[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 149 (Thursday, August 4, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-19040]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 4, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Carolina
Heelsplitter for Review and Comment
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 (Service) announces the
availability for public review of a technical/agency draft recovery
plan for Carolina heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata). This rare
freshwater mussel inhabits cool, slow-moving, small- to medium-sized
streams and rivers. The Carolina heelsplitter currently has a very
fragmented, relict distribution but historically was known from several
locations within the Catawaba River and Pee Dee River systems in North
Carolina and the Saluda and Pee Dee River systems in South Carolina.
The species is presently know to be surviving in only four streams--
Waxhaw Creek (Catawba River system) Union County, North Carolina; Goose
Creek (Pee Dee River system), Union County, North Carolina; Lynches
River (Pee Dee River system), Chesterfield, Lancaster, and Kershaw
Counties, South Carolina; and Flat Creek (Pee Dee River system), a
tributary to the Lynches River in Lancaster County, South Carolina. It
has been reduced to a few short reaches of each of these streams,
primarily as a result of impoundments and general deterioration of
water quality resulting from siltation and other pollutants contributed
by poor land use practices. The Service solicits review and comment
from the public on this draft plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before October 3, 1994 to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the agency draft recovery plan may
obtain a copy by contacting the Asheville Field Office, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 330 Ridgefield Court, Asheville, North Carolina 28806
(Telephone 704/665-1195). Written comments and materials regarding the
plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor at the above address.
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:
Mr. John Fridell at the address and telephone number shown above (Ext.
225).
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 the Service's endangered species
program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to
prepare 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 recognizing the
recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time
and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (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. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988,
requires that a 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 also take these comments into account in the
course of implementing approved recovery plans.
The primary species considered in this draft recovery plan is the
Carolina heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata). The area of emphasis for
recovery actions is the upper Catawba River and Pee Dee River systems
in south-central North Carolina and north-central South Carolina and
the Saluda River system in northwestern South Carolina Habitat
protection, reintroduction, and preservation of genetic material are
major objectives of this recovery plan.
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: July 29, 1994.
Brian P. Cole,
Field Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 94-19040 Filed 8-3-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
