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
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 189 / Tuesday, September 30, 1997 / Notices 51129

appropriately managing their habitat;

and (2) to ensure the long-term

conservation of the three candidates and

additional 20 species of concern by

protecting, enhancing, restoring, and

appropriately managing their habitat.

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. 97–25846 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 Big

Island II: Addendum to the Recovery

Plan for the Big Island Plant Cluster

(USFWS 1996)

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 Big Island II:

Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the

Big Island Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996).

There are 13 taxa of plants included in

this plan, all are listed as endangered.

All 13 are known only from the island

of Hawaii (Big Island).

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, Pacific

Islands Office, 300 Ala Moana

Boulevard, room 3108, P.O. Box 50088,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (phone 808/

541–3441); Kailua-Kona Public Library

75–138 Hualalai Rd., Kailua-Kona, HI

96740; Hilo Public Library, 300

Waianuenue Ave., Hilo, HI 96720.

Requests for copies of the draft recovery

plan and written comments and

materials regarding this plan should be

addressed to, Field Supervisor,

Ecological Services, at the above

Honolulu address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Karen ‘‘Kitti’’ Jensen, Fish and Wildlife

Biologist, at the above Honolulu

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 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.

This addendum to the Recovery Plan

for the Big Island Plant Cluster covers

13 plant taxa, all are listed as

endangered. All of these taxa are

endemic to the island of Hawaii (Big

Island), Hawaiian Islands. The plants

included in the plan are: Clermontia

drepanomorpha (oha wai), Cyanea

platyphylla (haha), Hibiscadelphus

giffardianus (hau kuahiwi),

Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis (hau

kuahiwi), Melicope zahlbruckneri

(alani), Neraudia ovata (no common

name (NCN)), Phyllostegia racemosa

(kiponapona), Phyllostegia velutina

(NCN), Phyllostegia warshaueri (NCN),

Pleomele hawaiiensis (hala pepe),

Pritchardia schattaueri (loulu), Sicyos

alba (anunu), and Zanthoxylum

dipetalum var. tomentosum (ae).

The 13 taxa included in this

addendum grow in a variety of

vegetation communities (shrublands,

forests, and mixed communities),

elevational zones (lowland to montane),

and moisture regimes (dry to wet).

These taxa and their habitats have been

variously affected or are currently

threatened by one or more of the

following: competition for space, light,

water, and nutrients by introduced

vegetation; habitat degradation by feral

or domestic animals (goats, pigs, sheep

and cattle); agricultural and recreational

activities; habitat loss and damage to

plants from fires; predation by rats and

insects; and natural disasters such as

volcanic activity. In addition, due to the

small number of existing individuals

and their very narrow distributions,

these taxa are subject to an increased

likelihood of extinction and/or reduced

reproductive vigor from stochastic

events.

The objective of the Addendum to the

Recovery Plan for the Big Island Plant

Cluster (USFWS 1996) is to provide a

framework for the recovery of these 13

taxa so that their protection by the

Endangered Species Act (ESA) is no

longer necessary. The interim objective

is to stabilize all existing populations of

the Big Island II taxa. To be considered

stable, each taxon must be managed to

control threats (e.g., fenced) and be

represented in an ex situ (such as a

nursery or arboretum) collection. In

addition, a minimum total of three

populations of each taxon should be

documented on the Big Island, where

they now occur or occurred historically.

Each of these populations must be

naturally reproducing and increasing in

number, with a minimum of 25 mature

individuals per population for longlived perennials (Hibiscadelphus

giffardianus, Hibiscadelphus

hualalaiensis, Melicope zahlbreuckneri,

Pritchardia schattaueri, and

Zanthoxylum tomentosum var.

dipetalum and a minimum of 50 mature

individuals per population for shortlived perennials (Clermontia

drepanomorpha, Cyanea platyphylla,

Neraudia ovata, Pleomele hawaiiensis,

Phyllostegia racemosa, Phyllostegia

velutina, and Phyllostegia warshaueri)

and a minimum of 100 mature

individuals per population for the

annual taxon Sicyos alba. For

downlisting, a total of five to seven

populations of each taxon should be

documented on the Big Island where

they now occur or occurred historically.

Each of these populations must be

naturally reproducing, stable or

increasing in number, and secure from