Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Black-Footed Ferret Draft Recovery Plan, 23948-23949 [2013-09494]
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23948
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 78 / Tuesday, April 23, 2013 / Notices
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
We provide this notice under section
10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
Dated: April 17, 2013.
Michael G. Thabault,
Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie
Region.
[FR Doc. 2013–09495 Filed 4–22–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R6–ES–2013–N017;
FXES11130600000–134–FF06E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
and Plants; Black-Footed Ferret Draft
Recovery Plan
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability
for review and comment.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) announces the
availability of a draft recovery plan for
the black-footed ferret (Mustela
nigripes). This species is federally listed
as endangered under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).
The Service solicits review and
comment from the public on this draft
revised plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft revised
recovery plan must be received on or
before June 24, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft revised
recovery plan are available by request
from the National Black-Footed Ferret
Conservation Center, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 190,
Wellington, CO 80549; telephone: 970–
897–2730. Submit comments on the
draft recovery plan to the Recovery
Coordinator at this same address. An
electronic copy of the draft recovery
plan is available at https://www.fws.gov/
endangered/species/recoveryplans.html.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Recovery Coordinator, at the above
address, or telephone 970–897–2730.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:51 Apr 22, 2013
Jkt 229001
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring an endangered or
threatened animal or plant 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
prepares recovery plans for the federally
listed species native to the United States
where a plan will promote the
conservation of the species. Recovery
plans describe site-specific actions
necessary for the conservation of the
species; establish objective, measurable
criteria which, when met, would result
in a determination that the species no
longer needs the protection of the Act
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and provide
estimates of the time and cost for
implementing the needed recovery
measures.
The Act requires recovery plans for
listed species unless such a plan would
not promote the conservation of a
particular species. The original plan for
the species was approved in 1978. The
recovery plan was revised in 1988.
Section 4(f) of the Act requires that
public notice and opportunity for public
review and comment be provided
during recovery plan development. The
Service will consider all information
received during a public comment
period when preparing each new or
revised recovery plan for approval. The
Service and other Federal agencies also
will take these comments into
consideration in the course of
implementing approved recovery plans.
It is our policy to request peer review
of recovery plans. We will summarize
and respond to the issues raised by the
public and peer reviewers in an
appendix to the approved recovery plan.
The black-footed ferret (Mustela
nigripes) was historically found
throughout the Great Plains, mountain
basins, and semi-arid grasslands of
North America wherever prairie dogs
occurred. The species was listed as
endangered in 1967 (32 FR 4001; March
11, 1967) under the Endangered Species
Preservation Act of 1966 and again in
1970 under the Endangered Species
Conservation Act of 1969 (35 FR 8491;
June 2, 1970). On January 4, 1974, the
black-footed ferret was listed under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (39 FR
1171). The ferret’s close association
with prairie dogs was an important
factor in the ferret’s decline. From the
late 1800s to approximately the 1960s,
prairie dog-occupied habitat and prairie
dog numbers were dramatically reduced
by the effects of both temporal and
permanent habitat loss caused by
PO 00000
Frm 00066
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
conversion of native grasslands to
cropland, and poisoning and disease.
The ferret population declined
precipitously as a result.
The recovery of the black-footed ferret
will be achieved by establishing a
number of ferret populations where
appropriate habitat exists and by
ameliorating threats impacting the
species so as to allow the ferret’s
persistence. Although ferret habitat has
been dramatically reduced from
historical times, a sufficient amount
remains, if its quality and configuration
is appropriately managed. This
management, for the most part, is likely
to be conducted by State, Tribal, and
Federal fish and wildlife and land
management agencies. Additionally,
private parties, including landowners
and conservation organizations, are key
for ferret recovery. Many partners
contributing to ferret recovery in many
places will help minimize the risk of
loss of wild populations.
Specifically, recovery of black-footed
ferrets will depend upon: (1) Continued
efforts of captive breeding facilities to
provide suitable animals for release into
the wild; (2) conservation of prairie dog
habitat adequate to sustain ferrets in
several populations distributed
throughout their historical range; and
(3) management of sylvatic plague. The
single, most feasible action that would
benefit black-footed ferret recovery is to
improve prairie dog conservation. If
efforts are undertaken to more
proactively manage existing prairie dog
habitat for ferret recovery, all other
threats to the species will be
substantially less difficult to address.
Downlisting of the black-footed ferret
could be accomplished in
approximately 10 years if conservation
actions continue at existing
reintroduction sites and if additional
reintroduction sites are established.
Delisting will be possible if more
intensive reintroduction efforts are
conducted of the black-footed ferret.
Request for Public Comments
The Service solicits public comments
on the draft revised recovery plan. All
comments received by the date specified
in DATES will be considered prior to
approval of the plan. Written comments
and materials regarding the plan should
be addressed to the Recovery
Coordinator (see ADDRESSES section).
Comments and materials we receive, as
well as supporting documentation we
used in preparing this draft revised
recovery plan will be available, by
appointment, for public inspection
during normal business hours at the
above address. If you submit a comment
that includes personal identifying
E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM
23APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 78 / Tuesday, April 23, 2013 / Notices
information, you may request at the top
of your document that we withhold this
information from public review.
However, 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, 16
U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: April 3, 2013.
Matt Hogan,
Acting Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 2013–09494 Filed 4–22–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R5–R–2012–N282; BAC–4311–K9–S3]
Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife
Refuge and Carlton Pond Waterfowl
Production Area, Penobscot,
Kennebec, and Waldo Counties, ME;
Draft Comprehensive Conservation
Plan and Environmental Assessment
AGENCY:
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for comments.
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (we, the Service),
announce the availability of a draft
comprehensive conservation plan and
environmental assessment (CCP and EA)
for Sunkhaze Meadows National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Carlton
Pond Waterfowl Production Area
(WPA), located in Penobscot, Kennebec,
and Waldo Counties, Maine, for public
review and comment. The draft CCP and
EA describes our proposal for managing
the refuge and WPA for the next 15
years.
Also available for public review and
comment are the draft findings of
appropriateness and draft compatibility
determinations for uses to be allowed
upon initial completion of the plan, if
alternative B is selected. These are
included as appendix B in the draft CCP
and EA.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please
send your comments no later than May
31, 2013. We will announce upcoming
public meetings in local news media,
via our project mailing list, and on our
regional planning Web site: https://
www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/
Sunkhaze%20Meadows/ccphome.html.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
or requests for copies or more
information by any of the following
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:51 Apr 22, 2013
Jkt 229001
methods. You may request hard copies
or a CD–ROM of the documents.
Email: northeastplanning@fws.gov.
Please include ‘‘Sunkhaze Meadows
NWR and Carlton Pond WPA Draft
CCP’’ in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attention: Lia McLaughlin, 413–
253–8468.
U.S. Mail: Lia McLaughlin, Natural
Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center
Drive, Hadley, MA 01035.
In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or
Pickup: Call 207–594–0600 to make an
appointment (necessary for view/pickup
only) during regular business hours at
Maine Coastal Islands NWR, 9 Water
Street, Rockland, ME 04841. For more
information on locations for viewing or
obtaining documents, see ‘‘Public
Availability of Documents’’ under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth
Goettel, Refuge Manager, 207–594–0600
(phone), or Lia McLaughlin, Planning
Team Leader, 413–253–8575 (phone);
northeastplanning@fws.gov (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP
process for Sunkhaze Meadows NWR
and Carlton Pond WPA. We started this
process through a notice in the Federal
Register (76 FR 14984; March 18, 2011).
Currently, Sunkhaze Meadows NWR
is comprised of three units: the
Sunkhaze Meadows Unit, the Benton
Unit, and the Sandy Stream Unit. The
Sunkhaze Meadows Unit is the largest
of the three, at 11,484 acres, located in
the town of Milford in Penobscot
County. The Benton Unit is a 334-acre
former dairy farm in the town of Benton
in Kennebec County. The Sandy Stream
Unit is a 58-acre parcel in the town of
Unity in Waldo County. Sunkhaze
Meadows NWR was established in 1988
to preserve the Sunkhaze Meadows peat
bog (now the Sunkhaze Meadows Unit)
and to ensure public access to this
unique environment. Sunkhaze
Meadows NWR includes more than
3,450 acres of freshwater wetlandpeatland that provides breeding and
migrating habitat for waterfowl and
other wetland species.
Carlton Pond WPA is a 1,068-acre
artificial impoundment located in the
town of Troy in Waldo County. The area
was acquired by the Service in 1966 to
protect the waterfowl and other wildlife
associated with this area in central
Maine. Carlton Pond WPA has
historically provided good nesting
habitat for waterfowl and other birds,
and is one of the few areas in Maine that
provides nesting habitat for the black
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
23949
tern, which is listed as endangered by
the State. Many bird species that use
Carlton Pond WPA have been listed by
the Partners In Flight organization as
species that are declining.
Sunkhaze NWR and Carlton Pond
WPA are currently administered by staff
from Maine Coastal Islands NWR. Both
areas offer an abundance of wildlife
observation and photography
opportunities. Partners offer limited
environmental education and
interpretation programs. Visitors to the
refuge and WPA also participate in
outdoor recreation activities such as
hiking, snowmobiling, hunting, and
fishing.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C.
668dd–668ee) (Refuge Administration
Act), as amended by the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement
Act of 1997, requires us to develop a
CCP for each national wildlife refuge.
The purpose for developing a CCP is to
provide refuge managers with a 15-year
plan for achieving refuge purposes and
contributing toward the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System,
consistent with sound principles of fish
and wildlife management, conservation,
legal mandates, and our policies. In
addition to outlining broad management
direction on conserving wildlife and
their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities
available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing,
wildlife observation and photography,
and environmental education and
interpretation. We will review and
update the CCP at least every 15 years
in accordance with the Refuge
Administration Act.
Public Outreach
We started pre-planning for the
Sunkhaze Meadows NWR and Carlton
Pond WPA CCP on January 4, 2011. In
March 2011, we published a notice of
intent in the Federal Register, a press
release, and a newsletter, all
announcing our intent to prepare a CCP
for the refuge and WPA. In March and
April 2011, we had a formal public
scoping period. The purpose of the
public scoping period was to solicit
comments from the community and
other interested parties on the issues
and impacts that should be evaluated in
the draft CCP and EA. To help solicit
public comments, we held two public
meetings at the Milford Town Hall and
one public meeting at Unity College
during the formal public scoping period.
E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM
23APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23948-23949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09494]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R6-ES-2013-N017; FXES11130600000-134-FF06E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Black-Footed
Ferret Draft Recovery Plan
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability of a draft recovery plan for the black-footed ferret
(Mustela nigripes). This species is federally listed as endangered
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Service
solicits review and comment from the public on this draft revised plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft revised recovery plan must be received on
or before June 24, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft revised recovery plan are available by
request from the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 190, Wellington, CO 80549;
telephone: 970-897-2730. Submit comments on the draft recovery plan to
the Recovery Coordinator at this same address. An electronic copy of
the draft recovery plan is available at https://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/recovery-plans.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Recovery Coordinator, at the above
address, or telephone 970-897-2730.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant 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 prepares recovery plans for the
federally listed species native to the United States where a plan will
promote the conservation of the species. Recovery plans describe site-
specific actions necessary for the conservation of the species;
establish objective, measurable criteria which, when met, would result
in a determination that the species no longer needs the protection of
the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and provide estimates of the time and
cost for implementing the needed recovery measures.
The Act requires recovery plans for listed species unless such a
plan would not promote the conservation of a particular species. The
original plan for the species was approved in 1978. The recovery plan
was revised in 1988.
Section 4(f) of the Act requires that public notice and opportunity
for public review and comment be provided during recovery plan
development. The Service will consider all information received during
a public comment period when preparing each new or revised recovery
plan for approval. The Service and other Federal agencies also will
take these comments into consideration in the course of implementing
approved recovery plans. It is our policy to request peer review of
recovery plans. We will summarize and respond to the issues raised by
the public and peer reviewers in an appendix to the approved recovery
plan.
The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) was historically found
throughout the Great Plains, mountain basins, and semi-arid grasslands
of North America wherever prairie dogs occurred. The species was listed
as endangered in 1967 (32 FR 4001; March 11, 1967) under the Endangered
Species Preservation Act of 1966 and again in 1970 under the Endangered
Species Conservation Act of 1969 (35 FR 8491; June 2, 1970). On January
4, 1974, the black-footed ferret was listed under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (39 FR 1171). The ferret's close association with
prairie dogs was an important factor in the ferret's decline. From the
late 1800s to approximately the 1960s, prairie dog-occupied habitat and
prairie dog numbers were dramatically reduced by the effects of both
temporal and permanent habitat loss caused by conversion of native
grasslands to cropland, and poisoning and disease. The ferret
population declined precipitously as a result.
The recovery of the black-footed ferret will be achieved by
establishing a number of ferret populations where appropriate habitat
exists and by ameliorating threats impacting the species so as to allow
the ferret's persistence. Although ferret habitat has been dramatically
reduced from historical times, a sufficient amount remains, if its
quality and configuration is appropriately managed. This management,
for the most part, is likely to be conducted by State, Tribal, and
Federal fish and wildlife and land management agencies. Additionally,
private parties, including landowners and conservation organizations,
are key for ferret recovery. Many partners contributing to ferret
recovery in many places will help minimize the risk of loss of wild
populations.
Specifically, recovery of black-footed ferrets will depend upon:
(1) Continued efforts of captive breeding facilities to provide
suitable animals for release into the wild; (2) conservation of prairie
dog habitat adequate to sustain ferrets in several populations
distributed throughout their historical range; and (3) management of
sylvatic plague. The single, most feasible action that would benefit
black-footed ferret recovery is to improve prairie dog conservation. If
efforts are undertaken to more proactively manage existing prairie dog
habitat for ferret recovery, all other threats to the species will be
substantially less difficult to address. Downlisting of the black-
footed ferret could be accomplished in approximately 10 years if
conservation actions continue at existing reintroduction sites and if
additional reintroduction sites are established. Delisting will be
possible if more intensive reintroduction efforts are conducted of the
black-footed ferret.
Request for Public Comments
The Service solicits public comments on the draft revised recovery
plan. All comments received by the date specified in DATES will be
considered prior to approval of the plan. Written comments and
materials regarding the plan should be addressed to the Recovery
Coordinator (see ADDRESSES section). Comments and materials we receive,
as well as supporting documentation we used in preparing this draft
revised recovery plan will be available, by appointment, for public
inspection during normal business hours at the above address. If you
submit a comment that includes personal identifying
[[Page 23949]]
information, you may request at the top of your document that we
withhold this information from public review. However, 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, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: April 3, 2013.
Matt Hogan,
Acting Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 2013-09494 Filed 4-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
