Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for Two Insects and Four Plants From the Santa Cruz Mountains for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for Two Insects and Four

Plants From the Santa Cruz Mountains for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

availability for public review of a draft Recovery Plan for Two Insects

and Four Plants from the Santa Cruz Mountains. The two insects and four

plants occur on sandy soils in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Cruz

County, California.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by December 29,

1997 will be considered by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for

inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the

following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola Road,

Suite B, Ventura, California 93003 (phone: 805/644-1766). Requests for

copies of the draft recovery plan and written comments and materials

regarding this plan should be addressed to, Ms. Diane K. Noda, Field

Supervisor, at the above Ventura address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Connie Rutherford, Botanist, at the

above Ventura address.

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 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

the conservation of 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, 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 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 the public comment period prior to approval of each new or

revised recovery plan. Substantive technical comments will result in

changes to the plans. Substantive comments regarding recovery plan

implementation may not necessarily result in changes to the recovery

plans, but will be forwarded to appropriate Federal or other entities

so that they can take these comments into account during the course of

implementing recovery actions. Individualized responses to comments

will not be provided.

The two insects and three of the four plants addressed in this

recovery plan are listed as endangered. The fourth plant (Scotts Valley

polygonum) is a species of concern to the Service.

The Mount Hermon June beetle (Polyphylla barbata) is known from 28

collection sites in the area generally bounded by Ben Lomond, Mount

Hermon, and Scotts Valley. Populations receiving some protection occur

on Quail Hollow Ranch. The remaining populations occur on private land.

The Zayante band-winged grasshopper (Trimerotropis infantilis) is

known from 10 collection sites in the area generally bounded by Ben

Lomond, Mount Hermon, and Mission Springs. All populations occur on

private land.

Ben Lomond spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. hartwegiana) is

known from 21 populations; most occur between Ben Lomond, Mount Hermon,

and Glenwood. Outlying populations are located near Bonny Doon, Boulder

Creek, and Big Basin State Park. Populations receiving some protection

occur on Bonny Doon Ecologic Preserve, Quail Hollow Ranch, and Big

Basin State Park. The remaining populations are found on private land.

Scotts Valley spineflower (Chorizanthe robusta var. hartwegii) is

known from three sites on private land north of Scotts Valley.

Ben Lomond wallflower (Erysimum teretifolium) is known from 15

[[Page 51123]]

populations; most occur between Ben Lomond, Mount Hermon, and Glenwood.

Outlying populations are located near Bonny Doon. Populations receiving

some protection occur on Bonny Doon Ecologic Preserve and Quail Hollow

Ranch. The remaining populations are found on private land.

Scotts Valley polygonum (Polygonum hickmanii) is known from four

colonies north of Scotts Valley, all of which occur in the same general

area as Chorizanthe robusta var. hartwegii.

These taxa are variously threatened by one or more of the

following: sand mining, urban development, agricultural conversion,

equestrian use, recreational activities, alteration in fire cycles, and

competition with nonnatives vegetation. For the two insect taxa,

collection and pesticide use are recognized as potential threats. In

addition, the very low numbers of individuals and populations of some

of these taxa put them at great risk of extinction due to random

naturally occurring events.

The objective of this plan is to provide a framework for the

recovery of the two insects and the four plants so that protection by

the Act is no longer necessary. Actions necessary to accomplish this

objective include: protecting species habitats through acquisition,

conservation easements, and Habitat Conservation Plans; managing

species habitats; conducting management-oriented research on the

ecology and biology of the species; reviewing and revising management

and recovery guidelines; and locating additional populations.

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 final approval of this plan.

Authority

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

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

Dated: September 18, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97-25838 Filed 9-29-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-P