[Federal Register: March 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 56)]
[Notices]
[Page 14129-14130]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24mr98-97]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for Serpentine Soil Species
of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, for Review and Comment
AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of the Draft Recovery Plan for
Serpentine Soil Species of the San Francisco Bay Area, California. This
recovery plan includes 28 species, of which 14 species are federally
listed as endangered or threatened. The draft plan includes recovery
criteria and recommended management actions for the plants--San Mateo
thornmint (Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii), Tiburon mariposa lily
(Calochortus tiburonensis), Tiburon paintbrush (Castilleja affinis ssp.
neglecta), coyote thistle (Ceanothus ferrisae), fountain thistle
(Cirsium fontinale var. fontinale), Presidio clarkia (Clarkia
franciscana), Pennell's birds-beak (Cordylanthus tenuis ssp.
capillaris), Santa Clara Valley dudleya (Dudleya setchellii), San Mateo
woolly sunflower (Eriophyllum latilobum), Marin dwarf flax
[[Page 14130]]
(Hesperolinon congestum), white-rayed pentachaeta (Pentachaeta
bellidiflora), Metcalf canyon jewelflower (Streptanthus albidus ssp.
albidus), Tiburon jewelflower (Streptanthus niger), and the bay
checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha bayensis); and an additional
six species of plants, one species of moth, and seven harvestman
(spider) species that are considered to be species of concern are
addressed in the draft recovery plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before June 22, 1998.
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) 979-2725). Requests for copies of the draft
recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan
should be addressed to Wayne S. White, 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 28 species of plants and animals covered in the draft recovery
plan are primarily restricted to serpentine soils habitat in the San
Francisco Bay area of California. Conversion of habitat to urban and
industrial uses has extirpated the listed species and species of
concern from the majority of their historic ranges. The remaining
natural communities are highly fragmented, and many are marginal
habitats in which these species may not persist during catastrophic
events, such as fire or persistent drought. Natural communities also
have been altered permanently by the introduction of aggressive,
nonnative plants, which now dominate in many of the remaining
undeveloped areas.
The objectives of this recovery plan are two-fold: (1) to delist
the plants San Mateo thornmint, Tiburon mariposa lily, Tiburon
paintbrush, coyote thistle, fountain thistle, Presidio clarkia,
Pennell's birds-beak, Santa Clara Valley dudleya, San Mateo woolly
sunflower, Marin dwarf flax, white-rayed pentachaeta, Metcalf canyon
jewelflower, Tiburon jewelflower, and the bay checkerspot butterfly by
protecting, enhancing, restoring, and appropriately managing their
habitat; and (2) to ensure the long-term conservation of the 14 species
of concern that occur in the same serpentine habitats with the listed
species.
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: February 13, 1998.
Don Weathers,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 98-7575 Filed 3-23-98; 8:45 am]
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