Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Six- Month Extension and Reopening of Public Comment Period on the Proposed Rule To List the Northern Copperbelly Water Snake (Nerodia Erythrogaster Neglecta) as a Threatened Species

摘要

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that the deadline to determine whether the northern copperbelly water snake (Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta) is a threatened species is being extended to allow time for additional field surveys and data analysis. This species now persists in isolated populations in southern Michigan and adjacent Indiana and Ohio, as well as southern Indiana, southeastern Illinois, and adjacent Kentucky. It occurs in lowland swamps and adjacent woodland and upland areas. During prior comment periods, new questions were raised by herpetologists and State conservation departments as to the merits of including intergrades in the listing and the sufficiency of information on the boundaries between intergrade and pure populations. The comment period on the proposal is reopened.