81 FR 79515 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Recovery Plan for the Laurel Dace
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 219 (November 14, 2016)
Fish and Wildlife Service
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 219 (November 14, 2016)
| Page Range | 79515-79516 | |
| FR Document | 2016-27272 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 219 (Monday, November 14, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 79515-79516] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-27272] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R4-ES-2016-N124; FXES1130400000C2-167-FF04E00000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Recovery Plan for the Laurel Dace AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the final recovery plan for the endangered laurel dace, a small fish native to the Tennessee River Basin in Tennessee. The recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria that must be met in order for us to downlist the fish to threatened status or delist it under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the recovery plan from our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/recovery-plans.html or the Tennessee Field Office Web site at http://www.fws.gov/cookeville. You may also request a copy of the recovery plan by contacting Geoff Call, by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Field Office, 446 Neal Street, Cookeville, TN 38501 (telephone 931-525-4983). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Geoff Call (see ADDRESSES). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Recovery Plans Under the Endangered Species Act 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 needed under any criteria specified in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. To help guide the recovery effort, we prepare recovery plans for most listed species. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for conservation of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or delisting, and estimate time and cost for implementing recovery measures. The Act requires the development of recovery plans for listed species, unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular species. About the Species We listed the laurel dace (Chrosomus saylori) as an endangered species under the Act on August 9, 2011 (76 FR 48722), and designated critical habitat for the species on October 16, 2012 (77 FR 63604). The laurel dace is a small fish native to the Tennessee River Basin in Tennessee. This fish, from the family Cyprinidae, is found or collected from pools or slow runs from undercut banks or under slab boulders in headwater tributaries. The vegetation surrounding the first or second order streams where laurel dace occur includes mountain laurel, rhododendron, and hemlocks. Historically, laurel dace is known from seven streams, and it currently occupies six of these, in three creek systems on the Walden Ridge of the Cumberland Plateau. Only a few individuals have been collected from headwaters of the two creek systems in the southern part of their range, Soddy and Sale Creeks, although laurel dace are more abundant in headwaters of the Piney River system in their northern range. Threats to the laurel dace include land use activities that affect silt levels, temperature, or hydrologic processes of these small tributaries; invasive species, including sunfishes, basses, and hemlock woolly adelgid; the species' naturally small population size and geographic range; and climate change. Recovery Plan Development Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to provide public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment prior to final approval of recovery plans. We and other Federal agencies will take these public comments into account in the course of implementing approved recovery plans. The Technical/Agency Draft Recovery Plan for the Laurel Dace was developed by the Tennessee Field Office. This draft plan was published on January 14, 2015, and made available for public comment through March 16, 2015 (79 FR 1933). We received no comments from the general public on the draft plan. The Service also asked four peer reviewers to review and provide comments on the draft plan. We received comments from all four peer reviewers: Dr. J. Brian Alford of University of Tennessee, Dr. Hayden T. Mattingly of Tennessee Tech University, Dr. Christopher E. Skelton of Georgia College and State University, and Mr. Mark Thurman of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. All of the peer reviewers offered general support and praise for the draft plan. For a summary of our responses to peer review comments, see Appendix A in [[Page 79516]] the final recovery plan. We considered the information we received from peer reviewers in our preparation and approval of this final recovery plan. Specifically, we made a slight modification to recovery criteria (see below) by adding the clarification of 500 individuals in the definition of a viable population. We also adjusted budgets of recovery actions in the implementation schedule. Recovery Plan Components Objectives for Reclassification to Threatened and Delisting The goal of this recovery plan is to conserve populations of laurel dace and enable the species to recover to the point that listing under the Act is no longer necessary. Because recovery and delisting will take a long time to achieve, and may be unachievable, an intermediate goal of this recovery plan is to reduce threats to the point that the species could be reclassified from endangered to threatened. Reclassification to Threatened Reclassification of the laurel dace to threatened status will be possible when habitat conditions in occupied streams are suitable for the conservation of the species, and viable populations are present throughout suitable habitat in five of the six currently occupied streams. Delisting In order for the laurel dace to recover to the point that listing under the Act is no longer necessary, it will be necessary to conserve all existing populations by maintaining, and in some cases restoring, suitable habitat conditions in all streams where the species currently occurs. It will also be necessary to discover or establish one additional population. Criteria for Reclassification From Endangered to Threatened or Delisting The following criteria will be used to determine whether the objectives for reclassification and delisting described above have been met. The criteria will be achieved by reducing or removing threats to the species' habitat and conserving or establishing viable populations throughout the species' range, as determined by monitoring of demographic and genetic parameters. Criteria for Reclassification From Endangered to Threatened Criterion 1: Suitable instream habitat, flows, and water quality for laurel dace, as defined by Recovery Tasks in the recovery plan, exist in occupied streams. Criterion 2: Viable populations * are present throughout suitable habitat in Bumbee, Moccasin, and Youngs Creeks, and at least two of the following streams: Soddy Creek, Cupp Creek or Horn Branch. Criteria for Delisting Criterion 1: Suitable instream habitat, flows, and water quality for laurel dace exist in all occupied streams, and mechanisms exist to ensure that land use activities (including road maintenance) in catchments of streams inhabited by laurel dace will be compatible with the species' conservation for the foreseeable future. Such mechanisms could include, but are not necessarily limited to, conservation agreements, conservation easements, land acquisition, and habitat conservation plans. Criterion 2: Viable populations * are present throughout suitable habitat in Bumbee, Moccasin, Youngs, Soddy, and Cupp Creeks and Horn Branch, and one additional viable population, created either through reintroduction into Laurel Branch or by discovery of an additional wild population. * Populations will be considered viable when the following demographic and genetic conditions exist:Demographics--Monitoring data demonstrate that (a) populations are stable or increasing, (b) average census size is at least 500 individuals and two or more age-classes are consistently present over a period of time encompassing five generations (i.e., 15 years), and (c) evidence of recruitment is not absent in more than 3 years or during consecutive years at any point within that period of time. Genetics--Populations will be considered to have sufficient genetic variation to be viable if measurements of observed number of alleles and estimates of heterozygosity and effective population size have remained stable or increased during the five generations used to establish demographic viability. Authority The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). Dated: August 22, 2016. Mike Oetker, Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region. [FR Doc. 2016-27272 Filed 11-10-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 219 / Monday, November 14, 2016 / Notices 79515
062015.pdf.) The June 15, 2015 notice DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR About the Species
itself was an update of prior RAD We listed the laurel dace (Chrosomus
program notices issued on July 26, 2012, Fish and Wildlife Service
saylori) as an endangered species under
July 2, 2013, and February 6, 2014. The [FWS–R4–ES–2016–N124; the Act on August 9, 2011 (76 FR
June 15, 2015 notice covered both of the FXES1130400000C2–167–FF04E00000] 48722), and designated critical habitat
RAD program’s two components. for the species on October 16, 2012 (77
(Component 1 applies only to public Endangered and Threatened Wildlife FR 63604). The laurel dace is a small
housing units that may convert to RAD. and Plants; Final Recovery Plan for the fish native to the Tennessee River Basin
Component 2 applies to Section 8 Laurel Dace in Tennessee. This fish, from the family
Moderate Rehabilitation, Rent AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Cyprinidae, is found or collected from
Supplement, and Rental Assistance Interior. pools or slow runs from undercut banks
Payment properties that may convert to ACTION: Notice of availability. or under slab boulders in headwater
RAD.) The June 15, 2015 notice tributaries. The vegetation surrounding
addressed fair housing, civil rights, and SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife the first or second order streams where
relocation requirements among the other Service (Service), announce the laurel dace occur includes mountain
program instructions. However, given availability of the final recovery plan for laurel, rhododendron, and hemlocks.
the importance of these requirements, the endangered laurel dace, a small fish Historically, laurel dace is known
especially as they apply to the types of native to the Tennessee River Basin in from seven streams, and it currently
transactions common in public housing Tennessee. The recovery plan includes occupies six of these, in three creek
conversions, HUD determined that a specific recovery objectives and criteria systems on the Walden Ridge of the
that must be met in order for us to Cumberland Plateau. Only a few
notice dedicated solely to fair housing,
downlist the fish to threatened status or individuals have been collected from
civil rights, and relocation requirements
delist it under the Endangered Species headwaters of the two creek systems in
was appropriate.
Act of 1973, as amended. the southern part of their range, Soddy
Today’s relocation notice only ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of and Sale Creeks, although laurel dace
addresses RAD Component 1. The the recovery plan from our Web site at are more abundant in headwaters of the
notice explains the situations in which http://www.fws.gov/endangered/ Piney River system in their northern
HUD is requiring front-end fair housing species/recovery-plans.html or the range. Threats to the laurel dace include
and civil rights reviews, and provides Tennessee Field Office Web site at land use activities that affect silt levels,
information regarding the types of http://www.fws.gov/cookeville. You may temperature, or hydrologic processes of
information that must be submitted to also request a copy of the recovery plan these small tributaries; invasive species,
facilitate HUD’s review of certain fair by contacting Geoff Call, by U.S. mail at including sunfishes, basses, and
housing and civil rights requirements in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, hemlock woolly adelgid; the species’
connection with public housing Tennessee Field Office, 446 Neal Street, naturally small population size and
conversions under RAD Component 1. Cookeville, TN 38501 (telephone 931– geographic range; and climate change.
The notice also includes guidance 525–4983). Recovery Plan Development
regarding relocation requirements under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to
RAD and reiterates key civil rights- and Geoff Call (see ADDRESSES).
provide public notice and an
relocation-related statutory and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
opportunity for public review and
regulatory requirements. comment prior to final approval of
Background
II. Solicitation of Comment recovery plans. We and other Federal
Recovery Plans Under the Endangered agencies will take these public
As noted in the Summary of this Species Act comments into account in the course of
notice, today’s notice is posted and Recovery of endangered or threatened implementing approved recovery plans.
effective but HUD welcomes comments animals and plants to the point where The Technical/Agency Draft Recovery
on the notice. The purpose of the notice they are again secure, self-sustaining Plan for the Laurel Dace was developed
is to provide greater guidance on members of their ecosystems is a by the Tennessee Field Office. This draft
compliance with fair housing, civil primary goal of our endangered species plan was published on January 14, 2015,
rights, and relocation requirements. program and the Endangered Species and made available for public comment
HUD specifically solicits comment on Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 16 U.S.C. through March 16, 2015 (79 FR 1933).
the clarity of the information provided 1531 et seq.). Recovery means We received no comments from the
in the notice. In the event HUD makes improvement of the status of listed general public on the draft plan.
any changes in response to public species to the point at which listing is The Service also asked four peer
comment, HUD will revise the notice no longer needed under any criteria reviewers to review and provide
and advise the public of any changes specified in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. comments on the draft plan. We
made. To help guide the recovery effort, we received comments from all four peer
prepare recovery plans for most listed reviewers: Dr. J. Brian Alford of
Dated: November 8, 2016. species. Recovery plans describe actions University of Tennessee, Dr. Hayden T.
Edward L. Golding, considered necessary for conservation of Mattingly of Tennessee Tech University,
the species, establish criteria for Dr. Christopher E. Skelton of Georgia
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
Principal Deputy Assistant, Secretary for
Housing. downlisting or delisting, and estimate College and State University, and Mr.
[FR Doc. 2016–27348 Filed 11–10–16; 8:45 am] time and cost for implementing recovery Mark Thurman of the Tennessee
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
measures. The Act requires the Wildlife Resources Agency. All of the
development of recovery plans for listed peer reviewers offered general support
species, unless such a plan would not and praise for the draft plan. For a
promote the conservation of a particular summary of our responses to peer
species. review comments, see Appendix A in
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![79516 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 219 / Monday, November 14, 2016 / Notices
the final recovery plan. We considered Criterion 2: Viable populations * are DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
the information we received from peer present throughout suitable habitat in
reviewers in our preparation and Bumbee, Moccasin, and Youngs Creeks, Fish and Wildlife Service
approval of this final recovery plan. and at least two of the following [FWS–R6–R–2016–N040; FF06R06000–
Specifically, we made a slight streams: Soddy Creek, Cupp Creek or FXRS12610600000–167]
modification to recovery criteria (see Horn Branch.
below) by adding the clarification of 500 National Elk Refuge, Teton County,
individuals in the definition of a viable Criteria for Delisting Wyoming; Final Comprehensive
population. We also adjusted budgets of Conservation Plan and Finding of No
recovery actions in the implementation Criterion 1: Suitable instream habitat,
Significant Impact for Environmental
schedule. flows, and water quality for laurel dace
Assessment
exist in all occupied streams, and
Recovery Plan Components mechanisms exist to ensure that land AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,
Objectives for Reclassification to use activities (including road Interior.
Threatened and Delisting maintenance) in catchments of streams ACTION: Notice of availability.
The goal of this recovery plan is to inhabited by laurel dace will be
compatible with the species’ SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and
conserve populations of laurel dace and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
enable the species to recover to the conservation for the foreseeable future.
availability of a final comprehensive
point that listing under the Act is no Such mechanisms could include, but
conservation plan (CCP) and finding of
longer necessary. Because recovery and are not necessarily limited to, no significant impact (FONSI) for the
delisting will take a long time to conservation agreements, conservation environmental assessment (EA) for the
achieve, and may be unachievable, an easements, land acquisition, and habitat National Elk Refuge (Refuge, NWR). In
intermediate goal of this recovery plan conservation plans. this final CCP, we describe how we
is to reduce threats to the point that the Criterion 2: Viable populations * are intend to manage the refuge for the next
species could be reclassified from present throughout suitable habitat in 15 years.
endangered to threatened. Bumbee, Moccasin, Youngs, Soddy, and ADDRESSES: You will find the final CCP,
Reclassification to Threatened Cupp Creeks and Horn Branch, and one a summary of the final CCP, and the EA/
Reclassification of the laurel dace to additional viable population, created FONSI on the planning Web site: http://
threatened status will be possible when either through reintroduction into www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/refuges/
habitat conditions in occupied streams Laurel Branch or by discovery of an wy_ner.php. A limited number of hard
are suitable for the conservation of the additional wild population. copies and CD–ROMs are available. You
species, and viable populations are may request one by any of the following
* Populations will be considered
present throughout suitable habitat in methods:
viable when the following demographic • Email: nationalelkrefuge@fws.gov.
five of the six currently occupied and genetic conditions exist:
streams. Include ‘‘National Elk Refuge CCP’’ in
• Demographics—Monitoring data the subject line of the message.
Delisting demonstrate that (a) populations are • U.S. Mail: National Elk Refuge, P.O.
In order for the laurel dace to recover stable or increasing, (b) average census Box 510, Jackson, WY, 83001.
to the point that listing under the Act is size is at least 500 individuals and two FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
no longer necessary, it will be necessary or more age-classes are consistently Steve Kallin, Refuge Manager, at 307–
to conserve all existing populations by present over a period of time 733–9212 (phone), or Toni Griffin,
maintaining, and in some cases encompassing five generations (i.e., 15 Planning Team Leader, 303–236–4378
restoring, suitable habitat conditions in years), and (c) evidence of recruitment (phone) or toni_griffin@fws.gov (email).
all streams where the species currently is not absent in more than 3 years or SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
occurs. It will also be necessary to during consecutive years at any point Introduction
discover or establish one additional within that period of time.
population. With this notice, we continue the CCP
• Genetics—Populations will be process for the National Elk Refuge,
Criteria for Reclassification From considered to have sufficient genetic which we began by publishing a notice
Endangered to Threatened or Delisting variation to be viable if measurements of of intent in the Federal Register (75 FR
The following criteria will be used to observed number of alleles and 65370) on October 22, 2010. For more
determine whether the objectives for estimates of heterozygosity and effective about the initial process and the history
reclassification and delisting described population size have remained stable or of this refuge, see that notice. We
above have been met. The criteria will increased during the five generations released the draft CCP and EA to the
be achieved by reducing or removing used to establish demographic viability. public, announcing and requesting
threats to the species’ habitat and comments in a notice of availability (79
Authority FR 53440) on September 9, 2014. The
conserving or establishing viable
populations throughout the species’ The authority for this action is section 45-day comment period ended on
range, as determined by monitoring of 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 October 24, 2014. A summary of public
demographic and genetic parameters. U.S.C. 1533(f). comments and the agency responses is
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
included in the final CCP.
Criteria for Reclassification From Dated: August 22, 2016.
Endangered to Threatened Mike Oetker,
Background
Criterion 1: Suitable instream habitat, Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region. The National Wildlife Refuge System
flows, and water quality for laurel dace, [FR Doc. 2016–27272 Filed 11–10–16; 8:45 am]
Administration Act of 1966, as amended
as defined by Recovery Tasks in the by the National Wildlife Refuge System
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
recovery plan, exist in occupied Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C.
streams. 668dd–668ee) (Administration Act),
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Document Created: 2018-10-24 10:46:33
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 10:46:33
| 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. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 79515 |
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