12710 Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 51 / Monday, March 17, 2003 / Notices

of the complete applications or requests DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in for a public hearing on these 1988, requires public notice and applications should be submitted to the Fish and Wildlife Service opportunity for public review and Director (address above). Anyone comment be provided during recovery Notice of Availability of the Mead’s requesting a hearing should give plan development. The Service will Milkweed ( meadii) Draft specific reasons why a hearing would be consider all information presented Recovery Plan for Review and during a public comment period prior to appropriate. The holding of such a Comment hearing is at the discretion of the approval of each new or revised Director. AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, recovery plan. The Service and other Interior. Federal agencies will also take these PRT–067925 comments into consideration in the ACTION: Notice of document availability. course of implementing approved Applicant: Alaska Science Center, SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife recovery plans. USGS, Anchorage, AK Service (Service) announces availability The Mead’s milkweed was listed as Permit Type: Take and import. for public review of the draft recovery threatened on September 1, 1988. The plan for the Mead’s milkweed, a species species is known to persist at 171 sites Name and Number of Animals: that is federally listed as threatened in 34 counties in eastern , Enhydra lutris nereis, 20; Enhydra lutris under the Endangered Species Act of , south-central , and lutris, 150. 1973 (Act). The purpose of this plan is southern . Populations no longer Summary of Activity to be to recover this species in order that it occur in and . Authorized: The applicant requests a can be removed from the list of Seventy-five percent of the Mead’s permit for scientific research to conduct Threatened and Endangered Species. milkweed populations are in the Osage take activities with sea otters in This species occurs or may occur on Plains Physiographic Region in Kansas California and Alaska and to import public and private land in Illinois, and Missouri. The remainder of the biological samples from sea otters in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and populations occur in the Shawnee Hills of Illinois; the Southern Iowa Drift Plain Russia, Canada, and Japan in order to Wisconsin. The Service solicits review in Iowa; the Glaciated Plains, Ozark assess the population status and health and comment from the public on this draft plan. Border, Ozark Springfield Plateau, and of sea otters. the Ozark-St. Francois Mountains of DATES: Comments on the draft recovery Source of Marine Mammals: Central Missouri; and the Glaciated plan must be received on or before May California coast; Alaska; Russia, Canada, Physiographic Region of Kansas. Mead’s 16, 2003. and Japan. milkweed populations have been ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review Period of Activity: Up to 5 years. eliminated by wide-scale in the draft recovery plan may obtain a the eastern part of the species’ range. Concurrent with the publication of copy by contacting the Field Supervisor, Many large populations occur in private this notice in the Federal Register, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chicago, hay meadows where a century of annual Division of Management Authority is Illinois, Ecological Services Field Office, mowing, which prevents sexual forwarding copies of the above 1250 South Grove Avenue, Suite 103, reproduction, has severely reduced applications to the Marine Mammal Barrington, Illinois 60010–5091 or by genetic diversity. Among the surviving Commission and the Committee of accessing the Web site: http:// populations in eastern Missouri, Illinois Scientific Advisors for their review. midwest.fws.gov/Endangered. and Iowa, most apparently consist of a FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. few genetically invariant clones that are PRT–068430 Kristopher Lah, (847) 381–2253. TTY incapable of . users contact the Federal Relay Service Applicant: Arnold Goldschlager, Population restoration efforts are being at (800) 877–8339. Hillsborough, CA made in Illinois, Indiana, and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Wisconsin by introducing Mead’s The applicant requests a permit to milkweed into suitable habitat. import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) Background Mead’s milkweed occurs primarily in sport hunted from the Southern Restoring an endangered or , and occasionally in Beaufort Sea polar bear population in threatened animal or to the point thin-soil glades or barrens. This plant is Canada for personal use. where it is again a secure self-sustaining essentially restricted to late- member of its ecosystem is a primary successional prairie habitat, which has The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service goal of the Service’s endangered species never been plowed and only lightly has information collection approval program. To help guide the recovery grazed, or hay meadows that are from OMB through March 31, 2004, effort, the Service is working to prepare cropped annually for hay. OMB Control Number 1018–0093. recovery plans for most of the Federally reproduce sexually by seed and spread Federal agencies may not conduct or listed threatened and endangered vegetatively by , especially sponsor and a person is not required to species native to the United States. under midsummer haymowing regimes. respond to a collection of information Recovery plans describe actions As with other native milkweeds, Mead’s unless it displays a current valid OMB considered necessary for conservation of is either self-incompatible or subject to control number. the species, establish criteria for severe inbreeding depression. Mead’s February 28, 2003. reclassification and delisting, and milkweed populations that are managed provide estimates of the time and costs by prescribed burning experience an Michael S. Moore, for implementing the recovery measures increase in flowering, reproduction, and Senior Permit Biologist, Branch of Permits, needed. seedling establishment and are more Division of Management Authority. The Act requires the development of genetically diverse than sites that are [FR Doc. 03–6318 Filed 3–14–03; 8:45 am] recovery plans for listed species unless mowed. BILLING CODE 4310–55–P such a plan would not promote the In order to accomplish recovery, the conservation of a particular species. following actions are recommended in

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the draft recovery plan: (1) Protect HCP and ITP application were Sandusky Library, 114 W. Adams St., habitat; (2) manage habitat; (3) increase submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sandusky, Ohio 44870 size and number of populations; (4) Service (Service) by the Long Point Sandusky Library, 528 Division St., conduct field surveys for new Homeowner’s Association proposing Kelleys Island, Ohio 43438 population occurrences or potential residential development of the Long Oak Harbor Public Library, 147 W. Main habitat for introduction; (5) conduct Point Subdivision on Kelleys Island, St., Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449 research on restoration, management Erie County, Ohio. Federally-threatened All comments received from and introduction techniques; (6) Lake Erie water snakes (Nerodia sipedon individuals become part of the official maintain conservation populations; (7) insularum) occupy the project area and public record. Requests for such promote public understanding; and (8) it has been determined that the comments will be handled in review and track recovery progress. proposed actions will result in accordance with the Freedom of Recovery will be achieved, and the incidental take. The Long Point Information Act and the Council on species may be removed from the list of Homeowner’s Association submitted an Environmental Quality’s NEPA Threatened and Endangered Species ITP application to the Service for regulations [40 CFR 1506.6(f)]. Our when the following criteria are met: (1) incidental take pursuant to section practice is to make comments, including 26 populations are distributed across 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species names and home addresses of plant communities and physiographic Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. The respondents, available for public review regions within the historic range of the submission of the ITP application during regular business hours. species, (2) each of these 26 populations required the development of an HCP by Individual respondents may request that is highly viable, and (3) monitoring data the applicants detailing measures to be we withhold their home address from indicates that these populations have taken to avoid, minimize, and mitigate the record, which we will honor to the been stable or increasing for 15 years. impacts to Lake Erie water snakes. extent allowable by law. If a respondent DATES: Written comments must be wishes us to withhold his/her name Public Comments Solicited received on or before May 16, 2003. and/or address, this must be stated The Service solicits written comments ADDRESSES: Written comments can be prominently at the beginning of the on the recovery plan described. All mailed to the address or fax number comment. comments received by the date specified below. Electronic mail comments Incidental Take Permits will be considered prior to approval of should be submitted to: Section 9 of the Endangered Species the plan. Written comments and [email protected]. Persons wishing Act (Act) and Federal regulations materials regarding the plan should be to review the documents may obtain prohibit ‘‘take’’ of fish or wildlife sent to the Field Supervisor, Ecological copies by writing, telephoning, faxing, species listed as endangered or Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES or e-mailing: Regional HCP Coordinator, threatened. Take of listed fish or section). Comments received will be U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, 1 available for public inspection by wildlife is defined under the Act to Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111– mean harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, appointment during normal business 4056, Telephone: (612) 713–5343, Fax: hours. wound, kill, trap, capture, collect, or to (612) 713–5292. The draft EA/HCP is attempt to engage in any such conduct Authority: The authority for this action is also available at the following internet (16 U.S.C. 1538). Harm may include section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, address: http://midwest.fws.gov/nepa/. 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). significant habitat modification where it Copies of the draft EA/HCP may also be actually kills or injures wildlife by Dated: February 19, 2003. viewed at four public libraries listed in significantly impairing essential Charles M. Wooley, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. behavioral patterns, including breeding, Assistant Regional Director, Ecological FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. feeding, and sheltering [50 CFR 17.3(c)]. Services, Region 3. Peter Fasbender, Regional HCP The Service may under limited [FR Doc. 03–6265 Filed 3–14–03; 8:45 am] Coordinator, Telephone: (612) 713– circumstances issue permits to take _ BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 5343, or e-mail peter [email protected] listed species, provided such take is SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: incidental to, and not the purpose of, an Public Involvement otherwise lawful activity. Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR governing permits for endangered The draft EA/HCP is available for species are found in 50 CFR 17.22. Fish and Wildlife Service public review and comment for a period of 60 days. This notice is provided Background on Habitat Conservation Notice of Availability of a Draft pursuant to section 10(a) of the Plan Environmental Assessment/Habitat Endangered Species Act and National The Long Point Homeowner’s Conservation Plan Related to Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Association proposes to develop the 15- Application for an Incidental Take regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). Copies of acre Long Point Subdivision on Kelleys Permit for the Long Point the documents can be obtained as Island, Erie County, Ohio. The Lake Erie Homeowner’s Association indicated in the ADDRESSES section. In water snake and its habitat occur on the Development addition, documents will be available 15-acre tract. Within the HCP boundary, AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, for public inspection during normal 7 acres will be cleared and 6.1 acres Interior. business hours (8–4:30), at the U.S. Fish permanently maintained for the and Wildlife Service, 1 Federal Drive, ACTION: Notice of availability. proposed development of the seven Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and at the residential lots known as the Long Point SUMMARY: This notice advises the public Reynoldsburg Ecological Services Field Subdivision. Incidental take of Lake Erie and other agencies of the availability of Office, 6950 Americana Parkway, Suite water snakes is expected to occur due to a draft Environmental Assessment (EA)/ H, Reynoldsburg, Ohio and at the the loss and degradation of sheltering Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and following libraries: and hibernation habitat and due to the Incidental Take Permit (ITP) application Port Clinton Public Library, 310 increase in human activity in the project for review and comment. The draft EA/ Madison St., Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 area. Loss of suitable habitat would

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