Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Okaloosa Darter for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the

Okaloosa Darter 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 (Service) proposes to

extend the public comment period for review of the draft revised

recovery plan for the Okaloosa darter. This endangered fish occurs in

six stream systems flowing from Eglin Air Force Base through or near

the cities of Niceville and Valparaiso into Boggy and Rocky bayous on

Choctawhatchee Bay, in Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Florida. During

the previous comment period (June 10, 1997-August 8, 1997)) agencies

significantly involved in the recovery of the Okaloosa darter were

concerned that they would be unable to provide their comments within

the comment period.

DATES: Comments on the draft revised recovery plan must be received on

or before August 30, 1997, to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft revised recovery plan

may examine a copy at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Panama City

Field Office, 1612 June Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32405, between

7:30 AM and 4:30 PM Central Time; or may obtain a copy by contacting

Frank Parauka, Panama City Field Office, 850/769-0552 ext. 237.

Written comments and materials regarding the plan should be

addressed to Frank Parauka at the Panama City Field Office. Comments

and materials received are available on request for public inspection,

by appointment, during the previously stated hours at the Panama City

Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Parauka, at the Panama City

Field Office address given above, at 850/769-0552, ext. 237,

respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point

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 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 the

time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (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 draft revised recovery plan for the Okaloosa darter updates the

original 1981 plan. The Service listed this species in 1973 due to its

extreme limited range, habitat degradation, and apparent competition

from a possibly introduced related species, the brown darter. Studies

recommended in the original plan have been completed. Eglin Air Force

Base is implementing habitat conservation measures, and plans to

implement others. Okaloosa darter populations have apparently

stabilized. Downlisting this species from endangered to threatened

could be considered in the near future if Okaloosa darter populations

in all six inhabited stream systems remain stable or increase, and if

effective interagency agreements are established to protect the quality

and quantity of water in these streams. Inhabited streams are the main

stems and tributaries of Toms, Turkey, Mill, Swift, East Turkey, and

Rocky creeks. The watersheds of these streams, located on Eglin Air

Force Base and in the cities of Niceville and Valparaiso, are also in

the planning area. Comments received during the review period will be

used as appropriate for developing a final revised recovery plan. The

Panama City Field Office will then forward the final plan to the

Service's Regional Office in Atlanta, Georgia, for approval.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the draft revised 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 7, 1997.

Bryan Arroyo,

Acting Field Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 97-21430 Filed 8-12-97; 8:45 am]

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