Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Smooth Coneflower for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Smooth

Coneflower 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 smooth coneflower (Echinacea laevigata). This rare perennial

herb grows in open woods, cedar barrens, roadsides, clearcuts, dry

limestone bluffs, utility line rights-of-way, and other sunny to semi-

sunny situations, usually on magnesium- and calcium-rich soils, in

Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Formerly, it

probably occurred in prairielike habitats or post oak-blackjack oak

savannas maintained by fires caused by lightning or set by native

Americans. Loss of this open habitat to fire suppression and

urbanization has resulted in the decline of the species and its

reduction to marginal and very vulnerable sites. Historically, 61

populations were reported from eight states. The species now survives

at only 23 of those locations, in four states. 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 August 30, 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:

Ms. Nora Murdock at the address and telephone number shown above (Ext.

231).

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 areas of emphasis for recovery actions for smooth coneflower

(Echinacea laevigata) are the Piedmont of North Carolina (Durham,

Granville, and Rockingham Counties), Virginia (Alleghany, Pulaski,

Montgomery, Campbell, and Franklin Counties), South Carolina (Oconee

and Anderson Counties), and Georgia (Stephens County). Three additional

populations in South Carolina (Aiken and Allendale Counties) are

believed by some authorities to have been introduced. Habitat

protection and management, 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: June 24, 1994.

Brian P. Cole,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 94-16088 Filed 6-30-94; 8:45 a.m.]

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