81 FR 4333 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for the Laguna Mountains Skipper

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 16 (January 26, 2016)

Page Range		4333-4334
FR Document		2016-01131

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Laguna Mountains skipper, a small butterfly, for public review and comment. The draft recovery plan includes recovery objectives and criteria, and specific actions necessary to achieve recovery and removal of the species from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 16 (Tuesday, January 26, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4333-4334]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01131]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-ES-2015-N147; FXES11130000-156-FF08E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery 
Plan for the Laguna Mountains Skipper

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Laguna Mountains skipper, a 
small butterfly, for public review and comment. The draft recovery plan 
includes recovery objectives and criteria, and specific actions 
necessary to achieve recovery and removal of the species from the 
Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We request review 
and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, State, and Federal 
agencies, and the public.

DATES: We must receive any comments on the draft recovery plan on or 
before March 28, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the draft recovery plan from our 
Web site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/recovery-plans.html. 
Alternatively, you may contact the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2177 Salk Avenue, Suite 250, Carlsbad, 
CA 92008 (telephone 760-431-9440). 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: Field Supervisor, at the above address;
     Hand-delivery: Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, at the 
above address; or
     Email: [email protected].
    For additional information about submitting comments, see the 
``Request for Public Comments'' section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mendel Stewart, Field Supervisor, at 
the above street address or telephone number (see ADDRESSES).

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 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (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 
specified 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.
    The Laguna Mountains skipper is a small butterfly that inhabits 
large wet mountain meadows and associated forest openings at elevations 
above 3,900 feet (ft) (1,189 meters (m)). We listed the Laguna 
Mountains skipper (Pyrgus ruralis lagunae) as endangered throughout its 
entire range in 1997 (January 16, 1997; 62 FR 2313). At the time of 
listing, the subspecies occurred in the Laguna Mountains and on Palomar 
Mountain in San Diego County, California, but it is currently 
restricted to Palomar Mountain, where there are four extant 
occurrences. Adult occupancy is also associated with surface water such 
as streams and wet seeps, and population growth appears positively 
correlated with rainfall levels. Horkelia clevelandii (Cleveland's 
horkelia) is Laguna Mountains skipper's primary host plant.
    The primary threats to survival of the Laguna Mountains skipper are 
habitat modification through poor management of cattle grazing and 
succession, climate change, incidental ingestion by cattle, and small 
isolated populations susceptible to events such as drought and fire.

Recovery Plan Goals

    The purpose of a recovery plan is to provide a framework for the 
recovery of species so that protection under the Act is no longer 
necessary. A recovery plan includes scientific information about the 
species and provides criteria that enable us to gauge whether 
downlisting or delisting the species is warranted. Furthermore, 
recovery plans help guide our recovery efforts by describing actions we 
consider necessary for each species' conservation and by estimating 
time and costs for implementing needed recovery measures.
    The ultimate goal of this recovery plan is to recover the Laguna 
Mountains skipper so that it can be delisted. The interim goal is to 
recover the species to the point that it can be downlisted from 
endangered to threatened status. To meet the recovery goal, the 
following objectives have been identified:
    1. Validate the population ecology model to advance our ability to 
understand and monitor the status of Laguna Mountains skipper and 
inform management practices;
    2. Increase abundance and ensure long-term persistence of Laguna 
Mountains skipper through reduction and management of threats to the 
subspecies and its habitat throughout its current range; and
    3. Ensure population redundancy of Laguna Mountains skipper through 
documentation and reestablishment (where needed) of multiple resilient 
and genetically representative populations within its historical range.
    As the Laguna Mountains skipper meets recovery criteria, we will 
review its status and consider it for downlisting or removal from the 
Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

Request for Public Comments

    We request written comments on the draft recovery plan described in 
this notice. All comments received by the date specified in the DATES 
section will be considered in development of a final recovery plan for 
Laguna Mountains skipper. You may submit written comments and 
information by mail or in person to the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife

[[Page 4334]]

Office at the address 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.

Authority

    We developed our 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: January 14, 2016.
Alexandra Pitts,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2016-01131 Filed 1-25-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 26, 2016 / Notices 4333

profit. The information taken in this draft recovery plan from local, State, Horkelia clevelandii (Cleveland’s
collection is necessary for ICE to grant and Federal agencies, and the public. horkelia) is Laguna Mountains skipper’s
access to eBonds and to notify the DATES: We must receive any comments primary host plant.
public of the duties and responsibilities on the draft recovery plan on or before The primary threats to survival of the
associated with accessing eBonds. The March 28, 2016. Laguna Mountains skipper are habitat
I–352SA and the I–352RA are the two ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of modification through poor management
instruments used to collect the the draft recovery plan from our Web of cattle grazing and succession, climate
information associated with this site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/ change, incidental ingestion by cattle,
collection. The I–352SA is to be species/recovery-plans.html. and small isolated populations
completed by a Surety that currently Alternatively, you may contact the susceptible to events such as drought
holds a Certificate of Authority to act as Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. and fire.
a Surety on Federal bonds and details Fish and Wildlife Service, 2177 Salk Recovery Plan Goals
the requirements for accessing eBonds Avenue, Suite 250, Carlsbad, CA 92008
as well as the documentation, in (telephone 760–431–9440). If you wish The purpose of a recovery plan is to
addition to the I–352SA and I–352RA, to comment on the draft recovery plan, provide a framework for the recovery of
which the Surety must submit prior to you may submit your comments in species so that protection under the Act
being granted access to eBonds. The I– writing by any one of the following is no longer necessary. A recovery plan
352RA provides notification that methods: includes scientific information about
eBonds is a Federal government • U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, at the the species and provides criteria that
computer system and as such users above address; enable us to gauge whether downlisting
must abide by certain conduct • Hand-delivery: Carlsbad Fish and or delisting the species is warranted.
guidelines to access eBonds and the Wildlife Office, at the above address; or Furthermore, recovery plans help guide
consequences if such guidelines are not • Email: fw8cfwocomments@fws.gov. our recovery efforts by describing
followed. For additional information about actions we consider necessary for each
(5) An estimate of the total number of submitting comments, see the ‘‘Request species’ conservation and by estimating
respondents and the amount of time for Public Comments’’ section below. time and costs for implementing needed
estimated for an average respondent to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: recovery measures.
respond: 100 responses at 30 minutes Mendel Stewart, Field Supervisor, at the The ultimate goal of this recovery
(.50 hours) per response. above street address or telephone plan is to recover the Laguna Mountains
(6) An estimate of the total public number (see ADDRESSES). skipper so that it can be delisted. The
burden (in hours) associated with the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: interim goal is to recover the species to
collection: 50 annual burden hours. the point that it can be downlisted from
Dated: January 21, 2016. Background endangered to threatened status. To
Scott Elmore, Recovery of endangered or threatened meet the recovery goal, the following
animals and plants to the point where objectives have been identified:
Program Manager, Forms Management Office,
Office of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. they are again secure, self-sustaining 1. Validate the population ecology
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, members of their ecosystems is a model to advance our ability to
Department of Homeland Security. primary goal of our endangered species understand and monitor the status of
[FR Doc. 2016–01425 Filed 1–25–16; 8:45 am] program and the Endangered Species Laguna Mountains skipper and inform
BILLING CODE 9111–28–P Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 16 U.S.C. management practices;
1531 et seq.). Recovery means 2. Increase abundance and ensure
improvement of the status of listed long-term persistence of Laguna
species to the point at which listing is Mountains skipper through reduction
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
no longer appropriate under the criteria and management of threats to the
Fish and Wildlife Service specified in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. subspecies and its habitat throughout its
The Act requires the development of current range; and
[FWS–R8–ES–2015–N147; FXES11130000– recovery plans for listed species, unless 3. Ensure population redundancy of
156–FF08E00000] such a plan would not promote the Laguna Mountains skipper through
conservation of a particular species. documentation and reestablishment
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
The Laguna Mountains skipper is a (where needed) of multiple resilient and
and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for the
small butterfly that inhabits large wet genetically representative populations
Laguna Mountains Skipper
mountain meadows and associated within its historical range.
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, forest openings at elevations above As the Laguna Mountains skipper
Interior. 3,900 feet (ft) (1,189 meters (m)). We meets recovery criteria, we will review
ACTION: Notice of document availability. listed the Laguna Mountains skipper its status and consider it for downlisting
(Pyrgus ruralis lagunae) as endangered or removal from the Federal List of
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and throughout its entire range in 1997 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.
Wildlife Service, announce the (January 16, 1997; 62 FR 2313). At the
Request for Public Comments
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan time of listing, the subspecies occurred
for Laguna Mountains skipper, a small in the Laguna Mountains and on We request written comments on the
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

butterfly, for public review and Palomar Mountain in San Diego County, draft recovery plan described in this
comment. The draft recovery plan California, but it is currently restricted notice. All comments received by the
includes recovery objectives and to Palomar Mountain, where there are date specified in the DATES section will
criteria, and specific actions necessary four extant occurrences. Adult be considered in development of a final
to achieve recovery and removal of the occupancy is also associated with recovery plan for Laguna Mountains
species from the Federal List of surface water such as streams and wet skipper. You may submit written
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. seeps, and population growth appears comments and information by mail or in
We request review and comment on this positively correlated with rainfall levels. person to the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife

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4334 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 16 / Tuesday, January 26, 2016 / Notices

Office at the address in the ADDRESSES of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Description of Respondents:
section. Attention: Desk Officer for the Individuals and Households.
Department of the Interior, via email: Estimated Total Number of Annual
Public Availability of Comments Responses: 250.
(OIRA_SUBMISSION@omb.eop.gov); or
Before including your address, phone by fax (202) 395–5806; and identify your Estimated Time per Response: We
number, email address, or other submission with ‘OMB Control Number estimate that it will take approximately
personal identifying information in your 1028–NEW ‘Alaska Beak Deformity 5 minutes to read the instructions and
comment, you should be aware that Observations’. Please also forward a 10 minutes to complete the response
your entire comment—including your copy of your comments and suggestions form.
personal identifying information—may on this information collection to the Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 63
be made publicly available at any time. Information Collection Clearance hours.
While you can ask us in your comment Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Estimated Reporting and
to withhold your personal identifying Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, Reston, Recordkeeping ‘‘Non-Hour Cost’’
information from public review, we VA 20192 (mail); (703) 648–7195 (fax); Burden: There are no ‘‘non-hour cost’’
cannot guarantee that we will be able to or gs-info_collections@usgs.gov (email). burdens associated with this collection
do so. Please reference ‘OMB Information of information.
Collection 1028–NEW: ‘Alaska Beak Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA
Authority (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) provides that an
Deformity Observations’ in all
We developed our recovery plan correspondence. agency may not conduct or sponsor and
under the authority of section 4(f) of the you are not required to respond to a
Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). We publish this FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: collection of information unless it
notice under section 4(f) of the Colleen Handel, Alaska Science Center, displays a currently valid OMB control
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as U.S. Geological Survey, 4210 University number. Until the OMB approves a
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508 (mail); collection of information, you are not
907–786–7181 (phone); or cmhandel@ obliged to respond.
Dated: January 14, 2016. usgs.gov (email). You may also find Comments: On August 14, 2015, we
Alexandra Pitts, information about this ICR at published a Federal Register notice (80
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest www.reginfo.gov. FR 48909) announcing that we would
Region, Sacramento, California.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: submit this ICR to OMB for approval
[FR Doc. 2016–01131 Filed 1–25–16; 8:45 am] and soliciting comments. The comment
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P I. Abstract period closed on October 13, 2015. We
As part of the USGS Ecosystems received no comments.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR mission to assess the status and trends III. Request for Comments
of the Nation’s biological resources, the
We again invite comments concerning
Geological Survey Alaska Science Center Landbird
this ICR as to: (a) Whether the proposed
Program conducts research on avian
[GX15.WB12.C25A1.00] collection of information is necessary
populations within Alaska. Beginning in
for the agency to perform its duties,
Agency Information Collection the late 1990s, an outbreak of beak
including whether the information is
Activities: Request for Comments on deformities in Black-capped Chickadees
useful; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s
the Alaska Beak Deformity emerged in southcentral Alaska. USGS
estimate of the burden of the proposed
Observations scientists launched a study to
collection of information; (c) how to
understand the scope of this problem
AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), enhance the quality, usefulness, and
and its effect on wild birds. Since that
Interior. clarity of the information to be
time, researchers have gathered
collected; and (d) how to minimize the
ACTION: Notice of a new information important information about the
burden on the respondents, including
collection, Alaska Beak Deformity deformities but their cause still remains
the use of automated collection
Observations. unknown. Members of the public
techniques or other forms of information
provide observation reports of birds
SUMMARY: We (the U.S. Geological technology.
with deformities from around Alaska
Survey) are notifying the public that we Please note that comments submitted
and other regions of North America.
have submitted to the Office of in response to this notice are a matter
These reports are very important in that
Management and Budget (OMB) the of public record. Before including your
they allow researchers to determine the
information collection request (ICR) personal mailing address, phone
geographical distribution and species
described below. To comply with the number, email address, or other
affected. Data collection over such a
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) personally identifiable information in
large and remote area would not be
and as part of our continuing efforts to your comment, you should be aware
possible without the public’s assistance.
reduce paperwork and respondent that your entire comment, including
burden, we invite the general public and II. Data your personally identifiable
other Federal agencies to take this information, may be made publicly
OMB Control Number: 1028–NEW.
opportunity to comment on this ICR. available at any time. While you can ask
Title: Alaska Beak Deformity in your comment to withhold your
DATES: To ensure that your comments Observations.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

personal identifying information from
on this ICR are considered, OMB must Type of Request: Approval of new public review, we cannot guarantee that
receive them on or before February 25, information collection. it will be done.
2016. Respondent Obligation: Participation
ADDRESSES: Please submit written is voluntary. Mark Shasby,
comments on this information Frequency of Collection: Seasonally Alaska Science Center Director.
collection directly to the Office of variable, from zero to ten observations [FR Doc. 2016–01430 Filed 1–25–16; 8:45 am]
Management and Budget (OMB), Office as needed. BILLING CODE 4338–11–P

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Document Created: 2018-02-02 12:38:13
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 12:38:13

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 document availability.
Dates		We must receive any comments on the draft recovery plan on or before March 28, 2016.
Contact		Mendel Stewart, Field Supervisor, at
FR Citation		81 FR 4333

81 FR 4333 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for the Laguna Mountains Skipper

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORFish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 16 (January 26, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service