Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Sacramento Prickly- Poppy for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Sacramento Prickly-

Poppy 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 recovery plan for the

Sacramento prickly-poppy (Argemone pleiacantha ssp. pinnatisecta). This

plant is known only from the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County,

south-central New Mexico. Approximately 80 percent of the known

population occurs on the Lincoln National Forest. 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 May 16, 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, 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 will be available for public inspection, by appointment,

during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Cully (see ADDRESSES above).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring endangered or threatened animals or 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 site

specific actions considered necessary for conservation and survival of

the species, establish objective, measurable 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 public notice and an opportunity for public review and

comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service will

consider all information presented during the 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 Sacramento prickly-poppy (Argemone pleiacantha ssp.

pinnatisecta) was listed as endangered on August 24, 1989 (54 FR

35305). Major threats to this species include surface-disturbing

activities from water pipeline projects, road construction and

maintenance, flash floods, trampling and grazing from livestock, and

off road vehicle use. The draft recovery plan specifies management

procedures for protecting habitat and expanding the species range and

abundance.

The objectives of the Draft Sacramento prickly-poppy recovery plan

are to maintain extant populations in place and ensure the species is

safe from extinction. Further, that at least 10 geographically

distinct, self-sustaining natural populations be protected before the

species is considered for downlisting.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the draft recovery plan

described. All comments received by the date specified above will be

considered prior to approval of the plan.

Authority

The Authority fopr this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered

Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

Dated: March 9, 1994.

John G. Rogers,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc.94-6062 Filed 3-15-94; 8:45 am]

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