[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 179 (Tuesday, September 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 54242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-23536]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of the Recovery Plan for the Northern Idaho Ground 
Squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus)

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 (``we''), announce the 
availability of the final Recovery Plan for the Northern Idaho Ground 
Squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus), a subspecies that is 
federally listed as threatened. This subspecies is known to exist only 
in Adams and Valley Counties of western Idaho and numbers about 500 
individuals.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the recovery plan are available by written request 
addressed to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Snake River Fish and Wildlife Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise, Idaho 
83709 (telephone: 208-378-5243). An electronic version of this recovery 
plan is also available at: http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Howard or Ray Vizgirdas at the 
above Boise address (telephone: 208-378-5243).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Recovery of endangered or threatened animals and plants is a 
primary goal of our endangered species program and the Endangered 
Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Recovery means improvement 
of the status of listed species to the point at which listing is no 
longer appropriate under the criteria set out in section 4(a)(1) of the 
Act. 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 measures needed for recovery.
    The 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 requires that public notice 
and an opportunity for public review and comment be provided during 
recovery plan development. The draft recovery plan for the northern 
Idaho ground squirrel was available for public comment from July 15, 
2002, through September 13, 2002 (67 FR 46440). Information presented 
during the public comment period has been considered in the preparation 
of this final recovery plan, and is summarized in an appendix to the 
recovery plan. We will forward substantive comments regarding recovery 
plan implementation to appropriate Federal or other entities so that 
they can take these comments into account during the course of 
implementing recovery actions.
    The northern Idaho ground squirrel was listed as threatened on 
April 5, 2000 (65 FR 17779). This subspecies is known to exist only in 
Adams and Valley Counties of western-central Idaho. The entire range of 
this subspecies is about 32 by 108 kilometers (20 by 61 miles), and as 
of 2002, the subspecies existed at 29 of 42 known population sites 
(colonies). The northern Idaho ground squirrel is known to occur in 
shallow, dry, rocky meadows usually associated with deeper, well-
drained soils and surrounded by ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests 
at elevations of about 915 to 1,650 meters (3,000 to 5,400 feet). The 
primary threat to this subspecies is habitat loss due to forest 
encroachment into former suitable meadow habitat. Forest encroachment 
results in habitat fragmentation, eliminates dispersal corridors, and 
confines the northern Idaho ground squirrel populations into small, 
isolated habitat islands that eventually can result in local 
extirpation.
    The objective of this plan is to provide a framework for the 
recovery of the northern Idaho ground squirrel so that protection by 
the Act is no longer necessary. Recovery is contingent upon protecting 
and managing present northern Idaho ground squirrel habitat, modifying 
adjacent habitats to make them favorable for population increases, and 
to provide adequate corridors for exchange between populations.
    The recovery objectives for the northern Idaho ground squirrel are: 
(1) At least 10 functioning metapopulations, each with an effective 
population size that is greater than 500 individuals for 5 consecutive 
years, throughout the probable historical distribution in Adams and 
Valley Counties; (2) the area occupied by each potential metapopulation 
is protected; (3) plans have been completed for the continued 
ecological management of habitats for all potential metapopulation 
sites; and (4) a post-delisting monitoring plan covering all potential 
metapopulation sites has been completed and is ready for 
implementation.

Authority

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

    Dated: August 1, 2003.
Carolyn A. Bohan,
Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 03-23536 Filed 9-15-03; 8:45 am]
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