Notice of Availability of a Technical/Agency Draft Recovery Plan for the Mitchell's Satyr Butterfly (Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii) for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Technical/Agency Draft Recovery Plan

for the Mitchell's Satyr Butterfly (Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii)

for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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

for public review of a technical/agency draft recovery plan for the

Mitchell's satyr butterfly (Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii). It occurs

on private and public lands in southeastern Michigan and northern

Indiana. The Service solicits review and comment from the public on

this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the technical/agency draft recovery plan must be

receive on or before May 28, 1996, to receive consideration by the

Service.

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

a copy by contacting Charles M. Wooley, Field Supervisor, East Lansing

Field Office, 2651 Coolidge Road, East Lansing, Michigan 48823-6316,

telephone (517) 351-2555. Comments and materials received are available

for public inspection by appointment during normal business hours at

the above address. Comments on the plan should be addressed to Mark

Hodgkins (see Addresses) .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mark Hodgkins at the above address, or telephone (517) 351-6289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point

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where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is

a primary goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service)

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 to reclassify to threatened or delist

them, and estimate time and cost to implement the recovery measures

needed. The Service revises existing recovery plans, as needed, to

reflect important new biological information, significant changes in a

species' status, or the accomplishment of tasks identified in the

original plan.

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 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 document submitted for review is the draft Mitchell's Satyr

Butterfly (Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii) Recovery Plan. Of the 30+

historic populations known, only 11 extant, isolated populations remain

in southwestern Michigan and one in northern Indiana. The species is

considered extirpated from Ohio, New Jersey, and Maryland (if it

actually occurred in that state).

The Mitchell's satyr butterfly was emergency listed as endangered

on June 25, 1991, due to a perceived threat posed by overcollection. On

May 20, 1992, the Mitchell's satyr butterfly received long-term

protection through the normal listing process. The literature reflects

some variability in the description of Mitchell's satyr habitat. Known

habitats are all peatlands but range along a continuum from prairie/bog

fen to meadow/swamp. However, a constant attribute in all historical

and active habitats is a herbaceous community which is dominated by

sedges, usually Carex stricta, with scattered deciduous and/or

coniferous shrubs, most often tamaracks, or red cedar. Mitchell's satyr

habitat is most easily characterized as a sedge-dominated fen

community. The greatest threat to N. m. mitchellii is continued loss of

habitat due to development and fen alteration leading to disruption of

ecological processes which create and maintain habitat.

The primary objective of this draft recovery plan is to protect an

adequate number of Mitchell's satyr butterfly sites to ensure long-term

viability of the species in the wild. Conditions that must be met to

reclassify the Mitchell's satyr butterfly from endangered to threatened

status include protection of a minimum of 16 geographically distinct,

self-sustaining populations established or discovered range wide.

Delisting will be considered when 25 geographically distinct, self-

sustaining populations are established or discovered range wide for

five consecutive years following reclassification. Also, a minimum of

15 of these sites would need the establishment of permanent protection

with long-term management programs requiring some intervention.

Site protection will be accomplished through negotiating

cooperative agreements and conservation easements with land owners and

managers, acquiring lands from willing sellers, and using existing

legislation to protect the Mitchell's satyr and their habitat. Other

recovery activities will include searching for additional populations,

monitoring population levels and habitat conditions, managing habitat

as needed, conducting necessary studies, and conducting a general

information program for the public.

The draft recovery plan is available for technical/agency review.

After consideration of comments received during the review period, the

recovery plan will be submitted to the Regional Director, Region 3, 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 recovery plan.

Authority

The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered

Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

Dated: March 20, 1996.

Mamie A. Parker,

Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services.

[FR Doc. 96-7373 Filed 3-26-96; 8:45 am]

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