[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 130 (Friday, July 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-16490]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 8, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

 

Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the 
Great Lakes and Northern Great Plains Population of the Piping Plover 
for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of a draft revised recovery plan for the 
Great Lakes and Northern Great Plains Population of the Piping Plover 
(Charadrius melodus). The Service listed the piping plover as 
endangered and threatened in January, 1986, and completed a recovery 
plan for the Great Lakes and Northern Great Plains populations in May, 
1988. That recovery plan is being revised to incorporate new 
information on the species' biology, the results of the 1991 
International Piping Plover Census, and changes in threats experienced 
by the two populations. The Service solicits review and comments from 
the public on this draft revised plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before October 6, 1994 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain 
a copy by contacting the Chief, Division of Endangered Species, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 
Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111-4056 (phone: 612/725-3276; 
fax 612/725-3526). Written comments and materials regarding the plan 
should be addressed to Ronald L. Refsnider 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:
Ronald L. Refsnider at the above address and phone numbers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point 
where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is 
a primary goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 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 the 
recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time 
and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed. The Service 
revises existing recovery plans, as needed, to reflect important new 
biological information, significant changes in a species' status, or 
the accomplishment of tasks identified in the original plan.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.), 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 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.
    The piping plover was listed as endangered in the Great Lakes 
watershed, and threatened in the Great Plains, along the Atlantic 
coast, and throughout the remainder of its range due to the near-
extirpation of the species in the Great Lakes area and its dwindling 
population elsewhere. To facilitate recovery of this widespread 
species, it was separated into two recovery programs, one of which 
deals with Atlantic coast-nesting birds and the second includes the 
inland-nesting piping plovers. This recovery plan deals only with the 
inland-nesting populations of the piping plover.
    In recent years the Great Lakes piping plovers have nested only 
along the sandy shorelines of Michigan. Predation, disturbance, habitat 
degradation and destruction, and possibly insufficient prey are 
believed to be the factors preventing the expansion of this population. 
Northern Great Plains piping plovers are more widespread, nesting along 
prairie rivers and alkali wetlands in Iowa, Minnesota, North and South 
Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and the Prairie Provinces of Canada. 
Predation, disturbance, and habitat loss also affect these nesting 
areas. Piping plovers from both nesting areas spend the winter along 
the Gulf Coast of the United States and Mexico, where they face the 
same threats, as well as contaminant spills from Gulf Coast shipping 
and oil extraction activities.

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: June 29, 1994.
Marvin E. Moriarty,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-16490 Filed 7-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M