Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 212 / Thursday, November 3, 2005 / Notices 66841 

Base Plan to provide further detail 

regarding the framework for protecting 

the Nation’s infrastructure and setting 

the direction for implementing a 

coordinated, national effort. At this 

time, DHS is seeking comments from the 

public on the draft NIPP Base Plan. 

Anyone interested in reviewing the draft 

NIPP Base Plan can obtain a copy by 

forwarding a request to DHS following 

the steps described under ADDRESSES

above. All such requests must be 

received within 15 days of the date of 

publication of this notice in the Federal 

Register. Following receipt of your 

request for review, DHS will forward a 

copy of the draft NIPP Base Plan along 

with instructions on how to submit 

comments. 

Bob Stephan, 

Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure 

Protection. 

[FR Doc. 05–21984 Filed 11–2–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4410–10–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Information Collection Sent to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for Approval Under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act; 1018–0127; 

Horseshoe Crab Tagging Program 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: We (Fish and Wildlife 

Service) have sent a request to OMB for 

approval of our information collection 

associated with the horseshoe crab 

tagging program. The OMB control 

number for this collection is 1018–0127, 

which expires on November 30, 2005. 

We have requested that OMB approve 

this information collection for a 3-year 

term. 

DATES: You must submit comments on 

or before December 5, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and 

suggestions on this information 

collection to the Desk Officer for the 

Department of the Interior at OMB–

OIRA at (202) 395–6566 (fax) or 

OIRA_DOCKET@OMB.eop.gov (e-mail). 

Please provide a copy of your comments 

to Hope Grey, Information Collection 

Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife 

Service, MS 222–ARLSQ, 4401 N. 

Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 

(mail); Hope_Grey@fws.gov (e-mail); or 

(703) 358–2269 (fax). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To 

request a copy of the information 

collection, related forms, or explanatory 

material, contact Hope Grey, 

Information Collection Clearance 

Officer, at the addresses above or by 

telephone at (703) 358–2482. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 

10, 2005, OMB approved our emergency 

request for information collection 

associated with the horseshoe crab 

tagging program. The supporting 

statement for our emergency request is 

available online at http://www.fws.gov/ 

pdm/0127SupCurrent.pdf. OMB 

regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which 

implement provisions of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 

et seq.), require that interested members 

of the public and affected agencies have 

the opportunity to comment on 

information collection and 

recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 

1320.8(d)). Federal agencies may not 

conduct or sponsor and a person is not 

required to respond to a collection of 

information unless it displays a 

currently valid OMB control number. 

On August 3, 2005, we published in 

the Federal Register (70 FR 44677) a 

notice of our intent to request 

information collection authority from 

OMB. In that notice, we solicited 

comments for 60 days, ending on 

October 3, 2005. We received comments 

from one individual. The commenter 

did not address the necessity, clarity, or 

accuracy of the information collection, 

but did oppose the use of horseshoe 

crabs by biomedical companies and 

proposed a ban on the use of horseshoe 

crabs for any purpose. We have not 

made any changes to our information 

collection as a result of the comment. 

Horseshoe crabs are among the 

world’s oldest creatures. People have 

used this evolutionary survivor for 

centuries. It plays an important role in 

the ecology of the coastal ecosystem, 

while over time also providing the 

opportunity for commercial, 

recreational, medical, scientific, and 

educational uses. 

In 1998, the Atlantic States Marine 

Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), a 

management organization with 

representatives from each State on the 

Atlantic Coast, developed a horseshoe 

crab management plan. The ASMFC 

plan and its subsequent addenda 

established mandatory State-by-State 

harvest quotas, and created the 1,500 

square mile Carl N. Shuster, Jr. 

Horseshoe Crab Sanctuary off the mouth 

of the Delaware Bay. Active 

management and innovative techniques 

used by fishermen to conserve bait have 

successfully reduced commercial 

horseshoe crab landings in recent years. 

Conch and eel fishermen have been 

using bait bags in their traps, so they 

can only use a portion of one crab per 

trap, compared to using a whole crab in 

each trap. The bait bags have reduced 

the demand for bait by 50 to 75 percent 

in recent years. 

Although restrictive measures have 

been taken in recent years, populations 

are not showing immediate increases. 

Because horseshoe crabs do not breed 

until they reach 9 or more years of age, 

it may take some time before the 

population measurably increases. 

Recently a Horseshoe Crab Cooperative 

Tagging Program was established to 

monitor this species. Horseshoe crabs 

are tagged and released by cooperating 

Federal and State agencies, universities, 

and biomedical companies. Agencies 

that tag and release horseshoe crabs 

complete the Horseshoe Crab Tagging 

Release Form (FWS Form 3–2311) and 

provide the following data to the 

Service: organization name, contact 

person name, tag number, sex of crab, 

prosomal width, capture site, latitude, 

longitude, waterbody, State, and date. 

Through public participants who 

recover tagged crabs, we collect the 

following information using FWS Form 

3–2310 (Horseshoe Crab Recapture 

Report): tag number, whether or not tag 

was removed, whether or not the tag 

was circular or square, condition of 

crab, date captured/found, crab fate, 

finder type, capture method, capture 

location, reporter information, and 

comments. If the public participant who 

reports the tagged crab requests 

information, we send data pertaining to 

the tagging program, and tag and release 

information on the horseshoe crab he/ 

she found or captured. The information 

collected is stored at the Maryland 

Fishery Resources Office, Fish and 

Wildlife Service, and used to evaluate 

migratory patterns, survival, and 

abundance of horseshoe crabs. 

Title: Horseshoe Crab Tag Tagging 

Program. 

OMB Control Number: 1018–0127. 

Form Number: FWS Forms 3–2310 

and 3–2311. 

Frequency: When horseshoe crabs are 

tagged and when horseshoe crabs are 

found or captured. 

Description of Respondents: Tagging 

agencies include Federal and State 

agencies, universities, and biomedical 

companies. Members of the general 

public provide recapture information. 

Total Annual Responses: 

Approximately 1,510. 

Total Annual Burden Hours: 980 

hours. 

We again invite comments concerning 

this submission on: (1) Whether or not 

the collection of information is 

necessary for the proper performance of 

the functions of the agency, including 

66842 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 212 / Thursday, November 3, 2005 / Notices 

whether or not the information will 

have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of 

our estimate of the burden of collection 

of information; (3) ways to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (4) 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on 

respondents. 

Dated: October 18, 2005. 

Hope G. Grey, 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

Fish and Wildlife Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–21945 Filed 11–2–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; 5-Year Review 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Extension of comment period. 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and 

Plants; Extension of Comment Period for the 

Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle, Smith’s 

Blue Butterfly, Delhi Sands Flower-Loving 

Fly, Morro Shoulderband Snail, Giant Garter 

Snake, San Francisco Garter Snake, Island 

Night Lizard, California Least Tern, Least 

Bell’s Vireo, Chinese Camp Brodiaea, 

Mariposa Pussypaws, San Clemente Island 

Indian Paintbrush, Spring-Loving Centaury, 

Springville Clarkia, San Clemente Island 

Larkspur, Santa Barbara Island Dudleya, Ash 

Meadows Gumplant, San Clemente Island 

Woodland Star, San Clemente Island Lotus, 

San Clemente Island Bush Mallow, Amargosa 

Niterwort, Eureka Valley Evening Primrose, 

Yreka Phlox, Hartweg’s Golden Sunburst, 

San Joaquin Adobe Sunburst, Santa Cruz 

Island Rock-Cress, Keck’s Checker-mallow, 

Eureka Dune Grass, Kneeland Prairie 

Pennycress, Hidden Lake Bluecurls, and Red 

Hills Vervain 5-Year Reviews. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, announce an extension 

of the comment period for the 5-year 

reviews of 31 listed species in Table 1 

below, under section 4(c)(2)(A) of the 

Endangered Species Act (Act). The first 

request for information closed 

September 6, 2005. The purpose of a 5- 

year review is to ensure that the 

classification of a species as threatened 

or endangered on the List of Endangered 

and Threatened Wildlife and Plants is 

accurate and based on the best scientific 

and commercial data available at the 

time of the review. We are requesting 

submission of any such information that 

has become available since the original 

listing of each of these 31 species. Based 

on the results of these 5-year reviews, 

we will make the requisite findings 

under section 4(c)(2)(B) of the Act. 

TABLE 1.—SUMMARY OF THE LISTING INFORMATION FOR THE FOLLOWING 31 SPECIES

Common name Scientific name Status Where listed Final listing rule 

Valley elderberry longhorn beetle ............ Desmocerus californicus dimorphus ........ Threatened ... U.S.A. (CA) ................ 45 FR 52803 

(8–AUG–80). 

Smith’s blue butterfly ............................... Euphilotes enoptes smithi ........................ Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 41 FR 22041 

(1–JUN–76). 

Delhi Sands flower-loving fly ................... Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis .... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ............... 58 FR 49881 

(23–SEP–93). 

Morro shoulderband snail ........................ Helminthoglypta walkeriana ..................... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 59 FR 64613 

(15–DEC–94). 

Giant garter snake ................................... Thamnophis gigas ................................... Threatened ... U.S.A. (CA) ................ 58 FR 54053 

(20–OCT–93). 

San Francisco garter snake .................... Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia ................ Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 32 FR 4001 

(11–MAR–67). 

Island night lizard ..................................... Xantusia riversiana .................................. Threatened ... U.S.A. (CA) ................ 42 FR 40682 

(11–AUG–77). 

California least tern .................................. Sterna antillarum browni .......................... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) Mexico ... 35 FR 8491 

(2–JUN–70). 

Least Bell’s vireo ..................................... Vireo bellii pusillus ................................... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) Mexico ... 1 FR 16474 

(2–MAY–86). 

Chinese Camp brodiaea .......................... Brodiaea pallida ....................................... Threatened ... U.S.A. (CA) ................ 63 FR 49022 

(14–SEP–98). 

Mariposa pussypaws ............................... Calyptridium pulchellum ........................... Threatened ... U.S.A. (CA) ................ 63 FR 49022 

(14–SEP–98). 

San Clemente Island Indian paintbrush .. Castilleja grisea ....................................... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 42 FR 40682 

(11–AUG–77). 

Spring-loving centaury ............................. Centaurium namophilum .......................... Threatened ... U.S.A. (CA, NV) ........ 50 FR 20777 

(20–MAY–85). 

Springville clarkia ..................................... Clarkia springvillensis .............................. Threatened ... U.S.A. (CA) ................ 63 FR 49022 

(14–SEP–98). 

San Clemente Island larkspur ................. Delphinium variegatum var. kinkiense ..... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 42 FR 40682 

(11–AUG–77). 

Santa Barbara Island dudleya ................. Dudleya traskiae ...................................... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 43 FR 17910 

(26–APR–78). 

Ash meadows gumplant .......................... Grindelia fraxino-pratensis ....................... Threatened ... U.S.A. (CA, NV) ........ 50 FR 20777 

(20–MAY–85). 

San Clemente Island woodland star ....... Lithophragma maximum .......................... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 62 FR 42692 

(8–AUG–97). 

San Clemente Island lotus ...................... Lotus dendroideus var. traskiae .............. Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 42 FR 40682 

(11–AUG–77). 

San Clemente Island bush mallow .......... Malacothamnus clementinus ................... Endangered U.S.A. (CA) ................ 42 FR 40682 

(11–AUG–77). 

Amargosa niterwort .................................. Nitrophila mohavensis ............................. Endangered U.S.A. (CA, NV) ........ 50 FR 20777 

(20–MAY–85).