[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 68 (Friday, April 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17406-17407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8818]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Agency Draft Indiana Bat (Myotis 
sodalis) Revised Recovery Plan 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 Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of the Agency Draft Indiana Bat (Myotis 
sodalis) Revised Recovery Plan. The species has been documented in 26 
states in eastern North America. The Service solicits review and 
comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the agency draft revised recovery plan must be 
received on or before June 8, 1999 to receive consideration by the 
Service.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft revised recovery plan 
may obtain a copy from the Service's website at www.fws.gov/r3pao/
bat.pdf, or purchase a copy by contacting the Fish and Wildlife 
Reference Service, 5430 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 110, Bethesda, Maryland 
20814 (telephone: 301/492-6403 or 800/582-3421). Written comments and 
materials regarding the plan should be addressed to: Field Supervisor, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 608 East Cherry Street, Room 200, 
Columbia, Missouri 65201 (telephone 573/876-1911). Comments and 
materials received will be available for public inspection by 
appointment, during normal business hours, at the above U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Paul McKenzie at the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service above address, or telephone 573/876-1911, ext. 107.

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 in the United States. Recovery 
plans describe actions considered necessary for conservation of the 
species, establish criteria that identifies recovery levels necessary 
to reclassify to threatened or delist them, and estimate time and cost 
to implement the recovery measures needed. The Service revises existing 
recovery plans to reflect important new biological information (i.e., 
substantially rewriting some portions of the plan) or significant 
conceptual changes that need to be made.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act) as amended 916 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 will also take these comments into account in the 
course of implementing approved recovery plans.
    The document under review is the Agency Draft Indiana Bat (Myotis 
sodalis) Revised Recovery Plan. The species was listed as endangered on 
March 11, 1967 (32 FR 4001), under the Endangered Species Preservation 
Act of October 15, 1966 (80 Stat. 926; 16 U.S.C. 668a[c]). Based on 
censuses taken at hibernacula, the total, known Indiana bat population 
was estimated at 353,000 bats in 1995-1997. This represents a decline 
of about 60 percent since population surveys began in the 1960s. The 
most severe declines have occurred in Kentucky, where 180,000 bats were 
lost between 1960 and 1997, and in Missouri, where 250,000 bats were 
lost between 1980 and 1997.
    Indiana bats winter in caves or mines that satisfy their highly 
specific needs

[[Page 17407]]

for cold (but not freezing) temperatures during hibernation. The fact 
that Indiana bats congregate and form large aggregations in only a 
small percentage of known caves suggests that very few caves meet their 
requirements. Exclusion of Indiana bats from hibernacula by blockage of 
entrances, gates that do not allow for bat flight or proper air flow, 
and human disturbance to hibernating bats have been major documented 
causes of Indiana bat declines.
    During the summer, Indiana bats roost in trees and forage for 
insects primarily in riparian and upland forest. The most important 
characteristics of roost trees are probably structural (i.e., 
exfoliating bark with space for bats to roost between the bark and the 
bole of the tree). To a limited extent, tree cavities and crevices are 
also used for roosting. Maternity colonies use multiple primary roost 
trees which are used by a majority of the bats most of the summer, and 
a number of ``secondary'' roosts that are used intermittently and by 
fewer bats, especially during periods of precipitation or extreme 
temperatures. Thus, there may be more than a dozen roosts used by some 
Indiana bat maternity colonies. Indiana bats feed exclusively on flying 
insects.
    The Indiana Bat Recovery Plan was approved by the Service in 1983. 
In October 1966, the Service solicited input from Service personnel, 
species experts, and state agencies within the range of the species on 
the Technical Draft Indiana Bat Revised Recovery Plan, prepared by the 
Indiana Bat Recovery Team. The agency draft incorporates most of the 
comments and suggestions received on the technical draft. The agency 
draft identifies priority research tasks that will help determine the 
limiting factors for the species. This is essential before adequate 
steps can be taken to halt the continued decline in the species' 
numbers. The current agency draft reflects an increased emphasis on 
necessary following discussions among members of the Indiana Bat 
Recovery Team and comments received from reviewers of the technical 
draft.
    The primary objectives of the agency draft revised recovery plan 
are to: (1) Summarize research findings that have accumulated since the 
original plan was approved in 1983, (2) identify priority research 
tasks intended to pinpoint reasons for the species' continued 
precipitous decline, and (3) establish realistic objectives that will 
lead to the recovery and eventual delisting of the species. The species 
may be reclassified to threatened following documentation of stable or 
increasing populations for three consecutive census periods (6 years) 
and permanent protection [i.e., public ownership or long-term easement/
lease, and gate/fence [where necessary and feasible)] at all Priority 
One hibernacula. Delisting will be considered when the reclassification 
criteria are met, in addition to protection and documentation of stable 
or increasing populations for three consecutive census periods at 50 
percent of the Priority Two hibernacula in each state, and the overall 
population level must be restored to that of 1980. The year 1980 was 
chosen as the baseline for the Indiana bat because some of the 
currently known major hibernacula were not known prior to 1980, and it 
is the first year that systematic surveys were conducted at all major 
hibernation sites. In addition, the 1980 level is believed to be 
sufficient to maintain enough genetic diversity to enable the species 
to persist over a large geographical area and avoid extinction.

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 the revised recovery plan.

Authority

    The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered 
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

    Dated: April 2, 1999.
Charles M. Wooley,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3, Fort 
Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 99-8818 Filed 4-8-99; 8:45 am]
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