[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 119 (Monday, June 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 33944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16469]
[[Page 33944]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for
Higgins' Eye Pearly Mussel, Lampsilis higginsi, 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
availability for public review of a technical/agency draft revised
recovery plan for the endangered Higgins' eye pearly mussel, Lampsilis
higginsi. This freshwater mussel is known to presently occur in the
Mississippi River from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, to
approximately the Iowa-Missouri border, near Keokuk, Iowa, with
populations also occurring in the Wisconsin River, downstream of
Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin; St. Croix River downstream of Taylors Falls,
Minnesota-St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin; and Rock River below Steel Dam,
at Milan, Illinois, all tributaries to the Mississippi River. The
Service solicits review and comments from the public on this draft
plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before August 21, 1998 to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Twin Cities Field Office,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4101 East 80th Street, Bloomington,
Minnesota 55125-1665 (telephone 612/725-3548). Written comments and
materials regarding the plan should be addressed to the Field
Supervisor at the above address. Comments and materials received will
be available, by appointment, for public inspection during normal
business hours, at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Gerry Bade, Rock Island Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 4469 48th Avenue Court, Rock Island, Illinois 61201 (telephone
309/793-5800, ext. 520), or contact Mr. Chuck Kjos, Twin Cities Field
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4101 East 80th Street,
Bloomington, Minnesota 55425-1665 (telephone 612/725-3548, ext. 206).
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 federally threatened and endangered species
native to the United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered
necessary for conservation of the species, establish criteria for the
recovery levels for upgrading and recovering 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 public notice and 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 document under review revises the original Higgins' eye pearly
mussel recovery plan, which was approved by the Service in 1983. Since
1983, additional information on the abundance, distribution, biology,
and threats to the species has been developed--for example, the species
is known today to be somewhat more widespread than was known in 1983
and zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), believed today to be a serious
threat to Higgins' eye pearly mussel, did not invade U.S. waters until
the late 1980s. Endangered species recovery planning today incorporates
population concepts and genetic considerations to a greater and more
developed degree than it did in 1983 and statistical methods for
analysis of mussel populations have advanced significantly since that
date. Much recovery work recommended in the 1983 recovery plan remains
valid and needs to continue, but the recovery plan needs revision to
reflect current knowledge and information of the species' present
abundance, distribution, and welfare, as well as actions currently
needed for its recovery. The draft revised recovery plan updates
information on Higgins' eye pearly mussel abundance, distribution,
threats, recommended recovery actions, and recommended criteria for
reclassification to threatened status and delisting.
Higgins' eye pearly mussel is known to presently occur in the
Mississippi River from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, to
approximately the Iowa-Missouri border, near Keokuk, Iowa, with
populations also occurring in the St. Croix River downstream of Taylors
Falls, Minnesota-St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin; Wisconsin River downstream
of Prairie de Sac, Wisconsin; and Rock River below Steel Dam, at Milan,
Illinois, all tributaries to the Mississippi River. Water quality,
navigation, past and present habitat alteration, zebra mussels,
incidental loss via legal and illegal harvest of commercial mussel
species, natural predation, and loss of genetic variability are
addressed in the recovery plan. Recovery efforts will concentrate on
protecting the habitat of areas known to support viable Higgins' eye
pearly mussel populations and on addressing individually the above
identified threats.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan
described. All comments received by the date specified will be
considered prior to approval of the plan. Comments should be sent to
the Field Supervisor, Twin Cities Field Office, at the above address.
Authority
The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: June 15, 1998.
John A. Blankenship,
Assistant Regional Director, IL, IN, MO (Ecological Services), Region
3, Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 98-16469 Filed 6-19-98; 8:45 am]
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