[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49853-49854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23944]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 49854]]



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Heliotrope 
Milkvetch (Astragalus montii) for Review and Comment

agency: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

action: Notice of document availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

summary: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the 
Heliotrope milkvetch (Astragalus montii). The Heliotrope milkvetch 
occurs in Sanpete and Sevier Counties, 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 November 27, 1995, to ensure they receive consideration by the 
Service.

addresses: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain 
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Lincoln Plaza, Suite 404, 145 East 1300 South, Salt Lake City, 
Utah 84115. Written comments and materials regarding this 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: John L. England, Botanist (see 
ADDRESSES above), at telephone 801/524-5001.

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 (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 recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and 
estimate time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.
    The Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.), requires the development or 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 Heliotrope milkvetch is a perennial, herbaceous plant in the 
legume family (Fabaceae). The species is very low growing, nearly 
stemless plant approximately 1 to 5 centimeters (0.4 to 2 inches) tall, 
with two to eight pinkish purple flowers with white wing-tips. The 
species range includes Heliotrope Mountain in Sanpete County, Utah, and 
White Mountain in Sevier County, Utah. Currently, three populations are 
known with a total population of approximately 200,000 individuals, 
occupying a total area of about 400 acres.
    The Heliotrope milkvetch (Astragalus montii) was listed as a 
threatened species on November 6, 1987 (52 FR 42657), under the 
authority of the Act. Critical habitat has been designated for the 
species western Heliotrope Mountain population. This species was listed 
due to its limited habitat and small population size, and to current 
and potential threats from grazing and oil and gas surface disturbing 
activities to the species habitat. The goal of the recovery plan is to 
maintain viable populations of the species at its known sites to ensure 
the species survival, and to guide recovery efforts to facilitate 
delisting of the species. Recovery efforts will focus on protecting the 
species population and habitat from habitat destroying activities 
through the sections 7 and 9 prohibitions of the Act for plant species. 
Biological and ecological research of the species' biology and its 
relationship and interaction with its environment is necessary to guide 
future management of the species population and habitat to ensure its 
continued survival and the preservation of the species ecosystem. 
Additional recovery efforts will focus on inventory of potential 
habitat and minimum viable population studies of its known populations.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan 
described above. 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: September 21, 1995.
Elliott N. Sutta,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 95-23944 Filed 9-26-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-55-M