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Federal Register/Vol. 68, No. 158/Friday, August 15, 2003/Notices Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 158 / Friday, August 15, 2003 / Notices 48933 Dated: July 24, 2003. Recovery plans describe actions elsewhere in the Mississippi River. This TJ Miller, considered necessary for conservation of revised plan recommends that surveys Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological the species, establish criteria for be conducted in several specific areas to Services, Region 3, Fort Snelling, Minnesota. reclassification and delisting, and better describe other potentially [FR Doc. 03–20828 Filed 8–14–03; 8:45 am] provide estimates of the time and costs important habitats and also outlines BILLING CODE 4310–55–P for implementing the recovery measures specific criteria for evaluating needed. additional areas as essential habitat. The The Act requires the development of plan recommends the development of a DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR recovery plans for listed species unless uniform protocol for collecting such a plan would not promote the information on populations of Higgins’ Fish and Wildlife Service conservation of a particular species. eye. Use of this protocol will allow for Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in ongoing evaluation of the list of Notice of Availability of the Higgins’ 1988, requires public notice and Essential Habitat Areas and progress Eye Pearlymussel (Lampsilis higginsii) opportunity for public review and towards recovery. Draft Revised Recovery Plan for comment be provided during recovery The removal of zebra mussels in a Review and Comment plan development. The Service will manner and scale necessary to benefit AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, consider all information presented Higgins’ eye is not currently feasible. Interior. during a public comment period before Therefore, the plan focuses on approval of each new or revised developing methods to prevent new ACTION: Notice of document availability. recovery plan. The Service and other infestations, monitoring zebra mussels SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Federal agencies will also take these at Essential Habitat Areas, and Service (Service) announces availability comments into consideration in the developing and implementing for public review of the draft revised course of implementing approved contingency plans to alleviate impacts recovery plan for the Higgins’ eye recovery plans. to infested populations. Based on recent pearlymussel (Lampsilis higginsii), a Higgins’ eye pearlymussel is currently activities, the latter may consist largely species that is federally listed as listed as endangered. Studies before of removing Higgins’ eye from areas endangered under the Endangered 1993 indicated healthy populations of where zebra mussels pose an imminent Species Act of 1973 (Act). The purpose Higgins’ eye in the Upper Mississippi threat and releasing them into suitable of this plan is to recover this species so River drainage, with no apparent habitats within their historical range that it can be removed from the list of significant declines in its distribution or where zebra mussels are not an Threatened and Endangered Species. abundance. In fact, new information imminent threat. Cleaning fouled adults This species occurs in the Mississippi since completion of the first recovery in situ and artificial propagation and River and tributaries to the Mississippi plan in 1983 extended its known range release are also currently being River in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, by 180 river-miles. There was concern, implemented in an attempt to alleviate Missouri, and Wisconsin. The Service however, that a major flood in 1993 and the effects of zebra mussels on the solicits review and comment from the the infestation of the Mississippi River conservation of Higgins’ eye. public on this draft plan. by the non-native zebra mussel Although zebra mussels are currently (Dreissena polymorpha) may have the most important threat to Higgins’ DATES: Comments on the draft recovery posed serious threats to the continued eye, construction activities and plan must be received on or before existence of Higgins’ eye. In response to environmental contaminants may also October 14, 2003. these threats and information, the pose significant threats. Therefore, the ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review Service convened a recovery team to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other the draft recovery plan may obtain a review the status of the species and to agencies must continue to assess and copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, revise the initial recovery plan, if limit the potential impacts of their U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, necessary. The team commissioned a actions on Higgins’ eye. The plan also Ecological Services Field Office, 4101 E. review of all research conducted on the outlines tasks needed to improve our 80th St., Bloomington, MN 55425 species since 1980 and a survey of all understanding of the potential (telephone (612) 725–3548) or by sites designated as Essential Habitat importance that contaminants play in accessing the following Web site: Areas in the 1983 recovery plan. During the conservation of Higgins’ eye and http://midwest.fws.gov/Endangered. the development of this revised calls on the U.S. Coast Guard, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. recovery plan, new information came Environmental Protection Agency, and Phil Delphey at the above address, or forward that suggested a significant other agencies to take actions to telephone at (612) 725–3548 ext. 206. impact of zebra mussels on Higgins’ eye, minimize the potential impacts of toxic TTY users may contact Mr. Delphey and the team believes there is now a spills. through the Federal Relay Service at significant risk that the distribution and The goal of this plan is to provide a (800) 877–8339. abundance of this species will be framework for the recovery of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: severely compromised. Higgins’ eye pearlymussel so that The initial Higgins’ Eye Pearlymussel protection by the Act is no longer Background Recovery Plan listed seven locations as necessary and the species can be Restoring an endangered or primary habitats (called Essential considered for removal from the list of threatened animal or plant to the point Habitat Areas in this document) and Endangered and Threatened Wildlife where it is again a secure self-sustaining nine locations as potential secondary and Plants (50 CFR part 17). Higgins’ member of its ecosystem is a primary habitats. This revised plan includes 10 eye may be considered for goal of the Service’s endangered species Essential Habitat Areas—6 in the reclassification from endangered to program. To help guide the recovery Mississippi River between river-miles threatened when at least five identified effort, the Service is working to prepare 489 and 656, 1 in the Wisconsin River, Essential Habitat Areas contain recovery plans for most of the federally and 3 in the St. Croix River, which reproducing, self-sustaining populations listed threatened and endangered empties into the Mississippi River at of Higgins’ eye that are not threatened species native to the United States. river-mile 811. Higgins’ eye also occurs by zebra mussels. Delisting Higgins’ eye VerDate jul<14>2003 16:08 Aug 14, 2003 Jkt 200001 PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM 15AUN1 48934 Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 158 / Friday, August 15, 2003 / Notices requires that populations of Higgins’ eye ADDRESSES: Grant proposals must be Region 7. Alaska. in at least five Essential Habitat Areas submitted to the Service’s Division of Regional Director, Division of Federal are reproducing, self-sustaining, not Federal Assistance at the following Assistance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife threatened by zebra mussels, and are locations: Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, sufficiently secure to assure long-term Region 1. Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Anchorage, Alaska 99503–6199, LIP viability of the species. Washington, California, Nevada, Contact: Al Havens (907) 786–3435; _ Public Comments Solicited American Samoa, Guam, and al [email protected]. Commonwealth of the Northern FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Service solicits written comments Kim Mariana Islands. Galvan, Policy Analyst, U.S. Fish and on the recovery plan described. All Regional Director, Division of Federal comments received by the date specified Wildlife Service, Division of Federal Assistance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Assistance, 4401 North Fairfax Drive— will be considered prior to approval of Service, 911 NE., 11th Avenue, the plan. Written comments and Mailstop MBSP 4020, Arlington, VA Portland, Oregon 97232–4181, LIP 22203–1610; telephone 703–358–2420; materials regarding the plan should be Contact: Verlyn Ebert, (503) 231–6128; _ sent to the Field Supervisor, Ecological e–mail kim [email protected], or any of [email protected]. the individuals identified previously in Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES Region 2. Arizona, New Mexico, the Regional Offices. section). Comments received will be Oklahoma, and Texas. available for public inspection by SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The appointment during normal business Regional Director, Division of Federal Service will award grants on a hours. Assistance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife competitive basis to State fish and Service, P.O. Box 1306, 500 Gold wildlife agency programs that enhance, Authority: The authority for this action is Avenue SW., Room 4012, Albuquerque, protect, or restore habitats that benefit section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). New Mexico 87102, LIP Contact: Bob federally listed, proposed, or candidate Anderson, (505)
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