[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 127 (Friday, July 2, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36033-36034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16850]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Giant Garter Snake 
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 announces the availability 
for public review of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Giant Garter 
Snake. This recovery plan includes the threatened giant garter snake 
(Thamnophis gigas). Additional species of concern that will benefit 
from recovery actions taken for the giant garter snake are also 
discussed in the draft recovery plan. The draft plan includes recovery 
criteria and measures for the giant garter snake.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before August 31, 1999.

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, Sacramento Fish and 
Wildlife Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, 
California (telephone (916) 979-2710). Requests for copies of the draft 
recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan 
should be addressed to the Field Supervisor, Ecological Services, at 
the above Sacramento address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Miller, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above Sacramento address.

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 downlisting or 
delisting listed species, and estimate time and cost for implementing 
the recovery measures needed.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973, 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 plan. Substantive comments 
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in 
changes to the recovery plan, 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 giant garter snake is an endemic species of wetlands in the 
Central Valley of California. Historically, giant garter snakes were 
found in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys from the vicinity of 
Butte County southward to Buena Vista Lake, near Bakersfield in Kern 
County. Today, populations of the giant garter snake are found in the 
Sacramento Valley and isolated portions of the San Joaquin Valley. They 
historically inhabited natural wetlands and now occupy a variety of 
agricultural, managed, and natural wetlands including their waterways 
and adjacent uplands. This species is threatened by historic wetland 
habitat loss and resulting habitat fragmentation, and by continuing 
urban expansion.
    The objective of this recovery plan is to delist the giant garter 
snake through implementation of a variety of recovery measures 
including (1) habitat protection; (2) public participation,

[[Page 36034]]

outreach and education; (3) habitat management and restoration; (4) 
surveying and monitoring; and (5) research.

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).

    Dated: June 28, 1999.
Elizabeth H. Stevens,
California/Nevada Operations Manager, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 99-16850 Filed 7-1-99; 8:45 am]
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