[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 124 (Thursday, June 27, 2019)] [Notices] [Pages 30764-30768] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2019-13713] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-HQ-ES-2019-N002; FXES11130100000C4-190-FF02ENEH00] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 29 Draft Recovery Plan Revisions for 43 Species in the Pacific, Southwest, and Southeast Regions of the United States AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; opening of public comment period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability for public review and comment of 29 draft recovery plan revisions, which update recovery criteria for 43 endangered or threatened species located in 16 States (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas), two unincorporated territories (the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the French West Indies, and Mexico. We are updating recovery criteria to better assist in determining when an endangered species has recovered to the point that it may be reclassified as threatened, or that the protections afforded by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), are no longer necessary and the species may be removed from the Act's protections. We request review of these draft recovery plan revisions and invite comments from local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the public. DATES: We must receive comments on the draft recovery plan revisions on or before July 29, 2019. ADDRESSES: Reviewing documents: If you wish to review these draft recovery plan revisions, you may obtain copies from the website addresses listed in the table in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. You may also request copies of the draft recovery plan revisions by contacting the individuals listed in the table. Submitting comments: If you wish to comment, see the table in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION and submit your comments by one of the following methods: 1. U.S. Mail or hand-delivery: You may submit written comments and materials to the appropriate field office mailing address for the species in which you are interested; 2. Email: You may send comments by email to the identified contact person's email address in the table, for each species. Please include ``Draft Recovery Plan Revision Comments'' in the subject line. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on a particular species, contact the appropriate person listed in the table for that species in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Individuals who are hearing impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 for TTY assistance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background In this notice, we announce for public review and comment the availability of 29 draft recovery plan revisions, which update recovery criteria for 43 endangered or threatened species located in 16 States (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas), two unincorporated territories (the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the French West Indies, and Mexico. This group of 29 draft recovery plan revisions is part of a larger effort underway to revise up to 182 recovery plans covering up to 305 species in order to achieve the following Department of the Interior Agency Priority Performance Goal outlined in the Department's Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2018-2022: ``By September 30, 2019, 100 percent of all Fish and Wildlife Service recovery plans will have quantitative criteria for what constitutes a recovered species.'' [[Page 30765]] The purpose of a recovery plan is to provide a roadmap for a species' recovery, with the goal of improving its status and managing its threats to the point at which protections under the Act are no longer needed. Recovery plans must be designed so that all stakeholders and the public understand the rationale behind the recovery program, whether they were involved in writing the plan or not, and recognize their role in its implementation. We are requesting submission of any information that may help achieve (1) the necessary understanding of species' biology, threats, and recovery needs; (2) identification of implementation issues and concerns; and (3) facilitation of more effective implementation associated with these draft revisions that revise recovery criteria for these 43 species. Recovery plans provide important guidance to the Service, States, other partners, and the general public on methods of minimizing threats to listed species and objectives against which to measure the progress towards recovery; they are guidance and not regulatory documents. A recovery plan identifies, organizes, and prioritizes recovery actions and is an important guide that ensures sound scientific decision-making throughout the recovery process, which can take decades. Keeping recovery plans current will ensure that the species benefits through timely, partner-coordinated implementation, based on the best available information. A review of a recovery plan and its implementation, however, may show that a recovery plan is out of date or its usefulness is limited and that, therefore, the recovery plan warrants modification. The need for, and extent of, recovery plan modifications will vary considerably among recovery plans, depending on the scope and complexity of the initial plan, the structure of the document, and the involvement of stakeholders. The need for a recovery plan revision may be triggered when, among other possibilities: (1) New information has been identified such as population-level threats to the species, or previously unknown life-history traits, which necessitates new or revised recovery strategy, actions, or criteria, or revision of all three in order to maintain the adequacy of the plan; and (2) the current plan is not achieving its objectives. An amendment, a type of recovery plan revision, is more limited in scope than a full revision of the recovery plan and modifies an existing plan, rather than replacing the entire existing recovery plan. Revisions benefit endangered and threatened species, our partners, and the public by incorporating the best available information on what is really needed for species' recovery. Twenty-eight of the 29 proposed recovery plan revisions noticed in this announcement are modified with amendments that replace only a portion of those plans, while one recovery plan (Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Kootenai River Distinct Population Segment of the White Sturgeon) is a full revision and will completely replace the existing plan. Revision of recovery plans requires public notice and comment under section 4(f)(4) of the Act, including: (1) A Federal Register notice of availability to give opportunity for public review and comment; (2) consideration of all information presented during the public comment period; and (3) approval by the Regional Director. When finalized, these recovery plan revisions will be made publicly available on the internet through our Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS, https://ecos.fws.gov). What plans are being made available for public review and comment? This notice announces our draft recovery plan revisions for the species listed in the table below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet Listing availability of Contact person's Common name Scientific name status Current range Recovery plan proposed Contact person, U.S. mail \1\ name recovery plan phone, email address revision -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific Region (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- White sturgeon [Kootenai River Acipenser E ID, MT, Canada Draft Revised https:// Gregory M. Idaho Fish and DPS]. transmontanus. (B.C.). Recovery Plan ecos.fws.gov/ Hughes, 208-237- Wildlife for the Kootenai docs/ 6975, Office, 1387 S River Distinct recovery_plan/ greg_m_hughes@f Vinnell Way, Population Kootenai_River_ ws.gov. Suite 368, Segment of the White_Sturgeon_ Boise, ID White Sturgeon Draft_Revised_R 83709. \2\. P_20181211a.pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hutton tui chub............... Gila bicolor ssp. T OR................ Recovery Plan for https:// Paul Henson, Oregon Fish and the Threatened ecos.fws.gov/ Ph.D., 503-231- Wildlife and Rare Native docs/ 6179, Office, 2600 SE Fishes of the recovery_plan/ paul_henson@fws 98th Avenue, Warner Basin and Hutton%20tui%20 .gov. Suite 100, Alkali Subbasin chub%20Draft%20 Portland, OR \3\. Recovery%20Plan 97266. %20Amendment%20 20181211a.pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southwest Region (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona cliffrose............. Purshia E AZ................ Arizona Cliffrose https:// Field Arizona subintegra. (Purshia ecos.fws.gov/ Supervisor, 602- Ecological subintegra) docs/ 242-0210, Services Field Recovery Plan recovery_plan/ AZcriteria@fws. Office, 9828 \3\. Draft%20AZ%20Cl gov. North 31st iffrose%20RP%20 Avenue #C3, Amendment.pdf. Phoenix, AZ 85051. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Desert pupfish................ Cyprinodon E AZ, CA, Mexico Desert Pupfish https:// Julie McIntyre, Arizona macularius. (Son.). Recovery Plan ecos.fws.gov/ 520-670-6150, Ecological \3\. docs/ julie_mcintyre@ Services Field recovery_plan/ fws.gov. Office, Tucson Draft%20Desert% Sub-Office, 201 20Pupfish%20RP% N Bonita 20Amendment.pdf. Avenue, Suite 141, Tucson, AZ 85745. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 30766]] Mexican long-nosed bat........ Leptonycteris E NM, TX, Mexico Mexican Long- https:// Adam Zerrenner, Austin nivalis. (Coah., Hgo., nosed Bat ecos.fws.gov/ 512-490-0057, Ecological Mor., N.L., and (Leptonycteris docs/ x248, Services Field Son.). nivalis) recovery_plan/ adam_zerrenner@ Office, 10711 Recovery Plan Draft%20MX%20lo fws.gov. Burnet Road, \3\. ng- Suite 200, nosed%20bat%20R Austin, TX P%20Amendment.p 78758. df. Nellie's cory cactus.......... Coryphantha E TX................ Nellie's Cory https:// minima. Cactus ecos.fws.gov/ (Coryphantha docs/ minima) Recovery recovery_plan/ Plan \3\. Draft%20Nellies %20Cory%20Cactu s%20RP%20Amendm ent.pdf. Davis's green pitaya.......... Echinocereus E TX................ Davis' Green https:// viridiflorus Pitaya Cactus ecos.fws.gov/ var. davisii. (Echinocereus docs/ viridiflorus recovery_plan/ var. davisii) Draft%20Davis%2 \3\. 0Green%20Pitaya %20RP%20Amendme nt.pdf. Little Aguja pondweed......... Potamogeton E TX................ Little Aguja https:// clystocarpus. Pondweed ecos.fws.gov/ Recovery Plan docs/ (Potamogeton recovery_plan/ clystocarpus) Draft%20Little% \3\. 20Aguja%20Pondw eed%20RP%20Amen dment.pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yaqui chub.................... Gila purpurea.... E AZ, Mexico (Son.). Fishes of the Rio https:// Bill Radke, 520- San Bernardino Yaqui Recovery ecos.fws.gov/ 364-2104, National Plan \3\. docs/ bill_radke@fws. Wildlife recovery_plan/ gov. Refuge, P.O. Draft%20Yaqui%2 Box 3509, 0Chub%20RP%20Am Douglas, AZ endment_1.pdf. 85607. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Navasota ladies'-tresses...... Spiranthes E TX................ Navasota Ladies'- https:// Chuck Ardizzone, Texas Coastal parksii. Tresses ecos.fws.gov/ 281-286-8282, Ecological (Spiranthes docs/ chuck_ardizzone Services Field parksii) recovery_plan/ @fws.gov. Office, 17629 Recovery Plan Draft%20Navasot El Camino Real, \3\. a%20Ladies- Suite 211, tresses%20RP%20 Houston, TX Amendment.pdf. 77058. Texas trailing phlox.......... Phlox nivalis E TX................ Texas Trailing https:// ssp. texensis. Phlox (Phlox ecos.fws.gov/ nivalis ssp. docs/ texensis) recovery_plan/ Recovery Plan Draft%20TX%20Tr \3\. ailing%20Phlox% 20RP%20Amendmen t.pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southeast Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama cave shrimp........... Palaemonias E AL................ Alabama Cave https:// William J. Alabama alabamae. Shrimp ecos.fws.gov/ Pearson, 251- Ecological (Palaemonias docs/ 441-5870, Services Field alabamae) recovery_plan/ bill_pearson@fw Office, U.S. Recovery Plan Alabama%20Cave% s.gov. Fish and \3\. 20Shrimp_Recove Wildlife ry%20Plan%20Ame Service, 1208-B ndement.pdf. Main Street, Daphne, AL 36526. Finelined pocket book......... Lampsilis altilis T AL, GA, TN........ Recovery Plan for https:// Mobile River ecos.fws.gov/ Basin Aquatic docs/ Ecosystem \3\. recovery_plan/ FinelinedPocket book_Recovery%2 0Plan%20Amendme nt.pdf. Coosa moccasinshell........... Medionidus E AL, GA, TN https:// Southern pigtoe............... parvulus. ........ .................. ecos.fws.gov/ Pleurobema E AL, GA, TN........ docs/ georgianum. recovery_plan/ Coosa%20moccasi nshell%20and%20 Southern%20pigt oe%20Recovery%2 0Plan%20Amendme nt.pdf. Southern clubshell............ Pleurobema E AL, GA, MS, TN.... https:// decisum. ecos.fws.gov/ docs/ recovery_plan/ Southern_Clubsh ell%20Recovery% 20Plan%20Amendm ent.pdf. Ovate clubshell............... Pleurobema E AL, GA, MS, TN.... https:// perovatum. ecos.fws.gov/ docs/ recovery_plan/ Ovate_Clubshell _Recovery%20Pla n%20Amendment.p df. Georgia pigtoe................ Pleurobema E AL, GA, TN........ Recovery Plan for https:// hanleyianum. Georgia pigtoe ecos.fws.gov/ mussel docs/ (Pleurobema recovery_plan/ hanleyianum), Georgia%20pigto Interrupted e%20Recovery%20 rocksnail Plan%20Amendmen (Leptoxis t%20(1).pdf. foremani), and Rough hornsnail (Pleurocera foremani) \3\. Rough hornsnail............... Pleurocera E AL................ https:// foremani. ecos.fws.gov/ docs/ recovery_plan/ Rough%20hornsna il%20Recovery%2 0Plan%20Amendme nt.pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 30767]] Little amphianthus............ Amphianthus T AL, GA, SC........ Recovery Plan for https:// Donald W. Imm, Georgia Black-spored quillwort........ pusillus. ........ .................. Three Granite ecos.fws.gov/ Ph.D., cell: Ecological Mat-forming quillwort......... Isoetes E GA, SC............ Outcrop Plant docs/ 850-532-2046, Services Field melanospora. ........ .................. Species \3\. recovery_plan/ office: 706-208- Office, 355 Isoetes ........ .................. Granite_outcrop 7501, fax: 706- East Hancock tegetiformans. E GA................ _plants_Recover 613-6059, Avenue, Room y%20Plan%20Amen Donald_imm@fws. 320 Box 7, dment.pdf. gov. Athens, GA 30601. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Purple bankclimber............ Elliptoideus T AL, FL, GA........ Recovery Plan for https:// Catherine T. Panama City Shinyrayed pocketbook......... sloatianus. ........ .................. Endangered Fat ecos.fws.gov/ Phillips, Field Office, Gulf moccasinshell............ Lampsilis E AL, FL, GA........ Threeridge, docs/ Ph.D., 850-769- 1601 Balboa Oval pigtoe................... subangulata. ........ .................. Shinyrayed recovery_plan/ 0552, Avenue, Panama Medionidus E AL, FL, GA........ Pocketbook, Gulf ACF%204%20Musse Catherine_phill City, FL 32405. penicillatus. ........ .................. Moccasinshell, ls%20RP%20Amend [email protected]. Pleurobema E AL, FL, GA........ Oval Pigtoe and ment.pdf. pyriforme. Threatened Chipola Slabshell, and Purple bankclimber \3\. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cave crayfish................. Cambarus E AR, MO............ Recovery Plan for https:// Melvin L. Tobin, Arkansas aculabrum. the Cave ecos.fws.gov/ 501-513-4473, Ecological Crayfish docs/ melvin_tobin@fw Services Field (Cambarus recovery_plan/ s.gov. Office, 110 aculabrum) \3\. Cambarus%20acul South Amity abrum_Recovery% Road, Suite 20Plan%20Amendm 300, Conway, AR ent.pdf. 72032. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Etonia rosemary............... Conradina etonia. E FL................ Recovery Plan for https:// Jay B. Northeast ................. ........ .................. Etonia Rosemary ecos.fws.gov/ Herrington, 904- Florida ................. ........ .................. (Conradina docs/ 731-3191, Ecological ................. ........ .................. etonia) \3\. recovery_plan/ jay_herrington@ Services Field Microtus ........ .................. ................. Conradina%20eto fws.gov. Office, 7915 Florida salt marsh vole....... pennsylvanicus E FL................ Recovery Plan for nia_Recovery%20 Baymeadows Way, dukecampbelli. the Florida Salt Plan%20Amendmen Suite 200, Marsh Vole t.pdf. Jacksonville, (Microtus https:// FL 32256. pennsylvanicus ecos.fws.gov/ dukecampbelli) docs/ \3\. recovery_plan/ Florida%20Salt% 20Marsh%20Vole% 20Recovery%20Pl an%20Amendement .pdf. Anastasia Island beach mouse.. Peromyscus E FL................ Recovery Plan for https:// polionotus the Anastasia ecos.fws.gov/ phasma. Island Beach docs/ Mouse and recovery_plan/ Southeastern Anastasia%20Isl Beach Mouse \3\. and%20Beach%20M ouse%20Recovery %20Plan%20Amend ement.pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Schaus' swallowtail butterfly. Papilio E FL................ South Florida https:// Roxanna Hinzman, South Florida aristodemus Multi-Species ecos.fws.gov/ 772-469-4309, Ecological ponceanus. Recovery Plan docs/ roxanna_hinzman Services Field \3\. recovery_plan/ @fws.gov. Office, 1339 Schaus_%20Recov 20th Street, ery%20Plan%20Am Vero Beach, FL endment.pdf. 32960. Key Largo cotton mouse........ Peromyscus E FL................ https:// gossypinus ecos.fws.gov/ allapaticola. docs/ recovery_plan/ Key%20Largo%20C otton%20Mouse%2 0Recovery%20Pla n%20Amendment.p df. Key Largo woodrat............. Neotoma floridana E FL................ https:// smalli. ecos.fws.gov/ docs/ recovery_plan/ Key%20Largo%20W ood%20Rat%20Rec overy%20Plan%20 Amendment.pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tar River spinymussel......... Elliptio E NC................ Tar River https:// Pete Benjamin, Raleigh steinstansana. Spinymussel ecos.fws.gov/ 919-856-4520, Ecological Recovery Plan docs/ pete_benjamin@f Services Field \3\. recovery_plan/ ws.gov. Office, 551F TarRiverSpinymu Pylon Drive, ssel_Recovery%2 Raleigh, NC 0Plan%20Amendme 27606. nt.pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Royal marstonia............... Pyrgulopsis E TN................ Recovery Plan for https:// Lee Andrews, 502- Kentucky ogmorhaphe. Royal Snail ecos.fws.gov/ 695-0468, Ecological (Pyrgulopsis docs/ lee_andrews@fws Services Field ogmorhaphe) \3\. recovery_plan/ .gov. Station, 330 Royal%20Snail_R West Broadway, ecovery%20Plan% Suite 265, 20Amendment.pdf. Frankfort, KY 40601. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 30768]] Yellow-shouldered blackbird... Agelaius E Puerto Rico....... Recovery Plan for https:// Edwin E. Caribbean xanthomus. the Yellow- ecos.fws.gov/ Mu[ntilde]iz, Ecological Shouldered docs/ 787-851-7297, Services Field Blackbird recovery_plan/ edwin_muniz@fws Office, P.O. (Agelaius Yellow- .gov. Box 1600, Rio xanthomus) \3\. shouldered%20bl Grande, PR ackbird%20Recov 00745. ery%20Plan%20Am endment.pdf. Pelos del diablo.............. Aristida E Puerto Rico....... Aristida https:// portoricensis. portoricensis ecos.fws.gov/ (Pelos del docs/ diablo) Recovery recovery_plan/ Plan \3\. Aristida_portor icensis_Recover y_Plan_Amendmen t_3.pdf. No common name................ Aristida chaseae. E Puerto Rico....... Sierra Bermeja https:// No common name................ Lyonia truncata ........ .................. Plants Aristida ecos.fws.gov/ No common name................ var. proctorii. E Puerto Rico....... chaseae, Lyonia docs/ Vernonia ........ .................. truncata var. recovery_plan/ proctorii. E Puerto Rico....... proctorii, and A.chaseae_L.Tru Vernonia ncata_V.proctor proctorii ii_Recovery_Pla Recovery Plan n_Amendment_2.p \3\. df. No common name................ Cranichis E Puerto Rico, Cuba, Lepanthes https:// ricartii. Dominican eltoroensis and ecos.fws.gov/ Republic, French Cranichis docs/ West Indies ricartii recovery_plan/ (Guadeloupe). Recovery Plan Cranichis_ricar \3\. tii_Recovery%20 Plan%20Amendmen t.pdf. Higuero de Sierra............. Crescentia E Puerto Rico....... Crescentia https:// portoricensis. portoricensis ecos.fws.gov/ Recovery Plan docs/ \3\. recovery_plan/ Crescentia%20po rtoricensis_Rec overy%20Plan%20 Amendment.pdf. St. Thomas prickly-ash........ Zanthoxylum E Puerto Rico, St. Thomas https:// thomasianum. Virgin Islands. Prickly-ash ecos.fws.gov/ Recovery Plan docs/ \3\. recovery_plan/ Z.%20thomasianu m_Recovery%20Pl an%20Amendment. pdf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ E = endangered; T = threatened. \2\ Denotes a full recovery plan revision in the ``Recovery Plan Name'' column. \3\ Denotes a recovery plan amendment in the ``Recovery Plan Name'' column. How do I ask questions or provide information? For any species listed above, please submit your questions, comments, and materials to the appropriate contact in the table above. Individuals who are hearing impaired or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 for TTY assistance. Request for Public Comments We request written comments on the draft recovery plan modifications. We will consider all comments we receive by the date specified in DATES prior to final approval of the plans. Public Availability of Comments Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1533(f)). Dated: May 20, 2019. Margaret E. Everson, Principal Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Exercising the Authority of the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 2019-13713 Filed 6-26-19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P