Notice of availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Todsen's Pennyroyal for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the

Todsen's Pennyroyal 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 draft revised recovery plan for the

Todsen's pennyroyal (Hedeoma todsenii) which the Service listed as an

endangered species on January 19, 1981 (46 FR 5730). This plant is

known to occur only in Dona Ana and Otero Counties, New Mexico. 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 December 13, 1994 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain

a copy by contacting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico

Ecological Services State Office, 3530 Pan American Highway NE., Suite

D, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87107, (505) 883-7877. Written comments and

materials regarding the plan should be addressed to the State

Supervisor. 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: Anne Cully, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service Botanist, telephone (505) 883-7877 or at the above address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring an endangered or threatened plant or animal 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 site-specific management actions considered

necessary for conservation and survival of the species, establish

objective, measurable criteria for the recovery levels for downlisting

or delisting species, and estimate time and cost for implementing

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 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 Todsen's pennyroyal was listed as endangered on January 19,

1981, based on its restricted range, small population size, and limited

reproduction capacity. In addition to natural threats to small

populations such as disease, predation, and catastrophic events, the

species was considered to be threatened by man-caused incidents such as

fire, habitat disturbance, development, and other activities on White

Sands Missile Range, in the San Andres Mountains, Dona Ana County, New

Mexico. A recovery plan for the species was written and approved in

1985. From 1988 to 1993, 15 additional locations for the species were

found on the west slopes of the Sacramento Mountains, Otero County, New

Mexico. In 1990, an additional location in the San Andres Mountains was

discovered. There are now 18 known locations for this species. The

draft revised recovery plan includes new scientific information about

Todsen's pennyroyal gathered since 1981 and provides management

procedures for protecting the species habitat and expanding its range

and abundance to the extent that no natural or human-caused disturbance

will result in irrevocable losses.

The Todsen's pennyroyal recovery plan has been reviewed by the

appropriate Service staff in Region 2. The plan will be finalized and

approved following incorporation of comments and materials received

during this comment period.

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 the 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: October 6, 1994.

John G. Rogers,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 94-25440 Filed 10-13-94; 8:45 am]

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