[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 55447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20686]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Re-opening of the Comment Period for the Draft Recovery Plan for 
the Pecos Sunflower

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

ACTION: Notice of re-opening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 
re-opening of the comment period for public review of the draft 
Recovery Plan for the Pecos sunflower (Helianthus paradoxus) for an 
additional 30 days. The original comment period was open from July 2, 
2004, to August 2, 2004. We are re-opening the comment period in 
response to specific requests from the Texas Department of 
Transportation, the Bureau of Land Management, and Laguna Pueblo to 
allow additional time for public review of this draft Recovery Plan. 
This draft Recovery Plan includes recovery criteria and measures for 
the conservation of Pecos sunflower.

DATES: Comments on the draft Recovery Plan must be received on or 
before October 14, 2004.

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. 
Requests for copies of the draft Recovery Plan and written comments and 
materials regarding the draft Recovery Plan should be addressed to the 
Field Supervisor at the above address. An electronic copy of this draft 
Recovery Plan is also available at: http://www.fws.gov.

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.
    On July 2, 2004, we published a Notice of Availability of the Draft 
Recovery Plan for the Pecos sunflower, opening a 30-day public comment 
period that ended on August 2, 2004. We received requests from the 
Texas Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Land Management, and 
the Laguna Pueblo to extend the comment period so that they might more 
thoroughly review the plan. Based on these requests, we have re-opened 
the comment period for 30 days for public review of this draft Recovery 
Plan.
    The Pecos sunflower is a wetland annual plant that grows on wet, 
alkaline soils at spring seeps, wet meadows and pond margins in New 
Mexico and West Texas. 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 
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: August 18, 2004.
Bryan Arroyo,
Acting Regional Director, Region 2,
[FR Doc. 04-20686 Filed 9-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P