[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34269-34271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-13872]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R1-ES-2020-N133; FXES11130100000-201-FF01E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery
Plan for Four Subspecies of Mazama Pocket Gopher
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for review and public comment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the
[[Page 34270]]
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Four Subspecies of Mazama
Pocket Gopher. The four subspecies, listed as threatened under the
Endangered Species Act, are endemic to Thurston and Pierce Counties,
Washington. We request review and comment on this draft recovery plan
from Federal, State, and local agencies; Native American Tribes; and
the public.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments on the draft recovery plan
must be received on or before August 30, 2021. However, we will accept
information about any species at any time.
ADDRESSES: Document availability: Obtain the recovery plan by any of
the following methods.
Internet: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/recovery-plans.html or http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ecoservices/endangered/recovery/plans.html.
U.S. mail: Tom McDowell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Washington Fish and Wildlife Office, 510 Desmond Drive SE, Suite 102,
Lacey, WA 98503; or
Telephone: 360-753-9440.
Comment submission: You may submit written comments and materials
by one of the following methods:
U.S. mail: Tom McDowell, Washington Fish and Wildlife
Office, at the above U.S. mail address.
Fax: 360-753-9405.
Email: WFWO_LR@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Thompson, State Supervisor, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Fish and Wildlife Office, at the
above U.S. mail address; telephone 360-753-4652. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf, call the Federal Relay Service
at 1-800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), announce the availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for
Four Subspecies of Mazama Pocket Gopher. The four subspecies, listed as
threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, are
burrowing mammals endemic to Thurston and Pierce Counties, Washington.
The draft recovery plan includes specific goals, objectives, and
criteria that should be met to consider removing the species from the
Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We request review
and comment on this draft recovery plan from Federal, State, and local
agencies; Native American Tribes; and the public.
Background
The Mazama pocket gopher is a fossorial (burrowing) mammal. In
April 2014, the following four subspecies of Mazama pocket gopher,
found in glacial outwash prairie habitats in the south Puget Sound
region of western Washington State, were listed as threatened species
pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.; Act) (79 FR 19760; April 9, 2014). The draft recovery
plan covers these four subspecies.
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Common name Scientific name Location
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Roy Prairie pocket gopher... Thomomys mazama Pierce County,
glacialis. Washington.
Olympia pocket gopher....... Thomomys mazama Thurston County,
pugetensis. Washington.
Tenino pocket gopher........ Thomomys mazama Thurston County,
tumuli. Washington.
Yelm pocket gopher.......... Thomomys mazama Thurston County,
yelmensis. Washington.
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Recovery Planning Process
Recovery of endangered and threatened animals and plants is a
primary goal of our endangered species program. To help guide the
recovery effort, we prepare recovery plans for most listed species.
Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for conservation
of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or delisting, and
estimate time and cost for implementing recovery measures.
Recovery Planning and Implementation
The Service has recently revised its approach to recovery planning,
and is now using a new process termed Recovery Planning and
Implementation (RPI) (see https://www.fws.gov/endangered/esa-library/pdf/RPI.pdf). The RPI approach is intended to reduce the time needed to
develop and implement recovery plans, increase recovery plan relevancy
over a longer timeframe, and add flexibility to recovery plans so they
can be adjusted to new information or circumstances. Under RPI, a
recovery plan includes the statutorily-required elements under section
4(f) of the Act (objective and measurable recovery 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 two
supplementary documents: A Species Status Assessment or Biological
Report, which describes the best available scientific information
related to the biological needs of the species and assessment of
threats; and the Recovery Implementation Strategy, which details the
particular near-term activities needed to implement the recovery
actions identified in the recovery plan. Under this approach new
information on species biology or details of recovery implementation
may be incorporated by updating these supplementary documents without
concurrent revision of the entire recovery plan, unless changes to
statutorily required elements are necessary.
Recovery Plan Components
The Draft Recovery Plan for Four Subspecies of Mazama Pocket Gopher
is supported by the Recovery Implementation Strategy, which is
available at https://www.fws.gov/wafwo/articles.cfm?id=149489725.
The primary recovery strategy for the four Mazama pocket gopher
subspecies is to conserve, restore, and properly manage the quantity,
quality, and connectivity (or configuration) of their habitats to
address habitat fragmentation, degradation, or loss, as well as to
address other known threats, to ensure the long-term persistence and
viability of each subspecies across its range. We may initiate an
assessment of whether recovery has been achieved and delisting is
warranted when the recovery criteria have been met, including
establishment of protected Reserves managed over the long term for
Mazama pocket gophers in each subspecies' range, with populations of at
least 1,000 individuals and approximately 250 to 500 acres of medium-
or high-quality habitat in each Reserve. Minimum numbers of Reserves
required for each subspecies are as follows: At least three Reserves
for the Roy Prairie pocket gopher; at least three Reserves for the
Olympia pocket gopher; at least two Reserves for the Tenino pocket
gopher; and at least seven Reserves for the Yelm pocket gopher.
Locations of Reserves are described in detail in the draft recovery
plan.
Request for Public Comments
Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to provide public notice and an
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opportunity for public review and comment during recovery plan
development. It is also our policy to request peer review of recovery
plans (59 FR 34270; July 1, 1994). In an appendix to the approved final
recovery plan, we will summarize and respond to the issues raised
during public comment and peer review. Substantive comments may or may
not result in changes to the recovery plan. Comments regarding recovery
plan implementation will be forwarded as appropriate to Federal or
other entities so that they can be taken into account during the course
of implementing recovery actions.
We will consider all comments we receive by the date specified in
DATES prior to final approval of the plan.
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.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Robyn Thorson,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-13872 Filed 6-28-21; 8:45 am]
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