Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Point Arena Mountain Beaver (California) for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Point Arena

Mountain Beaver (California) 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 announces the availability

for public review of a draft recovery plan for the Point Arena mountain

beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra (Rafinesque)) listed as an endangered

species on December 12, 1991 (50 FR 64716). The Point Arena mountain

beaver occurs western Mendocino County, California. The Service

solicits review and comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by October 20,

1997, will be considered by the Service.

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

a copy by contacting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 3310 El Camino

Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, California 95821. Written comments and

material 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: Please contact Karen Miller, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, at 916/979-2725 (see ADDRESSES).

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 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 the site specific

management actions considered necessary for conservation and survival

of the species, establish objectives, and 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 the public notice and an opportunity for public review and

comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service, and

other affected Federal agencies will take these comments into account

in the course of implementing approved recovery plans.

The Point Arena mountain beaver is endemic to western Mendocino

County, where 24 separate occurrences are known. Management issues and

concerns include elimination or degradation of habitat from land

development, grazing, timber harvest and invasion by alien plant

species. Direct threats to the species may include predation by

household pets and feral animals, poisoning, genetic isolation and

drift, and possible sensitivity to disturbance.

The Point Arena mountain beaver draft recovery plan was developed

by selected experts on the biology of the species and has been reviewed

by the appropriate Service staff in Region 1. The plan will be made

final and approved following incorporation of comments and material

received during this comment period.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the draft recovery plan

described. All biological 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: July 15, 1997

David L. McMullen,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97-21883 Filed 8-18-97; 8:45 am]

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