Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Upland Species of the San Joaquin Valley, CA, for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for Upland

Species of the San Joaquin Valley, CA, for Review and Comment

AGENCY: U.S. 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 the Draft Recovery Plan for Upland Species of the

San Joaquin Valley, California. This recovery plan includes 34 species,

of which 11 species are federally listed as endangered or threatened.

The draft plan includes recovery criteria and measures for the plants--

California jewelflower (Caulanthus californicus), palmate-bracted

bird's-beak (Cordylanthus palmatus), Kern mallow (Eremalche kernensis),

Hoover's woolly-star (Eriastrum hooveri), San Joaquin woolly-threads

(Lembertia congdonii), Bakersfield cactus (Opuntia basilaris var.

treleasei); and the animals--giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens),

Fresno kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nitratoides exilis), Tipton kangaroo rat

(Dipodomys nitratoides nitratoides), blunt-nosed leopard lizard

(Gambelia sila), and San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica).

Long-term conservation of three candidate species, the Buena Vista Lake

shrew (Sorex ornatus relictus), the riparian brush rabbit (Sylvilagus

bachmani riparius), and riparian woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes riparia);

and an additional 20 species of plants and animals of concern to the

Service are addressed in the draft recovery plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by January 28, 1998

will be considered by the Service.

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

copies by contacting: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish

and Wildlife Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento,

California (telephone 916-979-2725).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Miller, Fish and Wildlife

Biologist, at the above Sacramento 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 downlisting or

delisting listed species, and estimate time and cost for implementing

the recovery measures needed.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973, 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 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 the public comment period prior to

approval of each new or revised recovery plan. Appropriate Federal or

other entities will take these comments into account during the course

of implementing recovery actions. Individualized responses to comments

will not be provided.

The 34 species of plants and animals covered in the draft recovery

plan are restricted primarily to the San Joaquin Valley of California.

The majority of the species occur in arid grasslands and scrublands of

the San Joaquin Valley and adjacent foothills and valleys. The riparian

woodrat and riparian brush rabbit inhabit forested river corridors of

the eastern San Joaquin Valley. Conversion of habitat to agricultural,

industrial, and urban uses has eliminated the listed, candidate, and

species of concern from the majority of their historic ranges. The

remaining natural communities are highly fragmented, and many are

marginal habitats in which these species may not persist during

catastrophic events, such as fire or drought.

The objectives of this recovery plan are two-fold: (1) to delist

the plants--California jewelflower, palmate-bracted bird's-beak, Kern

mallow, Hoover's woolly-star, San Joaquin woolly-threads, Bakersfield

cactus; and the animals--giant kangaroo rat, Fresno kangaroo rat,

Tipton kangaroo rat, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, and San Joaquin kit

fox by protecting, enhancing, restoring, and

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appropriately managing their habitat; and (2) to ensure the long-term

conservation of the three candidates and additional 20 species of

concern by protecting, enhancing, restoring, and appropriately managing

their habitat.

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 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 24, 1997.

Michael J. Spear,

Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97-25846 Filed 9-29-97; 8:45 am]

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