80 FR 38226 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Sonoran Pronghorn Draft Recovery Plan

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 127 (July 2, 2015)

Page Range		38226-38228
FR Document		2015-16292

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft recovery plan, second revision, for the Sonoran pronghorn, which is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This pronghorn is currently found in southwestern Arizona and northwestern Sonora, Mexico. The draft recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria to be met to enable us to remove this species from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. We request review and comment on this plan from local, State, and Federal agencies; Tribes; and the public. We will also accept any new information on the status of the Sonoran pronghorn throughout its range to assist in finalizing the recovery plan.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 127 (Thursday, July 2, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 127 (Thursday, July 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38226-38228]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16292]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R2-ES-2014-N233; FXES11130200000C2-112-FF02ENEH00]

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Sonoran Pronghorn
Draft Recovery Plan

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our draft recovery plan, second revision, for the
Sonoran pronghorn, which is listed as endangered under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This pronghorn is currently
found in southwestern Arizona and northwestern Sonora, Mexico. The
draft recovery plan

[[Page 38227]]

includes specific recovery objectives and criteria to be met to enable
us to remove this species from the list of endangered and threatened
wildlife and plants. We request review and comment on this plan from
local, State, and Federal agencies; Tribes; and the public. We will
also accept any new information on the status of the Sonoran pronghorn
throughout its range to assist in finalizing the recovery plan.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive written comments on or
before August 3, 2015. However, we will accept information about any
species at any time.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the draft recovery plan, you may
obtain a copy by any one of the following methods:
Internet: Access the file at www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/SpeciesDocs/SonoranPronghorn/SonoranPronghorn_DraftRecoveryPlan_Final_December2014.pdf;
U.S. mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1611 North Second
Avenue, Ajo, AZ 85321; or
Telephone: (520) 387-6483.
If you wish to comment on the draft recovery plan, you may submit
your comments in writing by any one of the following methods:
U.S. mail: Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Coordinator, at the
Ajo, AZ, address;
Hand-delivery: Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, at
the Ajo, AZ, address;
Fax: (520) 387-5359; or
Email: James_Atkinson@fws.gov.
For additional information about submitting comments, see the
``Request for Public Comments'' section in this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Atkinson, Sonoran Pronghorn
Recovery Coordinator, at the above address and phone number, or by
email at James_Atkinson@fws.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Recovery of endangered or threatened animals and plants to the
point where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their
ecosystems is a primary goal of our endangered species program and the
Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Recovery means improvement of the status
of listed species to the point at which listing is no longer
appropriate under the criteria set out in section 4(a)(1) of the Act.
The Act requires the development of recovery plans for listed species,
unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular
species. A recovery plan for the Sonoran pronghorn was first completed
in 1982 and was then revised in 1998. A supplement and amendment to the
1998 plan was completed in 2002.

Species History

The Sonoran pronghorn subspecies is recognized by a number of
Federal, State, and international lists. The subspecies was first
included on the first list of endangered species on March 11, 1967 (32
FR 4001), under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of October 15,
1966, a predecessor of the Act. The subspecies is currently listed as
an endangered species throughout its range under the Act. The species'
current recovery priority number is 3, indicating the subspecies has a
high degree of threat and a high potential for recovery.
In addition to the listing under the Act, the pronghorn is listed
as endangered in Mexico by the Secretar[iacute]a de Medio Ambiente y
Recursos Naturales, or Federal Ministry of the Environment and Natural
Resource (SEMARNAT 2010). This listing is for the entire species and
includes all subspecies within Mexico. All subspecies of Antilocapra
americana are listed on the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, but only populations in
Mexico are included (Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Flora and Fauna 2014). Sonoran pronghorn in Arizona are
also on the Arizona Game and Fish Department's list of ``Species of
Greatest Conservation Need.''
Pronghorn have slightly curved horns; the males usually have a
single prong projecting forward. The horns have a straight bony core
and sheaths of fused hairs, which are shed and replaced annually
(Hoffmeister 1986). Coat color varies from yellowish to tan, with some
white markings, except for black on the top of the nose (Hoffmeister
1986). Pronghorns are the only artiodactyls with pronged horns and horn
sheaths that are shed annually (Hoffmeister 1986).
Pronghorn are endemic to western North America (O'Gara 1978) and
are placed within the Family Antilocapridae in Order Artiodactyla, the
even-toed ungulates. The Family Antilocapridae, found only in North
America, contains only one genus, Antilocapra, which in turn contains
only one species, the pronghorn. The Sonoran pronghorn is one of four
extant subspecies of pronghorn (Stephen et al. 2005). Sonoran pronghorn
historically occurred throughout most of southwestern Arizona,
northwestern Sonora, and portions of southeastern California and
northeastern Baja California. Four wild populations of the Sonoran
pronghorn are now extant and occupy about 8 percent of their historical
range; two of these occur in southwestern Arizona and two occur in
northwestern Sonora. Threats to the species include barriers (e.g.,
highways, fences, railroads, development, canals) that limit
distribution and movement; dewatering of rivers; loss, fragmentation,
and degradation of habitat; human-caused disturbance; and periods of
prolonged drought.
The recovery strategy is to secure a sufficient number of Sonoran
pronghorn populations that are viable under appropriate management
scenarios within select areas throughout their historical range. In
recognition of the binational distribution of the species, and the
unique challenges and opportunities this presents, two conservation
units (CU) for the species have been designated, one in the United
States and one in Mexico. The U.S. CU is located in Arizona and
California and includes the historical range of Sonoran pronghorn in
the United States. The Mexico CU includes the historical range of
Sonoran pronghorn in Mexico. Within these CUs there are management
units (MU), including the Cabeza, Arizona Reintroduction, and
California Reintroduction MUs in Arizona and California, and the
Pinacate, Quitovac, and Sonora Reintroduction MUs in Sonora.

Recovery Plan Goals

The recovery goal is to conserve and protect the Sonoran pronghorn
and its habitat so that its long-term survival is secured, and it can
be removed from the list of threatened and endangered species
(delisted). To achieve this goal, this draft recovery plan identifies
the following objectives:
1. Ensure multiple viable populations of Sonoran pronghorn
rangewide.
2. Ensure that there is adequate quantity, quality, and
connectivity of Sonoran pronghorn habitat to support populations.
3. Minimize and mitigate the effects of human disturbance on
Sonoran pronghorn.
4. Identify and address priority monitoring needs.
5. Identify and address priority research needs.
6. Maintain existing partnerships and develop new partnerships to
support Sonoran pronghorn recovery.
7. Secure adequate funding to implement recovery actions for
Sonoran pronghorn.

[[Page 38228]]

8. Practice adaptive management, in which recovery is monitored and
recovery tasks are revised by the Service in coordination with the
Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Team as new information becomes available.
The draft recovery plan contains recovery criteria based on
increasing and protecting current populations and establishing at least
one new population, as well as reducing threats to the species. To
achieve recovery criteria, various management actions are needed. When
the status of Sonoran pronghorn meets these criteria, the species will
no longer meet the conditions of being endangered throughout a
significant portion of its range and will no longer warrant listing.

Request for Public Comments

Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to provide public notice and an
opportunity for public review and comment during recovery plan
development. It is also our policy to request peer review of recovery
plans (July 1, 1994; 59 FR 34270). We will summarize and respond to the
issues raised by the public and peer reviewers and post our responses
on our Web site. Substantive comments may or may not result in changes
to the recovery plan; comments regarding recovery plan implementation
will be forwarded as appropriate to Federal or other entities so that
they can be taken into account during the course of implementing
recovery actions. Responses to individual commenters will not be
provided, but we will provide a summary of how we addressed substantive
comments in an appendix to the approved recovery plan.
We invite written comments on the draft recovery plan. In
particular, we are interested in additional information regarding the
current threats to the species and the costs associated with
implementing the recommended recovery actions.
Before we approve our final recovery plan, we will consider all
comments we receive by the date specified in DATES. Methods of
submitting comments are in the ADDRESSES section.

Public Availability of Comments

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Comments and materials we receive will be available, by
appointment, for public inspection during normal business hours at our
office (see ADDRESSES).

References Cited

A complete list of all references cited herein is available upon
request from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Branch of Recovery
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section).

Authority

We developed our draft recovery plan under the authority of section
4(f) of the Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). We publish this notice under
section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Dated: May 20, 2015.
Joy E. Nicholopoulos,
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-16292 Filed 7-1-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 127 / Thursday, July 2, 2015 / Notices 38227

includes specific recovery objectives pronghorn was first completed in 1982 Sonora, and portions of southeastern
and criteria to be met to enable us to and was then revised in 1998. A California and northeastern Baja
remove this species from the list of supplement and amendment to the 1998 California. Four wild populations of the
endangered and threatened wildlife and plan was completed in 2002. Sonoran pronghorn are now extant and
plants. We request review and comment occupy about 8 percent of their
Species History
on this plan from local, State, and historical range; two of these occur in
Federal agencies; Tribes; and the public. The Sonoran pronghorn subspecies is southwestern Arizona and two occur in
We will also accept any new recognized by a number of Federal, northwestern Sonora. Threats to the
information on the status of the Sonoran State, and international lists. The species include barriers (e.g., highways,
pronghorn throughout its range to assist subspecies was first included on the fences, railroads, development, canals)
in finalizing the recovery plan. first list of endangered species on March that limit distribution and movement;
DATES: To ensure consideration, we
11, 1967 (32 FR 4001), under the dewatering of rivers; loss,
must receive written comments on or Endangered Species Preservation Act of fragmentation, and degradation of
October 15, 1966, a predecessor of the habitat; human-caused disturbance; and
before August 3, 2015. However, we will
Act. The subspecies is currently listed periods of prolonged drought.
accept information about any species at
as an endangered species throughout its The recovery strategy is to secure a
any time.
range under the Act. The species’ sufficient number of Sonoran pronghorn
ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the current recovery priority number is 3,
draft recovery plan, you may obtain a populations that are viable under
indicating the subspecies has a high appropriate management scenarios
copy by any one of the following degree of threat and a high potential for
methods: within select areas throughout their
recovery. historical range. In recognition of the
Internet: Access the file at In addition to the listing under the
www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/ binational distribution of the species,
Act, the pronghorn is listed as
SpeciesDocs/SonoranPronghorn/ and the unique challenges and
endangered in Mexico by the Secretarı́a
SonoranPronghorn_DraftRecoveryPlan_ opportunities this presents, two
de Medio Ambiente y Recursos
Final_December2014.pdf; conservation units (CU) for the species
Naturales, or Federal Ministry of the
U.S. mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife have been designated, one in the United
Environment and Natural Resource
Service, 1611 North Second Avenue, States and one in Mexico. The U.S. CU
(SEMARNAT 2010). This listing is for
Ajo, AZ 85321; or the entire species and includes all is located in Arizona and California and
Telephone: (520) 387–6483. subspecies within Mexico. All includes the historical range of Sonoran
If you wish to comment on the draft subspecies of Antilocapra americana pronghorn in the United States. The
recovery plan, you may submit your are listed on the Convention on Mexico CU includes the historical range
comments in writing by any one of the International Trade in Endangered of Sonoran pronghorn in Mexico.
following methods: Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, but Within these CUs there are management
• U.S. mail: Sonoran Pronghorn only populations in Mexico are units (MU), including the Cabeza,
Recovery Coordinator, at the Ajo, AZ, included (Convention on International Arizona Reintroduction, and California
address; Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Reintroduction MUs in Arizona and
• Hand-delivery: Cabeza Prieta Flora and Fauna 2014). Sonoran California, and the Pinacate, Quitovac,
National Wildlife Refuge, at the Ajo, AZ, pronghorn in Arizona are also on the and Sonora Reintroduction MUs in
address; Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Sonora.
• Fax: (520) 387–5359; or list of ‘‘Species of Greatest Conservation
• Email: James_Atkinson@fws.gov. Recovery Plan Goals
Need.’’
For additional information about Pronghorn have slightly curved horns; The recovery goal is to conserve and
submitting comments, see the ‘‘Request the males usually have a single prong protect the Sonoran pronghorn and its
for Public Comments’’ section in this projecting forward. The horns have a habitat so that its long-term survival is
notice. straight bony core and sheaths of fused secured, and it can be removed from the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: hairs, which are shed and replaced list of threatened and endangered
James Atkinson, Sonoran Pronghorn annually (Hoffmeister 1986). Coat color species (delisted). To achieve this goal,
Recovery Coordinator, at the above varies from yellowish to tan, with some this draft recovery plan identifies the
address and phone number, or by email white markings, except for black on the following objectives:
at James_Atkinson@fws.gov. top of the nose (Hoffmeister 1986). 1. Ensure multiple viable populations
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pronghorns are the only artiodactyls of Sonoran pronghorn rangewide.
with pronged horns and horn sheaths 2. Ensure that there is adequate
Background that are shed annually (Hoffmeister quantity, quality, and connectivity of
Recovery of endangered or threatened 1986). Sonoran pronghorn habitat to support
animals and plants to the point where Pronghorn are endemic to western populations.
they are again secure, self-sustaining North America (O’Gara 1978) and are 3. Minimize and mitigate the effects of
members of their ecosystems is a placed within the Family human disturbance on Sonoran
primary goal of our endangered species Antilocapridae in Order Artiodactyla, pronghorn.
program and the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et the even-toed ungulates. The Family 4. Identify and address priority
seq.). Recovery means improvement of Antilocapridae, found only in North monitoring needs.
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

the status of listed species to the point America, contains only one genus, 5. Identify and address priority
at which listing is no longer appropriate Antilocapra, which in turn contains research needs.
under the criteria set out in section only one species, the pronghorn. The 6. Maintain existing partnerships and
4(a)(1) of the Act. The Act requires the Sonoran pronghorn is one of four extant develop new partnerships to support
development of recovery plans for listed subspecies of pronghorn (Stephen et al. Sonoran pronghorn recovery.
species, unless such a plan would not 2005). Sonoran pronghorn historically 7. Secure adequate funding to
promote the conservation of a particular occurred throughout most of implement recovery actions for Sonoran
species. A recovery plan for the Sonoran southwestern Arizona, northwestern pronghorn.

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38228 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 127 / Thursday, July 2, 2015 / Notices

8. Practice adaptive management, in cannot guarantee that we will be able to normal business hours. The FIRS is
which recovery is monitored and do so. available 24 hours a day, seven days a
recovery tasks are revised by the Service Comments and materials we receive week, to leave a message or question
in coordination with the Sonoran will be available, by appointment, for with the above individual. You will
Pronghorn Recovery Team as new public inspection during normal receive a reply during normal business
information becomes available. business hours at our office (see hours.
The draft recovery plan contains ADDRESSES). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The plat,
recovery criteria based on increasing References Cited in 2 sheets, and field notes of the
and protecting current populations and dependent resurvey, survey and
establishing at least one new A complete list of all references cited supplemental plat in Townships 45 and
population, as well as reducing threats herein is available upon request from 46 North, Range 7 East, New Mexico
to the species. To achieve recovery the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Principal Meridian, Colorado, were
criteria, various management actions are Branch of Recovery (see FOR FURTHER accepted on May 12, 2015.
needed. When the status of Sonoran INFORMATION CONTACT section). The plat and field notes of the limited
pronghorn meets these criteria, the Authority corrective dependent resurvey in
species will no longer meet the Township 43 North, Range 6 East, New
conditions of being endangered We developed our draft recovery plan Mexico Principal Meridian, Colorado,
throughout a significant portion of its under the authority of section 4(f) of the were accepted on May 18, 2015.
range and will no longer warrant listing. Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). We publish this The plat incorporating the field notes
notice under section 4(f) of the of the dependent resurvey and
Request for Public Comments Endangered Species Act of 1973, as subdivision of section 3 in Township 14
Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). South, Range 77 West, Sixth Principal
provide public notice and an Dated: May 20, 2015. Meridian, Colorado, was accepted on
opportunity for public review and Joy E. Nicholopoulos, June 10, 2015.
comment during recovery plan Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, The plat incorporating the field notes
development. It is also our policy to Fish and Wildlife Service. of the dependent resurvey in Township
request peer review of recovery plans [FR Doc. 2015–16292 Filed 7–1–15; 8:45 am] 35 North, Range 15 West, New Mexico
(July 1, 1994; 59 FR 34270). We will BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
Principal Meridian, Colorado, was
summarize and respond to the issues accepted on June 19, 2015.
raised by the public and peer reviewers
Randy Bloom,
and post our responses on our Web site. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Chief Cadastral Surveyor for Colorado.
Substantive comments may or may not
result in changes to the recovery plan; Bureau of Land Management [FR Doc. 2015–16290 Filed 7–1–15; 8:45 am]
comments regarding recovery plan [LLCO956000 L14400000.BJ0000]
BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P

implementation will be forwarded as
appropriate to Federal or other entities Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey;
so that they can be taken into account DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Colorado
during the course of implementing National Park Service
recovery actions. Responses to AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
individual commenters will not be Interior. [NPS–PWR–PWRO–17880;
provided, but we will provide a ACTION: Notice of Filing of Plats of PX.PR099106F.00.1]
summary of how we addressed Survey; Colorado.
substantive comments in an appendix to Draft Environmental Impact Statement
the approved recovery plan. SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land for General Management Plan, City of
Management (BLM) Colorado State Rocks National Reserve, Cassia
We invite written comments on the
Office is publishing this notice to County, Idaho
draft recovery plan. In particular, we are
inform the public of the intent to
interested in additional information AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
officially file the survey plats listed
regarding the current threats to the ACTION: Notice of availability.
below and afford a proper period of time
species and the costs associated with
to protest this action prior to the plat SUMMARY: The National Park Service
implementing the recommended
filing. During this time, the plats will be (NPS), in cooperation with the Idaho
recovery actions.
available for review in the BLM Department of Parks and Recreation and
Before we approve our final recovery
Colorado State Office. the Bureau of Land Management, has
plan, we will consider all comments we
receive by the date specified in DATES. DATES: Unless there are protests of this prepared a Draft Environmental Impact
Methods of submitting comments are in action, the filing of the plats described Statement (DEIS) and General
the ADDRESSES section. in this notice will happen on August 3, Management Plan (GMP) for City of
2015. Rocks National Reserve (Reserve). The
Public Availability of Comments ADDRESSES: BLM Colorado State Office, DEIS evaluates four GMP alternatives
Before including your address, phone Cadastral Survey, 2850 Youngfield for management of the City of Rocks
number, email address, or other Street, Lakewood, CO 80215–7093. National Reserve. When approved, the
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

personal identifying information in your FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: GMP will allow for implementation of a
comment, you should be aware that Randy Bloom, Chief Cadastral Surveyor range of management actions to improve
your entire comment—including your for Colorado, (303) 239–3856. protection of natural and cultural
personal identifying information—may Persons who use a resources and visitor experience within
be made publicly available at any time. telecommunications device for the deaf the Reserve.
While you can ask us in your comment (TDD) may call the Federal Information DATES: All comments must be
to withhold your personal identifying Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 postmarked or transmitted not later than
information from public review, we to contact the above individual during 60 days from the date of publication in

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Document Created: 2015-12-15 13:15:24
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 13:15:24

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of availability; request for comment.
Dates		To ensure consideration, we must receive written comments on or before August 3, 2015. However, we will accept information about any species at any time.
Contact		James Atkinson, Sonoran Pronghorn
FR Citation		80 FR 38226

80 FR 38226 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Sonoran Pronghorn Draft Recovery Plan

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORFish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 127 (July 2, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service