[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 184 (Monday, September 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54279-54280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18638]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Recovery Plan for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western 
Snowy Plover

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of the recovery plan for the Pacific Coast population of 
the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus). The final 
plan includes recovery criteria and measures for the Pacific coast 
population of the western snowy plover.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the plan by either of the following 
methods: Internet: Download a copy at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/index.html#plans; or U.S. mail: Send a request to U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage 
Way, Room W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825. Printed copies of the recovery 
plan will be available for distribution in 4 to 6 weeks.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Aubrey, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above Sacramento address (telephone, 916-414-6600).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point 
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems is a primary goal of our endangered species program. To help 
guide the recovery effort, we are working to prepare recovery plans for 
most of the listed species native to the United States. Recovery plans 
describe actions considered necessary for the conservation of the 
species, establish criteria for the recovery levels for downlisting or 
delisting them, and estimate time and cost for implementing the 
recovery measures needed.
    Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) requires us to provide public notice and an opportunity for 
public review and comment during recovery plan development. We made the 
draft recovery plan for the Pacific Coast population of western snowy 
plover was available for public comment from August 14, 2001, through 
December 12, 2001 (66 FR 42676). We provided an opportunity to resubmit 
comments due to the possibility that some comments submitted were not 
received due to a shutdown in the Department of the Interior's internet 
access, including receipt of outside electronic mail. Resubmitted 
comments were accepted through February 15, 2002. We considered 
information we received during the public comment period in our 
preparation of this final recovery plan, and also summarized that 
information in an appendix of the recovery plan. We will forward 
substantive comments regarding recovery plan implementation to 
appropriate Federal or other entities so they can take these comments 
into account in the course of implementing recovery actions.
    The Pacific coast breeding population of the western snowy plover 
(Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) currently extends from Damon Point, 
Washington, to Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico. Snowy plovers 
(Pacific coast population) breed

[[Page 54280]]

primarily above the high tide line on coastal beaches, sand spits, 
dune-backed beaches, sparsely vegetated dunes, beaches at creek and 
river mouths, and salt pans at lagoons and estuaries. Less common 
nesting habitats include bluff-backed beaches, dredged material 
disposal sites, salt pond levees, dry salt ponds, and river bars. The 
snowy plover winters mainly in coastal areas from southern Washington 
to Central America. In winter, snowy plovers are found on many of the 
beaches used for nesting as well as on beaches where they do not nest, 
in manmade salt ponds, and on estuarine sand and mud flats. Habitat 
degradation caused by human disturbance, urban development, introduced 
beachgrass (Ammophila spp.), and expanding predator populations has 
resulted in a decline in active nesting areas and in the size of the 
breeding and wintering populations.
    Our primary objective in this recovery plan is to remove the 
Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover from the List of 
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants by achieving well-
distributed increases in numbers and productivity of breeding adult 
birds, and providing for long-term protection of breeding and wintering 
plovers and their habitat. Specific actions needed to achieve this 
objective and described in the recovery plan include (1) protection of 
breeding and wintering habitat; (2) monitoring and managing breeding 
habitat; (3) monitoring and managing wintering and migration areas; (4) 
undertaking scientific research that facilitates recovery efforts; (5) 
public participation, outreach, and education; and (6) establishing an 
international conservation program with the Mexican government to 
protect snowy plovers and their breeding and wintering locations in 
Mexico.

Authority

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

    Dated: September 17, 2007.
Darrin Thome,
Acting Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-18638 Filed 9-21-07; 8:45 am]
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