Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 222 / Thursday, November 18, 2004 / Notices 67601

staff assistance and office automation include the Conservancy fairy FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: services for designated components of shrimp ( conservatio), Harry McQuillen or Betty Warne, Fish the agency. longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta and Wildlife Biologists, at the above Section M.40, Delegations of longiantenna), and tadpole Sacramento address. Authority. All delegations and shrimp ( packardi). Federally SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: redelegations of authority to officers and threatened animals include the vernal employees of SAMHSA which were in pool fairy shrimp () Background effect immediately prior to the effective and delta green ground beetle (Elaphrus Restoring endangered or threatened date of this reorganization shall viridis). The portions of the plan dealing animals and to the point where continue in effect pending further with the delta green ground beetle and they are again secure, self-sustaining redelegations, providing they are Solano grass are a revision of the 1985 members of their ecosystems is a consistent with the reorganization. Delta Green Ground Beetle and Solano primary goal of our endangered These organizational changes are Grass Recovery Plan. program. To help guide the recovery effective November 3, 2004. The draft recovery plan addresses effort, we are working to prepare recovery plans for most of the listed Charles G. Curie, conservation of 10 species of species native to the United States. Administrator. concern, including Astragalus tener var. Recovery plans describe actions ferrisiae (Ferris’ milk vetch), Astragalus [FR Doc. 04–25538 Filed 11–17–04; 8:45 am] considered necessary for the tener var. tener (alkali milk vetch), BILLING CODE 4160–01–P conservation of the species, establish Atriplex persistens (persistent-fruited criteria for downlisting or delisting saltscale), Eryngium spinosepalum listed species, and estimate time and (spiny-sepaled button-celery), Gratiola DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR cost for implementing the recovery heterosepala (Boggs Lake hedge- measures needed. Fish and Wildlife Service hyssop), Juncus leiospermus var. ahartii The Act of 1973, (Ahart’s dwarf rush), Legenere limosa Draft Recovery Plan for Vernal Pool as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (legenere), Myosurus minimus var. apus (Act), requires the development of Ecosystems of and Southern (little mouse tail), Navarretia myersii Oregon recovery plans for listed species unless ssp. deminuta (pincushion navarretia), such a plan would not promote the AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Plagiobothrys hystriculus (bearded conservation of a particular species. Interior. popcorn flower). The three Section 4(f) of the Act as amended in species of concern addressed in the ACTION: Notice of document availability 1988 requires that public notice and an for review and comment. draft recovery plan include the mid- opportunity for public review and valley fairy shrimp (Branchinecta comment be provided during recovery SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife mesovallensis), California fairy shrimp plan development. We will consider all Service (we) announces the availability ( occidentalis), and western information presented during the public of the Draft Recovery Plan for Vernal spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii). comment period prior to approval of Pool Ecosystems of California and DATES: Comments on the draft recovery each new or revised recovery plan. Southern Oregon for public review and plan must be received on or before Substantive technical comments will comment. This draft recovery plan March 18, 2005. result in changes to the plan as covers 33 species, of which 20 are appropriate. Substantive comments federally listed as threatened or ADDRESSES: A copy of the draft recovery regarding recovery plan implementation endangered. These species inhabit plan is available for review, by may not necessarily result in changes to vernal pool ecosystems in California appointment, during normal business the recovery plan, but will be forwarded and southern Oregon. This draft hours at the following U.S. Fish and to appropriate Federal or other entities recovery plan includes recovery criteria Wildlife Service locations: Sacramento so that they can take these comments and measures for 20 federally listed Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage into account during the course of species. Federally endangered plants Way, Room W–2605, Sacramento, implementing recovery actions. include Eryngium constancei (Loch California (telephone (916) 414–6600); Individual responses to comments will Lomond button-celery), Lasthenia Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, 6010 not be provided. conjugens (Contra Costa goldfields), Hidden Valley Road, Carlsbad, The 33 species covered in this draft Limnanthes floccosa ssp. californica California (telephone (760) 431–9440); recovery plan occur primarily in vernal (Butte County meadowfoam), Navarretia Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 pool, swale, or ephemeral freshwater leucocephala ssp. pauciflora (few- Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, habitats within California and southern flowered navarretia), Navarretia California (telephone (805) 644–1766); Oregon and are largely confined to a leucocephala ssp. plieantha (many- Southwest Oregon Field Office, 2900 limited area by topographic constraints, flowered navarretia), pilosa NW., Stewart Parkway, Roseburg, soil types, and climatic conditions. (hairy Orcutt grass), Orcuttia viscida Oregon (telephone (541) 957–3473); and Surrounding (or associated) upland (Sacramento Orcutt grass), Parvisedum Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office, 1655 habitat is critical to the proper leiocarpum (Lake County stonecrop), Heindon Road, Arcata, California ecological function of these vernal pool greenei (Greene’s tuctoria), and (telephone (707) 822–7201. An habitats. Most of the vernal pool plants (Solano grass). electronic copy of this draft recovery and animals addressed in the draft Federally threatened plants include plan is also available on the World Wide recovery plan have life histories adapted Castilleja campestris ssp. succulenta Web at http://pacific.fws.gov/ to the short period for growth and (fleshy owl’s clover), Chamaesyce ecoservices/endangered/recovery/ reproduction within inundated or hooveri (Hoover’s spurge), plans.html and http:// drying pools interspersed with long colusana (Colusa grass), Orcuttia endangered.fws.gov/recovery/ dormant periods when pools are dry, inaequalis ( Orcutt index.html#plans. Printed copies of the and extreme year-to-year variation in grass), and Orcuttia tenuis (slender draft recovery plan will be available for rainfall. Threats to the species include Orcutt grass). Federally endangered distribution in 4 to 6 weeks. habitat loss, fragmentation, and

VerDate jul<14>2003 14:11 Nov 17, 2004 Jkt 205001 PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\18NON1.SGM 18NON1 67602 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 222 / Thursday, November 18, 2004 / Notices

degradation due to urban development, SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife requires that public notice and an recreation, agricultural conversion and Service (we) announces the availability opportunity for public review and practices, and altered hydrology; non- of the Draft Recovery Plan for the comment be provided during recovery native invasive species; inadequate Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius plan development. We will consider all regulatory mechanisms; incompatible newberryi) for public review and information presented during the public grazing regimes; and stochastic events. comment. The tidewater goby is a small comment period prior to approval of All species covered in the draft recovery fish that inhabits coastal brackish water each new or revised recovery plan. plan primarily are threatened by the habitats entirely within California, Substantive technical comments will loss, fragmentation, or degradation of ranging from Tillas Slough (mouth of result in changes to the plan as vernal pool habitat throughout the the Smith River, Del Norte County) near appropriate. Substantive comments following areas: the Central Valley of the Oregon border south to Agua regarding recovery plan implementation California, the southern Sierra foothills, Hedionda Lagoon (northern San Diego may not necessarily result in changes to the Carrizo Plain, portions of the Coast County). This draft recovery plan the recovery plan, but will be forwarded Ranges, the Modoc Plateau, the describes the status, current to appropriate Federal or other entities , Los Angeles, and management, recovery objectives and so that they can take these comments San Diego areas of California, and the criteria, and specific actions needed to into account during the course of Klamath Mountains region in Oregon. reclassify the tidewater goby from implementing recovery actions. Therefore, areas currently, historically, endangered to threatened, and to Individual responses to comments will or potentially occupied by the species ultimately delist it. We solicit review not be provided. are recommended for habitat protection and comment from local, State, and and/or special management Federal agencies, and the public on this This draft recovery plan was considerations. draft recovery plan. developed by the Tidewater Goby Recovery Team. We coordinated with The objectives of this draft recovery DATES: Comments on the draft recovery the California Department of Fish and plan are to: (1) Ameliorate the threats plan must be received on or before Game and a team of stakeholders, which that caused the species to be listed, and January 18, 2005 to receive our included landowners and managers, ameliorate any other newly identified consideration. threats in order to be able to delist these agency representatives, and non- ADDRESSES: A copy of the draft recovery species; and (2) ensure the long-term government organizations. plan is available for review, by conservation of the species of concern. The tidewater goby was listed as an appointment, during normal business These objectives will be accomplished endangered species on March 7, 1994 hours at the following location: U.S. through implementation of a variety of (59 FR 5494). The tidewater goby is Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish recovery measures including habitat threatened primarily by modification and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, protection, management and restoration; and loss of habitat as a result of coastal Suite B, Ventura, California 93003 monitoring; reintroduction, development, channelization of habitat, (telephone 805–644–1766). An introduction, and enhancement; electronic copy of the draft recovery diversions of water flows, groundwater research and status surveys; and public plan is also available on the World Wide overdrafting, and alteration of water participation, outreach, and education. Web at http://pacific.fws.gov/ flows. Actions needed to recover the tidewater goby include: (1) Monitor, Public Comments Solicited ecoservices/endangered/recovery/ plans.html and http:// protect, and enhance currently occupied We solicit written comments on the tidewater goby habitat; (2) conduct draft recovery plan described. All endangered.fws.gov/recovery/ index.html#plans. Printed copies of the biological research to enhance the comments received by the date specified ability to integrate land use practices above will be considered in developing draft recovery plan will be available for distribution in 4 to 6 weeks. with tidewater goby recovery and revise a final recovery plan. recovery tasks as pertinent new FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: information becomes available; (3) Authority Chris Dellith, Fish and Wildlife evaluate and implement translocation Biologist, at the above Sacramento The authority for this action is section where appropriate; and (4) increase address. 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 public awareness about tidewater U.S.C. 1533(f). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: gobies. Dated: October 21, 2004. Background Paul Henson, Public Comments Solicited Manager, California/Nevada Operations Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point where We solicit written comments on the Office, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife draft recovery plan described. All Service. they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystems is a comments received by the date specified [FR Doc. 04–25540 Filed 11–17–04; 8:45 am] above will be considered in developing BILLING CODE 4310–55–P primary goal of our endangered species program. To help guide the recovery a final recovery plan. effort, we are working to prepare Authority DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the United States. The authority for this action is section Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery plans describe actions 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 considered necessary for the U.S.C. 1533(f). Draft Recovery Plan for the Tidewater conservation of the species; establish Dated: October 20, 2004. Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) criteria for the recovery levels for Vicki L. Campbell, AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, downlisting or delisting them, and Manager, California/Nevada Operations Interior. estimate time and cost for implementing the recovery measures needed. Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ACTION: Notice of document availability Section 4(f) of the Endangered Species [FR Doc. 04–25541 Filed 11–17–04; 8:45 am] for review and comment. Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

VerDate jul<14>2003 14:11 Nov 17, 2004 Jkt 205001 PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\18NON1.SGM 18NON1