[Federal Register: July 2, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 127)]
[Notices]
[Page 36033-36034]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02jy99-83]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Giant Garter Snake
for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability
for public review of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Giant Garter
Snake. This recovery plan includes the threatened giant garter snake
(Thamnophis gigas). Additional species of concern that will benefit
from recovery actions taken for the giant garter snake are also
discussed in the draft recovery plan. The draft plan includes recovery
criteria and measures for the giant garter snake.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before August 31, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento,
California (telephone (916) 979-2710). Requests for copies of the draft
recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan
should be addressed to the Field Supervisor, Ecological Services, at
the above Sacramento address.
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. Substantive technical
comments will result in changes to the plan. Substantive comments
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in
changes to the recovery plan, 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 giant garter snake is an endemic species of wetlands in the
Central Valley of California. Historically, giant garter snakes were
found in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys from the vicinity of
Butte County southward to Buena Vista Lake, near Bakersfield in Kern
County. Today, populations of the giant garter snake are found in the
Sacramento Valley and isolated portions of the San Joaquin Valley. They
historically inhabited natural wetlands and now occupy a variety of
agricultural, managed, and natural wetlands including their waterways
and adjacent uplands. This species is threatened by historic wetland
habitat loss and resulting habitat fragmentation, and by continuing
urban expansion.
The objective of this recovery plan is to delist the giant garter
snake through implementation of a variety of recovery measures
including (1) habitat protection; (2) public participation,
[[Page 36034]]
outreach and education; (3) habitat management and restoration; (4)
surveying and monitoring; and (5) research.
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: June 28, 1999.
Elizabeth H. Stevens,
California/Nevada Operations Manager, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 99-16850 Filed 7-1-99; 8:45 am]
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