Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 27 / Wednesday, February 10, 2010 / Notices 6697 

three song sparrow subspecies of the 

San Francisco Bay Estuary (Melospiza 

melodia spp.), saltmarsh common 

yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas 

sinuosa), old man tiger beetle (Cicindela 

senilis senilis), Lathryrus jepsonii ssp. 

jepsonii (delta tule pea), and Spartina 

foliosa (Pacific cordgrass). 

Species included in this draft 

recovery plan occur in a variety of tidal 

marsh habitats, where they are limited 

by the requirements of moisture, 

salinity, topography, soil types, and 

climatic conditions. Adjacent uplands 

and ecotone areas are also crucial 

habitats for many of these species. 

Primary threats to all the listed species 

include: 

(1) Historical and current habitat loss 

and fragmentation due to urban 

development, agriculture, and diking 

related to duck hunting; 

(2) Altered hydrology and salinity; 

(3) Nonnative invasive species; 

(4) Inadequate regulatory 

mechanisms; 

(5) Disturbance; 

(6) Contamination; 

(7) Sea-level rise due to climate 

change; and 

(8) Risk of extinction due to 

vulnerability of small populations in the 

face of random naturally occurring 

events. 

We expect that the following species 

recovery objectives will be met: 

(1) Secure self-sustaining wild 

populations of each covered species 

throughout their full ecological, 

geographical, and genetic ranges; 

(2) Ameliorate or eliminate the 

threats, to the extent possible, that 

caused the species to be listed or of 

concern and any future threats; and 

(3) Restore and conserve a healthy 

ecosystem function supportive of tidal 

marsh species. 

These objectives will be accomplished 

through implementation of a variety of 

recovery measures, including habitat 

acquisition, protection, management 

and restoration; species status surveys/ 

monitoring; research; and stakeholder 

coordination, public participation, and 

outreach. 

Request for Public Comments 

We request written comments on the 

draft recovery plan. All comments 

received by the date specified in DATES

will be considered prior to approval of 

this plan. If you wish to comment, you 

may submit your comments and 

materials concerning this recovery plan 

by one of these methods: 

1. You may submit written comments 

and information by mail or facsimile or 

in person to the Sacramento Fish and 

Wildlife Office at the above address (see 

ADDRESSES). 

2. You may send comments by 

electronic mail (e-mail) to: 

R8TM_RP_CA@fws.gov. If you submit 

comments by e-mail, please submit 

them as an ASCII file and avoid the use 

of special characters and any form of 

encryption. Please also include your 

name and return address in your e-mail 

message. 

Comments and materials received, as 

well as supporting documentation used 

in preparation of the recovery plan, will 

be available for inspection, during 

normal business hours at the above 

Sacramento address (see ADDRESSES). 

We specifically seek comments on the 

following: 

(1) Biological, commercial trade, or 

other relevant data concerning any 

threat (or lack thereof) to the species; 

(2) Feedback on the durability of the 

science regarding climate change and its 

treatment presented in the draft 

recovery plan and comments on how 

best to ameliorate threats to the species 

in that regard; 

(3) Additional information concerning 

the range, distribution, and population 

size of these species, including the 

location of any additional populations; 

(4) Current or planned activities in the 

subject area and their possible impacts 

on these species; and 

(5) The suitability and feasibility of 

the recovery criteria, strategies, or 

actions described in the Draft Plan. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, e-mail address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Authority 

The authority for this action is section 

4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 

U.S.C. 1533(f). 

Alexandra Pitts, 

Regional Director, Region 8, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–2279 Filed 2–9–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R2–ES–2009–N273; 20124–1113– 

0000–C2] 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; Draft Yuma Clapper Rail 

(Rallus longirostris yumanensis) 

Recovery Plan, First Revision 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of document availability 

for public review: draft revised recovery 

plan. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of the Draft Yuma Clapper 

Rail (Rallus longirostris yumanensis) 

Recovery Plan, First Revision under the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (Act). The species currently 

inhabits the mainstem Colorado River in 

Arizona, California, and Nevada; the 

Virgin River in Arizona, Nevada, and 

Utah; the Gila River in Arizona; and the 

Salton Sea in California. The Service 

solicits review and comment from the 

public on this draft revised recovery 

plan. The Service will also accept any 

new information on the status of the 

Yuma clapper rail throughout its range 

to assist in finalizing the revised 

recovery plan. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive any comments no later 

than April 12, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review 

the draft revised recovery plan can 

obtain a paper or electronic copy from 

the Arizona Ecological Services Field 

Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

2321 W. Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, 

Phoenix, AZ 85021–4951; by phone at 

(602) 242–0210 extension 236; by e-mail 

at ycrrecovery@fws.gov; or on our Web 

site at www.fws.gov/southwest/es/ 

arizona/. Written comments and 

materials on the draft revised recovery 

plan may be mailed to ‘‘Field 

Supervisor’’ at the address above or emailed to ycrrecovery@fws.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lesley Fitzpatrick (see ADDRESSES). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 

(Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 

seq.), requires the development of 

recovery plans for listed species, unless 

such a plan would not promote the 

conservation of a particular species. 

Recovery plans help guide the recovery 

effort by describing actions considered 

necessary for the conservation of the 


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6698 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 27 / Wednesday, February 10, 2010 / Notices 

species, and estimating time and costs 

for implementing the measures needed 

for recovery. A recovery plan was 

originally completed for Yuma clapper 

rail in 1983, but the recommendations 

contained in that plan are outdated 

given the species’ current status. 

Section 4(f) of the Act requires that 

we provide public notice and an 

opportunity for public review and 

comment during recovery plan 

development. The Service will consider 

all information presented during a 

public comment period prior to 

approval of each new or revised 

recovery plan. The Service and other 

Federal agencies will also take these 

comments into account in the course of 

implementing recovery actions. In 

fulfillment of this requirement, we are 

making this draft first revision of the 

recovery plan for Yuma clapper rail 

available for a 60-day public comment 

period. 

The document submitted for review is 

the first revision of the recovery plan for 

the Yuma clapper rail. It was listed as 

an endangered species in the United 

States on March 11, 1967 (32 FR 4001). 

It was not included on the list of foreign 

species established under the 

Endangered Species Conservation Act, 

so is not listed throughout its historical 

range in Mexico. Critical habitat has not 

been designated. The primary threats to 

the Yuma clapper rail are habitat loss 

and degradation due to changes in 

historical hydrographs, channelization, 

and diversion of river flows for 

agricultural and municipal purposes. 

The draft revised recovery plan 

includes scientific information about 

the species and provides criteria and 

actions needed to downlist or delist the 

species. Downlisting of the species may 

be considered when annual surveys 

document a stable or increasing 

population trend over five consecutive 

years, habitat management plans are in 

place for all important Federal and 

state-owned habitat areas, and long-term 

contracts for water supplies at Sonny 

Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife 

Refuge and Imperial State Wildlife Area 

in California are in place. Delisting of 

the species may be considered when 

annual surveys document an additional 

five consecutive years of a stable or 

increasing population trend; the amount 

of habitat needed to support the desired 

minimum population size in the United 

States is established and protected, and 

management plans are in place for that 

habitat; an assessment of the risks of 

selenium to the species is completed 

and protective measures implemented if 

needed; and a secure water supply for 

the Cienega de Santa Clara in Mexico is 

established. Recovery actions designed 

to achieve these criteria are included in 

the draft revised recovery plan and 

include population and habitat 

monitoring and evaluation, directed 

research on habitat and threats, efforts 

to obtain secure water supplies for 

important habitats, and cooperation 

between interested parties in the United 

States and Mexico. 

The draft Yuma Clapper Rail 

Recovery Plan, First Revision, is being 

submitted for review to all interested 

parties. After consideration of 

comments received during the public 

comment period, the revised recovery 

plan will be submitted for final 

approval. 

Request for Public Comments 

We are accepting written comments 

and information during this comment 

period on the revised draft recovery 

plan. All comments received by the date 

specified above will be considered prior 

to approval of the final recovery plan. 

Comments and materials we receive will 

be available for public inspection, by 

appointment, during normal business 

hours at the Arizona Ecological Services 

Field Office in Phoenix (see ADDRESSES). 

Before including your address, phone 

number, e-mail address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment, including your 

personal identifying information, may 

be made publically available at any 

time. While you can ask us in your 

comment to withhold your personal 

identifying information from public 

review, we cannot guarantee that we 

will be able to do so. 

Authority: The authority for this action is 

section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 

16 U.S.C. 1533 (f). 

Dated: November 20, 2009. 

Brian Millsap, 

Acting Regional Director, Region 2. 

[FR Doc. 2010–2921 Filed 2–9–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLCAD070000, L91310000.EI0000] 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Proposed West Chocolate 

Mountains Renewable Energy 

Evaluation Area, Imperial County, CA, 

and Possible Land Use Plan 

Amendment 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) of 1969, as amended and the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM) El Centro 

Field Office, El Centro, California, 

intends to prepare an Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS) to consider an 

amendment to the California Desert 

Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan to 

identify whether lands within the West 

Chocolate Mountains area should be 

made available for geothermal, solar, or 

wind energy development. By this 

notice the BLM is announcing the 

beginning of the scoping process to 

solicit public comments and identify 

issues. 

DATES: This notice initiates the public 

scoping process for the EIS and possible 

plan amendment. Comments on issues 

may be submitted in writing until 

March 12, 2010. The date(s) and 

location(s) of any scoping meetings will 

be announced at least 15 days in 

advance through local media and the 

BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ 

ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html. In order to be 

considered in the Draft EIS, all 

comments must be received prior to the 

close of the scoping period or 15 days 

after the last public meeting, whichever 

is later. We will provide additional 

opportunities for public participation 

upon publication of the Draft EIS. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on issues and planning criteria related 

to the West Chocolate Mountains 

Renewable Energy Evaluation by any of 

the following methods: 

• Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/ 

en/fo/cdd.html. 

• E-mail: 

cawestchocolate@ca.blm.gov. 

• Fax: (951) 697–5299. 

• Mail: ATTN: John Dalton, BLM 

California Desert District Office, 22835 

Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno 

Valley, California 92553–9046. 

Documents pertinent to this proposal 

may be examined at the California 

Desert District Office or the BLM’s 

California State Office, 2800 Cottage 

Way, Sacramento, California 95825. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information and/or to have your 

name added to our mailing list, contact 

John Dalton, telephone (951) 697–5311; 

address BLM California Desert District 

Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los 

Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553–9046; 

e-mail cawestchocloate@ca.blm.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The focus 

of the EIS is to assess whether the 

21,300 acres of BLM-managed lands 

within the West Chocolate Mountains 

Renewable Energy Evaluation Area 

should be made available for renewable 

energy development, including 


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