Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 14, 1996 / Notices 24325

Supervisor, at the above Honolulu

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Heather McSharry, Fish and Wildlife

Biologist, at the above Honolulu

address, telephone (808) 541–2749.

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.

The 21 taxa being considered in this

recovery plan are: Acaena exigua

(liliwai), Alectryon macrococcus

(mahoe), Argyroxiphium sandwicense

ssp. macrocephalum (Haleakala

silversword, ’ahinahina), Bidens

micrantha ssp. kalealaha (ko’oko’olau),

Clermontia oblongifolia ssp. mauiensis

(’oha wai), Cyanea lobata (haha),

Cyanea mceldowneyi (haha), Geranium

arboreum (nohoanu), Geranium

multiflorum (nohoanu), Hedyotis

coriacea (kio’ele), Huperzia mannii

(wawae’iole), Lipochaeta kamolensis

(nehe), Lysimachia lydgatei (no common

name (NCN)), Melicope adscendens

(alani), Melicope balloui (alani),

Melicope mucronulata (alani), Melicope

ovalis (alani), Remya mauiensis (NCN),

Scaevola coriacea (Dwarf naupaka),

Schiedea haleakalensis (NCN) and

Tetramolopium capillare (NCN).

Twelve of the taxa are or were

endemic to the Hawaiian island of

Maui; the exceptions are or were found

on the Hawaiian islands of Niihau,

Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai and

Hawaii as well as Maui. The 21 plant

taxa and their habitats have been

variously affected or are currently

threatened by one or more of the

following: habitat degradation by feral

and domestic animals (e.g., goats, pigs,

axis deer and cattle); competition for

space, light, water, and nutrients by

introduced vegetation; erosion of

substrate produced by human- or

animal-caused disturbance; recreational

and agricultural activities; habitat loss

from fires; disease; loss of pollinators;

and predation by animals (goats, rats

and mice). 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 taxa included in this plan were

historically distributed throughout the

island of Maui, and nine of the taxa also

occur on one or more of the islands of

Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai

and Hawaii. They grow in a variety of

vegetation communities (grassland,

shrubland, and forests), elevational

zones (coastal to montane), and

moisture regimes (dry to wet). Most of

the taxa included in this plan persist on

steep slopes, precipitous cliffs, valley

headwalls, and other regions where

unsuitable topography has prevented

agricultural development or where

inaccessibility has limited

encroachment by alien animal and plant

taxa.

The objective of this plan is to

provide a framework for the recovery of

these 21 taxa so that their protection by

the Act is no longer necessary.

Immediate actions necessary for the

prevention of extinction of these taxa

include fencing for exclusion of

ungulates, alien plant control,

protection from fire, population and

plant community monitoring and

management, ex situ propagation, and

augmentation of populations, as

appropriate. Long-term activities

necessary for the perpetuation of these

taxa in their natural habitats

additionally include public education,

maintenance of fenced areas, long-term

monitoring and management of

populations and communities, and

reestablishment of populations within

the historic ranges of some taxa. Further

research on current range, growth

requirements, reproduction and

reproductive status, pollinators, life

history, limiting factors, habitat

requirements, and minimum viable

population sizes is needed to facilitate

appropriate management decisions

regarding the long-term perpetuation of

each of these taxa.

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 these plans.

Authority: The authority for this action is

section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act,

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

Dated: May 8, 1996.

Thomas Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 96–11992 Filed 5–13–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

Geological Survey

Federal Geographic Data Committee

(FGDC): Application Notice

Establishing the Closing Date for

Transmittal of Applications Under the

FGDC National Spatial Data

Infrastructure (NSDI) Framework

Demonstration Projects Program for

Fiscal Year (FY) 1996

AGENCY: Geological Survey, Interior.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for

competitive cooperative agreement

awards for fiscal year 1996.

SUMMARY: The purpose of the FGDC

National Spatial Data Infrastructure

(NSDI) Framework Demonstration

Projects Program task is to facilitate and

provide resources for the development

and implementation of the NSDI

framework concept. Under this FY 1996

program announcement, applications

are to be directed towards projects that

test the framework concept. These

projects will demonstrate the sustained

ability, over a geographic area, to supply

data to the greater geospatial data

community from locally available data

sources through the implementation of

the framework process. These projects

will provide practical examples in

implementation, suggest innovative

alternative approaches to accomplish

the goals outlined in the framework

report, and indicate topics for future

research and development. Applicants

are being sought who are establishing

long-term organizational structures, and

cooperative arrangements with other

organizations in sustained efforts to
24326 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 14, 1996 / Notices

build, maintain, and disseminate

framework data resources.

Outcomes of these projects will

include information that will provide

guidance on policies and practices for

the establishment of operational

framework sites. The projects will also

act as examples of applied framework

for other implementers and as starting

points for future framework research

and development.

The deliverable will be a report from

the project site describing the successes

and failures in implementing the

framework concept; alternatives that

were developed; descriptions of

institutional and technical practices;

evaluations of user satisfaction; and

suggestions for future efforts.

Authority for this program is

contained in the 1996 Congressional Act

entitled ‘‘Omnibus Consolidated

Rescissions and Appropriation Act of

1996’’ that furnishes the appropriation

for the Department of the Interior as

well as other agencies. Applications

may be submitted by State and local

government agencies, educational

institutions, private firms, private

foundations, and Federally

acknowledged or state-recognized

Native American tribes or groups. Each

project must involve two or more

organizations.

DATES: The program announcement and

application forms are expected to be

available on or about May 29, 1996.

Applications must be received on or

before June 28, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Copies of Program

Announcement 1434–HQ–96–PA–00003

may be obtained by writing to Patrick N.

Robertson, U.S. Geological Survey.

Office of Acquisition and Federal

Assistance, Mail Stop 205A, 12201

Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia

22092, facsimile telephone number

(703) 648–7901.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patrick N. Robertson, U.S. Geological

Survey, Office of Acquisition and

Federal Assistance, Mail Stop 205A,

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston,

Virginia 22092, voice telephone number

(703) 648–7368, facsimile telephone

number (703) 648–7901.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Applications of digital geospatial data

vary greatly, but users have a recurring

need for a few common themes of data.

The framework concept outlined in the

report ‘‘Development of a National

Digital Geospatial Data Framework’’

(April, 1995) proposes a means by

which the geospatial data community

can work together to produce and

maintain commonly needed data for

national, regional, state, and local

analyses. The report and additional

information about the framework are

available from the FGDC Secretariat.

The materials can be retrieved from the

committee’s World Wide Web page at

http://www.fgdc.gov, or by contacting

the committee by mail at the U.S.

Geological Survey, 590 National Center,

Reston, Virginia 22092; by Internet at

gdc@usgs.gov; by facsimile at (703) 648–

5755; or by voice telephone at (703)

648–5514. There will be up to 4 awards

each not exceeding $125,000. The

awards will be cooperative agreements

and not contracts.

Within the geospatial data

community, multi-agency, and multisector partnerships are being established

in local and regional areas to

collaboratively leverage resources and

funding, and coordinate data collection,

utilization, and access. The framework

concept builds on these activities by

identifying a basic information content,

and the technical, operational, and

business contexts by which a

distributed, collaborative data collection

and maintenance effort for the

framework would operate. The

information content proposed for

framework consists of geodetic control,

digital orthoimagery, elevation,

transportation, hydrography,

governmental units, and cadastral data

categories.

While the framework concept has

been well received by the geospatial

data community, questions remain as to

its practical implementation, and the

modifications in approach that will be

necessary as the concept is tested. This

program is a means by which the FGDC

facilitates, and provides resources, for

the development and implementation of

the NSDI Framework concept.

This program will fund the

development and testing of institutions

and technology needed for framework

operations. Proposals should be from

multiple parties in geographic areas that

have data to share for at least a subset

of the framework data content. Project

activities may include establishment of

the following institutional roles:

evaluating, developing and

implementing technical standards;

coordinating data creation,

maintenance, and dissemination for a

geographic area; ensuring updates of

framework data from local data

contributions; developing data quality

certification policies; and ensuring data

integration among themes, and

geographic areas. Technical

development and applications may

include the following: permanent

feature-based identification; the support

of multiple resolution data; mechanisms

for maintaining the users’ data

investment when updating their data

holding from the framework; processes

for gathering and evaluating user

satisfaction to the framework; and the

evaluation of methods for implementing

metadata (including data quality

information) required for the framework

data.

Dated: May 3, 1996.

Richard E. Witmer,

Acting Chief, National Mapping Division.

[FR Doc. 96–12015 Filed 5–13–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–31–M

Bureau of Land Management

[OR–130–1020–00; GP6–0154]

Notice of Meeting of the Eastern

Washington Resource Advisory

Council

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Spokane District.

ACTION: Meeting of the Eastern

Washington Resource Advisory Council;

June 13 and 14, 1996, in Odessa,

Washington, and Spokane, Washington.

SUMMARY: The Eastern Washington

Resource Advisory Council will meet at

10:00 a.m., June 13, 1996 at the Odessa

Community Center, 21 East First

Avenue, Odessa, Washington 98823 for

the purpose of a field trip to Bureau of

Land Management public lands in the

local area. If weather is inclement or if

the Council wishes, the field trip may be

canceled and the council will meet at

the Odessa Community Center to

discuss rangeland issues. The meeting

and/or field trip will recess at

approximately 4:00 p.m. on June 13,

1996 or upon completion of business.

The meeting will reconvene at 9:00 a.m.,

June 14, 1996, at Cavanaughs Inn at the

Park, 303 West North River Drive,

Ballroom ‘‘D’’, Spokane, Washington

99201, 509–326–8000. Public comments

will be received from 10:00 a.m. to

10:30 a.m., on June 14, 1996.

At an appropriate time, on June 14,

1996, the meeting will adjourn for

approximately one hour for lunch. The

meeting will conclude at 4:00 p.m. or

upon conclusion of business. The topics

to be discussed are Standards for

Rangeland Health and Livestock Grazing

Guidelines, and the Interior Columbia

Basin Ecosystem Management Project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Hubbard, Bureau of Land

Management, Spokane District Office,

1103 N. Fancher Road, Spokane,

Washington 99212; or call 509–536–

1200.