[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 139 (Thursday, July 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-17744]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 21, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

 

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Dismal 
Swamp Southeastern Shrew 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 announces the availability 
for public review of a draft Recovery Plan for the Dismal Swamp 
southeastern shrew. This species is known to occur in the Dismal Swamp 
of southeastern Virginia and adjacent North Carolina. The service 
solicits review and comment from the public on this Draft Plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft Recovery Plan must be received September 
6, 1994 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft Recovery Plan can obtain 
a copy from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region Five, 300 
Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, Massachusetts 01035-9589, telephone 
(413) 253-8628.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary J. Parkin (see Addresses).

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 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 Recovery Plans.
    The document submitted for review is the draft Dismal Swamp 
Southeastern Shrew (Sorex longirostris fisheri) Recovery Plan. This new 
subspecies, listed as threatened in 1986, is known to occur within the 
Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia and North Carolina. Originally extending 
over 2200 square miles, the swamp now comprises fewer than 320 square 
miles. Some 189 square miles of habitat are protected within the Great 
Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and adjacent North Carolina State 
Park land.
    Known habitat outside Refuge and Park boundaries is being list to 
agriculture, silviculture, and urbanization. Within the Refuge, changes 
in the swamp's hydrologic regime are resulting in succession to a more 
mesic habitat type, possibly allowing invasion by an upland subspecies 
(Sorex longirostris longirostris), which could ultimately result in 
genetic extinction of S.1. fisheri through interbreeding.
    New findings indicate that the Dismal Swamp southeastern shrew may 
be more widespread than previously thought; this possibility is taken 
into account by defining dual recovery objectives: (1) To confirm that 
this shrew subspecies is widely distributed throughout the coastal 
plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina and is 
relatively free from threats; or (2) to perpetuate self-sustaining 
Dismal Swamp southeastern shrew populations within more restricted 
areas in the wild. The attainment of either of these objectives would 
enable the shrew's removal from the Federal list of endangered and 
threatened wildlife and plants.
    Conditions that must be met to delist the Dismal Swamp southeastern 
shrew include either (1) confirmation of the shrew's range, and, if 
studies confirm that it is restricted to areas of the Great Dismal 
Swamp; (2) maintenance of six ``shrew conservation areas'' of at least 
5,000 acres each; (3) management of hydrological conditions within 
shrew habitat; (4) effective long-term management of other factors 
affecting the species; and (5) sufficient data to indicate that 
``genetic swamping'' by S.1. fisheri is not occurring.
    These conditions will be met through distributional and taxonomic 
studies, hydrological studies, implementation of management beneficial 
to the shrew within Refuge and Park boundaries, protection of shrew 
habitat outside Refuge boundaries, and a public information program.
    The draft Recovery Plan is being submitted for agency review. After 
consideration of comments received during the review period, the Plan 
will be submitted for final approval.

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: July 12, 1994.
Ralph Pisapia,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-17744 Filed 7-20-94; 8:45 am]
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