Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Hine's Emerald

Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) 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) announces

availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the Hine's

emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana), a species that is federally

listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended (Act). This species occurs on public and private land in

Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Service solicits review and

comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by September 13,

1999 will be considered by the Service.

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

a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Chicago, Illinois, Field

Office, 1000 Hart Road, Suite 180, Barrington, Illinois 60010,

telephone (847) 381-2253. Written comments and materials regarding the

plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor at the above address.

Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection

by appointment during normal business hours, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louise Clemency at the above address,

or telephone at (847) 381-2253, x215.

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 Service's endangered species program. To help

guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to prepare recovery

plans for most of the federally threatened and endangered species

native to the United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered

necessary for conservation of the species, establish criteria which

when met would result in a determination that the species no longer

needs the protection of the Act, and provide estimates of the 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 public notice and 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 consideration in

the course of implementing approved recovery plans.

The Hine's emerald dragonfly was listed as endangered on January

26, 1994. It inhabits marshes, sedge meadows, wet prairies and fens

that have small ground water fed streams and occur in areas of dolomite

bedrock. Fragmentation and destruction of habitat are believed to be

the main reasons for this species' endangered status and continue to be

the primary threats to its recovery. The species also seems to be

vulnerable to off-site impacts to the ground water that feeds the

habitat. The Hine's emerald dragonfly currently occurs at nine sites in

the lower DesPlaines River valley in Illinois, at eleven sites in Door

County, Wisconsin, and at seven sites in the Hiawatha National Forest

in Mackinac County, Michigan. The Hine's emerald dragonfly has

apparently been extirpated from Indiana and Ohio.

Recovery will be achieved and this species may be removed from the

list of threatened and endangered plants when at least six viable

populations, each composed of at least three subpopulations supporting

500 reproductive adults, are being protected and managed for the

dragonfly. Site protection will be accomplished through negotiating

cooperative agreements with landowners and working with land managers.

Other recovery activities will include managing habitat, restoring

populations, monitoring populations to detect trends, research,

surveys, and conducting a general information program for the public.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan

described. All comments received by September 13, 1999 will be

considered prior to approval of the plan. Comments should be sent to

the Field Supervisor, Chicago, Illinois, Field Office, at the above

address.

Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered

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

Dated: July 6, 1999.

Charles M. Wooley,

Program Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3,

Fort Snelling, Minnesota.

[FR Doc. 99-17676 Filed 7-12-99; 8:45 am]

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