[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 127 (Friday, July 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40409-40410]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15063]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Pecos 
Sunflower (Helianthus paradoxus)

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 for public review of the draft Recovery Plan for the Pecos 
sunflower (Helianthus paradoxus). The Pecos sunflower is a wetland 
annual plant that grows on wet, alkaline soils at spring seeps, wet 
meadows and pond margins. It has six widely spaced populations in west-
central and eastern New Mexico and west Texas. The Service solicits 
review and comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: The comment period for this proposal closes on August 2, 2004. 
Comments on the draft Recovery Plan must be received by the closing 
date.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft Recovery Plan can obtain 
a copy from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico Ecological 
Services Field Office, 2105 Osuna, NE., Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87113. 
If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments and materials 
concerning this draft Recovery Plan to the Field Supervisor at the 
address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rawles Williams, New Mexico Ecological 
Services Field Office, at the above address; telephone 505/346-2525, 
facsimile 505/346-2542.

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. 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 conservation 
of species, establish criteria for downlisting or delisting them, and 
estimate time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.
    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 
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 Recovery Plans.
    The document submitted for review is the draft Recovery Plan for 
the Pecos sunflower. The species was listed as threatened on October 
20, 1999, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
    The threats facing the survival and recovery of this species are 
the loss and alteration of its wetland habitat due to aquifer 
depletions, diversions of surface water, and filling wetlands for 
conversion to dry land; competition from non-native plant species, 
including Russian olive and saltcedar; excessive livestock grazing; 
and, highway maintenance and mowing. The draft Recovery Plan includes 
scientific information about the species and provides objectives and 
actions needed to delist the species. Recovery activities designed to 
achieve these objectives include identifying and securing core 
conservation habitats essential for the long-term survival of this 
species, continuing life history, population, and habitat studies, 
ensuring compliance with existing regulations, and promoting 
opportunities for voluntary conservation of the species.
    The draft Recovery Plan is being submitted for technical and agency

[[Page 40410]]

review. After consideration of comments received during the review 
period, the Recovery Plan will be submitted for final approval.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the draft Recovery Plan 
described. All comments received by the date specified above will be 
considered prior to approval of the final Recovery Plan.

Authority

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

    Dated: June 15, 2004.
Dom Ciccone,
Acting Regional Director, Region 2.
[FR Doc. 04-15063 Filed 7-1-04; 8:45 am]
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