Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 144 / Monday, July 28, 1997 / Proposed Rules 40319 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), (egg-bearing) females have been COMMISSION for the Illinois cave amphipod, observed in summer and fall. Gammarus acherondytes, Historically, This species is best differentiated 47 CFR Chapter I the amphipod was known from six cave from other amphipods in the field, [CC Docket No. 97±146, FCC 97±219] streams in Monroe and St. Clair especially from G. fasciatus, which it counties, Illinois. Recent surveys have resembles, by its color, small degenerate Complete Detariffing for Competitive found the species at only three of the eyes, and a much longer first antenna. Access Providers and Competitive original six sites. This species is It is usually associated with the larger Local Exchange Carriers; Correction believed to be threatened primarily by G. troglophilus (Hubricht and Mackin groundwater pollution which is likely 1940) but is much less common AGENCY: Federal Communications due to the application of pesticides in (Holsinger 1972). Commission. cave stream recharge areas (the area of This species is a troglobitic (cave ACTION: Proposed rule; correction. land surface from which water drains dependent) species inhabiting the dark into a particular cave stream). A zone of cave streams. As a group, SUMMARY: The Federal Communications possible secondary threat is amphipods require cold water and are Commission published in the Federal contamination of subsurface water by intolerant of wide ranges in Register of July 17, 1997, a document human and animal wastes from sewage temperature. They are strongly sensitive concerning a Notice of Proposed and septic systems and livestock to touch and react negatively to light. Rulemaking (NPRM) for complete feedlots. High levels of dissolved oxygen appears detariffing for all non-ILEC providers of to be an environmental necessity. They interstate exchange access services. DATES: Comments from all interested are omnivorous scavengers, feeding on Inadvertently no due date for Reply parties must be received by September dead animal and plant matter or the thin Comments or OMB Comments was 26, 1997. Public hearing requests must bacterial film covering most submerged provided. This document provides those be received by September 11, 1997. surfaces throughout their aquatic dates. ADDRESSES: Comments and materials habitat. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: concerning this proposal should be sent The Illinois cave amphipod is William Bailey, (202) 418±1520. to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, endemic to the Illinois Sinkhole Plain of Ecological Services Field Office, 4469 Monroe and St. Clair counties and was SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 48th Avenue Court, Rock Island, historically known from six cave Correction Illinois. Comments and materials systems, which are all within a 16 In the Federal Register issue of July received will be available for public kilometer (10 mile) radius of Waterloo, 17, 1997, in FR Doc. 97±18882, on page inspection by appointment, during Illinois. The main entrances to two of the caves, Illinois Caverns and 38244, in the first column, correct the normal business hours at the above Fogelpole Cave, are in public ownership DATES caption to read: address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: and the other four are privately owned. DATES: Comments are due on or before The cave streams from which this August 18, 1997. Reply comments are Richard C. Nelson, Field Supervisor, Illinois Field Office (see ADDRESSES species is historically known are each due on or before September 17, 1997. fed by a separate and distinct watershed Written comments submitted by the section) (telephone 309/793±5800; facsimile 309/793±5804). or recharge area, and there are no Office of Management and Budget known interconnections between them, (OMB) on the proposed modifications to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: with the possible exception of two caves information collections are due on or Background that may become hydrologically before September 26, 1997. connected during extremely high Dated: July 22, 1997. The Illinois cave amphipod was rainfall over short periods of time Federal Communications Commission. described by Hubricht and Mackin (Samuel V. Panno, Illinois Natural (1940). Type specimens were collected William F. Caton, History Survey, Champaign, IL, in litt., by Leslie Hubricht in 1938 from Acting Secretary. 1996). Thus, it is believed that there is Morrison's Cave (now Illinois Caverns), virtually no opportunity for this species [FR Doc. 97±19775 Filed 7±25±97; 8:45 am] near Burksville, Illinois. to become distributed to other cave BILLING CODE 6712±01±P Sexually mature males are up to 20.0 systems via natural pathways. millimeters (mm) (0.8 inch (in.)) long; There are few data on which to base sexually mature females are 12.0 to 16.0 population, productivity or trend DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR mm (0.5 to 0.6 in.) long. Their color in estimates for this species. Sampling for light is light gray-blue and their eyes are cave fauna is difficult at best and is Fish and Wildlife Service reniform, small and degenerate with the compounded by the relatively small size 50 CFR Part 17 pigment drawn away from the facets in of this species. Survey data do not, and an irregular black mass. Their first probably cannot, show a decline in RIN 1018±AE31 antenna is long and slender, more than numbers of this small subterranean one-half the length of the body. The invertebrate, but they do demonstrate a Endangered and Threatened Wildlife primary flagellum has up to forty decline in its range and number of and Plants; Proposed Rule to List the segments and the secondary flagellum extant populations. Since Hubricht's Illinois Cave Amphipod as Endangered has up to six segments. The second initial 1940 collections of unknown AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, antenna is about three-fourths as long as numbers from two caves, other Interior. the first antenna. The flagellum of the collections have been made in 1965 (at ACTION: Proposed rule. second antenna has up to 18 segments least 19 specimens taken from the two and lacks sensory organs in either sex. 1940 caves, plus a third cave), 1972 SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Hubricht and Mackin (1940), reported (unknown numbers taken from two Service (Service) proposes endangered that its clutch size is up to 21 eggs and additional caves), 1974 (six specimens status pursuant to the Endangered Holsinger (1972) reported that ovigerous taken from one of the 1940 caves), 1986 40320 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 144 / Monday, July 28, 1997 / Proposed Rules (two specimens taken from one of the Summary of Factors Affecting the alachlor were detected in 83 percent of 1940 caves and from a new, sixth cave), Species groundwater samples taken from springs 1992 (20 specimens taken from one of Section 4 of the Act and regulations in the study area, often exceeding the the 1940 caves), and 1993 (11 specimens (50 CFR part 424) promulgated to U.S. EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels taken from two 1940 caves) (Webb implement the listing provisions of the of 2.0 parts per billion (ppb) and 3.0 1995). Act set forth the procedures for adding ppb, respectively, during and following spring rainfalls. They reported The most recent and extensive species to the Federal lists. A species determined to be an endangered or maximum atrazine levels in spring sampling effort was in 1995 in which samples as high as 98 ppb with the threatened species may be endangered the Illinois Natural History Survey maximum level in Illinois Caverns being or threatened due to one or more of the (INHS) investigated 25 caves in the 1.38 ppb (Panno, et al. 1996). Macek et five factors described in Section 4(a)(1). Illinois Sinkhole Plain and confirmed al. (1976) observed acute toxicity to the These factors and their application to the presence of the species in only three amphipod Gammarus fasciatus from a the Illinois cave amphipod are as of the original six cave systems, all in 48 hour exposure to the herbicide follows: Monroe County (Webb et al. 1993; Webb atrazine at 2.4 parts per million (ppm) 1995). In 1995, 56 specimens were taken A. The Present or Threatened (LC50 = 5.7 ppm). In addition, they from Illinois Caverns, 19 specimens Destruction, Modification, or reported reproductive effects and from Fogelpole Cave and two specimens Curtailment of Its Habitat or Range impaired survival of offspring from from a third, privately owned cave. The degradation of habitat through concentrations as low as 0.14 ppm of Although the number of specimens the contamination of groundwater is atrazine during chronic tests lasting 30± taken in 1995 is greater than the number believed to be the primary threat to the 119 days (Macek et al. 1976). The most commonly used insecticides taken at any other time, this is likely Illinois cave amphipod. Karst terrain, in the region include carbaryl, due to a much more concentrated effort where this amphipod is found, is a land carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, malathion, to search for this species rather than to formation typified by sinkholes and permethrin, methyl parathion, and an increase in the species' population. fissures that provide direct and rapid phosmet. Mayer and Ellersieck (1985) The species has probably been conduits for water-borne material from reported that Gammaridae were most extirpated from the two privately owned the surface to the groundwater, thereby sensitive to the five insecticides caves where no specimens have been avoiding the filtering and cleansing carbaryl, DDT (dichloro-diphenyl- collected since 1965 or 1986. Its status mechanisms normally provided by trichloroethane), endrin, malathion, and in a sixth, privately owned cave is overlying soils. Recharge to the water methoxychlor and postulate that pulses currently unknown, because the cave table in karst terrain often is nearly of pesticides characteristic of karst entrance has been closed by the instantaneous, and flood pulses springs could have major impacts on landowner, and the cave has not been following a rainstorm may cause levels biota such as amphipods.