[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66477-66478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29527]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of a Final Supplement and Amendment to the 
1998 Final Revised Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Plan--Recovery Criteria 
and Estimates of Time for Recovery Actions for the Sonoran Pronghorn

AGENCY: 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 of a Final Supplement and Amendment to the 1998 Final 
Revised Sonoran Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) Recovery 
Plan (Recovery Plan). In the U.S., the species is currently known to 
occur on Federal lands in Maricopa, Pima, and Yuma counties in 
southwestern Arizona. The Final Supplement and Amendment reassesses 
recovery criteria from the Recovery Plan, relates recovery actions to 
the five listing factors of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and 
assigns a timeline to recovery actions.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to obtain a copy of the Final Supplement and 
Amendment may do so by accessing the Service's Arizona Ecological 
Service Field Office internet web page at Arizonaes.fws.gov or 
contacting John Morgart, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 1611 North Second Avenue, Ajo, Arizona 85321 
(520/387-4989 Direct; 520/387-6483 Refuge Office; 520/387-5359 Fax; 
[email protected] e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Morgart (see ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant species 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 prepares 
recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the United 
States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for 
conservation of species, including criteria for downlisting or 
delisting, and time and cost estimates for implementing the recommended 
recovery measures.
    In a recent court decision (Civil Action No. 99-927 (ESH)), the 
judge ruled that the 1998 Final Revised Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Plan 
``* * * fails to establish (1) objective measurable criteria which, 
when met, would result in a determination that the pronghorn may be 
removed from the list of endangered species or, if such criteria are 
not practicable, an explanation of that conclusion and (2) estimates of 
the time required to carry out those measures needed to achieve the 
plan's goal and to achieve intermediate steps toward that goal where 
practicable, or, if such estimates are not practicable, an explanation 
of that conclusion.'' The Court ordered the Service to reconsider these 
portions of the Recovery Plan. The deadline for completion of this task 
was extended three times, with a final deadline of January 15, 2002.
    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (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

[[Page 66478]]

comment be provided during recovery plan development. On September 25, 
2001, a 60-day public review and comment period for the Draft 
Supplement and Amendment to the 1998 Final Revised Sonoran Pronghorn 
Recovery Plan was initiated. The Final Supplement and Amendment 
considers all information received during the public comment period. In 
addition, the Service and other Federal agencies will take these 
comments into account in the course of implementing recovery 
activities.
    The Final Supplement and Amendment to the 1998 Final Revised 
Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Plan updates selected biological sections of 
the Recovery Plan, addresses the five listing factors mandated by 
section 4(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, reassesses 
recovery criteria presented in the Recovery Plan, and where 
practicable, provides estimates of time necessary to carry out measures 
needed to effect recovery of Sonoran pronghorn as articulated in the 
Recovery Plan. The Final Supplement and Amendment to the 1998 Final 
Revised Recovery Plan was developed by the Service in coordination with 
an appointed Recovery Team that includes a group of scientists and 
agency biologists with expertise in Sonoran pronghorn ecology. The 
Final Supplement and Amendment to the Recovery Plan has undergone peer 
review by scientists, conservation biologists, range experts, and 
others experienced in reviewing recovery plans, and incorporates their 
comments where applicable.

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

    Dated: February 26, 2003.
David Yazzie,
Acting Regional Director.

    Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the 
Federal Register on November 21, 2003.


[FR Doc. 03-29527 Filed 11-25-03; 8:45 am]
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