[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 47 (Monday, March 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 11046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4367]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Post-delisting Monitoring Plan for Eggert's Sunflower (Helianthus 
eggertii)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability 
of the Post-delisting Monitoring Plan for Eggert's sunflower 
(Helianthus eggertii) (Monitoring Plan). The status of Eggert's 
sunflower will be monitored over a 5-year period from 2006 through 
2010, through annual evaluation of information routinely being 
collected by seven agencies that have entered into long-term management 
agreements with us covering 27 populations of Eggert's sunflowers, 
combined with a total census of these populations during the second and 
fifth year of the monitoring period.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Monitoring Plan are available by request from 
the Field Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service, 446 Neal Street, 
Cookeville, Tennessee 38501 (telephone 931-528-6481; fax: 931-528-
7074). This Monitoring Plan is also available on the World Wide Web at 
http://www.fws.gov/cookeville.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Geoff Call, Recovery Coordinator, at 
the above Cookeville address, at [email protected], or at 931/528-
6481, extension 213.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Eggert's sunflower is a perennial member of the aster family 
(Asteraceae) known only from Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The 
species is commonly associated with the barrens/woodland ecosystem. It 
occurs on rolling-to-flat uplands and in full sun or partial shade. It 
is often found in open fields or in thickets along woodland borders and 
with other tall herbs and small trees. It persists in, and may even 
invade, roadsides, power line rights-of-way, or fields that have 
suitable open habitat.
    Eggert's sunflower was listed as threatened under the Endangered 
Species Act (Act) on May 22, 1997 (62 FR 27973). At the time of 
listing, there were 34 known Eggert's sunflower sites occurring in 1 
site in 1 county in Alabama, 13 sites in 5 counties in Kentucky, and 20 
sites in 8 counties in Tennessee. When the Recovery Plan for this 
species was finalized in 1999, there was 1 known site in Alabama, 27 
sites in 6 counties in Kentucky, and 203 sites in 12 counties in 
Tennessee. Presently, there are 287 known Eggert's sunflower sites 
distributed across 3 counties in Alabama, 9 counties in Kentucky, and 
15 counties in Tennessee.
    On August 18, 2005, we published a final rule removing Eggert's 
sunflower from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 
and Plants (70 FR 48482). Our decision to delist this species was based 
on a review of all available data, which indicated that the species was 
more widespread and abundant than was documented at the time of 
listing, was more resilient and less vulnerable to certain activities 
than previously thought, and is now protected on Federal, State, and 
county lands.
    Section 4(g)(1) of the Act requires that we implement a system, in 
cooperation with the States, to monitor all species that have been 
delisted, or removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife and Plants, due to recovery for at least 5 years following 
delisting. The purpose of this post-delisting monitoring is to verify 
that a species delisted due to recovery remains secure from risk of 
extinction after it no longer has the protections of the Act. In 
keeping with that mandate, we developed this Monitoring Plan in 
cooperation with the States of Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. We are 
responsible for compliance with section 4(g) and must remain actively 
engaged in all phases of the post-delisting monitoring.
    The Draft Post-delisting Monitoring Plan for Eggert's sunflower was 
available for public comment from August 18, 2005 through September 19, 
2005 (70 FR 48577). The only response we received was from the State of 
Tennessee, which supported the plan. Since we had no additional 
information provided to us during the comment period, we have finalized 
the Post-delisting Monitoring Plan with no changes from the draft.
    The Monitoring Plan is designed to track the population status of 
Eggert's sunflower by using information routinely collected by our 
partners on a yearly basis as well as a total population census during 
the second and fifth years of the monitoring period for the 27 
populations that occur on public lands. We will also annually evaluate 
the effectiveness of the Cooperative Management Agreements in 
protecting Eggert's sunflower populations on these public lands.
    If we determine at the end of the 5-year post-delisting monitoring 
period that ``recovered'' status is still appropriate and factors that 
led to the listing of Eggert's sunflower, or any new factors, remain 
sufficiently reduced or eliminated, monitoring may be reduced or 
terminated. If data show that the species is declining or if one or 
more factors that have the potential to cause a decline are identified, 
we will continue monitoring beyond the 5-year period and may modify the 
Monitoring Plan based on an evaluation of the results of the initial 
Monitoring Plan, or reinitiate listing if necessary.

Author

    The primary author of this proposed rule is Geoff Call (see 
ADDRESSES section).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: December 19, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E7-4367 Filed 3-9-07; 8:45 am]
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