[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 219 (Friday, November 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63487-63488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30337]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of a Draft Revised Recovery Plan for 
Todsen's Pennyroyal (Hedeoma todsenii) 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 announces the availability 
for public review of the draft revised recovery plan for Todsen's 
pennyroyal (Hedeoma todsenii), a plant from the San Andres and 
Sacramento mountains in south-central New Mexico. This species is know 
from 18 sites in pinyon-juniper woodland in Otero and Sierra counties, 
New Mexico. The Service solicits review and comment from the public on 
this draft revised recovery plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft revised recovery plan must be received on 
or before January 12, 1999 to ensure they receive consideration by the 
Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to receive the draft revised recovery plan 
may obtain a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, New Mexico 
Ecological Services Field Office, 2105 Osuna, NE, Albuquerque, New 
Mexico 87113 (Telephone 505/346-2525). Written comments and materials 
regarding the plan should be addressed to the Field Supervisor at the 
above address. Comments and materials received are available for public 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles B. McDonald, Botanist, at the 
address and telephone number (Ext. 112) given above.

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, criteria for 
recognizing the recovery levels for downlisting or delisting them, and 
initial estimates of times and costs to implement the needed recovery 
measures.
    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 public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment be 
provided during recovery

[[Page 63488]]

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.
    Todsen's pennyroyal was listed under the Act as an endangered 
species on January 18, 1981 (46 FR 5729). When listed, it was known 
from only two sites in the San Andres Mountains on the White Sands 
Missile Range in Sierra County, New Mexico. A recovery plan for 
Todsen's pennyroyal was approved in 1985. Subsequent to development of 
the original recovery plan, 15 new sites for the plant were found on 
the western slope of the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County, New 
Mexico. The new sites are on the Lincoln National Forest and on public 
lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The discovery of 
the new sites plus additional new information about the biology and 
ecology of the species have necessitated revision of the original 
recovery plan.
    Recovery will focus on the continuing protection efforts of the 
three Federal agencies responsible for land management of existing 
sites. Additional recovery efforts will focus on research to determine 
the biological and ecological requirements of the species with the goal 
of developing management practices that will ensure the maintenance of 
self-sustaining populations in natural habitat.
    The availability of a draft Todsen's Pennyroyal Revised Recovery 
Plan for review and comment was announced in the Federal Register on 
October 14, 1994 (59 FR 52189). The revised plan, however, was never 
completed and further changes to the plan have been made since then. 
This notice gives the public another opportunity for review and comment 
before the draft revised plan is approved.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the draft Todsen's 
Pennyroyal Revised Recovery Plan. 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: November 2, 1998.
Renne Lohoefener,
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 98-30337 Filed 11-12-98; 8:45 am]
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