Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of Reopening of Comment Period on the Threatened Status of the Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus)

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in response to the order of the District Court, Eastern District of California, in the cases San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority v. Anne Badgley, et al. (Case No. CIV-F-99-5658 OWW) and State Water Contractors, et al. v. Michael Spear, et al. (Case No. CIV-R-99-5667 OWW) and pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provides notice of the opening of a comment period regarding the threatened status for the Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus). This comment period has been opened to acquire information regarding issues identified by the court in the above cases and additional information on the status, abundance and distribution of the Sacramento splittail in the Central Valley of California. Upon the close of the comment period, the Service will make its determination whether the splittail warrants the continued protection of the Act.