Notice of Availability of the Agency Draft Recovery Plan for White Irisette for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Availability of the Agency Draft Recovery Plan for

White Irisette for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability and public comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

availability for public review of an agency draft recovery plan the

white irisette (Sisyrinchium dichotomum). This rare perennial herb

grows on circumneutral soils on a few scattered mountain slopes in

western North Carolina and northern South Carolina. Only seven

populations of white irisette are currently known to exist. The Service

solicits review and comments from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the agency draft recovery plan must be received on

or before May 23, 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 or 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, established 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 primary species considered in this draft recovery plan is white

irisette (Sisyrinchium dichotomum). The areas of emphasis for recovery

actions are mountain slopes with circumneutral soils in Polk and

Rutherford Counties, North Carolina, and Greenville County, South

Carolina. Habitat protection, 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: March 17, 1994.

Brian P. Cole,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 94-6986 Filed 3-23-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-M