[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46562-46563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19056]



[[Page 46562]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R5-ES-2019-N088; FXES11130500000-190-FF05E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-
Year Reviews of Seven Northeastern Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are 
initiating 5-year reviews under the Endangered Species Act, as amended 
(ESA), for seven northeastern species. A 5-year review is based on the 
best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the 
review. We are requesting submission of any such information that has 
become available since the previous 5-year review for each species.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please submit your written information 
by October 4, 2019. However, we will continue to accept new information 
about any listed species at any time.

ADDRESSES: For instructions on how and where to submit information, see 
Request for New Information and Table 2--Contacts under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding a particular 
species, contact the appropriate person or office listed in Table 2--
Contacts in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. For general information, contact 
Martin Miller, by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 
Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035; by telephone at 413-253-8615; 
or by electronic mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the Service, are initiating 5-year 
reviews under the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) for seven northeastern 
species: The endangered Appalachian monkeyface (pearlymussel), Hay's 
spring amphipod, Atlantic salmon (Gulf of Maine Distinct Population 
Segment), and diamond darter and the threatened Virginia round-leafed 
birch, Virginia spiraea, and swamp pink.
    A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data 
available at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of 
any such information that has become available since the most recent 
status review for each species.

Why do we conduct 5-year reviews and species status assessments?

    Under the ESA, we maintain Lists of Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife and Plants (which we collectively refer to as the List) in 
title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 17.11(h) (for 
wildlife) and 50 CFR 17.12(h) (for plants). Listed wildlife and plants 
can also be found at http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/pub/listedAnimals.jsp and http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/pub/listedPlants.jsp, respectively. Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires 
us to review each listed species' status at least once every 5 years. 
Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in 
the Federal Register announcing species under active review. For 
additional information about 5-year reviews, refer to our fact sheet at 
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/recovery-overview.html.

What species are under review?

    We are initiating 5-year status reviews of the species in table 1.

                                          Table 1--Species Under Review
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                                                                                               Listing date and
           Common name              Scientific name         Status           Where listed          citation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Animals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appalachian monkeyface..........  Quadrula sparsa...  Endangered........  Wherever found....  41 FR 24062; 06/14/
                                                                                               1976.
Hay's spring amphipod...........  Stygobromus hayi..  Endangered........  Wherever found....  47 FR 5425; 02/05/
                                                                                               1982.
Atlantic salmon.................  Salmo salar.......  Endangered........  Gulf of Maine       74 FR 29344; 06/19/
                                                                           Distinct            2009.
                                                                           Population
                                                                           Segment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diamond darter..................  Crystallaria        Endangered........  Wherever found....  78 FR 45074: 07/26/
                                   cincotta.                                                   2013.
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                                                     Plants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virginia round-leaf birch.......  Betula uber.......  Threatened........  Wherever found....  59 FR 59173; 11/16/
                                                                                               1994.
Virginia spiraea................  Spiraea virginiana  Threatened........  Wherever found....  55 FR 24241; 06/15/
                                                                                               1990.
Swamp pink......................  Helonius bullata..  Threatened........  Wherever found....  53 FR 35076; 09/09/
                                                                                               1988.
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What information do we consider in our 5-year reviews and species 
status assessments?

    A 5-year review considers all new information available at the time 
of the review. In conducting the review, we consider the best 
scientific and commercial data that have become available since the 
most recent status review. We are seeking new information specifically 
regarding:
    (1) Species biology, including but not limited to life history and 
habitat requirements and impact tolerance thresholds;
    (2) Historical and current population conditions, including but not 
limited to population abundance, trends, distribution, demographics, 
and genetics;
    (3) Historical and current habitat conditions, including but not 
limited to amount, distribution, and suitability;
    (4) Historical and current threats, threat trends, and threat 
projections in relation to the five listing factors (as defined in 
section 4(a)(1) of the ESA);
    (5) Conservation measures for the species that have been 
implemented or are planned; and
    (6) 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.
    Any new information received will be considered during the 5-year 
review and will also be useful in evaluating ongoing recovery programs 
for the species.

Request for New Information

    To ensure that 5-year reviews are based on the best available 
scientific and commercial information, we request new information from 
all sources. If you submit information, please support it with 
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.

[[Page 46563]]

How do I ask questions or provide information?

    Please submit your questions, comments, and materials to the 
appropriate contact in table 2. Individuals who are hearing impaired or 
speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 for 
TTY assistance.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, electronic mail 
address, or other personal identifying information in your submission, 
you should be aware that your entire submission--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. Although you can request that personal information be withheld 
from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Materials received will be available for public inspection, by 
appointment, during normal business hours at the offices where the 
information is submitted.

Contacts

    New information on the species covered in this notice should be 
submitted by mail or electronic mail to the appropriate contact person 
within the timeframe provided in DATES.

                            Table 2--Contacts
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                                 Contact person,
           Species                phone, email         Contact address
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Appalachian monkeyface......  Rose Agbalog, 276-    U.S. Fish and
                               623-1233,             Wildlife Service,
                               [email protected]   Southwestern
                               v.                    Virginia Field
                                                     Office, 330
                                                     Cummings Street,
                                                     Abingdon, VA 24210.
Hay's spring amphipod.......  Julie Thompson, 410-  U.S. Fish and
                               573-4599,             Wildlife Service,
                               julie_thompson@fws.   Chesapeake Bay
                               gov.                  Field Office, 177
                                                     Admiral Cochrane
                                                     Drive, Annapolis,
                                                     MD 21401.
Atlantic salmon.............  Peter Lamothe, 207-   U.S. Fish and
                               902-1556,             Wildlife Service,
                               [email protected]   Maine Field Office,
                               ov.                   306 Hatchery Road,
                                                     East Orland, ME
                                                     04431.
Diamond darter..............  Barbara Douglas, 304- U.S. Fish and
                               636-6586, extension   Wildlife Service,
                               19,                   West Virginia Field
                               barbara_douglas@fws   Office, 90 Vance
                               .gov.                 Drive, Elkins, WV
                                                     26241.
Virginia round-leaf birch...  Sumalee Hoskin, 804-  U.S. Fish and
                               693-6694,             Wildlife Service,
                               sumalee_hoskin@fws.   Virginia Field
                               gov.                  Office, 6669 Short
                                                     Lane, Gloucester,
                                                     VA 23061.
Virginia spiraea............  Jennifer Stanhope,    U.S. Fish and
                               804-693-6694,         Wildlife Service,
                               jennifer_stanhope@f   Virginia Field
                               ws.gov.               Office, 6669 Short
                                                     Lane, Gloucester,
                                                     VA 23061.
Swamp pink..................  Alicia Protus, 609-   U.S. Fish and
                               383-3938,             Wildlife Service,
                               [email protected]   New Jersey Field
                               ov.                   Office, 4 East
                                                     Jimmie Leeds Road,
                                                     Suite 4, Galloway,
                                                     NJ 08205.
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Authority

    We publish this document under the authority of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Wendi Weber,
Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2019-19056 Filed 9-3-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P