[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 106 (Friday, June 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-13533]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 3, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 

Notice of Availability of the Technical/Agency Draft Recovery 
Plan for Large-flowered Skullcap for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability 
for public review of a technical/agency draft recovery plan for large-
flowered skullcap. Large-flowered skullcap (Scutellaria montana 
Chapman) is an herbaceous representative of the mint family 
(Lamiaceae), with known populations in northern Georgia and 
southeastern Tennessee. The Service solicits review and comments from 
the public on this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the technical/agency draft recovery plan must be 
received on or before August 2, 1994 to receive consideration by the 
Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the technical/agency draft 
recovery plan may obtain a copy by contacting the Asheville Field 
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 330 Ridgefield Court, 
Asheville, North Carolina 28806 (Telephone 704/665-1195). Written 
comments and materials regarding the plan should be addressed to the 
Field Supervisor at the above address. 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: Mr. J. Allen Ratzlaff at the address 
and telephone number shown above (Ext. 229).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals or 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 
conservation of the species, establish criteria for recognizing the 
recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, 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 a public notice and an opportunity for public review and 
comment be provided during recovery plan development. The Service will 
consider all information presented during a public comment period prior 
to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. The Service and other 
Federal agencies will also take these comments into account in the 
course of implementing approved recovery plans.
    Based upon available information concerning the range, biology, and 
threats to its continued survival, it is not yet possible to determine 
if or when full recovery of the large-flowered skullcap is possible. 
Accordingly, this draft recovery plan outlines a mechanism that 
provides for the protection and maintenance of all known populations, 
with emphasis on determining autecological factors necessary to manage 
the species. In 1986 the taxon was listed as endangered by the Service. 
At that time there were seven populations known in Georgia and three in 
Tennessee. The taxon was threatened by habitat loss to timbering or 
development. Over 90 percent of the 7,000 individual plants known in 
1986 occurred at only two sites, neither of which was completely 
protected from known threats. Currently, large-flowered skullcap is 
known to occur in two counties in Tennessee and four counties in 
Georgia, within a limited area of the Ridge and Valley and Cumberland 
Plateau provinces. There are 17 extant populations (12 in Tennessee and 
5 in Georgia) that vary greatly in size. Comments and information 
provided during this review will be used in preparing the final 
recovery plan.

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 the plan.

Authority

    The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered 
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f)

    Dated: May 26, 1994.
Brian P. Cole,
Field Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 94-13533 Filed 6-2-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M