[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42676-42677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20374]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Pacific 
Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover for Review and Comment

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of the Draft Recovery Plan for the 
Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover. This recovery 
plan covers the threatened Pacific coast population of the western 
snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus). The draft plan includes 
recovery criteria and measures for the Pacific coast population of the 
western snowy plover.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before December 12, 2001.

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, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2605, Sacramento, California 
(telephone (916) 414-6600); and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Regional Office, Ecological Services, 911 N.E. 11th Avenue, Eastside 
Federal Complex, Portland Oregon 97232-4181 (telephone (503) 231-6131). 
Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and written comments and 
materials regarding this plan should be addressed to Wayne S. White, 
Field Supervisor, Ecological Services, at the above Sacramento address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmen Thomas or Ina Pisani, Fish and 
Wildlife Biologists, 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

[[Page 42677]]

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. Individual 
responses to comments will not be provided.
    The Pacific coast western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus 
nivosus) breeding population currently extends from Damon Point, 
Washington, to Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico. Snowy plovers 
(Pacific coast population) breed primarily above the high tide line on 
coastal beaches, sand spits, dune-backed beaches, sparsely-vegetated 
dunes, beaches at creek and river mouths, and salt pans at lagoons and 
estuaries. Less common nesting habitats include bluff-backed beaches, 
dredged material disposal sites, salt pond levees, dry salt ponds, and 
river bars. The snowy plover winters mainly in coastal areas from 
southern Washington to Central America. In winter, snowy plovers are 
found on many of the beaches used for nesting as well as beaches where 
they do not nest, in man-made salt ponds, and on estuarine sand and mud 
flats. Habitat degradation caused by human disturbance, urban 
development, introduced beachgrass (Ammophila spp.), and expanding 
predator populations have resulted in a decline in active nesting areas 
and in the size of the breeding and wintering populations.
    The primary objective of this recovery plan is to remove the 
Pacific coast western snowy plover population from the List of 
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants by achieving well-
distributed increases in numbers and productivity of breeding adult 
birds, and providing for long-term protection of breeding and wintering 
plovers and their habitat. Specific actions needed to achieve this 
objective include (1) protection of breeding and wintering habitat; (2) 
monitoring and managing breeding habitat; (3) monitoring and managing 
wintering and migration areas; (4) undertaking scientific research that 
facilitates recovery efforts; (5) public participation, outreach and 
education; and (6) establishing an international conservation program 
with the Mexican government to protect snowy plovers and their breeding 
and wintering locations in Mexico.

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.
    Below is a schedule of public outreach workshops:

September 18: Santa Barbara, California, at the Radisson Hotel from 1-3 
and 6-8 p.m.
September 19: South Bend, Washington, at the South Bend Community 
Center from 1-3 and 7-9 p.m.
September 24: Marin City, California, at the Marin City High School 
auditorium from 1-3 and 6-8 p.m.
September 25: Monterey, California, at the Monterey Conference Center 
from 1-3 and 6-8 p.m. Bandon, Oregon, at the Barn Community Center from 
6-8 p.m.
September 26: Florence, Oregon, at the Convention Center from 6-8 p.m.
September 27: San Luis Obispo, California, at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 
from 1-3 and 6-8 p.m.
October 3 Arcata, California, at the Arcata Community Center from 3-5 
and 7-9 pm.

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

    Dated: August 7, 2001.
John Engbring,
Acting Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Region 1, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 01-20374 Filed 8-13-01; 8:45 am]
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