[Federal Register: March 8, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 44)]
[Notices]
[Page 11035-11036]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08mr99-94]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for Gabbro Soil Plants of the
Central Sierra Nevada Foothills for Review and Comment
AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of the Draft Recovery Plan for Gabbro
Soil Plants of the Central Sierra Nevada
[[Page 11036]]
Foothills. This recovery plan includes six plant species, of which five
species are federally listed as endangered or threatened. The draft
plan includes recovery criteria and measures for the plants--Stebbin's
morning-glory (Calystegia stebbensii), Pine Hill ceanothus (Ceanothus
roderickii), Pine Hill flannelbush (Fremontodendron californicum ssp.
decumbens), El Dorado bedstraw (Galium californicum ssp. sierrae), and
Layne's butterweed (Senecio layneae), and an additional species of
plan, El Dorado mule-ears (Wyethia reticulata), that is considered to
be a species of concern.
DATEs: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before June 7, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento,
California (telephone (916) 979-2710); and U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Regional Office, Ecological Services, 911 N.E. 11th Ave.,
Eastside Federal Complex, Portland Oregon 97232-4181 (telephone (503)
231-6131). Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and written
comments and materials regarding this plan should be addressed to Wayne
S. White, Field Supervisor, Ecological Services, at the above
Sacramento address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Miller, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, at the above Sacramento address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their
ecosystems is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species
program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to
prepare recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the
United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for
the conservation of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or
delisting listed species, and estimate time and cost for implementing
the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.) (Act), requires the development of recovery plans for listed
species unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a
particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act as amended in 1988 requires
that public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment be
provided during recovery plan development. The Service will consider
all information presented during the public comment period prior to
approval of each new or revised recovery plan. Substantive technical
comments will result in changes to the plan. Substantive comments
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in
changes to the recovery plan, but will be forwarded to appropriate
Federal or other entities so that they can take these comments into
account during the course of implementing recovery actions.
Individualized responses to comments will not be provided.
The six species of plants covered in the draft recovery plan are
primarily restricted to gabbro soils habitat in the central Sierra
Nevada foothills of California. Conversion of habitat to urban uses has
extirpated the listed species and species of concern from a significant
portion of their historic ranges. The remaining natural communities are
highly fragmented, and many are marginal habitats in which these
species may not persist during catastrophic events.
The objectives of this recovery plan are two-fold: (1) to delist
the plants Stebbin's morning-glory, Pine Hill ceanothus, Pine Hill
flannelbush, El Dorado bedstraw, and Layne's butterweed by protecting,
enhancing, restoring, and appropriately managing their habitat; and (2)
to ensure the long-term conservation of the one species of concern, El
Dorado mule-ears, that occurs in the same gabbro soils habitats with
the listed species.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan
described. All comments received by the date specified above will be
considered prior to approval of this plan.
Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: March 2, 1999.
Michael J. Spear,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office.
[FR Doc. 99-5560 Filed 3-5-99; 8:45 am]
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