Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Plant Holy Ghost Ipomopsis for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Plant

Holy Ghost Ipomopsis 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 draft Holy

Ghost Ipomopsis (Ipomopsis sancti-spiritus) Recovery Plan is available

for public review. This plant is known from only one site in the

southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the Santa Fe National Forest in

San Miguel County, New Mexico. We are soliciting review and comment

from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: We must receive comments on the draft plan on or before April

26, 1999 to ensure their consideration.

ADDRESSES: Anyone wanting a copy of the plan should contact the Field

Supervisor, New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, 2105 Osuna, NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113

(Telephone 505/346-2525). Written comments on the plan and other

materials should be sent to the Field Supervisor at the above address.

Comments and materials received are available for public inspection, by

appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles B. McDonald, Botanist, at the

address and telephone number (Ext. 112) given above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

A primary goal of the endangered species program is to restore

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

again secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystems. To help

guide recovery, we prepare recovery plans for most endangered or

threatened species native to the United States. Recovery plans describe

needed conservation actions for the species, time and cost estimates

for the actions, and recovery goals for downlisting or delisting.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended, (16 U.S.C.

1531 et seq.) requires that each endangered or threatened species be

included in a recovery plan unless a plan would not promote a species'

conservation. Section 4(f) of the Act as amended in 1988 requires the

public be notified and given

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an opportunity to review and comment on draft recovery plans. We

consider all information presented during the comment period prior to

approving any new or revised recovery plan. We and other Federal

agencies also consider these comments when implementing approved

recovery plans.

Holy Ghost ipomopsis was given endangered status under the Act on

March 23, 1994 (59 FR 13840). It is known from a single canyon in the

Santa Fe National Forest in northwestern San Miguel County, New Mexico.

An estimated 2,500 plants occupy about 80 hectares (200 acres) along a

U.S. Forest Service road. Impacts from road maintenance, recreation,

and catastrophic forest fire are immediate management concerns. In the

long term, present land uses influence management away from frequent

disturbances that produce the preferred habitat for this species.

Recovery will focus on protecting and enhancing the existing

population. Additional recovery work will include research to determine

the biological and ecological requirements of the species,

establishment of a botanical garden population and a seed bank, and

establishment of seven more populations in suitable habitat in the

upper Pecos River Basin.

Public Comments Solicited

We are soliciting written comments on the draft Holy Ghost

Ipomopsis Recovery Plan. 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: February 3, 1999.

Lynn B. Starnes,

Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 99-3345 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am]

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