[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 6, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13251-13253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5212]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
[FWS-R5-ES-2012-N038; FXES11130500000D2-123-FF05E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of a 5-
Year Review of Nine Northeastern Species
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are
initiating 5-year reviews under the Endangered Species Act (Act), as
amended, for nine northeastern species. We will review the following
species, all listed as endangered under the Act: Maryland darter,
Virginia fringed mountain snail, Virginia big-eared bat, Hay's Spring
amphipod, Lee County Cave isopod, and Shenandoah salamander. We will
also review the following threatened species: Knieskern's beaked-rush,
small whorled pogonia, and Virginia sneezeweed. We conduct these
reviews to ensure that our classification of each species on the lists
of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants is accurate. A 5-year
review assesses 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 previous 5-year review
for each species. Based on review results, we will determine whether we
should change the listing status of any of these species.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written information by
May 7, 2012. However, we will continue to accept new information about
any listed species at any time.
ADDRESSES: For where and how to send information, see ``VIII.
Contacts'' near the end of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Parkin, by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Northeast Regional Office, 300 Westgate Center
Drive, Hadley, MA 01035; by telephone at 617-417-3331; or by electronic
mail at mary_parkin@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Why do we conduct 5-year reviews?
Under the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we maintain lists of
endangered and threatened wildlife and plants (which we refer to
collectively as the list) at 50 CFR 17.11 (for animals) and 17.12 (for
plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires us to review the status
of each listed species at least once every 5 years. Then, under section
4(c)(2)(B), we determine whether to remove the species from the list
(delist), reclassify it from endangered to threatened, or reclassify it
from threatened to endangered. Any change in Federal classification
requires a separate rulemaking process.
In classifying a species, we use the following definitions from 50
CFR 424.02:
(A) Species includes any species or subspecies of fish, wildlife,
or plant, or any distinct population segment of any species or
vertebrate, that interbreeds when mature;
(B) Endangered species means any species that is in danger of
extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range; and
(C) Threatened species means any species that is likely to become
an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a
significant portion of its range.
We must support delisting a species by the best scientific and
commercial data available, and we only consider delisting if data
substantiate that the species is neither endangered nor threatened for
one or more of the following reason (50 CFR 424.11 (d)):
(A) The species is extinct;
(B) The species is recovered; or
(C) The original data available when the species was listed, or the
[[Page 13252]]
interpretation of such data, were in error.
The regulations in 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice
in the Federal Register announcing those species currently under active
review.
II. What species are under review?
We are initiating 5-year status reviews of the species in the
following table.
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Species Under 5-Year Review
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Final listing rule
Common name Scientific name Status Where listed publication date
and citation
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Animals
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Maryland darter................. Etheostoma sellare Endangered........ U.S.A.; MD........ March 11, 1967; 32
FR 4001.
Virginia fringed mountain snail. Polygyriscus Endangered........ U.S.A.; VA........ July 3, 1978; 43
virginianus. FR 28932.
Virginia big-eared bat.......... Corynorhinus Endangered........ U.S.A.; KY, NC, November 30, 1979;
(=Plecotus) VA, WV. 44 FR 69206.
townsendii
virginianus.
Hay's Spring amphipod........... Stygobromus hayi.. Endangered........ U.S.A.; District February 5, 1982;
of Columbia, MD. 47 FR 5425.
Lee County Cave isopod.......... Lirceus usdagalun. Endangered........ U.S.A.; VA........ November 20, 1992;
57 FR 54722.
Shenandoah salamander........... Plethodon Endangered........ U.S.A.; VA........ August 18, 1989;
shenandoah. 54 FR 34464.
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Plants
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Knieskern's beaked-rush......... Rhynchospora Threatened........ U.S.A.; DE, NJ.... July 18, 1991; 56
knieskernii. FR 32978.
Small whorled pogonia........... Isotria Threatened........ U.S.A.; CT , DE, September 9, 1982;
medeoloides. GA, IL, ME, MA, 47 FR 39827.
MI, MO, NH, NJ,
NY, NC, OH, PA,
RI, SC, TN, VA,
WV.
Virginia sneezeweed............. Helenium Threatened........ U.S.A.; MO, VA.... November 3, 1998;
virginicum. 63 FR 59239.
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III. What do we consider in our review?
We consider all new information available at the time we conduct a
5-year review. We consider the best scientific and commercial data that
have become available since the current listing determination or most
recent status review, such as:
(A) Species biology, including but not limited to, population
trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics;
(B) Habitat conditions, including but not limited to, amount,
distribution, and suitability;
(C) Conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit
the species;
(D) Threat status and trends (see five factors under heading, ``How
Do We Determine Whether a Species is Endangered or Threatened?''); and
(E) Other new information, data, or corrections, including but not
limited to, taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of
erroneous information contained in the List, and improved analytical
methods.
We specifically request data from any systematic surveys, as well
as any studies or analysis of data that may show any of the following:
(A) Population size or trends;
(B) Species biology or ecology;
(C) The effects of current land management on population
distribution and abundance;
(D) Current habitat conditions;
(E) Recent conservation measures that have been implemented to
benefit the species;
(F) Current distribution of populations;
(G) Evaluation of threats faced by the species in relation to the
five listing factors (as defined below and in section 4(a)(1) of the
Act); or
(H) The species' status as judged against the definition of
endangered or threatened.
IV. How do we determine whether a species is endangered or threatened?
Section 4(a)(1) of the Act requires that we determine whether a
species is endangered or threatened based on one or more of the five
following factors:
(A) The present or threatened destruction, modification, or
curtailment of its habitat or range;
(B) Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or
educational purposes;
(C) Disease or predation;
(D) The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or
(E) Other natural or man-made factors affecting its continued
existence.
Under section 4(b)(1) of the Act, we must base our assessment of
these factors solely on the best scientific and commercial data
available.
V. What Could Happen as a Result of Our Review?
For each species under review, if we find new information
indicating that a change in classification may be warranted, we may
propose a rule that could do one of the following:
(A) Reclassify the species from threatened to endangered (uplist);
(B) Reclassify the species from endangered to threatened
(downlist); or
(C) Remove the species from the List (delist).
If we determine that a change in classification is not warranted,
then the species will remain on the list under its current status.
VI. Request for New Information
To ensure that a 5-year review is complete and based on the best
available scientific and commercial information, we request new
information from all sources. See ``What Information Do We Consider in
Our Review?'' for specific criteria. If you submit information, support
it with documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, methods
used to gather and analyze the data, and/or copies of any pertinent
publications, reports, or letters by knowledgeable sources.
[[Page 13253]]
Submit your information and materials to the appropriate U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Office listed under ``VIII., Contacts.''
VII. Public Availability of Information Submitted
Before including your address, phone number, electronic mail
address, or other personal identifying information in your submission,
you should be aware that you entire submission--including your personal
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time.
Although you can request that personal information be withheld from
public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Materials received will be available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business hours at the offices where the
information is submitted.
VIII. Contacts
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Contact person,
Species phone, e-mail Contact address
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Maryland darter............. Andy Moser, (410) U.S. Fish and
573-4537; e-mail Wildlife Service,
andy_moser@fws.gov. Chesapeake Bay
Field Office, 177
Admiral Cochrane
Drive, Annapolis,
MD 21401.
Virginia fringed mountain Michael Drummond, U.S. Fish and
snail. (804) 693-6694; e- Wildlife Service,
mail mike-- Virginia Field
drummond@fws.gov. Office, 6669 Short
Lane, Gloucester,
VA 23061.
Virginia big-eared bat...... Barbara Douglas, U.S. Fish and
(304) 636-6586; e- Wildlife Service,
mail barbara-- West Virginia Field
douglas@fws.gov. Office, 694 Beverly
Pike, Elkins, WV
26241.
Hay's Spring amphipod....... Andy Moser, (410) U.S. Fish and
573-4537; e-mail Wildlife Service,
andy_moser@fws.gov. Chesapeake Bay
Field Office, 177
Admiral Cochrane
Drive, Annapolis,
MD 21401.
Lee County Cave isopod...... Shane Hanlon, (276) U.S. Fish and
623-1233; e-mail Wildlife Service,
shane--hanlon@fws.g Southwest Virginia
ov. Field Office, 330
Cummings Street,
Abingdon, VA 24210.
Shenandoah salamander....... Cindy Schulz, (804) U.S. Fish and
693-6694; e-mail Wildlife Service,
cindy--schulz@fws.g Virginia Field
ov. Office, 6669 Short
Lane, Gloucester,
VA 23061.
Knieskern's beaked-rush..... Annette Scherer, U.S. Fish and
(609) 383-3938; e- Wildlife Service,
mail annette-- New Jersey Field
scherer@fws.gov. Office, 927 North
Main Street, Bldg
D, Pleasantville,
NJ 08232.
Small whorled pogonia....... Susi von Oettingen, U.S. Fish and
(603) 223-2541; e- Wildlife Service,
mail susi-- New England Field
vonOettingen@fws.go Office, 70
v. Commercial Street,
Ste. 300, Concord,
NH 03301.
Virginia sneezeweed......... Cindy Schulz, (804) U.S. Fish and
693-6694; e-mail Wildlife Service,
cindy--schulz@fws.g Virginia Field
ov. Office, 6669 Short
Lane, Gloucester,
VA 23061.
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IX. Authority
We publish this document under the authority of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: January 25, 2012.
Wendi Weber,
Regional Director, Northeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-5212 Filed 3-5-12; 8:45 am]
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