[Federal Register: March 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 56)] [Notices] [Page 14129-14130] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr24mr98-97] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for Serpentine Soil Species of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, for Review and Comment AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of document availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability for public review of the Draft Recovery Plan for Serpentine Soil Species of the San Francisco Bay Area, California. This recovery plan includes 28 species, of which 14 species are federally listed as endangered or threatened. The draft plan includes recovery criteria and recommended management actions for the plants--San Mateo thornmint (Acanthomintha obovata ssp. duttonii), Tiburon mariposa lily (Calochortus tiburonensis), Tiburon paintbrush (Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta), coyote thistle (Ceanothus ferrisae), fountain thistle (Cirsium fontinale var. fontinale), Presidio clarkia (Clarkia franciscana), Pennell's birds-beak (Cordylanthus tenuis ssp. capillaris), Santa Clara Valley dudleya (Dudleya setchellii), San Mateo woolly sunflower (Eriophyllum latilobum), Marin dwarf flax [[Page 14130]] (Hesperolinon congestum), white-rayed pentachaeta (Pentachaeta bellidiflora), Metcalf canyon jewelflower (Streptanthus albidus ssp. albidus), Tiburon jewelflower (Streptanthus niger), and the bay checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha bayensis); and an additional six species of plants, one species of moth, and seven harvestman (spider) species that are considered to be species of concern are addressed in the draft recovery plan. DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or before June 22, 1998. ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, California (telephone (916) 979-2725). Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan should be addressed to Wayne S. White, Field Supervisor, Ecological Services, at the above Sacramento address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Miller, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, at the above Sacramento address. 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 downlisting or delisting listed species, and estimate 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 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 plan. Substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in changes to the recovery plan, 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. The 28 species of plants and animals covered in the draft recovery plan are primarily restricted to serpentine soils habitat in the San Francisco Bay area of California. Conversion of habitat to urban and industrial uses has extirpated the listed species and species of concern from the majority of their historic ranges. The remaining natural communities are highly fragmented, and many are marginal habitats in which these species may not persist during catastrophic events, such as fire or persistent drought. Natural communities also have been altered permanently by the introduction of aggressive, nonnative plants, which now dominate in many of the remaining undeveloped areas. The objectives of this recovery plan are two-fold: (1) to delist the plants San Mateo thornmint, Tiburon mariposa lily, Tiburon paintbrush, coyote thistle, fountain thistle, Presidio clarkia, Pennell's birds-beak, Santa Clara Valley dudleya, San Mateo woolly sunflower, Marin dwarf flax, white-rayed pentachaeta, Metcalf canyon jewelflower, Tiburon jewelflower, and the bay checkerspot butterfly by protecting, enhancing, restoring, and appropriately managing their habitat; and (2) to ensure the long-term conservation of the 14 species of concern that occur in the same serpentine habitats with the listed species. 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 this plan. Authority : The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). Dated: February 13, 1998. Don Weathers, Acting Regional Director, Region 1. [FR Doc. 98-7575 Filed 3-23-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P