[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 80 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20866-20868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8006]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 5-Year Review of 
22 Southeastern Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service is initiating 5-year reviews of 
the Southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris), rice 
rat (Oryzomys palustris natator), Florida salt marsh vole (Microtus 
pennsylvanicus dukecampbelli), Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana 
smalli), Florida grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum 
floridanus), Atlantic salt marsh snake (Nerodia clarkii taeniata), 
Schaus swallowtail butterfly (Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus), 
Squirrel Chimney Cave shrimp (Palaemonetes cummingi), Florida bonamia 
(Bonamia grandiflora), pigeon wings (Clitoria fragrans), short-leaved 
rosemary (Conradina brevifolia), Rugel's pawpaw (Deeringothamnus 
rugelii), longspurred mint (Dicerandra cornutissima), Lakela's mint 
(Dicerandra immaculata), scrub buckwheat (Eriogonum longifolium var. 
gnaphalifolium), Telephus spurge (Euphorbia telephioides), Highlands 
scrub hypericum (Hypericum cumulicola), scrub lupine (Lupinus 
aridorum), papery whitlow-wort (Paronychia chartacea), Miccosukee 
gooseberry (Ribes echinellum), Cooley's meadowrue (Thalictrum cooleyi), 
and Carter's mustard (Warea carteri), under section 4(c)(2) of the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as amended 
(Act). The purpose of reviews conducted under this section of

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the Act is to ensure that the classification of species as threatened 
or endangered on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and 
Plants (50 CFR 17.11 and 17.12) is accurate. A 5-year review is an 
assessment of the best scientific and commercial data available at the 
time of the review.

DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, information 
submitted for our consideration must be received on or before June 25, 
2007. However, we will continue to accept new information about any 
listed species at any time.

ADDRESSES: Information submitted on the Southeastern beach mouse, 
Florida salt marsh vole, Atlantic salt marsh snake, Squirrel Chimney 
Cave shrimp, longspurred mint, scrub lupine, Florida bonamia, scrub 
buckwheat, and Rugel's pawpaw should be sent to Sandy MacPherson, 
Jacksonville Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 
Southpoint Drive South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216, fax 
904-232-2404. Information on the Key Largo woodrat, rice rat, Florida 
grasshopper sparrow, Schaus swallowtail butterfly, pigeon wings, 
Lakela's mint, Carter's mustard, Highlands scrub hypericum, short-
leaved rosemary, and papery whitlow-wort should be sent to Cindy 
Schulz, South Florida Ecological Services Office, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32960, fax 772-
562-4288. Information on the Telephus spurge and Miccosukee gooseberry 
should be sent to Janet Mizzi, Panama City Field Office, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 1601 Balboa Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32405, fax 
850-763-2177. Information on Cooley's meadowrue should be sent to Pete 
Benjamin, Raleigh Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 551-F 
Pylon Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina 27636, fax 919-856-4520. 
Information received in response to this notice of review will be 
available for public inspection by appointment, during normal business 
hours, at the same addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy MacPherson at the Jacksonville, 
Florida, address above (telephone, 904/232-2580, ext. 110, e-mail 
[email protected]); Cindy Schulz at the Vero Beach, Florida, 
address above (telephone, 772/562-3909, ext. 305, e-mail [email protected]); Janet Mizzi at the Panama City, Florida, address above 
(telephone, 850/769-0552, ext. 247, e-mail [email protected]); and 
Dale Suiter at the Raleigh, North Carolina, address above (telephone, 
919/856-4520, ext. 18, e-mail [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Act, the Service maintains a list 
of endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species at 50 CFR 17.11 
(for wildlife) and 17.12 (for plants) (collectively referred to as the 
List). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Act requires that we conduct a review 
of listed species at least once every 5 years. Then, on the basis of 
such reviews, under section 4(c)(2)(B), we determine whether or not any 
species should be removed from the List (delisted), or reclassified 
from endangered to threatened or from threatened to endangered. 
Delisting a species must be supported by the best scientific and 
commercial data available and only considered if such data substantiate 
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 would require 
a separate rulemaking process. Amendments to the List through final 
rules are published in the Federal Register.
    The regulations at 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 the following 
species that are currently listed as endangered: rice rat, Florida salt 
marsh vole, Key Largo woodrat, Florida grasshopper sparrow, Schaus 
swallowtail butterfly, short-leaved rosemary, Rugel's pawpaw, 
longspurred mint, Lakela's mint, Telephus spurge, Highlands scrub 
hypericum, scrub lupine, Cooley's meadowrue, and Carter's mustard. This 
notice also announces our active review of the following species that 
are currently listed as threatened: Southeastern beach mouse, Atlantic 
salt marsh snake, Squirrel Chimney Cave shrimp, Florida bonamia, pigeon 
wings, scrub buckwheat, papery whitlow-wort, and Miccosukee gooseberry.
    The List is also available on our internet site at http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html#Species.

What information is considered in the review?

    A 5-year review will consider the best scientific and commercial 
data that have become available since the current listing determination 
or most recent status review of each species, such as:
    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 to benefit the 
species;
    D. Threat status and trends (see five factors under heading ``How 
do we determine whether a species is endangered or threatened?''); and
    E. Other new information, data, or corrections, including but not 
limited to taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of 
erroneous information contained in the List, and improved analytical 
methods.

Definitions Related to This Notice

    The following definitions are provided to assist those persons who 
contemplate submitting information regarding the species being 
reviewed:
    A. Species includes any species or subspecies of fish, wildlife, or 
plant, and any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate 
which interbreeds when mature.
    B. Endangered means any species that is in danger of extinction 
throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
    C. Threatened means any species that is likely to become an 
endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a 
significant portion of its range.

How do we determine whether a species is endangered or threatened?

    Section 4(a)(1) of the Act establishes that we determine whether a 
species is endangered or threatened based on one or more of the 
following five factors:
    A. The present or threatened destruction, modification, or 
curtailment of its habitat or range;
    B. Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes;
    C. Disease or predation;
    D. The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or
    E. Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued 
existence.

What could happen as a result of this review?

    If we find that there is new information concerning any of these 22 
species indicating that a change in classification may be warranted, we 
may propose a new rule that could do one of the following: (a) 
Reclassify the species from endangered to threatened; (b)

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reclassify the species from threatened to endangered; or (c) delist the 
species. If we determine that a change in classification is not 
warranted, then the species will remain on the List under its current 
status.

Public Solicitation of New Information

    We request any new information concerning the status of any of 
these 22 species. See ``What information is considered in the review?'' 
heading for specific criteria. Information submitted should be 
supported by documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, 
methods used to gather and analyze the data, and/or copies of any 
pertinent publications, reports, or letters by knowledgeable sources. 
Our practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses of 
respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. 
Individual respondents may request that we withhold their names and 
home addresses, etc., but if you wish us to consider withholding this 
information, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your 
comments. In addition, you must present rationale for withholding this 
information. This rationale must demonstrate that disclosure would 
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. Unsupported 
assertions will not meet this burden. In the absence of exceptional, 
documentable circumstances, this information will be released. We will 
always make 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.

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

    Dated: March 29, 2007.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E7-8006 Filed 4-25-07; 8:45 am]
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