50620 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 187 / Friday, September 26, 1997 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft

Recovery Plan for the Vernal Pools of

Southern California for Review and

Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service announces the availability for

public review of a draft recovery plan

for Vernal Pools of Southern California.

This plan addresses the endangered

Eryngium aristulatum var. parishii (San

Diego button celery), Orcuttia

californica (California Orcutt grass),

Pogogyne abramsii (San Diego mesa

mint), Pogogyne nudiuscula (Otay mesa

mint), San Diego fairy shrimp

(Branchinecta sandiegonensis) and

Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus

wootonii), and the proposed threatened

Navarretia fossalis (spreading

navarretia). These five plant species and

two shrimp species collectively occur

on scattered and limited habitat on

Federal and private lands remaining on

the coastal terraces of Goleta and Isla

Vista in Santa Barbara County,

California to the Simi Hills of eastern

Ventura County and the Santa Clarita

region of Los Angeles County, east

through Orange and western Riverside

Counties, and the more extensive vernal

pool complexes of San Diego County.

The Service solicits review and

comment from the public on this draft

plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery

plan received by December 26, 1997

will be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the draft recovery plan may obtain a

copy by contacting the Carlsbad Field

Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad,

California 92008. Telephone requests

may be made by calling 760/431–9440.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann

Kreager at the above address and

telephone number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring an endangered or

threatened animal or plant to the point

where it is again a secure, selfsustaining member of its ecosystem is a

primary goal of the U. S. Fish and

Wildlife Service’s endangered species

program. To help guide the recovery

effort, the Service prepares recovery

plans for most of the listed species

native to the United States. Recovery

plans describe actions considered

necessary for conservation of the

species, establish criteria for the

recovery levels necessary to reclassify

them from endangered to threatened or

remove them from the list, and estimate

the time and cost for implementing the

needed recovery measures.

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.

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 a public comment period prior to

approval of each new or revised

recovery plan. The Service and other

Federal agencies will take these

comments into account in the course of

implementing approved recovery plans.

Southern California vernal pools are

habitat to at least 12 endemic plants and

three endemic fairy shrimp species. Six

of the endemic species are federally

endangered: Eryngium aristulatum var.

parishii (San Diego button celery),

Orcuttia californica (California Orcutt

grass), Pogogyne abramsii (San Diego

mesa mint), Pogogyne nudiuscula (Otay

mesa mint), San Diego fairy shrimp

(Branchinecta sandiegonensis) and the

Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus

wootonii); and one is proposed for

threatened status: Navarretia fossalis

(spreading navarretia).

Vernal pool habitat in southern

California has suffered extensive loss

and degradation. The objective of this

plan is to stabilize and protect existing

populations of Eryngium aristulatum

var. parishii, Pogogyne abramsii,

Pogogyne nudiuscula, Orcuttia

californica, Navarretia fossalis, and San

Diego and Riverside fairy shrimps. It is

also the intent of this plan to establish

new protected populations within their

historic ranges, so that the listed species

may be considered for reclassification to

threatened status and the proposed rule

for Navarretia fossalis may be

withdrawn.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments

on the recovery plan described herein.

All comments received by the date

specified above will be considered prior

to approval of the plan.

Authority

The authority for this action is section

4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16

U.S.C. 1533(f).

Dated: September 17, 1997.

Michael J. Spear,

Regional Director, Region 1, Portland Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97–25580 Filed 9–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM–932–4120–05; NMNM 99768]

Invitation To Participate; Exploration

for Coal in New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: Members of the public are

hereby invited to participate with San

Juan Coal Company on a pro rata cost

sharing basis, in a program for the

exploration of coal deposits owned by

the United States of America. The lands

are located in San Juan County, New

Mexico, and are described as follows:

T. 30 N., R. 14 W., NMPM

Sec. 17, All;

Sec. 18, All;

Sec. 19, All;

Sec. 20, All;

Sec. 29, All;

Sec. 30, All;

Sec. 31, Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, N1⁄2N1⁄2S1⁄2;

Containing 4483.88 acres, more or less.

Interested parties may obtain a complete

description of the lands covered in the

exploration license application by contacting

San Juan Coal Company, at the address

shown below, or the Bureau of Land

Management, New Mexico State Office, Solid

Minerals Adjudication, P.O. Box 27115,

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502–0115.

Any parties electing to participate in

this exploration program shall notify in

writing, both the State Director, Bureau

of Land Management, New Mexico State

Office, P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, New

Mexico 87502–0115, and the San Juan

Coal Company, P.O. Box 561,

Waterflow, NM 87421. Such written

notice must include a justification for

wanting to participate and any

recommended changes in the

exploration plan with specific reasons

for such changes. The notice must be

received no later than 30-calendar days

after the publication of this notice in the

Federal Register.

This proposed exploration program is

for the purpose of determining the

quality and quantity of the coal in the

area and will be conducted pursuant to

an exploration plan to be approved by

the Bureau of Land Management. A

copy of the exploration plan as

submitted by San Juan Coal Company

may be examined at the Bureau of Land

Management, New Mexico State Office,
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 187 / Friday, September 26, 1997 / Notices 50621

1474 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, New

Mexico 87502, and the Farmington

District Office, 1235 La Plata Highway,

Farmington, New Mexico 87401–1808.

Dated: September 15, 1997.

Gilbert J. Lucero,

State Director.

[FR Doc. 97–25524 Filed 9–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–FB–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[ID–015–07–1060–04]

Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management—

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land

Management, Lower Snake River

District proposes to gather

approximately 150 wild horses from the

Hardtrigger, Black Mountain and Sands

Basin Herd Area located within the

Owyhee Herd Management Area. A

public meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m.

in the conference room of the Bureau of

Land Management, Lower Snake River

District Office located at 3948

Development Avenue, Boise, Idaho to

discuss the proposed gathering. The

proposed wild horse gathering is

planned to begin on or about November

12, 1997. A helicopter will be used to

gather the horses.

DATES: October 22, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kim Schultsmeier or Jay K. Carlson,

Bureau of Land Management, Boise

District Officer, 3948 Development

Avenue, Boise, Idaho 83705. Telephone

(208) 384–3430.

Dated: September 17, 1997.

Jerry L. Kidd,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 97–25530 Filed 9–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–GG–P–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR–958–1430–01; GP7–0282; OR–51831–

WA]

Amendment of Proposed Withdrawal

and Opportunity for Public Meeting;

Washington

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land

Management has amended its

application in part to withdraw certain

lands in the San Juan Archipelago. This

action will amend the legal description

and acreage but will not change the

effects or duration of segregation which

temporarily closed the lands from

surface entry and mining until June 4,

1998. The public lands have been and

will remain open to mineral leasing.

Upon acquisition, the non-Federal land

will be opened to the mineral leasing

laws.

DATES: Comments and requests for a

public meeting must be received by

December 26, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments and meetings

requests should be sent to the Oregon/

Washington State Director, BLM, P.O.

Box 2965, Portland, Oregon 97208–

2965.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Betty McCarthy, BLM Oregon/

Washington State Office, 503–952–6155.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice

of Proposed Withdrawal was published

in the Federal Register, 61 FR 28594,

June 5, 1996, which segregated the lands

from settlement, sale, or entry under the

general land laws, including the United

States mining laws (30 U.S.C. ch.

2(1994)) but not from leasing under the

mineral leasing laws, subject to valid

existing rights. The purpose of the

proposed withdrawal is to protect the

natural and recreational values on seven

waterfront tracts, one inland tract, and

two islands in the San Juan

Archipelago. On August 22, 1997, an

amendment was filed which added

36.26 acres of public lands to the

proposed withdrawal and deleted 4.39

acres of non-Federal land, and which

affected Tracts H and K. The proposed

withdrawal, is amended to read as

follows:

Willamette Meridian

Public Lands

T. 34 N., R.1 W., (Tract H),

Sec. 17, those portions of the south 530

(formerly 200) feet of the N1⁄2SE1⁄4 and

SW1⁄4SE1⁄4 and SE1⁄4SE1⁄4 as more

particularly identified and described in

the official records of the Bureau of Land

Management, Oregon/Washington State

Office and the Wenatchee Area Office,

Wenatchee, Washington.

T. 34 N., R. 1 W., (Tract K),

Sec. 21, that portion of lot 2 and

SW1⁄4NW1⁄4 as more particularly

identified and described in the official

records of the Bureau of Land

Management, Oregon/Washington State

Office and the Wenatchee Area Office,

Wenatchee, Washington.

T. 34 N., R. 1 W., (Tract J),

Sec. 21, those portions of lot 2 and the

SW1⁄4NW1⁄4, TOGETHER with tidelands

of the second class abutting thereon as

more particularly identified and

described in the official records of the

Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/

Washington State Office and the

Wenatchee Area Office, Wenatchee,

Washington.

T. 34 N., R.1 W., (Cape St. Mary, Tract L)

Sec. 15, lot 1.

T. 35 N., R.1 W., (Lopez Pass, Tract M)

Sec. 33, lot 1.

T. 36 N., R. 2 E., (Eliza Island, Tract N)

Sec. 5, unsurveyed portion of Eliza Island.

T. 36 N., R. 2 E., (Carter Point, Tract O)

Sec. 6, unsurveyed portion of Lummi

Island.

T. 37 N., R. 1 E., (Lummi Rocks, Tract P)

Sec. 27, unsurveyed Lummi Rocks in the

NW1⁄4 and SW1⁄4NE1⁄4.

T. 37 N., R. 2 E., (Chuckanut Rock, Tract Q)

Sec. 24, unsurveyed Chuckanut Rock.

The areas described aggregate

approximately 196.26 (formerly 160) acres of

public lands in San Juan and Whatcom

Counties.

Non-Federal Land

T. 34 N., R. 1 W., (Tract I)

Sec. 21, lot 1 and NW1⁄4NW1⁄4.

The area described contains 75.61

(formerly 80) acres of non-Federal land in

San Juan County.

For a period of 90 days from the date

of publication of this notice, all persons

who wish to submit comments,

suggestions, or objections in connection

with the amended proposed withdrawal

may present their views in writing to

the State Director at the address

indicated above.

Notice is hereby given that an

opportunity for a public meeting is

afforded in connection with the

amended proposed withdrawal. All

interested parties who desire a public

meeting for the purpose of being heard

on the amended proposed withdrawal

must submit a written request to the

State Director at the address indicated

above within 90 days from the date of

publication of this notice. Upon

determination by the authorized officer

that a public meeting will be held, a

notice of the time and place will be

published in the Federal Register at

least 30 days before the scheduled date

of the meeting.

The application will be processed in

accordance with the regulations set

forth in 43 CFR part 2300.

The lands will remain segregated as

specified above until June 4, 1998,

unless the application is denied or

canceled or the withdrawal is approved

prior to that date. The temporary land

uses which may be permitted during

this segregative period include leases,

licenses, permits, rights-of-way, and

disposal of mineral or vegetative

resources other than under the mining

laws.