Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 196 / Thursday, October 9, 2003 / Notices 58355 Permit No. TE–050450 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR public review of this draft recovery plan. Applicant: Lisa Allen, Dana Point, Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery of endangered or threatened California. animals and plants is a primary goal of The permittee requests an amendment Re-Opening of the Comment Period for our endangered species program and the to take (harass by survey and collect and the Draft Recovery Plan for the Sierra Endangered Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. sacrifice) the Conservancy fairy shrimp Nevada Bighorn Sheep 1531 et seq.). Recovery means (Branchinecta conservatio), the AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, improvement of the status of listed longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta Interior. species to the point at which listing is longiantenna), the Riverside fairy no longer appropriate under the criteria ACTION: Notice of re-opening of public shrimp (Streptocephalus wootoni), the set out in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. comment period. San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta Recovery plans describe actions sandiegonensis), and the vernal pool SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and considered necessary for the tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi) in Wildlife Service, announce a re-opening conservation of the species, establish conjunction with surveys throughout of the comment period for public review criteria for downlisting or delisting the range of each species in California of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Sierra listed species, and estimate time and for the purpose of enhancing their Nevada Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis cost for implementing the measures survival. californiana) for an additional 60 days. needed for recovery. The Act requires the development of Permit No. TE–074658 The original comment period closed on September 29, 2003. We are re-opening recovery plans for listed species unless Applicant: Cecilia Meyer Lovell, San the comment period in response to such a plan would not promote the Diego, California. specific requests from the Natural conservation of a particular species. The applicant requests a permit to Resources Defense Council and the Section 4(f) of the Act requires that take (harass by survey and collect and Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep public notice and an opportunity for sacrifice) the Conservancy fairy shrimp Foundation to allow additional time for public review and comment be provided (Branchinecta conservatio), the public review of this draft recovery during recovery plan development. We longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta plan. This draft recovery plan includes will consider all information presented longiantenna), the Riverside fairy recovery criteria and measures for the during the public comment period prior shrimp (Streptocephalus wootoni), the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. to approval of each new or revised recovery plan. Substantive technical San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta DATES: Comments on the draft recovery comments may result in changes to the sandiegonensis), and the vernal pool plan must be received on or before plan. Substantive comments regarding tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi) in December 8, 2003. recovery plan implementation may not conjunction with surveys throughout ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery necessarily result in changes to the the range of each species in California plan are available for inspection, by recovery plan, but will be forwarded to for the purpose of enhancing their appointment, during normal business appropriate Federal or other entities so survival. hours at the following location: U.S. that they can take these comments into Permit No. TE–077388 Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish account during the course of and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, implementing recovery actions. Applicant: Oregon Zoo, Portland, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003 This draft recovery plan was Oregon. (telephone 805–644–1766). Requests for developed by the Sierra Nevada Bighorn The applicant requests a permit to copies of the draft recovery plan and Sheep Recovery Team. We coordinated take (captive breed) the California written comments and materials with the California Department of Fish condor (Gymnogyps californianus) in regarding the plan should be addressed and Game, and a team of stakeholders, conjunction with a recovery program for to the Field Supervisor at the above which included ranchers, landowners the species in Multnomah County, address. An electronic copy of this draft and managers, agency representatives, Oregon, for the purpose of enhancing its recovery plan is also available at http:/ and non-government organizations. survival. /www.r1.fws.gov/ecoservices/ The population of bighorn sheep in endangered/recovery/default.htm. the Sierra Nevada of California was Permit No. TE–077392 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl listed as an endangered species on Applicant: Peter Waldburger, Los Osos, Benz, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, at the January 3, 2000, (65 FR 20) following California. above address. emergency listing on April 20, 1999, (64 The applicant requests a permit to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FR 19300). At the time of listing, the bighorn sheep population was very take (harass by survey) the Morro Background shoulderband snail (Helminthoglypta small, with only about 125 adults walkeriana) in conjunction with surveys On July 30, 2003, we published a known to exist among 5 geographic throughout the range of the species in Notice of Availability of the Draft areas, with little probability of California for the purpose of enhancing Recovery Plan for the Sierra Nevada interchange among those areas. The its survival. Bighorn Sheep, opening a 60-day public bighorn sheep is threatened primarily We solicit public review and comment period that is scheduled to by transmission of disease from comment on each of these recovery end on September 29, 2003. We have domestic sheep and goats, and permit applications. received requests from the Natural predation by mountain lions. Key Resources Defense Council, the elements for immediate action are: (1) Dated: October 2, 2003. Wilderness Society, and the Sierra Predator management; (2) augmentation David J. Wesley, Nevada Bighorn Sheep Foundation to of small herds with sheep from larger Deputy Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish extend the comment period so that they ones; and (3) elimination of the threat of and Wildlife Service. might more thoroughly review the plan. a pneumonia epizootic resulting from [FR Doc. 03–25580 Filed 10–8–03; 8:45 am] Based on these requests, we determined contact with domestic sheep or goats. BILLING CODE 4310–55–P to re-open the comment period for Actions needed to recover the bighorn VerDate jul<14>2003 17:04 Oct 08, 2003 Jkt 203001 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\09OCN1.SGM 09OCN1 58356 Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 196 / Thursday, October 9, 2003 / Notices sheep include: (1) Protection of bighorn Topics to be covered during the ANS Areas, and coal leasing suitability were sheep habitat; (2) increase population Task Force meeting include: an update addressed only for lands administered growth by enhancing survivorship and of activities from each of the Task by the Farmington Field Office. The reproductive output of bighorn sheep; Force’s regional panels; status and USFS and BOR were cooperating (3) increase the numbers of herds, and updates from several other Task Force agencies in preparation of the RMP. The thereby the number of bighorn sheep; committees and working groups Final EIS and Proposed RMP were (4) develop and implement a genetic including the Prevention Committee, available for protest from April 4, 2003, management plan to maintain genetic the Asian Carp working group, and the to May 5, 2003. All protests and diversity; (5) monitor status and trends New Zealand mud snail working group, comments were considered during the of bighorn sheep herds and their habitat; review of State ANS Management Plans preparation of the ROD. (6) research; and (7) providing from Hawaii, Indiana and Wisconsin; an information to the public. update on ballast water management ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD have activities; an update on the activities of Public Comments Solicited been sent to affected Federal, State, and the National Invasive Species Council; a local Government agencies and to We solicit written comments on the discussion on the National Aquatic interested parties. The document will be draft recovery plan described. All Invasive Species Act; and other topics. available electronically on the following comments received by the date specified Minutes of the meeting will be Web site: http://www.nm.blm.gov/. above will be considered in developing maintained by the Executive Secretary, Copies of the ROD are available for a final recovery plan. Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, public inspection at the following BLM Suite 810, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Authority: The authority for this action is office locations: Farmington Field Arlington, Virginia 22203–1622, and section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, Office, 1235 La Plata Highway, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). will be available for public inspection Farmington, NM 87401; and Dated: September 24, 2003. during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. Albuquerque Field Office, 435 Montano Steve Thompson, Rd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Manager, California/Nevada Operations Dated: October 2, 2003. Office, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Mamie Parker, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Service. Co-chair, Aquatic