[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 155 (Friday, August 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-19697]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 12, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

 

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the 
Shenandoah Salamander 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 Shenandoah 
salamander (Plethodon shenandoah). The Shenandoah salamander is limited 
to mountain slopes within the boundaries of Shenandoah National Park in 
Page and Madison Counties, Virginia. It was listed as endangered in 
1989 due to competition with the redbacked salamander (Plethodon 
cinereus) and eventual succession of the Shenandoah salamander's talus-
slope habitat to conditions favoring the redbacked salamander. Human-
related factors potentially affecting the Shenandoah salamander include 
potentially adverse physiological and/or reproductive effects 
associated with acid deposition, and defoliation of trees associated 
with non-native insect outbreaks. The primary recovery strategy for 
this species is to minimize any human-related impacts on the Shenandoah 
salamander while monitoring the effects of natural competition. The 
Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft Plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft Recovery Plan must be received September 
12, 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, Hadlley, Massachusetts 01035-9589, telephone 
(413) 253-8628. Comments should be sent to this address, to the 
attention of Mary Parkin.

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, established criteria for the 
recovery level 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 Shenandoah 
Salamander (Plethodon shenandoah) Recovery Plan. This small woodland 
salamander is known only from the northeast to northwest-facing talus 
slopes of three mountains--Hawksbill, The Pinnacles, and Stony Man--all 
within the boundaries of Shenandoah National Park in Page and Madison 
Counties, Virginia.
    The effects of fires, farming, and timbering operations prior to 
1936 (when the Park was established) on the current limited 
distribution of the Shenandoah salamander are unknown. In its present 
environment, however, the primary threats to the salamander appear to 
be competition with the aggressive and successful red-backed salamander 
(which confines the Shenandoah salamander to a few relatively dry talus 
areas not occupied by the competitor), and eventual succession of these 
talus areas to moister habitat more suitable for the red-backed 
salamander. The red-backed salamander is widely distributed and 
completely surrounds each of the three isolates of the Shenandoah 
salamander.
    Against this backdrop of naturally occurring threats to the 
salamander's continued existence, two major, relatively recent 
anthropogenic factors appear to have the potential of further 
endangering this species as well as threatening other faunal and floral 
components of the ecosystem it inhabits. These include: (1) defoliation 
of trees within its habitat, associated with outbreaks of gypsy moths, 
hemlock woolly adelgids, or other introduced forest pest species; and 
(2) further debilitation of overstory vegetation, changes in soil 
chemistry, and direct impacts to the salamanders associated with acid 
deposition and other sources of air pollution.
    Because the Shenandoah salamander represents an unusual case in 
which natural factors play a major role in its present endangerment, 
the recovery objective is to stabilize this species. Recovery 
activities will focus on minimizing human impacts on the Shenandoah 
salamander and conducting long-term monitoring to detect any 
significant changes in size or demographic structure of Shenandoah 
salamander populations as well as any shifts in distribution between 
this species and the red-backed salamander. Studies to examine impacts 
of acid deposition, forest defoliators, and control agents will be 
conducted if it is determined that Shenandoah salamander habitat is 
susceptible to defoliation. All Park maintenance and management 
activities will be conducted in a way that is compatible with 
Shenandoah salamander populations.
    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: August 5, 1994.
Ralph Pisapia,
Acting for Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-19697 Filed 8-11-94; 8:45 am]
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