[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 27 (Thursday, February 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9592-9593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3370]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Quino 
Checkerspot Butterfly for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the 
availability for public review of a draft recovery plan for the Quino 
checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino). The Quino checkerspot 
butterfly represents a subspecies that is currently restricted 
primarily to clay and granitic soils at lower elevation slopes 
typically below 1400 meters (4600 feet) in open scrub, chaparral, and 
woodland communities. The populations addressed in this recovery plan 
are found in western Riverside County and southern San Diego County 
proximal to the Mexico international border. The Service solicits 
review and comment from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the 
public on this draft recovery plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before March 26, 2001 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: The draft recovery plan is available for public inspection 
by appointment during normal business hours at the Service's Carlsbad 
Fish and Wildlife Office, 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, California, 
92008. Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain a 
copy by contacting the Field Supervisor (attention Jim Bartel) at the 
above address or by calling (760) 431-9440. Comments and materials 
should be submitted to the above address and are available on request 
for public inspection by appointment at the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife 
Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alison Anderson at the Service's 
Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, 
California, 92008. Telephone: (760) 431-9440.

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. Recovery 
plans describe actions considered necessary for conservation of the 
species, establish criteria for the recovery levels for downlisting and 
delisting species, and estimate time and cost for implementing the 
recovery measures needed.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (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 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.

[[Page 9593]]

Individual responses to comments will not be provided
    The Quino checkerspot is found in association with topographically 
diverse landscapes that contain low to moderate levels of non-native 
vegetation. Vegetation types that support the Quino checkerspot are 
coastal sage scrub, open chaparral, juniper woodland, forblands, and 
native grassland. Soil and climatic conditions, as well as ecological 
and physical factors, affect the suitability of habitat within the 
species' range. Urban and agricultural development, invasion of non-
native species, habitat fragmentation and degradation, increased fire 
frequency, and other human-caused disturbances have resulted in 
substantial losses of habitat throughout the species' historic range. 
Conservation needs include protection and management of suitable and 
restorable habitat; habitat restoration and enhancement; and 
establishment of Quino checkerspot captive breeding program. This plan 
identifies six Recovery Units. Recovery Units are geographically 
bounded areas containing extant Quino checkerspot populations that are 
the focus of recovery actions or tasks. Recovery Units include lands 
both essential and not essential to the long-term conservation of the 
Quino checkerspot.
    The overall objective of this recovery plan is to reclassify the 
Quino checkerspot to threatened and ensure the species' long-term 
conservation. Interim goals include (1) protect habitat supporting 
known current population distributions (habitat complexes), and (2) 
stabilize populations within known population distributions (described 
habitat complexes), and (3) conduct research necessary to refine 
recovery criteria. Reclassification is appropriate when a taxon is no 
longer in danger throughout a significant portion of its range.
    Downlisting of the Quino checkerspot butterfly in southern 
California is contingent upon the following criteria: (1) Permanently 
protect habitat patches supporting known extant population 
distributions (habitat complexes) and possible landscape connectivity 
areas among them, (2) Permanently provide for and implement management 
of described habitat complexes to restore habitat quality, including 
maintenance of hostplant populations, maintenance of diverse nectar 
sources and pollinators, control of non-native plant invasion, and 
maintenance of internal landscape connectivity, (3) Establish and 
maintain a captive propagation program for purposes of re-introduction 
and augmentation of wild populations, maintenance of refugia 
populations, and research, (4) Initiate and implement a cooperative 
educational outreach program targeting areas where Quino checkerspot 
populations are most threatened, (5) Two additional populations or 
metapopulations must be documented or introduced in the remaining 
undeveloped coastal areas of the Quino checkerspot's historic range, 
(6) The managed, protected population or metapopulation segments within 
currently described habitat complexes must demonstrate stability 
(constancy or resilience) without augmentation, and (7) conduct 
research needed to refine management strategies and to develop 
delisting criteria.
    The draft plan was developed with primary contributions from a 
recovery team of scientists from the University of California at 
Riverside, the University of California at Los Angeles, RECON Inc. (San 
Diego), the University of Nevada at Reno, and the University of Texas 
(Austin) with expertise in different aspects of Euphydryas editha 
biology.

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: January 11, 2001.
Michael J. Spear,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Region 1, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 01-3370 Filed 2-6-01; 1:16 pm]
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