[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 109 (Friday, June 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 31125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14669]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Santa Cruz Cypress 
(Cupressus Abramsiana) for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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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 Santa 
Cruz cypress (Cupressus abramsiana). The Santa Cruz cypress is a tree 
restricted to 5 populations totalling approximately 5,100 individuals 
in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, California.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before August 5, 1997 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola Road, 
Suite B, Ventura, California 93003; and the Santa Cruz Public Library, 
224 Church St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Requests for copies of the draft 
recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan 
should be addressed to Judy Hohman, Acting Field Supervisor, at the 
above Ventura address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Constance Rutherford, Botanist, at the 
above Ventura address, (805) 644-1766.

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 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 
the 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, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 
(Act), 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 the public comment period prior to 
approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. Substantive technical 
comments will result in changes to the plans. Substantive comments 
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in 
changes to the recovery plans, but will be forwarded to appropriate 
Federal or other entities so that they can take these comments into 
account during the course of implementing recovery actions. 
Individualized responses to comments will not be provided.
    The Santa Cruz cypress is a tree in the Cypress family 
(Cupressaceae) currently and historically located in patches within 
coastal chaparral and mixed evergreen forests on sandy or gravelly, 
well drained soils in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, California. 
This species has been threatened by conversion of habitat to 
agriculture, logging, residential development, genetic introgression, 
interruption of natural fire patterns, disease and insect infestations, 
and invasion of alien plant species.
    This plan provides a framework for the recovery of the Santa Cruz 
cypress so that protection by the Act is no longer necessary. To 
accomplish this objective, needed tasks include: protection from 
incompatible land uses (i.e., timber harvest, agriculture, 
developments, recreation), implementation of resource management plans 
that would manage for long-term viability of the populations (i.e., 
mimic natural fire regime, address genetic introgression, and control 
insect infestations), and further research into the biology of the 
species and the threats facing it.

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 this plan.

Authority

    The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered 
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Don Weathers,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 97-14669 Filed 6-5-97; 8:45 am]
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