Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 189 / Tuesday, September 30, 1997 / Notices 51127

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery

plan received by December 29, 1997

will be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery

plan are available for inspection, by

appointment, during normal business

hours at the following locations: U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, 3310 El

Camino Ave., Suite 130, Sacramento,

California 95821–6340 (phone: 916/

979–2710); U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B,

Ventura, California 93003. Requests for

copies of the draft recovery plan and

written comments and materials

regarding this plan should be addressed

to Diane Noda, Field Supervisor, at the

above Ventura address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim

Thomas, Botanist, at the above Ventura

address (phone: 805/644–1766).

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 the recovery levels for

downlisting or delisting them, and

estimate time and cost for implementing

the recovery measures needed.

The Endangered Species Act, 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

plans. Substantive comments regarding

recovery plan implementation may not

necessarily result in changes to the

recovery plans, 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.

These species are listed as endangered

except for the threatened Chorizanthe

pungens var. pungens. Chorizanthe

howellii is known from 3 populations

with 23,700 individuals; Chorizanthe

pungens var. pungens is known from 7

populations with 14 million

individuals; Chorizanthe valida, one

population with 30,000 individuals;

Erysimum menziesii (three subspecies),

16 populations with 33,300 individuals;

Gilia tenuiflora ssp. arenaria, 15

populations with 110,400 individuals;

Layia carnosa, 19 populations with

300,000 individuals; Lupinus

tidestromii, 7 populations with 433

individuals; and the Myrtle’s Silverspot

butterfly, 3 populations with 10,000

individuals. The plants are restricted to

the foredunes and dune scrub vegetation

and adjacent sandy habitats occupied by

coastal scrub or coastal prairie of

northern and central coastal California.

The butterfly occurs in the coastal

grasslands and scrub, with the larval

host plant (a violet) in the immediate

vicinity of Point Reyes, Marin County.

All of these species are threatened by

competition from non-native plants, loss

of habitat from commercial and

residential development, and habitat

disturbance from recreation and grazing.

The objective of this plan is to

conserve the seven plants and the

butterfly so that protection by the Act is

no longer necessary. The plant species

will be recovered by restoring and

protecting dune habitats on which they

depend. Assuring long-term protection

of public and privately-owned habitat is

essential. Habitat conservation

planning, as provided for listed animals

by the Endangered Species Act will be

helpful. Once land is protected, the

primary means to accomplish recovery

is by controlling non-native invasive

plant species. Long-term commitment of

resources by public agencies to maintain

weed control and other management

measures will be essential. Artificial

creation of new populations is

recommended only as a last resort.

The recovery strategy for the Myrtle’s

silverspot butterfly is to protect, manage

and secure the three known population

sites. Monitoring will be required for at

least 10 consecutive years to determine

if butterfly populations (numbers) are

relatively stable and the sites adequately

protected, so the Myrtle’s silverspot may

be considered for de-listing. Some new

populations may be established in areas

from which the species has been

extirpated, if suitable sites are found.

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: September 24, 1997.

Michael J. Spear,

Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97–25844 Filed 9–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for

the Shasta Crayfish (Pacifastacus

fortis) for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) announces the

availability for public review of the draft

Recovery Plan for the Shasta Crayfish

(Pacifastacus fortis). This distribution of

this crayfish is limited to the Pit River

drainage in Shasta County, California.

This taxa was listed as an endangered

species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service on September 30, 1988 (53 FR

38460).

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery

plan received by December 29, 1997

will be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the draft recovery plan may obtain a

copy by contacting the Field Supervisor

at the following address: U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, 3310 El Camino Ave.,

Suite 130, Sacramento, California 95821

(phone: 916/979–2710). Comments and

material received are available for

public inspection, by appointment,

during normal business hours at the

above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann

Chrisney, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, or

Karen Miller, Recovery Coordinator, at

the above Sacramento address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The distribution of the Shasta crayfish

is limited to the midsections of the Pit

River drainage, primarily the Fall River

and Hat Creek subdrainages in Shasta

County, California. Overall, Shasta

crayfish populations have low

abundance and fragmented distribution

with migration and genetic exchange

between populations limited by

hydroelectric development and habitat

loss. The limits of its geographic

distribution appear to have changed

little over time. Currently, there are
51128 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 189 / Tuesday, September 30, 1997 / Notices

seven populations of Shasta crayfish

ranging in size from approximately

fewer than 50 to 5,000.

Shasta crayfish primarily live in cool,

clear, spring-fed headwaters that are

characterized by clean volcanic cobbles

and boulders on top of sand or gravel.

The volcanic cobble and boulders are

essential habitat components because

they provide protective cover for the

crayfish. The main threats to Shasta

crayfish include: major land

reclamation, water diversion projects,

and the introduction of nonnative

species of crayfish and fishes.

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 the recovery levels needed to

downlist or delist them, and estimate

time and cost for implementing the

necessary recovery measures.

The Endangered Species Act, 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. The Service and other

Federal agencies will also take these

comments into account in the course of

implementing approved recovery plans.

Individualized responses to comments

will not be provided.

This plan provides for the recovery of

the Shasta crayfish (Pacifastacus fortis)

so that protection by the Act is no

longer necessary. Protection and

management of the species’ habitat are

the primary goals of the recovery effort.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments

on the recovery plan. All comments

received by the date specified above

will be considered prior to revision and

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: September 24, 1997.

Michael J. Spear,

Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97–25845 Filed 9–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft

Recovery Plan for Upland Species of

the San Joaquin Valley, CA, for Review

and Comment

AGENCY: U.S. 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 the Draft Recovery Plan

for Upland Species of the San Joaquin

Valley, California. This recovery plan

includes 34 species, of which 11 species

are federally listed as endangered or

threatened. The draft plan includes

recovery criteria and measures for the

plants—California jewelflower

(Caulanthus californicus), palmatebracted bird’s-beak (Cordylanthus

palmatus), Kern mallow (Eremalche

kernensis), Hoover’s woolly-star

(Eriastrum hooveri), San Joaquin

woolly-threads (Lembertia congdonii),

Bakersfield cactus (Opuntia basilaris

var. treleasei); and the animals—giant

kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens),

Fresno kangaroo rat (Dipodomys

nitratoides exilis), Tipton kangaroo rat

(Dipodomys nitratoides nitratoides),

blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia

sila), and San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes

macrotis mutica). Long-term

conservation of three candidate species,

the Buena Vista Lake shrew (Sorex

ornatus relictus), the riparian brush

rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius),

and riparian woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes

riparia); and an additional 20 species of

plants and animals of concern to the

Service are addressed in the draft

recovery plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery

plan received by January 28, 1998 will

be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the draft recovery plan may obtain

copies by contacting: U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and

Wildlife Office, 3310 El Camino

Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento,

California (telephone 916–979–2725).

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. Appropriate Federal or

other entities will take these comments

into account during the course of

implementing recovery actions.

Individualized responses to comments

will not be provided.

The 34 species of plants and animals

covered in the draft recovery plan are

restricted primarily to the San Joaquin

Valley of California. The majority of the

species occur in arid grasslands and

scrublands of the San Joaquin Valley

and adjacent foothills and valleys. The

riparian woodrat and riparian brush

rabbit inhabit forested river corridors of

the eastern San Joaquin Valley.

Conversion of habitat to agricultural,

industrial, and urban uses has

eliminated the listed, candidate, and

species of concern from the majority 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, such

as fire or drought.

The objectives of this recovery plan

are two-fold: (1) to delist the plants—

California jewelflower, palmate-bracted

bird’s-beak, Kern mallow, Hoover’s

woolly-star, San Joaquin woolly-threads,

Bakersfield cactus; and the animals—

giant kangaroo rat, Fresno kangaroo rat,

Tipton kangaroo rat, blunt-nosed

leopard lizard, and San Joaquin kit fox

by protecting, enhancing, restoring, and