Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for the Ozark Hellbender, 83609-83610 [2020-28172]

Download as PDF 83609 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 22, 2020 / Notices special transportation, such as allterrain vehicles or helicopters; equipment needed for acoustic, telemetry, or radar monitoring; and carcass storage. Requirement Tier 1 (Desktop Analysis): Reporting ...................................................................... Recordkeeping .............................................................. Tier 2 (Site characterization): Reporting ...................................................................... Recordkeeping .............................................................. Tier 3 (Pre-construction studies): Reporting ...................................................................... Recordkeeping .............................................................. Tier 4 (Post-construction fatality monitoring and habitat studies): Reporting ...................................................................... Recordkeeping .............................................................. Tier 5 (Other post-construction studies): Reporting ...................................................................... Recordkeeping .............................................................. Number of responses each Total annual responses 40 ........................ 1 ........................ 40 ........................ 25 1 1,000 40 35 ........................ 1 ........................ 35 ........................ 155 3 5,425 105 30 ........................ 1 ........................ 30 ........................ 3,100 5 93,000 150 45 ........................ 1 ........................ 45 ........................ 3,600 5 162,000 225 10 ........................ 1 ........................ 10 ........................ 2,100 5 21,000 50 160 ........................ 160 ........................ 282,995 Totals ..................................................................... An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Dated: December 17, 2020. Madonna Baucum, Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 2020–28259 Filed 12–21–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [Docket No. FWS–R3–ES–2019–0101; FXES11130300000–190–FF03E00000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for the Ozark Hellbender Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment. AGENCY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the draft recovery plan for the Ozark hellbender, a salamander species. We request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public. DATES: We must receive comments by January 21, 2021. ADDRESSES: jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:30 Dec 21, 2020 Jkt 253001 Document availability: The draft recovery plan, along with any comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for public inspection at https://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS–R3–ES–2019–0101. Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods: • Internet: https:// www.regulations.gov. Search for and submit comments on Docket No. FWS– R3–ES–2019–0101. • U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R3–ES–2019–0101; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: JAO/1N; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803. For more information, see Availability of Public Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Herrington, by phone at 573–234– 2132, via email at karen_herrington@ fws.gov, or via the Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the draft recovery plan for the endangered Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) for public review and comment. The Ozark hellbender is a large, strictly aquatic salamander found only in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. The draft recovery plan includes objective, measurable criteria and management actions as may be necessary for removal of the species from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We request review PO 00000 Completion time per response (hours) Annual number of respondents Frm 00100 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Total annual burden hours and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public. Recovery Planning Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 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. Also pursuant to section 4(f) of the Act, a recovery plan must, to the maximum extent practicable, include (1) a description of site-specific management actions as may be necessary to achieve the plan’s goals for the conservation and survival of the species; (2) objective, measurable criteria that, when met, would support a determination under section 4(a)(1) that the species should be removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Species; and (3) estimates of the time and costs required to carry out those measures needed to achieve the plan’s goal and to achieve intermediate steps toward that goal. Species Background The Ozark hellbender is endemic to the White River drainage in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri (Johnson 2000), historically occurring in portions of the Spring, White, Black, Eleven Point, and Current Rivers and some of their tributaries (Bryant Creek, the North Fork White River, and Jacks Fork) (LaClaire 1993). Currently, populations of Ozark hellbenders are known to occur in Bryant Creek, the North Fork White River, the Eleven Point River, and the Current River, with E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1 83610 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 22, 2020 / Notices some individuals possibly still present in the main stem of the White River, Spring River, and Jacks Fork (Briggler 2013, pers. comm.; Irwin 2013, pers. comm.). The primary reason for Ozark hellbender population declines remains unclear. However, several potential factors have been identified and include degraded water quality, habitat loss resulting from impoundments and sedimentation, disease, illegal and/or scientific collection, and potential increased predation from some native and non-native species of stocked fish (Service 2011). Population declines have necessitated the use of captive propagation efforts to ensure the longterm survival of the species until threats are better understood and abated. Under the Act, the Service added the Ozark hellbender to the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife as an endangered species on October 6, 2011 (76 FR 61956). This final rule took effect on November 7, 2011. Recovery Criteria The draft recovery criteria are summarized below. For the recovery strategy, management actions, and estimated time and costs associated with recovery, refer to the Draft Recovery Plan for the Ozark hellbender (see ADDRESSES for document availability). The ultimate recovery goal is to remove the Ozark hellbender from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (‘‘delist’’) by ensuring the long-term viability of the species in the wild. In the recovery plan, we define the following criteria for reclassification (‘‘downlisting’’ from endangered to threatened) and delisting based on the best available information on the species. jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES Downlisting Criteria Because each of the three extant Ozark hellbender populations is genetically unique, all three populations are necessary to maintain the evolutionary potential of the species. Given the small range of each population, the persistence of all three populations is also necessary to guard against extinction from catastrophic events such as extreme flooding, drought, and chemical spills. Therefore, to downlist the Ozark hellbender, the following criteria should be achieved for each of three Ozark hellbender populations (the North Fork White River, Eleven Point River, and Current River): VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:30 Dec 21, 2020 Jkt 253001 1. There is a positive population trend for a 15 year period.1 2. There is evidence of successful recruitment to maintain a sustaining population, with recruitment defined as attainment of sexual maturity by young. 3. Habitat quantity and quality are sufficient to support all life stages. 4. Within each watershed the number and distribution of occupied habitat patches and abundance of individuals within these patches is such that (1) the population is resilient to stochastic and catastrophic events and (2) connectivity and gene flow is sufficient to maintain genetic diversity and provide for natural re-establishment if a patch is extirpated. 5. Causes of population declines have been identified, and it is clear what actions are needed to address these threats. Delisting Criteria To delist the Ozark hellbender, the following criteria should be achieved for each of three Ozark hellbender populations (the North Fork White River, Eleven Point River, and Current River): 1. Downlisting criteria have been met. 2. Threats and causes of decline have been reduced or eliminated such that delisting criterion 1 will continue to be met into the foreseeable future. Availability of Public 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, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). Lori Nordstrom, Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region. [FR Doc. 2020–28172 Filed 12–21–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P 1 Because the Ozark hellbender is a long-lived species, population trends take a longer amount of time to be realized. Thus, a longer period of time is needed to monitor population trends. PO 00000 Frm 00101 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 337–TA–1145] Certain Botulinum Toxin Products, Processes for Manufacturing or Relating to Same and Certain Products Containing Same Commission Final Determination Finding a Violation of Section 337; Issuance of a Limited Exclusion Order and a Cease and Desist Order; Termination of the Investigation U.S. International Trade Commission. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has found a violation of section 337 in the above-captioned investigation. The Commission has determined to issue a limited exclusion order (‘‘LEO’’) prohibiting the importation by respondents Daewoong Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (‘‘Daewoong’’) of Seoul, South Korea and Evolus, Inc. (‘‘Evolus’’) of Irvine, California (collectively, ‘‘Respondents’’) of certain botulinum toxin products, processes for manufacturing or relating to same and certain products containing same. The Commission has also issued a cease and desist order (‘‘CDO’’) directed to respondent Evolus. The investigation is terminated. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Houda Morad, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436, telephone (202) 708–4716. Copies of non-confidential documents filed in connection with this investigation may be viewed on the Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov. For help accessing EDIS, please email EDIS3Help@usitc.gov. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its internet server at https://www.usitc.gov. The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS) at https:// edis.usitc.gov. Hearing-impaired persons are advised that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the Commission’s TDD terminal on (202) 205–1810. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 6, 2019, the Commission instituted this investigation under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337 (‘‘section 337’’), based on a complaint filed by Medytox Inc. of Seoul, South Korea; Allergan Limited of Dublin, Ireland; and Allergan, Inc. of SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83609-83610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28172]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101; FXES11130300000-190-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery 
Plan for the Ozark Hellbender

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
availability of the draft recovery plan for the Ozark hellbender, a 
salamander species. We request review and comment on this draft 
recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public.

DATES: We must receive comments by January 21, 2021.

ADDRESSES: 
    Document availability: The draft recovery plan, along with any 
comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for 
public inspection at https://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-R3-
ES-2019-0101.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     Internet: https://www.regulations.gov. Search for and 
submit comments on Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2019-0101; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS: JAO/1N; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.
    For more information, see Availability of Public Comments under 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Herrington, by phone at 573-234-
2132, via email at [email protected], or via the Federal Relay 
Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), announce the availability of the draft recovery plan for the 
endangered Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) for 
public review and comment. The Ozark hellbender is a large, strictly 
aquatic salamander found only in southern Missouri and northern 
Arkansas. The draft recovery plan includes objective, measurable 
criteria and management actions as may be necessary for removal of the 
species from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We 
request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, 
State, and Federal agencies, and the public.

Recovery Planning

    Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Act; 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. Also pursuant to section 4(f) of 
the Act, a recovery plan must, to the maximum extent practicable, 
include (1) a description of site-specific management actions as may be 
necessary to achieve the plan's goals for the conservation and survival 
of the species; (2) objective, measurable criteria that, when met, 
would support a determination under section 4(a)(1) that the species 
should be removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Species; 
and (3) estimates of the time and costs required to carry out those 
measures needed to achieve the plan's goal and to achieve intermediate 
steps toward that goal.

Species Background

    The Ozark hellbender is endemic to the White River drainage in 
northern Arkansas and southern Missouri (Johnson 2000), historically 
occurring in portions of the Spring, White, Black, Eleven Point, and 
Current Rivers and some of their tributaries (Bryant Creek, the North 
Fork White River, and Jacks Fork) (LaClaire 1993). Currently, 
populations of Ozark hellbenders are known to occur in Bryant Creek, 
the North Fork White River, the Eleven Point River, and the Current 
River, with

[[Page 83610]]

some individuals possibly still present in the main stem of the White 
River, Spring River, and Jacks Fork (Briggler 2013, pers. comm.; Irwin 
2013, pers. comm.).
    The primary reason for Ozark hellbender population declines remains 
unclear. However, several potential factors have been identified and 
include degraded water quality, habitat loss resulting from 
impoundments and sedimentation, disease, illegal and/or scientific 
collection, and potential increased predation from some native and non-
native species of stocked fish (Service 2011). Population declines have 
necessitated the use of captive propagation efforts to ensure the long-
term survival of the species until threats are better understood and 
abated.
    Under the Act, the Service added the Ozark hellbender to the 
Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife as an endangered 
species on October 6, 2011 (76 FR 61956). This final rule took effect 
on November 7, 2011.

Recovery Criteria

    The draft recovery criteria are summarized below. For the recovery 
strategy, management actions, and estimated time and costs associated 
with recovery, refer to the Draft Recovery Plan for the Ozark 
hellbender (see ADDRESSES for document availability).
    The ultimate recovery goal is to remove the Ozark hellbender from 
the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (``delist'') by 
ensuring the long-term viability of the species in the wild. In the 
recovery plan, we define the following criteria for reclassification 
(``downlisting'' from endangered to threatened) and delisting based on 
the best available information on the species.

Downlisting Criteria

    Because each of the three extant Ozark hellbender populations is 
genetically unique, all three populations are necessary to maintain the 
evolutionary potential of the species. Given the small range of each 
population, the persistence of all three populations is also necessary 
to guard against extinction from catastrophic events such as extreme 
flooding, drought, and chemical spills. Therefore, to downlist the 
Ozark hellbender, the following criteria should be achieved for each of 
three Ozark hellbender populations (the North Fork White River, Eleven 
Point River, and Current River):
    1. There is a positive population trend for a 15 year period.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Because the Ozark hellbender is a long-lived species, 
population trends take a longer amount of time to be realized. Thus, 
a longer period of time is needed to monitor population trends.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. There is evidence of successful recruitment to maintain a 
sustaining population, with recruitment defined as attainment of sexual 
maturity by young.
    3. Habitat quantity and quality are sufficient to support all life 
stages.
    4. Within each watershed the number and distribution of occupied 
habitat patches and abundance of individuals within these patches is 
such that (1) the population is resilient to stochastic and 
catastrophic events and (2) connectivity and gene flow is sufficient to 
maintain genetic diversity and provide for natural re-establishment if 
a patch is extirpated.
    5. Causes of population declines have been identified, and it is 
clear what actions are needed to address these threats.

Delisting Criteria

    To delist the Ozark hellbender, the following criteria should be 
achieved for each of three Ozark hellbender populations (the North Fork 
White River, Eleven Point River, and Current River):
    1. Downlisting criteria have been met.
    2. Threats and causes of decline have been reduced or eliminated 
such that delisting criterion 1 will continue to be met into the 
foreseeable future.

Availability of Public 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, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

Lori Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2020-28172 Filed 12-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
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