[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50044-50045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24397]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Water Howellia
(Howellia aquatilis) for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the water
howellia (Howellia aquatilis). Water howellia is currently known from a
total of six geographic areas-- one area in each of the States of
Idaho, Montana, and California, and three areas in Washington. The
Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft
recovery plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before November 25, 1996 to ensure they receive consideration by the
Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service,
100 N. Park Ave, Suite 320, Helena, MT 59601. Written comments and
materials regarding this plan should be sent to the Field Supervisor at
the Helena address given above. 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: Lori Nordstrom, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist (see ADDRESSES above), at telephone (406) 449-5225.
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 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 recovery levels for downlisting
or delisting them, and estimate time and cost for implementing the
recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended (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. 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 also will take these comments into account in the
course of implementing approved recovery plans.
Water howellia is an annual aquatic plant restricted to small,
vernal, freshwater wetlands that have an annual cycle of filing up with
water over the fall, winter, and early spring, followed by drying
during the summer months. The plants are extensively branched with
submergent or floating stems; both emergent and submergent flowers are
produced. The wetlands typically occur in a matrix of forest
vegetation, and are
[[Page 50045]]
usually bordered in part by broadleaf deciduous trees.
Water howellia is currently known from a total of six geographic
areas--one in Idaho (Latah County); three in Washington (one each in
Spokane, Clark, and Pierce Counties); one in Montana (Lake and Missoula
Counties); and one in California (Mendocino County). Water howellia was
believed extirpated from California but was rediscovered in 1996.
Water howellia was listed as a threatened species on July 14, 1994
(59 FR 35860), under the authority of the Act. Water howellia is
globally rare (occupying less than 200 acres of habitat rangewide), has
extremely narrow ecological adaptations, and electrophoretic tests
indicate that it lacks detectable genetic variation within and among
occurrences. For these reasons, it is particularly vulnerable to
habitat alteration and loss. Water howellia was listed because of
current and potential threats to the species and its habitat from
competition from invasive plant species, timber harvesting, and
intensive livestock use of ponds.
The goal of this recovery plan is to provide an adequate level of
conservation for the species and its habitat so that there will be
self-sustaining populations distributed throughout its extant range and
to guide recovery actions to facilitate delisting of the species.
Recovery efforts will focus on development and implementation of
habitat management plans for occurrences on public lands; promotion of
voluntary protection on private lands; conducting biological and
habitat management research; monitoring and surveys of known
occurrences and potential habitat; dissemination of educational
information; promotion of state-level legal protection; and evaluation
of the appropriateness and feasibility of reintroducing water howellia
into portions of its historic range.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan
described above. All comments received by the date specified in the
DATES section above will be considered prior to approval of the
recovery plan.
Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: September 17, 1996.
Terry T. Terrell,
Deputy Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 96-24397 Filed 9-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
