[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50044-50045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24397]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Water Howellia 
(Howellia aquatilis) for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the water 
howellia (Howellia aquatilis). Water howellia is currently known from a 
total of six geographic areas-- one area in each of the States of 
Idaho, Montana, and California, and three areas in Washington. 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 25, 1996 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, Fish and Wildlife Service, 
100 N. Park Ave, Suite 320, Helena, MT 59601. Written comments and 
materials regarding this plan should be sent to the Field Supervisor at 
the Helena 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: Lori Nordstrom, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist (see ADDRESSES above), at telephone (406) 449-5225.

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 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 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 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.
    Water howellia is an annual aquatic plant restricted to small, 
vernal, freshwater wetlands that have an annual cycle of filing up with 
water over the fall, winter, and early spring, followed by drying 
during the summer months. The plants are extensively branched with 
submergent or floating stems; both emergent and submergent flowers are 
produced. The wetlands typically occur in a matrix of forest 
vegetation, and are

[[Page 50045]]

usually bordered in part by broadleaf deciduous trees.
    Water howellia is currently known from a total of six geographic 
areas--one in Idaho (Latah County); three in Washington (one each in 
Spokane, Clark, and Pierce Counties); one in Montana (Lake and Missoula 
Counties); and one in California (Mendocino County). Water howellia was 
believed extirpated from California but was rediscovered in 1996.
    Water howellia was listed as a threatened species on July 14, 1994 
(59 FR 35860), under the authority of the Act. Water howellia is 
globally rare (occupying less than 200 acres of habitat rangewide), has 
extremely narrow ecological adaptations, and electrophoretic tests 
indicate that it lacks detectable genetic variation within and among 
occurrences. For these reasons, it is particularly vulnerable to 
habitat alteration and loss. Water howellia was listed because of 
current and potential threats to the species and its habitat from 
competition from invasive plant species, timber harvesting, and 
intensive livestock use of ponds.
    The goal of this recovery plan is to provide an adequate level of 
conservation for the species and its habitat so that there will be 
self-sustaining populations distributed throughout its extant range and 
to guide recovery actions to facilitate delisting of the species. 
Recovery efforts will focus on development and implementation of 
habitat management plans for occurrences on public lands; promotion of 
voluntary protection on private lands; conducting biological and 
habitat management research; monitoring and surveys of known 
occurrences and potential habitat; dissemination of educational 
information; promotion of state-level legal protection; and evaluation 
of the appropriateness and feasibility of reintroducing water howellia 
into portions of its historic range.

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 17, 1996.
Terry T. Terrell,
Deputy Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 96-24397 Filed 9-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M