Notice of availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Mexican Spotted Owl for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Mexican

Spotted Owl 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 Mexican

spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) which the Service listed as a

threatened species on March 16, 1993 (58 FR 14271). The Mexican spotted

owl is one of three spotted owl subspecies recognized by the American

Ornithologists' Union. This subspecies was originally described from a

specimen collected at Mount Tancitaro, Michoacan, Mexico. The Mexican

spotted owl is a medium-sized bird found from parts of central Colorado

and Utah south through Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas to the

State of Michoacan, Mexico. This owl commonly inhabits mountains and

canyons containing dense, multistoried forests with closed canopies.

Its survival is threatened by destruction and modification of habitat

caused by timber harvest, forest fires, and increased predation

associated with habitat fragmentation. The draft recovery plan

recommends management actions to be taken by Federal, State, and tribal

land management agencies to remove recognized threats and recover the

spotted owl. 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 June 26, 1995, to receive consideration by the Service.

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

a copy by contacting the Supervisor, Ecological Services State Office,

2105 Osuna Road NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113. Written comments and

materials regarding the plan should be addressed to the Regional

Director 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: Jennifer Fowler-Propst, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, (see ADDRESSES section) (telephone 505/761-4525;

facsimile 505/761-4542).

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 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 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 recovery plan provides a basis for management actions to be

undertaken by Federal, State, and tribal land management agencies to

remove threats to the Mexican spotted owl's continued existence. The

recovery plan contains six basic elements: 1. A recovery goal and set

of delisting criteria that will allow the Mexican spotted owl to be

removed from the endangered species list; 2. strategies for management

that provide varying levels of habitat protection depending on the

owl's needs and habitat use; 3. recommendations for population and

habitat monitoring; 4. research to address critical information needs

to better understand the owl's life history; 5. implementation

procedures that specify oversight and coordination responsibilities for

the owl's recovery; and 6. information on the approximate costs of

carrying out the tasks set forth in the draft recovery plan.

The Mexican spotted owl recovery plan has been prepared by a team

of experts on the owl and its habitat requirements. This recovery 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: March 7, 1995.

James A. Young,

Acting Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 2.

[FR Doc. 95-7449 Filed 3-24-95; 8:45 am]

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