Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Lyrate Bladderpod for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Lyrate

Bladderpod 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 Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the

availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the lyrate

bladderpod (Lesquerella lyrata). This small annual occurs in northwest

Alabama with populations known from Colbert, Franklin, and Lawrence

Counties. Plants occur in shallow soils adjacent to outcrops supporting

cedar glades. Populations occur on private land with plants extending

onto county and state-maintained road rights-of-way at several sites.

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 1, 1995 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: Ms. Cary Norquist at the above address

(601/965-4900, ext. 28).

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 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 a public notice and an opportunity for public review and

comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service will

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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 the lyrate

bladderpod (Lesquerella lyrata). This annual plant, in the mustard

family, occurs near cedar glade areas in Colbert, Franklin, and

Lawrence Counties, Alabama. Currently, none of the populations occur on

relative pristine cedar glades, as plants are located in gladey

pastures, fields, and on roadsides. The lyrate bladderpod was listed as

threatened in 1990 due to its limited distribution (only three

populations are known) and threats from herbicide usage, road

improvement, and increasing development in the area. The lyrate

bladderpod is believed to be an early successional species which is

eliminated by the shade and competition of invading perennials. Active

management will be needed to maintain populations.

The objective of this proposed plan is to delist the lyrate

bladderpod. Delisting will be considered when a minimum of 9

demonstrably secure and self-sustaining populations exist. Actions

needed to reach this goal include: (1) Protecting, managing, and

monitoring populations, (2) surveying for new populations, (3)

gathering autecological data, (4) preserving genetic stock, and (5)

providing information to the public to assist in the conservation

efforts. After consideration of comments received during the review

period, it will be submitted for final approval.

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 9, 1995.

Robert Bowker,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 95-14733 Filed 6-15-95; 8:45 am]

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