[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 151 (Friday, August 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47950-47951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17975]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Hungerford's Crawling Water Beetle 
(Brychius hungerfordi) Draft Recovery Plan for Review and Comment

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 
availability for public review of the draft recovery plan for the 
Hungerford's crawling water beetle (Brychius hungerfordi), a species 
that is federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The purpose of this 
plan is to recover this species so that it can be removed from the list 
of Threatened and Endangered Species. The species is only known to 
occur at four sites in Michigan and one site in Ontario, Canada. The 
Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before September 7, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft recovery plan may obtain 
a copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Ecological Services Field Office, 2651 Coolidge Road, Suite 
101, East Lansing, Michigan 48823-6316 (telephone (517) 351-2555) or by 
accessing the Web site: http://midwest.fws.gov/Endangered.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Carrie Tansy at the above address 
and telephone (ext. 289). TTY users may contact Ms. Tansy through the 
Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

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 federally listed threatened and endangered species 
native to the United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered 
necessary for conservation of the species, establish criteria for 
reclassification and delisting, and provide estimates of the time and 
costs for implementing the recovery measures.
    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, as amended in 1988, 
requires that public notice and 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 consideration in 
the course of implementing approved recovery plans.
    Hungerford's crawling water beetle was listed as endangered on 
March 7, 1994. At the time of its listing, this species was known to 
occur at only three locations--two in Michigan and one in Ontario, 
Canada. Since then, two additional sites in Michigan have been 
discovered. The distribution of this species prior to its discovery in 
1952 is not known. Currently, only one site is believed to support a 
stable population of the species. The species occurs in low numbers at 
the other four sites, and the status of these populations is not known. 
Hungerford's crawling water beetle is an aquatic species that is found 
in streams downstream from culverts, beaver and natural debris dams, 
and human-made impoundments. It is found in areas of streams with good 
aeration, moderate to fast flow, inorganic substrate, and alkaline 
water conditions. Very little information is available on the life 
history and habitat requirements of this species. Threats appear to be 
related to habitat alteration and degradation of water quality, and may 
include habitat modification, fish management activities, and human 
disturbance. Factors limiting the species distribution are not known. 
The small size and limited distribution of Hungerford's crawling water 
beetle make it vulnerable to chance demographic and environmental 
events. The draft recovery plan recommends research to examine 
important

[[Page 47951]]

components of the species' biology and ecology that will contribute 
greatly to the recovery program.
    Hungerford's crawling water beetle will be considered for 
downlisting to threatened status when the likelihood of the species 
becoming extinct in the foreseeable future has been eliminated by the 
achievement of the following interim criteria: (1) Life history, 
ecology, population biology, and habitat requirements are understood 
well enough to fully identify threats; and (2) a minimum of four U.S. 
populations, in at least two different watersheds, have had stable or 
increasing populations for at least 10 years.
    Hungerford's crawling water beetle will be considered for delisting 
when the likelihood of the species becoming threatened in the 
foreseeable future has been eliminated by the achievement of the 
following interim criteria: (1) Identify and protect habitat necessary 
for long-term survival and recovery; and (2) a minimum of four U.S. 
populations, in at least two different watersheds, are sufficiently 
secure and adequately managed to assure long-term viability. The 
recovery criteria are interim because further research is needed to 
make them fully measurable. As new information about the species 
becomes available, and if new populations of the species are 
discovered, the recovery criteria will be revised. Additional detail on 
downlisting and delisting criteria is available in the draft recovery 
plan.
    These criteria will be met through the following actions: (1) 
Protect known sites; (2) conduct scientific research to facilitate 
recovery; (3) conduct additional surveys and monitor existing sites; 
(4) develop and implement public education and outreach; (5) revise 
recovery criteria and recovery tasks, as appropriate, based on research 
and new information; and (6) develop a plan to monitor B. hungerfordi 
after it is delisted.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the draft recovery plan. 
All comments received by the date specified will be considered prior to 
approval of the plan. Written comments and materials regarding the plan 
should be sent to the Field Supervisor, Ecological Services Field 
Office (see ADDRESSES section). Comments received will be available for 
public inspection by appointment during normal business hours.

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

    Dated: July 23, 2004.
Mr. Robert Krska,
Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3.
[FR Doc. 04-17975 Filed 8-5-04; 8:45 am]
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