[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 49853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23956]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Alabama
Streak-sorus Fern 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 pubic review of a draft recovery plan for the Alabama
streak-sorus fern (Thelypteris pilosa var. alabamensis). The fern is
only known to occur along the Sipsey Fork, a tributary of the Black
Warrior River, in Winston County, Alabama. Plants take root in crevices
and on rough rock surfaces of Pottsville standstone on bluffs along the
river. The majority of the extant sites are on U.S. Forest Service land
(Bankhead National Forest), others are on private land. 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 November 15, 1995, to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain
a copy by contacting the Jackson Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 6578 Dogwood View Parkway, Suite A, Jackson, Mississippi
39213. Written comments and materials regarding the plan should be
addressed to the Filed 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:
Ms. Cary Norquist at the above address (601/965-4900, ext. 28).
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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife 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 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 (Act), 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 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 species considered in this draft recovery plan is the Alabama
streak-sorus fern (Thelypteris pilosa var. alabamensis). This small
fern occurs in crevices and on rough rock surfaces of Pottsville
standstone on bluffs along the Sipsey Fork (a tributary of the Black
Warrior River) in Winston County, Alabama. Plants typically occur on
ceilings of sandstone overhangs (rockhouses), on ledges beneath
overhangs, and on exposed cliffs. Most of the known sites occur on U.S.
Forest Service land on the Bankhead National Forest; several others
occur on private land. The Alabama streak-sorus fern was listed as
threatened in 1992 due to its vulnerability as a result of its
extremely limited distribution (the population is restricted to an
approximately 4-mile segment of the river), past destruction of a
population from bridge construction/stream impoundment, and potential
threats from recreational overuse of habitat, logging, and future road
improvements for those sites located near a road.
The objective of this proposed plan is to delist the Alabama
streak-sorus fern. Delisting will be considered when the population on
the Sipsey Fork and, at least two other populations on different
drainages, are protected and determined to be viable. Actions needed to
reach this goal include: (1) protecting, managing, and monitoring
populations: (2) surveying for new populations; (3) maintaining
material in cultivation as a safeguard; and (4) establishing additional
populations (if found to be necessary). After consideration of comments
received during the review period, it will be submitted for final
approval.
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: September 21, 1995.
Paul Hartfield,
Acting Field Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-23956 Filed 9-26-95; 8:45 am]
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