Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 20, 1998 / Notices 2997 letters of comment, input recorded fully understood. The spider requires plan development. The Service will during meetings). If requested under the situations of high and constant consider all information presented Freedom of Information Act by a private humidity, and the loss of forest canopy, during a public comment period prior to citizen or organization, the Service may leading to increased light and decreased approval of each new or revised provide copies of such information. moisture on the forest floor (resulting in recovery plan. The Service and other The environmental review of this desiccation of the moss mats), appears Federal agencies will also take these project will be conducted in accordance to be the major threat to its continued comments into account in the course of with the requirements of the National existence. Unless new populations are implementing approved recovery plans. Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as found or reestablished and existing The primary species considered in amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA population are maintained, this species this draft recovery plan is the spruce- Regulations (40 CFR 1500–1508), other will remain in jeopardy of extinction for moss spider (Microhexura montivaga). appropriate Federal laws and the foreseeable future. The Service The area of emphasis for recovery regulations, Executive Order 12996, the solicits review and comments from the actions includes the Southern National Wildlife Refuge System public on this draft plan. Appalachian Mountains of western Improvement Act of 1997, and Service DATES: Comments on this technical/ North Carolina and eastern . policies and procedures for compliance agency draft recovery plan must be Habitat protection, reintroduction, and with those regulations. received on or before March 23, 1998 to the preservation of genetic material are We estimate that the draft receive consideration by the Service. the major objectives of this recovery environmental documents will be ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review plan. available for review in March 1999. the technical/agency draft recovery plan Public Comments Solicited Dated: January 9, 1998. may obtain a copy by contacting the Ralph O. Morgenweck, Asheville Field Office, U.S. Fish and The Service solicits written comments Regional Director, Denver, Colorado. Wildlife Service, 160 Zillicoa Street, on the recovery plan described. All [FR Doc. 98–1204 Filed 1–16–98; 8:45 am] Asheville, North Carolina 28801 comments received by the date specified (Telephone 704/258–3939). Written BILLING CODE 4310±55±M above will be considered prior to comments and materials regarding the approval of the final plan. plan should be addressed to the Field Authority DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Supervisor at the above address. Comments and materials received are The authority for this action is section 4(f) Fish and Wildlife Service available on request for public of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. inspection, by appointment, during 1533(f). Notice of Availability of the Technical/ normal business hours at the above Dated: January 6, 1998. Agency Draft Recovery Plan for the address. Brian P. Cole, Spruce-Fir Moss Spider for Review and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. State Supervisor. Comment John Fridell, Fish and Wildlife [FR Doc. 98–1232 Filed 1–16–98; 8:45 am] AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Biologist, at the address and telephone BILLING CODE 4310±55±M Interior. number shown in the ADDRESSES section (Ext. 225). ACTION: Notice of Document availability and public comment period. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Background Bureau of Land Management Service (Service) announces the Restoring endangered or threatened Closure to Collection of Petrified availability for public review of the and plants to the point where Order Established; Folsom Field technical/agency draft recovery plan for they are again secure, self-sustaining Office, California the spruce-fir moss spider (Microhexura members of their ecosystems is a montivaga). Historically, at least five primary goal of the Service’s AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, different mountain peaks in the endangered species program. To help Interior. Southern Appalachian Mountains of guide the recovery effort, the Service is western North Carolina and eastern working to prepare recovery plans for ACTION: Establishment of petrified wood Tennessee are known to have supported most of the listed species native to the collecting closure order within public populations of the spruce-fir moss United States. Recovery plans describe lands managed by the Folsom Field spider. Today, however, only two small actions considered necessary for the Office, California. relict populations of the spider are conservation of the species, establish known to survive—one on Grandfather criteria for recognizing the recovery SUMMARY: Certain described public Mountain in North Carolina and one on levels for downlisting or delisting them, lands administered by the Folsom Field Mount LeConte in Tennessee. The and estimate time and cost for Office in the vicinity of the typical habitat of the spruce-fir moss implementing the recovery measures communities of Dutch Flat and Gold spider is found in well-drained moss needed. Run are hereby closed to the collection mats growing on rocks and boulders in The Endangered Species Act of 1973, of petrified wood. This closure will be well-shaded situations in mature high- as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) in effect on all the below described elevation conifer forests dominated by (Act), requires the development of public lands: (Abier fraseri) and scattered recovery plans for listed species unless Mount Diablo Meridian, California red spruce (). These factors such a plan would not promote the T. 15 N., R. 10 E., are deteriorating rapidly, primarily due conservation of a particular species. Section 3: Lots 4,5; to infestation and the resulting mortality Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in Section 4: Lot 19; of the fir by the balsam woolly adelgid 1988, requires that a public notice and Section 9: SWSE; Lots 3,4,5,7,8,9; MS1483; (an exotic pest) and possibly air an opportunity for public review and Section 16: N/2NE, SWNE. population and other factors now yet comment be provided during recovery Totalling 320.29 acres, more or less.