Recovery Plan for Camissonia benitensis (San Benito evening-primrose), 54837-54838 [E6-15508]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 19, 2006 / Notices
education and interpretation. The CCP
will be reviewed and updated at least
every 15 years.
Established in 1933, Blackwater NWR
is the oldest and largest in the complex.
It encompasses 23,686 acres and
consists of extensive marshes, moist-soil
impoundments, and croplands that form
a mosaic of habitats important to
migrating and wintering waterfowl. The
forests of Blackwater NWR provide
unique and important habitats for a
variety of migratory songbirds, the bald
eagle, and the largest remaining
population of the Federal-listed
endangered Delmarva fox squirrel.
Martin NWR was established in 1954. It
consists of 4,569 acres and is closed to
the public. Tidal marsh, coves and
creeks and vegetated ridges form a
habitat complex important to thousands
of migratory waterfowl and nesting
songbirds. Susquehanna NWR was
established in 1942 and consists of a 4acre island with scattered trees mixed in
with grass and shrubs. Eastern Neck
NWR is a 2,286-acre refuge that was
established in 1962. This refuge is not
included in this CCP, and will undergo
the planning process for a CCP at a later
date.
Our final CCP includes management
direction for each of the three refuges,
and includes habitat management and
public use goals and objectives based on
the vision for the refuge that has been
developed as a part of the CCP process.
Our adopted management direction
represents adaptive management based
on the results of scientific survey and
monitoring programs. It focuses on
restoring, enhancing, and maintaining
ecological processes and natural
biological communities and
biodiversity. It emphasizes managing
the complex for the benefit of all
migratory bird species, maintaining and
recovering endangered or threatened
species, restoring submerged aquatic
vegetation and wetlands, reducing or
eliminating invasive plant and animal
species, and adding research and
inventories, including those for
butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and
fish.
The final CCP includes the decision to
expand the boundary of Blackwater
NWR, primarily through partnerships
and easements, in two areas: 15,300
acres surrounding the refuge, and
16,000 acres east of the refuge along the
Nanticoke River. All of that acreage
contains low-lying forest and marsh
habitats.
Finally, the CCP improves our ability
to provide opportunities for compatible,
wildlife-dependent recreation. This
includes a new, accessible fishing pier
and parking area at Key Wallace Bridge,
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new hiking and canoe trails, a canoe
access ramp and wetland observation
deck, rebuilding the wildlife
observation tower, remodeling and
expanding the visitor center, updating
the exhibits at the center, enhancing
signage, providing new hunting
opportunities for turkey, resident
Canada geese, and waterfowl, and
providing many more outreach and
environmental education programs.
The Service solicited comments on
the draft CCP/EA for Chesapeake
Marshlands NWR Complex from May 3
through July 15, 2005. We developed a
list of substantive comments that
required responses. Editorial
suggestions and notes of concurrence
with, or opposition to, certain proposals
were noted and included in the decision
making process, but did not receive
formal responses. The final CCP
includes responses to all substantive
comments. Comments are considered
substantive if they:
• Question, with reasonable basis, the
accuracy of the information in the
document,
• Question, with reasonable basis, the
adequacy of the environmental analysis,
• Present reasonable alternatives
other than those presented in the EA,
• Cause changes or revisions in the
CCP,
• Provide new or additional
information relevant to the analysis.
Based upon the comments we
received, we chose management
alternative B to develop into the final
CCP, with the following modifications:
• Land Protection: We received a
mixed response to the proposed
boundary expansion. While there was a
degree of support, a number of
comments expressed concern about the
scope of the Land Protection Plan (LPP)
and proposed boundary expansion.
Some comments indicated a concern
about the potential for condemnation of
land by the Service.
We revised the LPP to include
protection measures other than fee-title
acquisition for the Nanticoke Division of
Blackwater NWR. The use of easements
and management agreements, for
example, is authorized for this division.
Fee-title acquisition is authorized only
for the boundary expansion contiguous
to the existing Blackwater NWR.
• Marshbird Habitat Improvement:
We received comments that the CCP
should recognize the distinctness and
conservation value of the brackish
marsh bird community and plan for its
long term management.
We have added a new objective to
Goal 1 to capture the significance of the
brackish marsh bird community and
future management strategies, including
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54837
the need to adaptively manage fire in
marsh ecosystems.
Dated: August 7, 2006.
Richard O. Bennett,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Hadley, Massachusetts.
[FR Doc. E6–15507 Filed 9–18–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Recovery Plan for Camissonia
benitensis (San Benito eveningprimrose)
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the Recovery Plan for
Camissonia benitensis (San Benito
evening-primrose). This plant species is
found primarily in the Clear Creek
Management Area (CCMA) in San
Benito County, California; the CCMA is
managed by the Hollister Field Office of
the Bureau of Land Management.
ADDRESSES: Printed copies of this
recovery plan will be available in 4 to
6 weeks by request from the Ventura
Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola
Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003
(phone: 805/644–1766). An electronic
copy of this recovery plan is now
available on the World Wide Web at
https://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/
index.html#plans.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Connie Rutherford, botanist, at 805/
644–1766.
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 our endangered species
program. The Endangered Species Act
(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. Recovery plans help
guide the recovery effort by describing
actions considered necessary for the
conservation of the species, establishing
criteria for downlisting or delisting
listed species, and estimating time and
cost for implementing the measures
needed for recovery.
Section 4(f) of the Act requires that
public notice and an opportunity for
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54838
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 19, 2006 / Notices
public review and comment be provided
during recovery plan development. In
fulfillment of this requirement,
information presented during the public
comment period and comments from
peer reviewers have been considered in
the preparation of this final recovery
plan, and are summarized in Appendix
D to the recovery plan. We will forward
substantive comments regarding
recovery plan implementation to
appropriate Federal or other entities so
they can take these comments into
account during the course of
implementing recovery actions.
Camissonia benitensis was listed as
threatened in 1985 and is associated
with serpentine-derived soils within the
San Benito serpentine body in the
southern Coast Ranges of California.
Populations of Camissonia benitensis
are usually found on small streamside
terraces that have formed at the base of
slopes within watersheds that flow off
of San Benito Mountain, which, at 5,247
feet (2,000 meters), is the highest point
in this stretch of the Coast Ranges. The
entire range of the species spans an area
about 20 miles long and 5 miles wide.
Camissonia benitensis is an
ephemeral annual species whose
numbers of individuals can fluctuate
drastically from year to year. While
favorable climatic conditions in an
occasional year may result in tens of
thousands of individuals, more often
populations are small in numbers of
individuals and in the amount of
acreage they occupy.
The primary threat to Camissonia
benitensis is off-highway vehicle
recreation activity in the CCMA.
Although most terrace sites that support
occupied or suitable habitat for the
species have been administratively
closed and either wholly or partially
fenced by the Bureau, off-highway
vehicles continue to access a certain
number of these sites and cause direct
damage to plants and their habitat.
Other forms of recreation such as rock
collecting, hunting, and nature hiking
are comparatively minor threats. In
addition, the natural erosion rate of the
serpentine slopes above the terraces is
exacerbated by human recreational
activities that contribute to deposition
on top of the terraces as well as erosion
of the terraces due to sediment loading
of streams and subsequent flooding.
The objective of a recovery plan is to
provide a framework for the recovery of
the species so that protection by the Act
is no longer necessary. Actions
necessary to accomplish this objective
include: (1) Protecting existing
populations and suitable habitat, (2)
reducing or eliminating soil erosion and
stream sedimentation in the watersheds
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16:49 Sep 18, 2006
Jkt 208001
that support habitat for the species, (3)
developing a species management plan
that includes needed research and
monitoring, (4) establishing an ex situ
seed collection, and (5) developing and
implementing a public outreach
program.
Authority
The authority for this action is section
4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16
U.S.C. 1533(f).
Steve Thompson,
Manager, California-Nevada Operations
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E6–15508 Filed 9–18–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Draft Recovery Plan for the Nosa Luta
or Rota Bridled White-eye (Zosterops
rotensis)
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability
for review and comment.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, announce the
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan
for the Nosa Luta or Rota Bridled Whiteeye (Zosterops rotensis), for public
review and comment.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery
plan must be received on or before
November 20, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery
plan are available by request from the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific
Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 300
Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3–122, Box
50088, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (phone:
808/792–9400). Written comments and
materials regarding this draft recovery
plan should be addressed to the Field
Supervisor at the above Honolulu
address. An electronic copy of the draft
recovery plan is also available at
https://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/
index.html#plans.
Fred
Amidon, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, at
the above Honolulu address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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 our endangered species
program. The Endangered Species Act
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (ESA) requires
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the development of recovery plans for
listed species unless such a plan would
not promote the conservation of a
particular species. Recovery plans help
guide the recovery effort by describing
actions considered necessary for the
conservation of the species, establishing
criteria for downlisting or delisting
listed species, and estimating time and
cost for implementing the measures
needed for recovery.
Section 4(f) of the ESA 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.
Substantive comments on the recovery
needs of the species or other aspects of
recovery plan development may result
in changes to the recovery 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.
Individual responses to comments will
not be provided.
The Rota bridled white-eye, known as
nosa Luta in Chamorro, is a bird
endemic to the island of Rota in the
Mariana archipelago and was federally
listed as endangered in 2004 (January
22, 2004, 69 FR 3022). In 1999, the
population was estimated to be
approximately 1,000 individuals,
representing a 90 percent decline since
1982, and the species’ core range
consisted of approximately 628 acres
(254 hectares) of forest above 490 feet
(150 meters) elevation. Available
information indicates that habitat loss
and degradation and predation by
introduced rats (Rattus spp.) and black
drongos (Dicrurus macrocercus) are
having some impact on the nosa Luta
population. Due to its restricted range
and small population size, the species is
also highly susceptible to random
catastrophic events such as typhoons
and the accidental introduction of new
predators such as the brown treesnake
(Boiga irregularis), and avian diseases
such as West Nile virus.
The draft recovery plan for the nosa
Luta focuses on the following actions:
(1) Protecting and enhancing forests in
the species’ range; (2) determining the
specific habitat requirements of the nosa
Luta to manage areas for the species’
conservation; (3) assessing the impact of
predation by black drongos and rats,
and controlling these species as
appropriate; (4) preventing the
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54837-54838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15508]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Recovery Plan for Camissonia benitensis (San Benito evening-
primrose)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the Recovery Plan for Camissonia benitensis (San Benito
evening-primrose). This plant species is found primarily in the Clear
Creek Management Area (CCMA) in San Benito County, California; the CCMA
is managed by the Hollister Field Office of the Bureau of Land
Management.
ADDRESSES: Printed copies of this recovery plan will be available in 4
to 6 weeks by request from the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493
Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003 (phone: 805/644-1766).
An electronic copy of this recovery plan is now available on the World
Wide Web at https://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/#plans.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Connie Rutherford, botanist, at 805/
644-1766.
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 our endangered species program. The
Endangered Species Act (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. Recovery
plans help guide the recovery effort by describing actions considered
necessary for the conservation of the species, establishing criteria
for downlisting or delisting listed species, and estimating time and
cost for implementing the measures needed for recovery.
Section 4(f) of the Act requires that public notice and an
opportunity for
[[Page 54838]]
public review and comment be provided during recovery plan development.
In fulfillment of this requirement, information presented during the
public comment period and comments from peer reviewers have been
considered in the preparation of this final recovery plan, and are
summarized in Appendix D to the recovery plan. We will forward
substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation to
appropriate Federal or other entities so they can take these comments
into account during the course of implementing recovery actions.
Camissonia benitensis was listed as threatened in 1985 and is
associated with serpentine-derived soils within the San Benito
serpentine body in the southern Coast Ranges of California. Populations
of Camissonia benitensis are usually found on small streamside terraces
that have formed at the base of slopes within watersheds that flow off
of San Benito Mountain, which, at 5,247 feet (2,000 meters), is the
highest point in this stretch of the Coast Ranges. The entire range of
the species spans an area about 20 miles long and 5 miles wide.
Camissonia benitensis is an ephemeral annual species whose numbers
of individuals can fluctuate drastically from year to year. While
favorable climatic conditions in an occasional year may result in tens
of thousands of individuals, more often populations are small in
numbers of individuals and in the amount of acreage they occupy.
The primary threat to Camissonia benitensis is off-highway vehicle
recreation activity in the CCMA. Although most terrace sites that
support occupied or suitable habitat for the species have been
administratively closed and either wholly or partially fenced by the
Bureau, off-highway vehicles continue to access a certain number of
these sites and cause direct damage to plants and their habitat. Other
forms of recreation such as rock collecting, hunting, and nature hiking
are comparatively minor threats. In addition, the natural erosion rate
of the serpentine slopes above the terraces is exacerbated by human
recreational activities that contribute to deposition on top of the
terraces as well as erosion of the terraces due to sediment loading of
streams and subsequent flooding.
The objective of a recovery plan is to provide a framework for the
recovery of the species so that protection by the Act is no longer
necessary. Actions necessary to accomplish this objective include: (1)
Protecting existing populations and suitable habitat, (2) reducing or
eliminating soil erosion and stream sedimentation in the watersheds
that support habitat for the species, (3) developing a species
management plan that includes needed research and monitoring, (4)
establishing an ex situ seed collection, and (5) developing and
implementing a public outreach program.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Steve Thompson,
Manager, California-Nevada Operations Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-15508 Filed 9-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
