Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 45 / Tuesday, March 8, 2016 / Notices 12115

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Email: [email protected]. not listed under Mexican protected For additional information about species regulations by the Secretarı´a de Fish and Wildlife Service submitting comments, see the ‘‘Request Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. [FWS–R2–ES–2015–N044]; for Public Comments’’ section below. The recovery priority number for L. [FXES11130200000–167–FF02ENEH00] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: schaffneriana ssp. recurva is 3C, Steve Spangle, Field Supervisor, U.S. meaning that the listed entity is a Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona subspecies, the level of threat is high, and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for Ecological Services Field Office, 2321 the potential for recovery is high, and Lilaeopsis schaffneriana ssp. recurva West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, there is a conflict with some form of (Huachuca Water Umbel) Phoenix, AZ 85021; telephone: 602– economic activity (groundwater 242–0210; facsimile: 602–242–2513. withdrawal for mining, agriculture, Fort AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Huachuca, municipal use, and private Interior. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the wells). The first 5-year status review for ACTION: Notice of availability; request Federal Information Relay Service L. schaffneriana ssp. recurva was signed for comment. (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. on August 21, 2014. Based on the static or declining status of the species across SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We its range and continued threats, it was Service (Service), announce the announce the availability of our draft recommended in the 5-year review that availability of our draft recovery plan recovery plan for the Lilaeopsis the taxon remain listed as endangered. for the Lilaeopsis schaffneriana ssp. schaffneriana ssp. recurva (Huachuca Lilaeopsis schaffneriana ssp. recurva recurva (Huachuca water umbel), which water umbel), an endangered plant is a semi-aquatic to fully aquatic is listed as endangered under the species currently found in southern herbaceous perennial that ranges from Endangered Species Act of 1973, as Arizona and in northern Sonora, 2.5 to 33 centimeters (cm) (0.98 to 12.99 amended (Act). This plant species is Mexico. The draft recovery plan inches (in)) depending on habitat. The currently found in southern Arizona includes specific recovery objectives leaves are round or elliptical in cross and in northern Sonora, Mexico. The and criteria to be met in order to enable section, 0.5 to 5.5 millimeters (mm) draft recovery plan includes specific us to remove this species from the list (0.02 to 0.2 in) in diameter, and contain recovery objectives and criteria to be of endangered and threatened wildlife 6 to18 distinctive septa (thin partitions) met in order to enable us to remove this and plants. We request review and along their length. Umbels (umbrella- species from the list of endangered and comment on this plan from local, State, like flower structures) develop on stalks threatened wildlife and plants. We and Federal agencies; Tribes; and the shorter than the leaves, and contain request review and comment on this public. We will also accept any new three to ten 1.0 to 2.0 mm (0.04 to 0.08 plan from local, State, and Federal information on the status of the species in) wide perfect (containing male and agencies; Tribes; and the public. We throughout its range to assist in female parts) flowers with five white to will also accept any new information on finalizing the recovery plan. slightly maroon tinted petals and the status of the species throughout its Background maroon anthers. Flowering has been range to assist in finalizing the recovery observed episodically from March plan. Recovery of endangered or threatened through October, peaking in July. The DATES: To ensure consideration, we animals and plants to the point where taxon reproduces both sexually via seed must receive written comments on or they are again secure, self-sustaining and asexually through rhizome spread before May 9, 2016. However, we will members of their ecosystems is a and fragmentation. Clonal establishment accept information about any species at primary goal of our endangered species following flooding events is thought to any time. program and the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et be important for maintaining diversity ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: If seq.). Recovery means improvement of in the taxon; the seedbank can allow for you wish to review the draft recovery the status of listed species to the point recolonization following drought if plan, you may obtain a copy by any one at which listing is no longer appropriate hydric conditions return. of the following methods: under the criteria set out in section Groundwater pumping, regional Internet: Download the file at 4(a)(1) of the Act. The Act requires the drought, and climate change are among www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/ development of recovery plans for listed the largest threats to this taxon, which R2ES/LilaeopsisSchaffneriana species, unless such a plan would not depends on the availability of Recurva_DraftRecoveryPlan_Final_ promote the conservation of a particular permanently wet (or nearly so), muddy, November2015.pdf; species. or silty substrates with some organic content. At this time, the most U.S. mail: Request a copy by writing Species History to the Arizona Ecological Services Field significant long-term threats to the Office, Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 Lilaeopsis schaffneriana ssp. recurva continued existence of the species are: W. Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, (Huachuca water umbel), found in (1) Aquatic habitat degradation; (2) the Phoenix, AZ 85021; or aquatic habitats such as cienegas, rivers, effects of drought and climate change; Telephone: Request a copy by calling streams, and springs of southern (3) wildfire and resulting sedimentation (602) 242–0210. Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico, and scouring; (4) invasive non-native Submitting Comments: If you wish to was federally listed as endangered on plant competition; and (5) livestock comment on the draft recovery plan, January 6, 1997. On July 12, 1999, 83.2 grazing. While propagation has proven you may submit your comments in kilometers (51.7 miles) of streams or successful, augmentation into new and writing by any one of the following rivers in Cochise and Santa Cruz previously occupied habitat has had methods: Counties, Arizona, were designated as mixed success. A larger challenge U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, at the critical habitat. The taxon has been involves restoring appropriate habitat above address; found historically in Cochise, Pinal, for the taxon, including the availability Hand-delivery: Arizona Ecological Pima, and Santa Cruz Counties, of perennial water. Services Office, at the above address; Arizona, and northern Sonora, Mexico. The majority of critical habitat is Fax: (602) 242–2513; or Lilaeopsis schaffneriana ssp. recurva is under Federal administration through

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the Coronado National Forest (National (2) Conserve existing and newly We invite written comments on the Forest Service), the San Pedro Riparian discovered L. schaffneriana ssp. recurva draft recovery plan. In particular, we are National Conservation Area (Bureau of occurrences and their seedbanks; interested in additional information Land Management), and Fort Huachuca establish new occurrences in regarding the current threats to the Military Reservation (United States appropriate habitat; establish plants at species and the costs associated with Army); a small portion is in private botanical gardens for research, recovery, implementing the recommended ownership. The taxon occurs in five and educational purposes; and maintain recovery actions. watersheds in southeastern Arizona and seeds for conservation and recovery at Before we approve our final recovery adjacent portions of Sonora, Mexico. In seed storage facilities. plan, we will consider all comments we the United States, we are aware of 17 (3) Remove stressors related to receive by the date specified in DATES locations supporting extant occurrences invasive plants, unmanaged livestock above. Methods of submitting comments of L. schaffneriana ssp. recurva, 8 grazing, and small population size to L. are in the ADDRESSES section above. locations where all L. schaffneriana ssp. schaffneriana ssp. recurva occurrences recurva occurrences are considered and their habitats. Public Availability of Comments extirpated, and 6 locations where no (4) Develop a standardized monitoring Before including your address, phone occurrences have been relocated in technique based on existing protocols; number, email address, or other recent years. In Sonora, Mexico, we are monitor L. schaffneriana ssp. recurva personal identifying information in your aware of 21 locations supporting L. occurrences, threats, and outcomes from comment, you should be aware that schaffneriana ssp. recurva occurrences, management actions allowing for your entire comment—including your though most of these locations have not adaptive management. personal identifying information—may been revisited in recent years. It is (5) Encourage scientific study to be made publicly available at any time. difficult to estimate the number of improve our understanding of L. While you can ask us in your comment individuals due to the clonal nature of schaffneriana ssp. recurva geography, to withhold your personal identifying the taxon, though estimates of density ecology, viability, genetics, propagation, information from public review, we indicate most occurrences are stable or restoration, and threats in the United cannot guarantee that we will be able to in decline. States and Mexico. do so. The principal recovery strategy is to (6) Develop public outreach, Comments and materials we receive conserve the habitat of L. schaffneriana collaborative partnerships, agency will be available, by appointment, for ssp. recurva by implementing a variety management plans, and agreements public inspection during normal of protection strategies, including with private land owners in the United business hours at our office (see States and Mexico that encourage L. decreasing groundwater pumping, ADDRESSES). increasing water conservation and schaffneriana ssp. recurva conservation. recharge, and protecting L. The draft recovery plan focuses on References Cited schaffneriana ssp. recurva occurrences conserving and enhancing habitat A complete list of all references cited and their seedbanks. Providing quality, protecting populations, herein is available upon request from conservation and restoration of the managing threats, monitoring progress, the Arizona Ecological Services Field taxon and its habitat will allow stable, and building partnerships to facilitate Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION self-sustaining occurrences to persist recovery. When the recovery of L. CONTACT section). with some level of connectivity and schaffneriana ssp. recurva approaches opportunities for expansion and these criteria, we will review the Authority dispersal. Additional efforts will focus species’ status and consider We developed our draft recovery plan on improving the baseline downlisting, and, ultimately, removal under the authority of section 4(f) of the understanding of L. schaffneriana ssp. from the list of federally threatened and Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). We publish this recurva ecology and threats. endangered wildlife and plants. notice under section 4(f) Endangered Recovery Plan Goals Request for Public Comments Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The objective of a recovery plan is to Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to provide a framework for the recovery of provide public notice and an Dated: March 1, 2016. a species so that protection under the opportunity for public review and Joy E. Nicholopoulos. Act is no longer necessary. A recovery comment during recovery plan Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, plan includes scientific information development. It is also our policy to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. about the species and provides criteria request peer review of recovery plans [FR Doc. 2016–05083 Filed 3–7–16; 8:45 am] and actions necessary for us to be able (July 1, 1994; 59 FR 34270). In an BILLING CODE 4310–55–P to reclassify the species to threatened appendix to the approved recovery plan, status or remove it from the list of we will summarize and respond to the federally endangered and threatened issues raised by the public and peer DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR wildlife and plants. Recovery plans help reviewers. Substantive comments may guide our recovery efforts by describing or may not result in changes to the Fish and Wildlife Service actions we consider necessary for the recovery plan; comments regarding species’ conservation, and by estimating recovery plan implementation will be [Docket No. FWS–HQ–IA–2016–0043; time and costs for implementing needed forwarded as appropriate to Federal or FXIA16710900000–156–FF09A30000] recovery measures. To achieve its goals, other entities so that they can be taken this draft recovery plan identifies the into account during the course of Endangered Species; Receipt of following objectives: implementing recovery actions. Applications for Permit; Correction (1) Protect and restore functional Responses to individual commenters AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, aquatic habitat and reduce dewatering will not be provided, but we will Interior. threats to known and newly discovered provide a summary of how we ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications L. schaffneriana ssp. recurva addressed substantive comments in an for permit; correction. occurrences and habitat. appendix to the approved recovery plan.

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