[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 29711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13572]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the June 
Sucker for Review and Comment

Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

Action: Notice of document availability and public comment period.

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Summary: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the June 
sucker (Chasmistes lioris), a fish inhabiting Utah Lake and the Provo 
River in Utah. The Service solicits review and comment from the public 
on this draft recovery plan.

Dates: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before August 4, 1995 to receive consideration by the Service.

Addresses: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain 
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Ecological Services, Lincoln 
Plaza, Suite 404, 145 East 1300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115. 
Written comments and materials regarding this draft recovery plan 
should be sent to the Field Supervisor at the Salt Lake City address 
given above. 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: Henry Maddox (see Addresses above) at 
telephone (801) 524-4430.

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 Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) 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 also will take these comments into account in the 
course of implementing approved recovery plans.
    The June sucker (Chasmistes lioris) occurs only in Utah Lake and 
the Provo River in central Utah, although the species historically 
occupied the Spanish Fork River and possibly other tributaries of Utah 
Lake. This once common fish has declined in abundance due to a variety 
of human activities that have significantly altered the lake and river 
habitat in which the species occurs.
    The June sucker was listed under the Act as an endangered species 
on March 31, 1986 (51 FR 10857), due to the precipitous decline in this 
once common fish. The species decline is believed to result from 
significant alterations in the species' lake and river habitat. Dams 
and water diversions constructed on the rivers flowing into Utah Lake 
have reduced water flows, altered flow regimes within the river, and 
dramatically increased fluctuations in the level of the lake. Increased 
pollution and nutrient inflow caused by urban development surrounding 
Utah Lake, have degraded water quality within the lake and destroyed 
shoreline vegetation. In addition, several species of nonnative 
predacious fish that may prey upon juvenile June suckers have been 
introduced into Utah Lake. The combination of these factors has 
apparently reduced the survival of young fish to the point that most 
fish found today are between 20 and 43 years old.
    The goal of the recovery plan is increase reproduction and survival 
of young June sucker to increase population numbers and ensure the 
species' survival. Recovery actions recommended to facilitate recovery 
of the species include identification of habitat requirements, 
coordination of efforts to restore required water flows and other 
appropriate habitat conditions, and identification and amelioration of 
the effects of predation by nonnative fish species.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan 
described. All comments received by the date specified in the DATES 
section above will be considered prior to approval of the recovery 
plan.

Authority

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

    Dated: May 23, 1995.
Terry T. Terrell,
Deputy Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 95-13572 Filed 6-2-95; 8:45 am]
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