[Federal Register: May 11, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 90)] [Notices] [Page 25362-25363] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr11my99-82] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Notice To Extend the Public Comment Period for the Draft Recovery Plan for Gabbro Soil Plants of the Central Sierra Nevada Foothills, CA AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of extension of public comment period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives notice that the comment period announced in the March 8, 1999, notice of availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Gabbro Soil Plants of the Central Sierra Nevada Foothills, California, will be extended an additional 30 days until July 7, 1999. Substantial public interest in the draft plan led the Service to distribute additional copies and to provide additional opportunities for the public to comment on the plan. This recovery plan includes six plant species, of which five are federally listed as endangered or threatened. The draft plan includes recovery criteria and measures for the plants--Stebbin's morning-glory (Calystegia stebbinsii), Pine Hill ceanothus (Ceanothus roderickii), Pine Hill flannelbush (Fremontodendron californicum ssp. decumbens), El Dorado bedstraw (Galium californicum ssp. sierrae), and Layne's butterweed (Senecio layneae), and an additional species, El Dorado mule-ears (Wyethia reticulata), that is considered to be a species of concern. The Service extends the current 90-day comment period and solicits review and comment from the public on this draft plan. DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by July 7, 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: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, California (telephone (916) 979-2710); and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Regional Office, Ecological Services, 911 NE 11th Ave., Eastside Federal Complex, Portland Oregon 97232-4181 (telephone (503) 231-6131). 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: Diane Elam, 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 [[Page 25363]] endangered species program. To help guide recovery efforts, 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 six species of plants covered in the draft recovery plan are primarily restricted to gabbro soils habitat in the central Sierra Nevada foothills of California. Conversion of habitat to urban uses has extirpated the listed species and species of concern from a significant portion 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. The objectives of this recovery plan are two-fold: (1) to delist the plants Stebbin's morning-glory, Pine Hill ceanothus, Pine Hill flannelbush, El Dorado bedstraw, and Layne's butterweed by protecting, enhancing, restoring, and appropriately managing their habitat; and (2) to ensure the long-term conservation of the one species of concern, El Dorado mule-ears, that occurs in the same gabbro soils habitats with the listed species. Public Comments Solicited The Service solicits written comments on the draft 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: May 5, 1999. Elizabeth H. Stevens, Acting Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Sacramento, California. [FR Doc. 99-11775 Filed 5-10-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P