Notice of Availability of the Technical/Agency Draft Recovery Plan for Arabiss perstellata (Braun's Rockcress) for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of the Technical/Agency Draft Recovery

Plan for Arabiss perstellata (Braun's Rockcress) 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 the technical/agency draft recovery plan for

Braun's rockcress. Braun's rockcress (Arabis perstellata) is a

perennial herb that grows in calcareous mesophytic and sub-xeric

forests in north-central Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. The

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

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

before May 20, 1997 to receive consideration by the Service.

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

a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Asheville Filed Office, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, 160 Zillicoa Street, Asheville, North

Carolina 28801 (Telephone 704/258-3939). Written comments and materials

regarding the plan should be addressed to the State 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:

Mr. J. Allen Ratzlaff at the address and telephone number (Ext. 229)

shown above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring endangered or threatened animals or plants to the point

where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their

ecosystems 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 recognizing the recovery levels for downlisting or

delisting them, 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 that a 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.

Based upon available information concerning the range, biology, and

threats to its continued survival, it is not yet possible to determine

if or when full recovery of Braun's rockcress is possible. Accordingly,

this draft recovery plan outlines a mechanism that provides for the

protection and maintenance of all known population with emphasis on

determining autecological factors necessary to manage the species.

Braun's rockcress was officially listed as an endangered species on

January 3, 1995, primarily because of its extremely limited range, loss

of habitat, competition from invasive exotic plants, and other

detrimental impacts that result from site disturbance. Comments and

information provided during this review will be used in preparing the

final recovery plan.

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 plan.

Authority

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

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

Dated: March 12, 1997.

Nora A. Murdock,

Acting State Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 97-7150 Filed 3-20-97; 8:45 am]

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