14130 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 56 / Tuesday, March 24, 1998 / Notices

(Hesperolinon congestum), white-rayed to approval of each new or revised DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Pentachaeta bellidiflora), recovery plan. Substantive technical Metcalf canyon jewelflower comments will result in changes to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (Streptanthus albidus ssp. albidus), plan. Substantive comments regarding Tiburon jewelflower (Streptanthus recovery plan implementation may not Receipt of Petition for Federal niger), and the bay checkerspot butterfly necessarily result in changes to the Acknowledgment of Existence as an (Euphydryas editha bayensis); and an recovery plan, but will be forwarded to Indian Tribe additional six of , one appropriate Federal or other entities so species of moth, and seven harvestman that they can take these comments into AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs. (spider) species that are considered to account during the course of ACTION: be species of concern are addressed in implementing recovery actions. Notice. the draft recovery plan. Individualized responses to comments DATES: Comments on the draft recovery will not be provided. This is published in the exercise of plan must be received on or before June The 28 species of plants and animals authority delegated by the Secretary of 22, 1998. covered in the draft recovery plan are the Interior to the Assistant Secretary— Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8. Pursuant to ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery primarily restricted to serpentine soils plan are available for inspection, by habitat in the of 25 CFR 83.9(a) notice is hereby given appointment, during normal business . Conversion of habitat to that: The Nehantic Tribe and Nation, hours at the following location: U.S. urban and industrial uses has extirpated Inc., 231 West Main Street, Chester, Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento the listed species and species of concern Connecticut 06412, has filed a petition Fish and Wildlife Office, 3310 El from the majority of their historic for acknowledgment by the Secretary of Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, ranges. The remaining natural the Interior that the group exists as an California (telephone (916) 979–2725). communities are highly fragmented, and Indian tribe. The petition was received Requests for copies of the draft recovery many are marginal habitats in which by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) on plan and written comments and these species may not persist during September 5, 1997, and was signed by catastrophic events, such as fire or materials regarding this plan should be members of the group’s governing body. addressed to Wayne S. White, Field persistent drought. Natural communities This is a notice of receipt of petition Supervisor, Ecological Services, at the also have been altered permanently by and does not constitute notice that the above Sacramento address. the introduction of aggressive, nonnative plants, which now dominate petition is under active consideration. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: in many of the remaining undeveloped Notice of active consideration will be Karen Miller, Fish and Wildlife areas. sent by mail to the petitioner and other Biologist, at the above Sacramento The objectives of this recovery plan interested parties at the appropriate address. are two-fold: (1) to delist the plants San time. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Mateo thornmint, Tiburon mariposa lily, Under Section 83.9(a) of the Federal Background Tiburon paintbrush, coyote thistle, fountain thistle, Presidio clarkia, regulations, third parties may submit Restoring endangered or threatened Pennell’s birds-beak, Santa Clara Valley factual or legal arguments in support of animals and plants to the point where dudleya, San Mateo woolly sunflower, or in opposition to the group’s petition. they are again secure, self-sustaining Marin dwarf flax, white-rayed Any information submitted will be members of their ecosystems is a pentachaeta, Metcalf canyon made available on the same basis as primary goal of the Service’s jewelflower, Tiburon jewelflower, and other information in the BIA’s files. program. To help the bay checkerspot butterfly by Such submissions will be provided to guide the recovery effort, the Service is protecting, enhancing, restoring, and the petitioner upon receipt by the BIA. working to prepare recovery plans for appropriately managing their habitat; The petitioner will be provided an most of the listed species native to the and (2) to ensure the long-term opportunity to respond to such . Recovery plans describe conservation of the 14 species of submissions prior to a final actions considered necessary for the concern that occur in the same determination regarding the petitioner’s conservation of the species, establish serpentine habitats with the listed status. criteria for downlisting or delisting species. listed species, and estimate time and The petition may be examined, by cost for implementing the recovery Public Comments Solicited appointment, in the Department of the measures needed. The Service solicits written comments Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, The Endangered Species Act of 1973, on the recovery plan described. All Branch of Acknowledgment and as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) comments received by the date specified Research, Room 3427—MIB, 1849 C (Act), requires the development of above will be considered prior to Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, recovery plans for listed species unless approval of this plan. (202) 208–3592. such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular species. Authority : The authority for this action is Dated: March 11, 1998. Section 4(f) of the Act as amended in section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, Hilda Manuel, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). 1988 requires that public notice and an Deputy Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Dated: February 13, 1998. opportunity for public review and [FR Doc. 98–7549 Filed 3–23–98; 8:45 am] Don Weathers, comment be provided during recovery BILLING CODE 4310±02±P plan development. The Service will Acting Regional Director, Region 1. consider all information presented [FR Doc. 98–7575 Filed 3–23–98; 8:45 am] during the public comment period prior BILLING CODE 4310±55±P