[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 228 (Monday, November 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 59889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30020]



[[Page 59889]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Draft Conservation Agreement for 
the Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle for Review and Comment

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Document Availability, Public Comment Period, and 
Public Hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability of a 
Draft Conservation Agreement for the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle 
(Cicindela limbata albissima). This species is a candidate for listing 
as endangered or threatened under the provisions of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Draft Conservation Agreement was 
developed jointly by the Utah Department of Natural Resource's Division 
of Parks and Recreation; the U.S. Bureau of Land Management; Kane 
County Commission, Utah; and the Service as a collaborative and 
cooperative effort. The agreement focuses on identifying, reducing and 
eliminating significant threats to the tiger beetle that warrant its 
candidate status, and on enhancing and maintaining the species 
population to ensure its long term conservation. The Service solicits 
review and comment from the public on this draft agreement.

DATES: Public hearings will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, 
December 4, 1996, in Kanab, Utah; from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, 
December 5, 1996, in St. George, Utah; and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on 
Tuesday, December 10, 1996 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Comments on the 
Draft Conservation Agreement must be received on or before January 24, 
1997 to be considered by the Service during preparation of the final 
Conservation Agreement and prior to the Service's determination of 
whether or not it will be a signatory party to the agreement.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held at the Holiday Inn, 800 
East Highway 89, Kanab, Utah; at the Hilton Inn, 1450 South Hilton 
Drive, St. George, Utah; and at the Natural Resources Auditorium, Room 
1060 ``C'', Division of Natural Resources Building, 1594 West North 
Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah. Persons wishing to review the 
Draft Conservation Agreement may obtain a copy by contacting the 
Assistant Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 145 East 
1300 South, Suite 404, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115. Written comments and 
materials regarding the Draft Conservation Agreement also should be 
directed to the same address. Comments and materials received will be 
available on request for public inspection, by appointment, during 
normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Robert D. Williams, Assistant Field Supervisor (see ADDRESSES 
section) (telephone 801/524-5001).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle (Cicindela limbata 
albissima) is a terrestrial, predaceous insect in the family 
Cicindelidae. The beetle is known to occur only at the Coral Pink Sand 
Dunes. The Coral Pink Sand Dunes comprise a dune field about eight 
miles long and a little less than one mile wide. These dunes are 
located in Kane County about seven miles west of Kanab, Utah. The 
southern portion of the Dunes is within the State of Utah's Coral Pink 
Sand Dunes State Park, managed by Utah Division of Parks and 
Recreation. The northern portion of the Dunes is located on public land 
managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Kanab Resource Area. The 
Bureau's portion of the dunes is within the Moquith Mountain Wilderness 
Study Area.
    The Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle is currently a candidate 
species for listing under the provisions of the Act, in the Service's 
most recent Notice of Review (61 FR 7596). On April 19, 1994, the 
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance petitioned the Service to list the 
Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle and designate critical habitat. On 
September 8, 1994, the Director of the Service approved the 90-day 
petition finding as providing substantive information that the species' 
listing may be warranted (59 FR 47293).
    The Service has assessed existing and potential threats facing the 
species based on the five criteria as required by Section 4(a)(1) of 
the ESA. Within each of these criteria, several factors which have 
contributed to the degradation of Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle 
habitat and its populations were identified (59 FR 47293).
    The Agreement focuses on following goals: (1) Permanently protect 
the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle habitat in two designated 
conservation areas within the historical range of the species. (2) 
Establish a continuing management program which educates and enforces 
Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle conservation measures within the 
Dunes. (3) Monitor the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle population to 
demonstrate that conservation measures taken in behalf of the species 
are maintaining it at viable population levels. (4) Gain additional 
biological and ecological information concerning the beetle and its 
dune habitat. (5) Form a conservation advisory committee to coordinate 
all conservation actions and to act as a information gathering, 
dissemination center. (6) Provide for both motorized and nonmotorized 
recreation within the Dunes consistent with the conservation of the 
Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service will use information received during the public comment 
period and at the above mentioned public hearings in its determination 
as to whether it should be a signatory party to the agreements. 
Comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned governmental 
agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested 
party concerning the draft documents are hereby solicited. All comments 
and materials received will be considered prior to the approval of any 
final document.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is John L. England (see ADDRESSES 
section) (telephone 801/524-5001).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: November 19, 1996.
Mary L. Gessner,
Acting Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 96-30020 Filed 11-22-96; 8:45 am]
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