Service's for the identified candidate species and District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Headquarters and Regional Offices (see information indicating that species not Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New ``ADDRESSES'' above). presently regarded as candidates should Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Previous Notices of Review be included in future updates of this Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West list. This information will be considered Virginia. The Act directed the Secretary of the in preparing listing documents and Regional Director (TE), U.S. Fish and Smithsonian Institution to prepare a future revisions or supplements to the Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center report on endangered and threatened notice of review. It will also help the Drive, Hadley, Massachusetts 01035± plant species, which was published as Service monitor changes in the status of 9589. (413±253±8300) House Document No. 94±51. The candidate species and in candidate Region 6. Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Service published a notice on July 1, conservation activities. Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, 1975 (40 FR 27823), in which it DATES: Comments are requested until Utah, and Wyoming. announced that more than 3,000 native the publication of an update of this Regional Director (TE), U.S. Fish and plant taxa (plants with formal scientific notice, anticipated in February, 1997. Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486, names) named in the Smithsonian's ADDRESSES: Interested persons or Denver Federal Center, Denver, report and other taxa added by the 1975 organizations should submit comments Colorado 80225 (303±236±7398). notice would be reviewed for possible regarding particular taxa to the Regional Region 7. Alaska. inclusion in the List of Endangered and Director of the Region identified as Regional Director (TE), U.S. Fish and Threatened Plants. The 1975 notice was having the lead responsibility for that Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor superseded on December 15, 1980 (45 taxon. Comments of a more general Street, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 (907± FR 82479), by a new comprehensive nature may be submitted to the Chief, 786±3520). notice of review for native plants that Division of Endangered Species, U.S. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: took into account the earlier Fish and Wildlife Service, 1849 C Street, Endangered Species Coordinator(s) in Smithsonian report and other N.W., Mail Stop 452 ARLSQ, the appropriate Regional Office(s) at the accumulated information. On November Washington, D.C. 20240 (703±358± above phone numbers or Chief, Division 28, 1983 (48 FR 53640), a supplemental 2171). Written comments and materials of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and plant notice of review noted changes in received in response to this notice will Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. the status of various taxa. The Service be available for public inspection by 20240, (703±358±2171). published complete updates of the plant Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 40 / Wednesday, February 28, 1996 / Proposed Rules 7597 notice on September 27, 1985 (50 FR proposing to list as endangered or revisions and monographs), do not 39526), February 21, 1990 (55 FR 6184), threatened was possibly appropriate, represent distinct taxa meeting the Act's and September 30, 1993 (58 FR 51144). but for which sufficient data on definition of ``species.'' Such supposed All previous plant notices of review are biological vulnerability and threat were taxa could be reevaluated in the future superseded by this notice. not currently available to support on the basis of new information. Previous animal notices of review proposed rules. The quality of 3CÐTaxa that have proven to be more included many of the animal taxa in the information varied greatly among the abundant or widespread than previously accompanying Table 1. The Service former Category 2 species, but they all believed as well as taxa that are not published earlier comprehensive shared one traitÐsufficient information subject to any identifiable threat. If reviews for vertebrate animals in the to justify issuance of a proposed rule further research or changes in habitat Federal Register on December 30, 1982 was lacking. The designation of indicate a significant decline in any of (47 FR 58454) and on September 18, Category 2 species as candidates these taxa, they may be reevaluated for 1985 (50 FR 37958). An initial resulted in confusion about the possible inclusion as candidates. The comprehensive review for invertebrate conservation status of these taxa. To designation of Category 3 is animals was published on May 22, 1984 reduce that confusion, and to clarify discontinued, but the Service will retain (49 FR 21664). The Service published a that the Service does not regard these all Category 3 information in case future combined animal notice of review on species as candidates for listing, the reviews are conducted on these taxa. January 6, 1989 (54 FR 554) and with Service is discontinuing the designation Future notices of review will only minor corrections on August 10, 1989 of Category 2 species as candidates in mention such taxa if they were included (54 FR 32833). The Service again this notice. The Service remains in the previous notice of review as published comprehensive notices on concerned about these species, but candidate species. November 21, 1991 (56 FR 58804), and further biological research and field Taxa that were placed in Category 3 November 15, 1994 (59 FR 58982). This study are needed to resolve the are not candidates for listing. The revised notice supersedes all previous conservation status of these taxa.