Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Ursus americanus luteolus (Louisiana black bear) for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Ursus

americanus luteolus (Louisiana black bear) for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the

availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the

Louisiana black bear. The Louisiana black bear is a threatened species

that once occurred throughout southern Mississippi, all of Louisiana

and eastern Texas. The Louisiana black bear is currently only known to

occupy habitat in the Tensas and Atchafalaya River basins in Louisiana.

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 7, 1994 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 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:

Robert Bowker at the above address (601/965-4900).

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 reclassifying 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 Ursus

americanus luteolus (Louisiana black bear). Listing the Louisiana black

bear was considered necessary because of extensive habitat

modification, its quantity having been reduced by more than 80% as of

1980. The remaining habitat has been reduced in quality by

fragmentation due to intrusion of man and his structures, thereby

stressing the remaining population of bears. The major objective of

this recovery plan is to restore and protect the quantity and quality

of Louisiana black bear habitat, with interconnecting corridors between

habitat fragments, so that the protection afforded by the Endangered

Species Act is no longer warranted.

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 22, 1994.

Robert Bowker,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 94-18457 Filed 7-28-94; 8:45 am]

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