Availability of Supplemental Information Regarding the Recovery Plan for the Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of Supplemental Information Regarding the Recovery

Plan for the Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the

availability of our finding on supplemental information relative to the

recovery plan for the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis). Portions

of the information will be added to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan

after appropriate public notice and comment.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to receive a copy of the supplemental

information finding may obtain a copy by contacting the Grizzly Bear

Recovery Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University Hall,

Room 309, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812. 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: Dr. Christopher Servheen, Grizzly Bear

Recovery Coordinator (see ADDRESSES above), at telephone (406) 243-

4903.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The primary goal of our endangered species program is to restore

endangered or threatened animals or plants to the point where they are

secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystem. To help guide the

recovery effort, we 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 recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and

estimate time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.

The grizzly bear was listed under the Act as a threatened species

in the 48 conterminous States on July 28, 1995 (40 FR 31734). Threats

to grizzly bear populations come primarily from habitat modification

caused by human activities and from direct bear/human conflicts

resulting from recreational and resource use activities, highway and

railroad corridors, and illegal mortality.

Under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act) as

amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we approved the revised Grizzly Bear

Recovery Plan on September 10, 1993.

[[Page 38466]]

In May 1994 The Fund For Animals, Inc., and 22 other organizations

and individuals filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District

of Columbia over the adequacy of the Plan approved in 1993. Later in

May 1994 the National Audubon Society and 19 other organizations and

individuals also filed suit in the same court. The two cases were

eventually consolidated. In September 1995 the court issued an opinion.

The motions for summary judgment of both the plaintiffs and the

defendants were granted in part and denied in part. The court ordered

us to reconsider certain portions of the Plan, and to provide

supplemental information. The court remanded five issues that might

affect grizzly bear recovery for our reconsideration. Those issues

were: disease and parasites; livestock interactions and mortality; the

effects of genetic isolation; population monitoring methods; and our

reliance on Canada for recovery of the grizzly bear.

On September 10, 1997, we published a Notice of Availability (62 FR

47677, Sept. 10, 1997) for the draft supplemental information on the

five remanded issues. We provided our final finding on the issues to

the court on May 15, 1999, and this notice announces that the document

is available for public distribution.

We are also in the process of developing draft grizzly bear

habitat-based recovery criteria, which are being made available for

public review and comment under a separate notice of availability.

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. We will provide a public comment

period prior to approval of each new amendment to the recovery plan. We

and other Federal land management agencies also will take these

comments into account in the course of implementing approved recovery

plans.

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

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

Dated: July 9, 1999.

Terry T. Terrell,

Deputy Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.

[FR Doc. 99-18138 Filed 7-15-99; 8:45 am]

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