[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14121-14122]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05899]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R6-ES-2015-N052; FXES11130600000-156-FF06E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Revised 
Recovery Plan for the Piping Plover

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability for review and comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability of a draft revised recovery plan for the Northern Great 
Plains piping plover population. This population is federally listed as 
threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). 
The Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft 
revised plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft revised recovery plan must be received on 
or before May 16, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft revised recovery plan are available by 
request from the North Dakota Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 3425 Miriam Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58501; telephone 701-250-
4481. Submit comments on the draft recovery plan to the Project Leader 
at this same address or to [email protected]. An electronic 
copy of the draft recovery plan is available at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/recovery-plans.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader, at the above address, 
or telephone 701-250-4481.

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 prepares recovery plans for the 
federally listed species where a plan will promote the conservation of 
the species. Recovery plans describe site-specific actions necessary 
for the conservation of the species; establish objective, measurable 
criteria which, when met, would result in a determination that the 
species no longer needs the protection of the Act; and provide 
estimates of the time and cost for implementing the needed recovery 
measures.
    The original plan for the species was approved in 1988. This draft 
revised recovery plan would replace the current version. Section 4(f) 
of the Act, as amended in 1988, requires that public notice and 
opportunity for public review and comment be provided during recovery 
plan development. The Service will consider all information received 
during a public comment period when preparing each new or revised 
recovery plan for approval. The Service and other Federal agencies also 
will take these comments into consideration in the course of 
implementing approved recovery plans. It is also our policy to request 
peer review of recovery plans. We will summarize and respond to the 
issues raised by the public and peer reviewers in an appendix to the 
approved recovery plan.
    The Northern Great Plains population of the piping plover was 
listed as threatened under the provision of the Endangered Species Act 
on January 10, 1986 (50 FR 50726). The breeding population of the 
Northern Great Plains piping plover extends from Nebraska north along 
the Missouri River through South Dakota, North Dakota, and eastern 
Montana, and on alkaline (salty) lakes along the Missouri River Coteau 
(a large plateau extending north and east of the Missouri River) in 
North Dakota, Montana, and extending into Canada. The majority of 
piping plovers from Prairie Canada winter along the south Texas coast, 
while breeding piping plovers from the United States are more widely 
distributed along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas, with a small 
percentage of the population wintering along the Atlantic Coast and in 
the Bahamas.
    Recovery of this species will require restoration of ecosystem 
functions on both the breeding and wintering grounds so that the 
population can persist into the foreseeable future without extensive 
human intervention. Since some human activities are likely to continue 
to impact piping plovers and their habitat, there will likely be 
continued public outreach, education, and partnerships for long-term 
protection and management even after recovery. Recovery actions are 
designed to protect the species' habitat and increase the knowledge of 
the species' genetics, life history, and population dynamics; the 
relationship of the piping plover to its environment; and its responses 
to identified threats.

Request for Public Comments

    The Service solicits public comments on the draft revised recovery 
plan. All comments received by the date specified in DATES will be 
considered prior to approval of the plan. Written comments and 
materials regarding the plan should be addressed to the Project Leader 
(see ADDRESSES). Comments and materials received will be available, by 
appointment, for public inspection during normal business hours at the 
address under ADDRESSES. All public comment information provided 
voluntarily by mail or by phone becomes part of the official public 
record. If requested under the Freedom

[[Page 14122]]

of Information Act by a private citizen or organization, the Service 
may provide copies of such information.

Authority

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

    Dated: March 7, 2016.
Matt Hogan,
Deputy Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 2016-05899 Filed 3-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-55-P