Re-Opening of the Comment Period for the Draft Recovery Plan for the Sentry Milk-Vetch, 1736-1737 [05-409]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
1736
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 6 / Monday, January 10, 2005 / Notices
The applicant requests a permit to
take (survey by pursuit) the Quino
checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas
editha quino) in conjunction with
surveys throughout the range of the
species in California for the purpose of
enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE–096466
Applicant: San Bernardino National
Forest, Big Bear City, California
The applicant requests a permit to
take (survey by pursuit) the Quino
checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas
editha quino) in conjunction with
surveys in Riverside and San
Bernardino Counties, California, for the
purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE–096456
Applicant: Garvin Hoefler, Soquel,
California
The applicant requests a permit to
take (survey by pursuit) the Santa Cruz
long-toed salamander (Ambystoma
macrodactylum croceum) in
conjunction with surveys in Santa Cruz,
Monterey, Santa Clara, and San Benito
Counties, California, for the purpose of
enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE–086593
Applicant: Arizona Cooperative Fish
and Wildlife Research Unit, Tucson,
Arizona
The applicant requests a permit to
take (capture and collect) the Owens tui
chub (Gila bicolor snyderi) and the
Owens pupfish (Cyprinodon radiosus)
in conjunction with parasite research in
San Bernardino County, California, for
the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Permit No. TE–075112
Applicant: Gregory Chatman, Rialto,
California
The applicant requests a permit to
take (survey by pursuit) the Quino
checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas
editha quino) in conjunction with
surveys throughout the range of the
species in California for the purpose of
enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE–097516
Applicant: Ryan Thomas, Pasadena,
California
The applicant requests a permit to
take (harass by survey and monitor
nests) the southwestern willow
flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)
and the California least tern (Sterna
autillarum browni), take (locate and
monitor nests) the least Bell’s vireo
(Vireo bellii pusillus), and take (harass
by survey) the California clapper rail
(Rallus longirostris obsoletus) and the
light-footed clapper rail (Rallus
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:09 Jan 07, 2005
Jkt 205001
longirostris levipes) in conjunction with
surveys throughout the range of each
species in California for the purpose of
enhancing their survival.
Permit No. TE–097845
Applicant: SRS Technologies, Lompoc,
California
The applicant requests a permit to
take (harass by survey and monitor
nests) the southwestern willow
flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)
and the California least tern (Sterna
autillarum browni), take (locate and
monitor nests) the least Bell’s vireo
(Vireo bellii pusillus), take (capture,
handle, and release) the arroyo toad
(Bufo californicus), and take (harass by
survey, capture, handle, and release) the
tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius
newberryi) and the unarmored
threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus
aculeatus williamsoni) in conjunction
with surveys in Santa Barbara County,
California, for the purpose of enhancing
their survival.
We solicit public review and
comment on each of these recovery
permit applications.
Michael B. Fris,
Acting Manager, California/Nevada
Operations Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 05–412 Filed 1–7–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Re-Opening of the Comment Period for
the Draft Recovery Plan for the Sentry
Milk-Vetch
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of re-opening of public
comment period.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
re-opening of the comment period for
public review of a draft Recovery Plan
for the sentry milk-vetch (Astragalus
cremnophylax var. cremnophylax) for
an additional 30 days. The original
public comment period was held from
September 14, 2004 to October 14, 2004.
We are re-opening the public comment
period in response to a specific request
from the National Park Service, Grand
Canyon National Park (Park) to allow
additional time for public review of this
draft Recovery Plan. All known
populations of the species occur on land
managed by the Park in Coconino
County, Arizona.
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Comments on the draft Recovery
Plan must be received on or before
February 9, 2005, to receive
consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review
the draft Recovery Plan may obtain a
copy by accessing the Service’s Arizona
Ecological Services Field Office Internet
Web page at https://arizonaes.fws.gov or
by contacting the Field Supervisor,
Arizona Ecological Services Field
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103,
Phoenix, Arizona 85021–4951 (602/
242–0210) to obtain a copy via the mail
or in person at the address above.
Written comments and materials
regarding the plan should be addressed
to the Field Supervisor at the address
provided above. Comments and
materials received are available on
request for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business
hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mima Falk, Arizona Ecological Services
Tucson Suboffice, 201 N Bonita Ave.,
Tucson, Arizona 85745 (520/670–6150
ext. 225).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
Background
Restoring an endangered or
threatened animal or plant species to
the point where it is again a secure, selfsustaining member of its ecosystem 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
conservation of species, establish
criteria for the recovery levels for
downlisting or delisting them, and
estimate time and cost for implementing
the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973
(Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.), 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. We will consider all
information presented during the public
comment period prior to approval of
each new or revised recovery plan. We,
along with other Federal agencies, will
also take these comments into account
in the course of implementing approved
recovery plans.
The draft Recovery Plan describes the
status, current management, recovery
E:\FR\FM\10JAN1.SGM
10JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 6 / Monday, January 10, 2005 / Notices
objectives and criteria, and specific
actions needed to reclassify the sentry
milk-vetch from endangered to
threatened and for eventual
consideration for delisting. An original
draft of the recovery plan was
developed by Dr. Joyce Maschinski, a
botanist and species specialist from The
Arboretum at Flagstaff. The document
was reviewed and updated by a team of
botanists, soil scientists, naturalists and
National Park Service land managers
that have a history of researching or
managing the plant and its environs. In
1993, a draft recovery plan for the sentry
milk-vetch underwent technical and
public review. The draft was not
finalized at that time due to other high
priority work. The reviews received on
the 1993 draft are maintained in the
Service’s administrative record. Peer
review of this draft Recovery Plan was
conducted concurrent with the original
public review period.
Sentry milk-vetch is known from two,
and up to three, locations on the South
Rim and one location on the North Rim
of the Park, where Kaibab limestone
forms large flat platforms with shallow
soils near pinyon-juniper woodlands.
The primary cause of population
decline prior to protection was
trampling by Park visitors, although
drought conditions may have worsened
the situation. We carefully assessed the
best scientific and commercial
information available regarding the past,
present, and future threats faced by
sentry milk-vetch as part of our 1990
final determination to list this species as
endangered (55 FR 50184). The four
major threats identified in the rule
listing the species were: (1) Destruction
of habitat and damage to individuals
through human disturbance (trampling);
(2) over-utilization due to collection; (3)
inadequacy of existing regulatory
mechanisms to provide protection of
habitat; and (4) naturally low
reproduction of the species. The draft
Recovery Plan contains action items to
alleviate these factors.
Public Comments Solicited
We solicit written comments on the
Draft Plan. All comments received by
the date specified above will be
considered prior to approval of the plan.
Authority
The authority for this action is
Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species
Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:09 Jan 07, 2005
Jkt 205001
Dated: November 24, 2004.
Bryan Arroyo,
Acting Regional Director, Region 2, Fish and
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 05–409 Filed 1–7–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Intent to Scope for the
Preparation of an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Proposed
Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit
Associated With the Agua Caliente
Band of Cahuilla Indians Habitat
Conservation Plan, Riverside County,
CA
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) as the lead agency,
advises the public that it is preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla
Indians Habitat Conservation Plan
(HCP) in Riverside County, California.
The proposed HCP is being prepared in
compliance with the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act)
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The HCP is
intended to support the issuance of an
incidental take permit to the Agua
Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
(Tribe) from the Service under section
10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. The requested
incidental take permit, if granted, would
authorize the permittees to incidentally
take species federally listed under the
Act as a result of activities proposed to
be covered under the HCP. It would also
address incidental take of other species
that are not currently listed, should they
be listed during the permit term. The
planning area for the HCP is located
within the Coachella Valley in eastern
Riverside County. The HCP would
provide measures to minimize and
mitigate the impacts of the proposed
taking of covered species and the
habitats upon which they depend.
The Service is furnishing this notice
in compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act and
implementing regulations for the
following purposes: (1) to advise other
Federal and State agencies, affected
tribes, and the public of our intent to
prepare an EIS; (2) announce the
initiation of a 30-day public scoping
period; and (3) to obtain suggestions and
information on the scope of issues and
alternatives to be considered in the EIS.
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
1737
Written comments should be
received on or before February 9, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Address comments,
requests for more information, or
requests to be added to the mailing list
for this project to: Ms. Therese
O’Rourke, Assistant Field Supervisor,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad
Fish and Wildlife Office, 6010 Hidden
Valley Road, Carlsbad, California 92009
or by facsimile to (760) 431–5902.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon
Avery, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, at
(760) 431–9440, extension 309 [see
ADDRESSES].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
Background
Section 9 of the Federal ESA (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and Federal
regulations prohibit the ‘‘take’’ of a fish
or wildlife species listed as endangered
or threatened. Take of federally listed
fish and wildlife is defined under the
ESA as including to ‘‘harass, harm,
pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap,
capture or collect, or to attempt to
engage in such conduct’’ (16 U.S.C.
1538). The Service may, under limited
circumstances, issue permits to
authorize ‘‘incidental take’’ of listed
species. ‘‘Incidental take’’ is defined by
the ESA as take that is incidental to, and
not the purpose of, carrying out an
otherwise lawful activity. Regulations
governing permits for threatened species
and endangered species, respectively,
are at 50 CFR 17.32 and 50 CFR 17.22.
An incidental take permit is needed to
authorize take of listed species
(including harm, injury and harassment)
during urban and rural development on
the Agua Caliente Reservation
(Reservation). The Tribe is requesting a
permit for incidental take of covered
species on lands included in the
proposed HCP. The HCP planning area
includes lands within and near the
Reservation and encompasses
approximately 87,000 acres. The
Reservation totals about 31,500 acres.
The HCP proposes coverage of 24
species: 9 federally-listed (threatened or
endangered) species, 1 Federal
candidate species, and 14 unlisted
species that may become listed during
the term of the proposed permit. The
species proposed for coverage include:
Peninsular bighorn sheep (Ovis
canadensis nelsoni), Coachella Valley
round-tailed ground squirrel
(Spermophilus tereticaudus chlorus),
Palm Springs pocket mouse
(Perognathus longimembris bangsi),
southern yellow bat (Lasiurus ega
xanthinus), least Bell’s vireo (Vireo
bellii pusillus), southwestern willow
flycatcher (Epidonax traillii extimus),
E:\FR\FM\10JAN1.SGM
10JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 6 (Monday, January 10, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1736-1737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-409]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Re-Opening of the Comment Period for the Draft Recovery Plan for
the Sentry Milk-Vetch
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of re-opening of public comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
re-opening of the comment period for public review of a draft Recovery
Plan for the sentry milk-vetch (Astragalus cremnophylax var.
cremnophylax) for an additional 30 days. The original public comment
period was held from September 14, 2004 to October 14, 2004. We are re-
opening the public comment period in response to a specific request
from the National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park (Park) to
allow additional time for public review of this draft Recovery Plan.
All known populations of the species occur on land managed by the Park
in Coconino County, Arizona.
DATES: Comments on the draft Recovery Plan must be received on or
before February 9, 2005, to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft Recovery Plan may obtain
a copy by accessing the Service's Arizona Ecological Services Field
Office Internet Web page at https://arizonaes.fws.gov or by contacting
the Field Supervisor, Arizona Ecological Services Field Office, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103,
Phoenix, Arizona 85021-4951 (602/242-0210) to obtain a copy via the
mail or in person at the address above. Written comments and materials
regarding the plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor at the
address provided above. Comments and materials received are available
on request for public inspection, by appointment, during normal
business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mima Falk, Arizona Ecological Services
Tucson Suboffice, 201 N Bonita Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85745 (520/670-
6150 ext. 225).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant species to
the point where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its
ecosystem 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
conservation of species, establish criteria for the recovery levels for
downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time and cost for
implementing the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.), 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. We will consider
all information presented during the public comment period prior to
approval of each new or revised recovery plan. We, along with other
Federal agencies, will also take these comments into account in the
course of implementing approved recovery plans.
The draft Recovery Plan describes the status, current management,
recovery
[[Page 1737]]
objectives and criteria, and specific actions needed to reclassify the
sentry milk-vetch from endangered to threatened and for eventual
consideration for delisting. An original draft of the recovery plan was
developed by Dr. Joyce Maschinski, a botanist and species specialist
from The Arboretum at Flagstaff. The document was reviewed and updated
by a team of botanists, soil scientists, naturalists and National Park
Service land managers that have a history of researching or managing
the plant and its environs. In 1993, a draft recovery plan for the
sentry milk-vetch underwent technical and public review. The draft was
not finalized at that time due to other high priority work. The reviews
received on the 1993 draft are maintained in the Service's
administrative record. Peer review of this draft Recovery Plan was
conducted concurrent with the original public review period.
Sentry milk-vetch is known from two, and up to three, locations on
the South Rim and one location on the North Rim of the Park, where
Kaibab limestone forms large flat platforms with shallow soils near
pinyon-juniper woodlands. The primary cause of population decline prior
to protection was trampling by Park visitors, although drought
conditions may have worsened the situation. We carefully assessed the
best scientific and commercial information available regarding the
past, present, and future threats faced by sentry milk-vetch as part of
our 1990 final determination to list this species as endangered (55 FR
50184). The four major threats identified in the rule listing the
species were: (1) Destruction of habitat and damage to individuals
through human disturbance (trampling); (2) over-utilization due to
collection; (3) inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms to provide
protection of habitat; and (4) naturally low reproduction of the
species. The draft Recovery Plan contains action items to alleviate
these factors.
Public Comments Solicited
We solicit written comments on the Draft Plan. All comments
received by the date specified above will be considered prior to
approval of the plan.
Authority
The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: November 24, 2004.
Bryan Arroyo,
Acting Regional Director, Region 2, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 05-409 Filed 1-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
