Notice of Availability of an Agency Draft Recovery Plan for the Palezone Shiner for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of an Agency Draft Recovery Plan for the

Palezone Shiner for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service. Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public comment period.

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

for public review of a draft recovery plan for the palezone shiner

(Notropis albizonatus). This small fish occurs in large creeks and

small rivers in the Tennessee and Cumberland River systems. Although

the palezone shiner was likely once more widespread within the

Tennessee and Cumberland River systems or drainages, it is presently

known from only two widely disjunct populations--the Paint Rock River

(a Tennessee River tributary) in Jackson County, Alabama, and the

Little South Fork of the Cumberland River in Wayne and McCreary

Counties, Kentucky. Two other known populations are extirpated.

Populations of this species have been fragmented by habitat alteration

(primarily impoundments), and extant populations are impacted by

deteriorated water quality, primarily resulting from poor land-use

practices (e.g., agriculture and coal mining). The species' present

limited distribution also makes it vulnerable to extirpation from

stochastic events. 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 27, 1996 to receive consideration by the Service.

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

a copy by contacting the Asheville Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 160 Zillicoa Street, Asheville, North Carolina 28801. 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:

Mr. Richard Biggins at the above address (704/258-3939 Ext. 228).

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, criteria for

recognizing the recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and

initial estimates of time and costs to implement 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 the

palezone shiner (Notropis albizonatus). The areas of emphasis for

recovery actions are the Little South Fork of the Cumberland River in

the upper Cumberland River basin in south-central Kentucky and the

Paint Rock River in the Tennessee River system in northeastern Alabama.

Habitat protection, population augmentation/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: June 21, 1996.

Brian P. Cole,

Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 96-16502 Filed 6-27-96; 8:45 am]

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