[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 58 (Monday, March 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 12084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7104]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Availability of Draft Recovery Plan
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability and public comment period.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability
for public review of a revised draft recovery plan for the wood stork.
Wood storks occur in Florida, Georgia and coastal South Carolina. The
Service solicits review and comments from the public on this draft
plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before May 24, 1996 to ensure consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Copies can be obtained by contacting the Acting Field
Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive,
South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216 or calling (904) 232-
2580. 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:
Linda D. Finger at above address.
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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered
species program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service
prepares recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the
United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for
conservation of the species, establish criteria for the recovery levels
for reclassifying them from endangered to threatened status or removing
them for the list, and estimate the time and cost for implementing the
needed recovery measures.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 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. The Service will consider
all information presented during a public comment period prior to
approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. The Service and other
Federal agencies will take these comments into account in the course of
implementing approved recovery plans.
Wood storks are large, white, long-legged wading birds that use a
variety of freshwater and estuarine wetlands for nesting feeding and
roosting. They are found throughout Florida, Georgia and coastal South
Carolina. The Service listed the wood stork as an endangered species on
February 28, 1984. Wood storks were listed as endangered because of
loss of feeding habitat, human disturbance and man-made changes in
water levels that affected the natural drainage patterns of Florida.
Since the 1960's, the wood stork population has shown substantial
declines in southern Florida, and substantial increases in northern
Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Over the last 12 years, the U.S.
population has ranged between 5,500 and 6,500 pairs.
The Service completed the recovery pan for this species in 1986 to
identify actions necessary to recover the population. Since that time,
many tasks identified in the original plan have been accomplished and
more information is now available on the biology and distribution of
storks throughout the southeast. This revised recovery plan updates the
original information as well as addresses new threats and needs.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the Recovery plan
described. 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: March 11, 1996.
Michael M. Bentzien,
Acting Field Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-7104 Filed 3-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
