Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Alabama Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae) for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Alabama

Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae) 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 Alabama

cave shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae). The albinistic Alabama cave shrimp

has been found in five caves (three cave systems) near the city of

Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama. One cave is found on the Redstone

Arsenal, an army installation, while the other four caves are privately

owned. 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 November 15, 1996, 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. Theresa Jacobson at the above

address (601-965-4900, ext. 30).

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

[[Page 46819]]

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

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 Alabama

cave shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae). The Alabama cave shrimp is a small,

colorless, and nearly transparent decapod crustacean up to 30

millimeters (1.2 inches) in total length. The shrimp occurs in pools of

water in a cave environment. In caves with high energy flows, the

shrimp must have access through cave windows (openings) to calmer

groundwater habitat. This species was listed as endangered on September

7, 1988. Available information indicates the overall population may be

declining and the shrimp is apparently extirpated from Shelta Cave, the

type locality. Groundwater contamination represents the major threat to

this cave-dwelling species. Other threats include destruction of

habitat, collecting, and predation.

The objective of this proposed plan is reclassification of the

Alabama cave shrimp to threatened status. Reclassification will be

considered when five reproducing populations have been identified and

protected in five groundwater basins, and the populations persist in

these basins, as evidenced by monitoring, over a 20-year period. Proper

public stewardship of groundwater and surface water quality and

quantity surrounding the five populations is essential for recovery.

Actions needed to reach this goal--1) protecting populations and

habitat, 2) encouraging local stewardship for caves and recharges areas

through education, 3) monitoring populations, 4) searching for

additional populations, 5) studying species biology, and 6) modifying

or replacing gated entrance to Shelta cave.

This Plan is being submitted for agency review. 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: August 29, 1996.

Cary Norquist,

Acting Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 96-22602 Filed 9-4-96; 8:45 am]

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