31334 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 111 / Friday, June 11, 2021 / Notices 

Application No. Applicant Species Location Take activity Permit action 

TE054237–4 ....... U.S. Forest Service, Rocky 

Mountain Region, Lakewood, CO.

• Southwestern willow 

flycatcher (Empidonax 

traillii extimus).

• Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly (Boloria acrocnema).

CO ......................................... Pursue to survey, capture, 

banding, presence/absence 

surveys.

Amend/renew. 

PER0004552 ...... U.S. National Park Service, 

Zion National Park, Springdale, UT.

• Shivwits milkwetch 

(Astragalus ampullarioides).

• Southwestern willow 

flycatcher (Empidonax 

traillii extimus).

UT .......................................... Remove and reduce to possession; seeds, fruits, tissue, and voucher specimens; presence/absence 

surveys.

Amend/renew. 

PER0005119 ...... U.S. National Park Service 

Heartland Network, Republic, MO.

• Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka).KS, MO .................................. Harass by survey/monitor, 

capture, handle.

Amend/renew. 

CS0076731 ........ University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE.• Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) 

• Gray bat (Myotis 

grisescens).

• Ozark big-eared bat 

(Corynorhinus townsendii 

ingens).

AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, 

IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, 

MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, 

MT, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, 

ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, 

SD, TA, TX, VT, VA, WV, 

WI, WY.

Capture with mist-nets and 

harp traps, handle, band.

New. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Written comments we receive become 

part of the administrative record. Before 

including your address, phone number, 

email address, or other personal 

identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can request in your comment 

that we withhold your personal 

identifying information from public 

review, we cannot guarantee that we 

will be able to do so. All submissions 

from organizations or businesses, and 

from individuals identifying themselves 

as representatives or officials of 

organizations or businesses, will be 

made available for public disclosure in 

their entirety. 

Next Steps 

If we decide to issue permits to any 

of the applicants listed in this notice, 

we will publish a notice in the Federal 

Register. 

Authority 

We publish this notice under section 

10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 

1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 

seq.). 

Stephen Small, 

Assistant Regional Director, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service Department of the Interior 

Unified Regions 5 and 7. 

[FR Doc. 2021–12262 Filed 6–10–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4333–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R8–ES–2020–N150; FXES11130000– 

212–FF08E00000] 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for 

Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis (La 

Graciosa thistle) 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of document availability. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of the Draft Recovery Plan 

for Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis 

(La Graciosa thistle) for public review 

and comment. The draft recovery plan 

includes objective, measurable criteria, 

and site-specific management actions as 

may be necessary to ameliorate threats, 

such that the species can be removed 

from the Federal List of Endangered and 

Threatened Plants. 

DATES: We must receive any comments 

on the draft recovery plan on or before 

July 12, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Document availability: You 

may obtain a copy of the recovery plan 

from our website at http://www.fws.gov/ 

endangered/species/recoveryplans.html. Alternatively, you may 

contact the Ventura Fish and Wildlife 

Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 

93003 (telephone 805–644–1766). 

Comment submission: If you wish to 

comment on the draft recovery plan, 

you may submit your comments in 

writing by any one of the following 

methods: 

• U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, at the 

above address; or 

• Email: r8venturarecoverycomments@fws.gov. 

For additional information about 

submitting comments, see the Request 

for Public Comments section below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Henry, Field Supervisor, at the 

above street address above or telephone 

805–644–1766. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Recovery of 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 our endangered species 

program and the Endangered Species 

Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.). Recovery means 

improvement of the status of listed 

species to the point at which listing is 

no longer necessary under the criteria 

specified in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. 

The Act requires the development of 

recovery plans for listed species, unless 

such a plan would not promote the 

conservation of a particular species. 

Pursuant to section 4(f) of the Act, a 

recovery plan must, to the maximum 

extent practicable, include (1) a 

description of site-specific management 

actions as may be necessary to achieve 

the plan’s goals for the conservation and 

survival of the species; (2) objective, 

measurable criteria which, when met, 

would support a determination under 

section 4(a)(1) that the species should be 

removed from the List of Endangered 

and Threatened Species; and (3) 

estimates of the time and costs required 

to carry out those measures needed to 

achieve the plan’s goal and to achieve 

intermediate steps toward that goal. 

The Service has revised its approach 

to recovery planning; the revised 

process is called Recovery Planning and 

Implementation (RPI). The RPI process 

is intended to reduce the time needed 

to develop and implement recovery 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 111 / Friday, June 11, 2021 / Notices 31335 

plans, increase recovery plan relevancy 

over a longer timeframe, and add 

flexibility to recovery plans so they can 

be easily adjusted to accommodate new 

information or circumstances. Under 

RPI, a recovery plan will include 

statutorily required elements (objective, 

measurable criteria; site-specific 

management actions; and estimates of 

time and costs), along with a concise 

introduction and our strategy for how 

we plan to achieve species recovery. 

The RPI recovery plan is supported by 

a separate Species Status Assessment, or 

in some cases, a species biological 

report that provides the background 

information and threat assessment, 

which are key to recovery plan 

development. The essential component 

to flexible implementation under RPI is 

producing a separate working document 

called the Recovery Implementation 

Strategy (implementation strategy). The 

implementation strategy steps down 

from the more general description of 

actions described in the recovery plan to 

detail the specific, near-term activities 

needed to implement the recovery plan. 

The implementation strategy is 

adaptable, so that new information can 

easily be incorporated without having to 

concurrently revise the recovery plan, 

unless changes to the statutory elements 

are required. 

The Service listed Cirsium scariosum 

var. loncholepis (La Graciosa thistle) as 

endangered in 2000 (65 FR 14888), and 

critical habitat was revised for the 

species in 2009 (74 FR 56978). Cirsium 

scariousum var. loncholepis is 

considered to be a biennial or shortlived perennial species, but has proven 

to be an annual under certain 

environmental conditions. The species 

is in the Asteraceae (daisy and 

sunflower) family and is restricted to 

coastal dune wetland, marsh and 

riparian habitats on sandy soils, along a 

small portion of the Central Coast of 

California. Its current geographic range 

is restricted to several sites within the 

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex 

located in southwestern San Luis 

Obispo and northwestern Santa Barbara 

Counties. 

Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis 

occurs in wetland habitats with sandy 

soils, within arid and semiarid 

landscapes, including coastal dune 

wetlands, lakes, marshes, ponds, seeps 

and swales. It also occurs along the 

upper margins and floodplains of 

intermittent and perennial coastal 

streams within its range. Most 

occurrences are associated with wetland 

features scattered throughout the 

backdunes of two coastal sand dune 

complexes; the Callender Dunes, which 

are located south of the City of Arroyo 

Grande, and the contiguous Guadalupe 

Dunes that are found immediately north 

of the Santa Maria River. 

Characteristically, these coastal dune 

wetlands occur where the groundwater 

table is at or near the surface and the 

local hydrology varies annually with 

seasonal rainfall. 

The primary threats the species 

include (1) reduced water/lack of water, 

with groundwater decline as the likely 

major cause, along with hydrological 

alteration and climate change, including 

severe drought and increased 

temperatures (Factors A and E), and (2) 

flooding resulting from hydrological 

alteration (Factor A). Several other 

threats also affect the species, with the 

most notable being stochastic events 

(Factor E), reproductive failure due to a 

variety of issues, including inbreeding 

and other genetic factors associated with 

small population size (Factor E), 

invasive species (Factor E), and loss of 

connectivity among occurrences and 

between populations (Factor E). 

Recovery Strategy 

The purpose of a recovery plan is to 

provide a framework for the recovery of 

a species so that protection under the 

Act is no longer necessary. A recovery 

plan includes scientific information 

about the species and provides criteria 

that enable us to gauge whether 

downlisting or delisting the species is 

warranted. Furthermore, recovery plans 

help guide our recovery efforts by 

describing actions we consider 

necessary for each species’ conservation 

and by estimating time and costs for 

implementing needed recovery 

measures. 

The goal of this recovery plan is to 

control or ameliorate impacts from 

current threats to Cirsium scariosum 

var. loncholepis such that the taxon no 

longer requires protections afforded by 

the Act and, therefore, warrants 

delisting. The site-specific management 

actions identified in the draft recovery 

plan are as follows: 

1. Habitat restoration at all extant 

sites, which may include invasive weed 

treatments, woody debris removal, and 

renovation of local hydrologic regimes. 

2. Supplemental watering when 

necessary during drought or lack of 

water, specifically to ensure survival of 

particular individual plants and/or 

colonies. 

3. Installation of exclusionary fencing 

and/or cages around individuals and 

colonies to prevent herbivory from 

mammals. 

4. Propagation and outplanting at 

locations that are extirpated, that have 

extremely low numbers of individuals 

and could become extirpated, or at 

appropriate sites located within close 

proximity to the extant occurrences. 

5. Annual monitoring and reporting to 

assess the effectiveness of the near-term 

actions, track and census the numbers of 

individuals at each occurrence and to 

both guide and determine future 

recovery actions. 

6. Establish and maintain a 

conservation seed bank at a facility that 

is certified by the Center for Plant 

Conservation. 

7. Conduct research to evaluate the 

seed viability and pursue efforts to bulk 

the seed for outplanting. 

8. Facilitate outplanting efforts at 

numerous sites that are likely to have 

cooperative recovery partners based on 

the current land ownership status and 

land use practices and/or that are 

conducive to these efforts because 

conservation easements are already 

established. 

9. Continue attempts to gain access to 

other sites and occurrences within the 

historic range to conduct census surveys 

and assessments for potentially suitable 

habitat f or additional outplanting 

efforts. 

10. Fulfill research needs, including 

the following: Best management 

practices and methods for the various 

life stages of the species; species 

response to disturbance from grazing, to 

thatch removal and to other vegetation 

management techniques; demographic 

studies, pollination ecology research, 

genetics research, habitat suitability 

analyses and modeling, groundwater 

testing and mapping and other 

hydrologic modeling for evaluating 

variable climate change scenarios. 

Request for Public Comments 

We request written comments on the 

draft recovery plan described in this 

notice. All comments received by the 

date specified in DATES will be 

considered in development of a final 

recovery plan for Cirsium scariosum 

var. loncholepis. You may submit 

written comments and information by 

mail, email, or in person to the Ventura 

Fish and Wildlife Office at the above 

address (see ADDRESSES). 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, email address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
31336 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 111 / Friday, June 11, 2021 / Notices 

Authority 

We developed this recovery plan and 

publish this notice under the authority 

of section 4(f) of the Act, 16 U.S.C. 

1533(f). 

Martha Maciel, 

Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest 

Region. 

[FR Doc. 2021–12304 Filed 6–10–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4333–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–HQ–MB–2021–N159; FF09M20200 

FGMB123109CITY0 (212); OMB Control 

Number 1018–NEW] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Urban Bird Treaty Program 

Requirements 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection; 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 

the United States Fish and Wildlife 

Service (Service), are proposing a new 

information collection. 

DATES: Interested persons are invited to 

submit comments on or before August 

10, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the 

information collection request (ICR) by 

mail to the Service Information 

Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB (JAO/ 

3W), 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, 

VA 22041–3803 (mail); or by email to 

Info_Coll@fws.gov. Please reference 

OMB Control Number ‘‘1018–UBT’’ in 

the subject line of your comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To 

request additional information about 

this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, 

Service Information Collection 

Clearance Officer, by email at Info_

Coll@fws.gov, or by telephone at (703) 

358–2503. Individuals who are hearing 

or speech impaired may call the Federal 

Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 for 

TTY assistance. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et 

seq.) and its implementing regulations 

at 5 CFR 1320, all information 

collections require approval under the 

PRA. We may not conduct or sponsor 

and you are not required to respond to 

a collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

As part of our continuing effort to 

reduce paperwork and respondent 

burdens, we invite the public and other 

Federal agencies to comment on new, 

proposed, revised, and continuing 

collections of information. This helps us 

assess the impact of our information 

collection requirements and minimize 

the public’s reporting burden. It also 

helps the public understand our 

information collection requirements and 

provide the requested data in the 

desired format. 

We are especially interested in public 

comment addressing the following: 

(1) Whether or not the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether or not the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the 

burden for this collection of 

information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, 

utility, and clarity of the information to 

be collected; and 

(4) How might the agency minimize 

the burden of the collection of 

information on those who are to 

respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of response. 

Comments that you submit in 

response to this notice are a matter of 

public record. We will include or 

summarize each comment in our request 

to OMB to approve this ICR. Before 

including your address, phone number, 

email address, or other personal 

identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Abstract: The Urban Bird Treaty 

Program (UBT Program) is administered 

through the Service’s Migratory Bird 

Program, under the authority of the Fish 

and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 

U.S.C. 661–667e). The UBT Program 

aims to support partnerships of public 

and private organizations and 

individuals working to conserve 

migratory birds and their habitats in 

urban areas for the benefit of these 

species and the people that live in urban 

areas. The UBT partners’ habitat 

conservation activities help to ensure 

that more natural areas, including 

forests, grasslands, wetlands, and 

meadows, are available in urban areas, 

so that underserved communities can 

have improved access to green space 

and opportunities to engage in habitat 

restoration and community science as 

well as bird-related recreation and 

educational programs. These habitat 

restoration activities, especially urban 

forest conservation, also contribute to 

climate resiliency by reducing the 

amount of carbon dioxide in the 

atmosphere. Lights-out programs in 

UBT cities help reduce energy costs and 

greenhouse gas emissions by reducing 

the use of electricity when people and 

businesses turn off their lights between 

dusk and dawn during the fall and 

spring periods of bird migration in order 

to reduce bird collisions with building 

glass. 

The Service designates Urban Bird 

Treaty cities or municipalities through a 

process in which applicants submit a 

nomination package, including a letter 

of intention and an implementation 

plan, for approval by the Service’s 

Migratory Bird Program. Within 3 

months, the Service reviews the 

package, makes any necessary 

recommendations for changes, and then 

decides to either approve or reject the 

package. If rejected, the city can reapply 

the following year. In most cases, when 

the Service designates a new city 

partner, the Service and the new city 

partner hold a signing ceremony, during 

which a representative from both the 

Service and the city sign a nonbinding 

document that states the importance of 

conserving birds and their habitats to 

the health and well-being of people that 

live in and visit the city. To maintain 

this city partner designation, the city 

must submit information on the 

activities it has carried out to meet the 

goals of the UBT program, including 

those related to bird habitat 

conservation, bird hazard reduction, 

and bird-related community education 

and engagement. By helping make cities 

healthier places for birds and people, 

the UBT Program contributes to the 

Administration’s priorities of justice 

and racial equity, climate resiliency, 

and the President’s Executive Order 

14008 to protect 30 percent of the 

Nation’s land and 30 percent of its 

ocean areas by 2030. 

The UBT program benefits city 

partners in many ways, including: 

• Helps city partners achieve their 

goals for making cities healthier places 

for birds and people. 

• Provides opportunities to share and 

learn from other city partners’ tools, 

tactics, successes, and challenges, to 

advance city partners’ urban bird 

conservation efforts. 


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