[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 228 (Monday, November 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 59889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30020]
[[Page 59889]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of the Draft Conservation Agreement for
the Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle for Review and Comment
AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Document Availability, Public Comment Period, and
Public Hearing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability of a
Draft Conservation Agreement for the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle
(Cicindela limbata albissima). This species is a candidate for listing
as endangered or threatened under the provisions of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Draft Conservation Agreement was
developed jointly by the Utah Department of Natural Resource's Division
of Parks and Recreation; the U.S. Bureau of Land Management; Kane
County Commission, Utah; and the Service as a collaborative and
cooperative effort. The agreement focuses on identifying, reducing and
eliminating significant threats to the tiger beetle that warrant its
candidate status, and on enhancing and maintaining the species
population to ensure its long term conservation. The Service solicits
review and comment from the public on this draft agreement.
DATES: Public hearings will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday,
December 4, 1996, in Kanab, Utah; from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday,
December 5, 1996, in St. George, Utah; and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on
Tuesday, December 10, 1996 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Comments on the
Draft Conservation Agreement must be received on or before January 24,
1997 to be considered by the Service during preparation of the final
Conservation Agreement and prior to the Service's determination of
whether or not it will be a signatory party to the agreement.
ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held at the Holiday Inn, 800
East Highway 89, Kanab, Utah; at the Hilton Inn, 1450 South Hilton
Drive, St. George, Utah; and at the Natural Resources Auditorium, Room
1060 ``C'', Division of Natural Resources Building, 1594 West North
Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah. Persons wishing to review the
Draft Conservation Agreement may obtain a copy by contacting the
Assistant Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 145 East
1300 South, Suite 404, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115. Written comments and
materials regarding the Draft Conservation Agreement also should be
directed to the same address. Comments and materials received will be
available on request for public inspection, by appointment, during
normal business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Robert D. Williams, Assistant Field Supervisor (see ADDRESSES
section) (telephone 801/524-5001).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle (Cicindela limbata
albissima) is a terrestrial, predaceous insect in the family
Cicindelidae. The beetle is known to occur only at the Coral Pink Sand
Dunes. The Coral Pink Sand Dunes comprise a dune field about eight
miles long and a little less than one mile wide. These dunes are
located in Kane County about seven miles west of Kanab, Utah. The
southern portion of the Dunes is within the State of Utah's Coral Pink
Sand Dunes State Park, managed by Utah Division of Parks and
Recreation. The northern portion of the Dunes is located on public land
managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Kanab Resource Area. The
Bureau's portion of the dunes is within the Moquith Mountain Wilderness
Study Area.
The Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle is currently a candidate
species for listing under the provisions of the Act, in the Service's
most recent Notice of Review (61 FR 7596). On April 19, 1994, the
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance petitioned the Service to list the
Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle and designate critical habitat. On
September 8, 1994, the Director of the Service approved the 90-day
petition finding as providing substantive information that the species'
listing may be warranted (59 FR 47293).
The Service has assessed existing and potential threats facing the
species based on the five criteria as required by Section 4(a)(1) of
the ESA. Within each of these criteria, several factors which have
contributed to the degradation of Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle
habitat and its populations were identified (59 FR 47293).
The Agreement focuses on following goals: (1) Permanently protect
the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle habitat in two designated
conservation areas within the historical range of the species. (2)
Establish a continuing management program which educates and enforces
Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle conservation measures within the
Dunes. (3) Monitor the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle population to
demonstrate that conservation measures taken in behalf of the species
are maintaining it at viable population levels. (4) Gain additional
biological and ecological information concerning the beetle and its
dune habitat. (5) Form a conservation advisory committee to coordinate
all conservation actions and to act as a information gathering,
dissemination center. (6) Provide for both motorized and nonmotorized
recreation within the Dunes consistent with the conservation of the
Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service will use information received during the public comment
period and at the above mentioned public hearings in its determination
as to whether it should be a signatory party to the agreements.
Comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned governmental
agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested
party concerning the draft documents are hereby solicited. All comments
and materials received will be considered prior to the approval of any
final document.
Author
The primary author of this notice is John L. England (see ADDRESSES
section) (telephone 801/524-5001).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: November 19, 1996.
Mary L. Gessner,
Acting Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 96-30020 Filed 11-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
