Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the San Benito Evening- Primrose for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the San Benito Evening-

Primrose for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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

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

for public review of a draft Recovery Plan for the San Benito evening-

primrose (Camissonia benitensis). This California plant occurs mostly

on stream terraces whose soils are derived from serpentine rock near

San Benito Mountain in southern San Benito County and western Fresno

County.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by April 5, 1999

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: Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California

93003. Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and written

comments and materials regarding this plan should be addressed to Diane

K. Noda, Field Supervisor, at the above Ventura address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Thomas, Botanist, at the above

Ventura address (phone: 805/644-1766).

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 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. 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.

This annual herb is listed as endangered. It occurs largely on

lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, where it is

threatened by off-highway vehicle recreation and the resultant

accelerated erosion in its habitat. Its habitat consists of mostly

alluvial terraces in areas of serpentine rock. This rock type is rather

toxic to most plants because it provides an unusual balance of plant

nutrients. Serpentine areas generally have sparse vegetation.

Serpentine dust is toxic to people because it contains asbestos.

The objective of this plan is to conserve the plant so that

protection by the Act is no longer necessary. Actions necessary to

accomplish this objective include prevention of additional degradation

and loss of the plant's habitat, partly by developing and

[[Page 5067]]

implementing an off-highway vehicle management plan. The plan also

seeks to protect populations of the plant on private lands, protect

populations from activities other than off-highway vehicular

recreation, and to develop a public awareness program.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on this draft recovery plan.

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: January 25, 1999.

Elizabeth H. Stevens,

Acting Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office.

[FR Doc. 99-2375 Filed 2-1-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-P