[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 61 (Thursday, March 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16176-16177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4616]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 5-Year Review of 
Five Midwestern Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of review.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 
5-year review of gray bat (Myotis grisecens), Iowa Pleistocene snail 
(Discus macclintocki), decurrent false aster (Boltonia decurrens), 
Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), and western prairie fringed 
orchid (Platanthera praeclara) under section 4(c)(2)(A) of the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). We 
request any information on the aforementioned species since their 
original listings that has a bearing on their classification as 
threatened or endangered.
    A 5-year review is a periodic process conducted to ensure that the 
classification of a listed species is appropriate. It is based on the 
best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the 
review. We will make a finding of whether these species are properly 
classified under section 4(c)(2)(B) of the Act, based on the results of 
these 5-year reviews.

DATES: Information must be received no later than May 30, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit information to the appropriate U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service office. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for complete addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    1. Gray bat: Dr. Paul McKenzie, Columbia Ecological Services Field 
Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone (573) 234-2132, extension 107; 
facsimile (573) 234-2181.
    2. Iowa Pleistocene snail: Ms. Cathy Henry, Driftless Area National 
Wildlife Refuge (see ADDRESSES); telephone (563) 873-3423; facsimile 
(563) 873-3803.
    3. Decurrent false aster: Ms. Jody Millar, Rock Island Ecological 
Services Field Office (See ADDRESSES); telephone (309) 793-5800; 
facsimile (309) 793-5804.
    4. Pitcher's thistle: Mr. Mike DeCapita, East Lansing Ecological 
Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone (517) 351-2555; 
facsimile (517) 351-1443.
    5. Western prairie fringed orchid: Mr. Phil Delphey, Twin Cities 
Ecological Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone (612) 725-
3548, extension 206; facsimile (612) 725-3609.
    Individuals who are hearing impaired or speech impaired may call 
the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8337 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Act, the Service maintains a list 
of endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species (List) at 50 
CFR 17.11 and 17.12. Amendments to the List through final rules are 
published in the Federal Register. The Lists of wildlife and plants are 
available on our Internet site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/wildlife/html#species. Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Act requires that we 
conduct a review of listed species at least once every five years. 
Section 4(c)(2)(B) requires that we determine (1) Whether a species no 
longer meets the definition of threatened or endangered and should be 
removed from the List (delisted); (2) whether a species more properly 
meets the definition of threatened and should be reclassified from 
endangered to threatened; or (3) whether a species more properly meets 
the definition of endangered and should be reclassified from threatened 
to endangered. Using the best scientific and commercial data available, 
a species will be considered for delisting if the data substantiates 
that the species is neither endangered nor threatened for one or more 
of the following reasons: (1) The species is considered extinct; (2) 
the species is considered to be recovered; and/or (3) the original data 
available when the species was listed, or the interpretation of such 
data, were in error. Any change in Federal classification requires a 
separate rulemaking process. The regulations in 50 CFR 424.21 require 
that we publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing those 
species currently under active review. This notice announces our active 
review of gray bat, Iowa Pleistocene snail, decurrent false aster, 
Pitcher's thistle, and western prairie fringed orchid. Table 1 provides 
a summary of the listing information for the species under active 
review.

[[Page 16177]]



                                      Table 1.--Listing Information Summary
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           Common name              Scientific name         Status          Historic range        Final rule
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Gray bat........................  Myotis grisescens.  Endangered........  Central and         Apr. 28, 1976
                                                                           Southeastern       (41 FR 17736)
                                                                           U.S.A.
Iowa Pleistocene snail..........  Discus              Endangered........  U.S.A. (IA).......  July 3, 1978
                                   macclintocki.                                              (43 FR 28932)
Decurrent false aster...........  Boltonia decurrens  Threatened........  U.S.A. (IL, MO)...  Nov. 14, 1988
                                                                                              (53 FR 45858)
Pitcher's thistle...............  Cirsium pitcheri..  Threatened........  U.S.A. (IL, IN,     July 18, 1988
                                                                           MI, WI) Canada     (53 FR 27137)
                                                                           (ON.).
Western prairie fringed orchid..  Platanthera         Threatened........  U.S.A. (IA, MN,     Sept. 28, 1989
                                   praeclara.                              MO, NE, ND, OK,    (54 FR 39857)
                                                                           KS, SD), Canada
                                                                           (MB)
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Public Solicitation of New Information

    To ensure that the 5-year reviews are complete and based on the 
best available scientific and commercial information, we are soliciting 
new information from the public, concerned governmental agencies, 
tribes, the scientific community, industry, environmental entities, and 
any other interested parties concerning the status of the species 
identified in Table 1. A 5-year review considers the best scientific 
and commercial data and all new information that has become available 
since the listing determination or most recent status review. Requested 
information includes (A) Species biology, including but not limited to, 
population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics; 
(B) habitat conditions, including but not limited to, amount, 
distribution, and suitability; (C) conservation measures that have been 
implemented that benefit the species; (D) threat status and trends; and 
(E) other new information, data, or corrections, including but not 
limited to, taxonomic or nomenclature changes, identification of 
erroneous information contained in the List, and improved analytical 
methods.
    You may submit your comments and materials to the appropriate Field 
Supervisor or Refuge Manager (see ADDRESSES below) no later than the 
close of the comment period (see DATES) to allow us adequate time to 
conduct these 5-year reviews. If you do not respond to this request for 
information, but subsequently possess information on the status of any 
of these species, we are eager to receive new information regarding 
federally listed species at any time.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Respondents may request that we withhold a respondent's 
identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name or 
address, you must state this request prominently at the beginning of 
your comment. We will not, however, consider anonymous comments. To the 
extent consistent with applicable law, we will make all submissions 
from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety. 
Information received in response to this notice and review will be 
available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business 
hours (see ADDRESSES below).
    Submit information to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Ecological Services Field Supervisor or Driftless Area National 
Wildlife Refuge Manager at the following ADDRESSES:
    1. Gray bat: Columbia Ecological Services Field Office, 101 Park 
DeVille Drive, Suite A, Columbia, Missouri 65203-0057.
    2. Iowa Pleistocene snail: Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge, 
P.O. Box 460, McGregor, Iowa 52157.
    3. Decurrent false aster: Rock Island Ecological Services Field 
Office, 4469-48th Avenue Court, Rock Island, Illinois 61201.
    4. Pitcher's thistle: East Lansing Ecological Services Field 
Office, 2651 Coolidge Road, Suite 101, East Lansing, Michigan 48823-
6316.
    5. Western prairie fringed orchid: Twin Cities Ecological Services 
Field Office, 4101 East 80th Street, Bloomington, Minnesota 55425-1665.

    Authority: This document is published under the authority of the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: March 9, 2006.
Lynn M. Lewis,
Deputy Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3.
 [FR Doc. E6-4616 Filed 3-29-06; 8:45 am]
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