[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 49853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23956]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Alabama 
Streak-sorus Fern 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 pubic review of a draft recovery plan for the Alabama 
streak-sorus fern (Thelypteris pilosa var. alabamensis). The fern is 
only known to occur along the Sipsey Fork, a tributary of the Black 
Warrior River, in Winston County, Alabama. Plants take root in crevices 
and on rough rock surfaces of Pottsville standstone on bluffs along the 
river. The majority of the extant sites are on U.S. Forest Service land 
(Bankhead National Forest), others are on private land. The Service 
solicits review and comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before November 15, 1995, to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain 
a copy by contacting the Jackson Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 6578 Dogwood View Parkway, Suite A, Jackson, Mississippi 
39213. Written comments and materials regarding the plan should be 
addressed to the Filed Supervisor 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:
Ms. Cary Norquist at the above address (601/965-4900, ext. 28).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point 
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems 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 a 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 species considered in this draft recovery plan is the Alabama 
streak-sorus fern (Thelypteris pilosa var. alabamensis). This small 
fern occurs in crevices and on rough rock surfaces of Pottsville 
standstone on bluffs along the Sipsey Fork (a tributary of the Black 
Warrior River) in Winston County, Alabama. Plants typically occur on 
ceilings of sandstone overhangs (rockhouses), on ledges beneath 
overhangs, and on exposed cliffs. Most of the known sites occur on U.S. 
Forest Service land on the Bankhead National Forest; several others 
occur on private land. The Alabama streak-sorus fern was listed as 
threatened in 1992 due to its vulnerability as a result of its 
extremely limited distribution (the population is restricted to an 
approximately 4-mile segment of the river), past destruction of a 
population from bridge construction/stream impoundment, and potential 
threats from recreational overuse of habitat, logging, and future road 
improvements for those sites located near a road.
    The objective of this proposed plan is to delist the Alabama 
streak-sorus fern. Delisting will be considered when the population on 
the Sipsey Fork and, at least two other populations on different 
drainages, are protected and determined to be viable. Actions needed to 
reach this goal include: (1) protecting, managing, and monitoring 
populations: (2) surveying for new populations; (3) maintaining 
material in cultivation as a safeguard; and (4) establishing additional 
populations (if found to be necessary). After consideration of comments 
received during the review period, it 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: September 21, 1995.
Paul Hartfield,
Acting Field Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-23956 Filed 9-26-95; 8:45 am]
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