[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 155 (Friday, August 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-19697]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 12, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the
Shenandoah Salamander for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability
for public review of a draft Recovery Plan for the Shenandoah
salamander (Plethodon shenandoah). The Shenandoah salamander is limited
to mountain slopes within the boundaries of Shenandoah National Park in
Page and Madison Counties, Virginia. It was listed as endangered in
1989 due to competition with the redbacked salamander (Plethodon
cinereus) and eventual succession of the Shenandoah salamander's talus-
slope habitat to conditions favoring the redbacked salamander. Human-
related factors potentially affecting the Shenandoah salamander include
potentially adverse physiological and/or reproductive effects
associated with acid deposition, and defoliation of trees associated
with non-native insect outbreaks. The primary recovery strategy for
this species is to minimize any human-related impacts on the Shenandoah
salamander while monitoring the effects of natural competition. The
Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft Plan.
DATES: Comments on the draft Recovery Plan must be received September
12, 1994 to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the draft Recovery Plan can obtain
a copy from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region Five, 300
Westgate Center Drive, Hadlley, Massachusetts 01035-9589, telephone
(413) 253-8628. Comments should be sent to this address, to the
attention of Mary Parkin.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary J. Parkin (see Addresses).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point
where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is
a primary goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered
species program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service is
working to prepare Recovery Plans for most of the listed species native
to the United States. Recovery Plans describe actions considered
necessary for conservation of the species, established criteria for the
recovery level for downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time and
cost for implementing the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) requires the development of Recovery Plans for listed
species unless such a Plan would not promote the conservation of a
particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988,
requires that public notice and an opportunity for public review and
comment be provided during Recovery Plan development. The Service will
consider all information presented during a public comment period prior
to approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. The Service and other
Federal agencies will also take these comments into account in the
course of implementing Recovery Plans.
The document submitted for review is the draft Shenandoah
Salamander (Plethodon shenandoah) Recovery Plan. This small woodland
salamander is known only from the northeast to northwest-facing talus
slopes of three mountains--Hawksbill, The Pinnacles, and Stony Man--all
within the boundaries of Shenandoah National Park in Page and Madison
Counties, Virginia.
The effects of fires, farming, and timbering operations prior to
1936 (when the Park was established) on the current limited
distribution of the Shenandoah salamander are unknown. In its present
environment, however, the primary threats to the salamander appear to
be competition with the aggressive and successful red-backed salamander
(which confines the Shenandoah salamander to a few relatively dry talus
areas not occupied by the competitor), and eventual succession of these
talus areas to moister habitat more suitable for the red-backed
salamander. The red-backed salamander is widely distributed and
completely surrounds each of the three isolates of the Shenandoah
salamander.
Against this backdrop of naturally occurring threats to the
salamander's continued existence, two major, relatively recent
anthropogenic factors appear to have the potential of further
endangering this species as well as threatening other faunal and floral
components of the ecosystem it inhabits. These include: (1) defoliation
of trees within its habitat, associated with outbreaks of gypsy moths,
hemlock woolly adelgids, or other introduced forest pest species; and
(2) further debilitation of overstory vegetation, changes in soil
chemistry, and direct impacts to the salamanders associated with acid
deposition and other sources of air pollution.
Because the Shenandoah salamander represents an unusual case in
which natural factors play a major role in its present endangerment,
the recovery objective is to stabilize this species. Recovery
activities will focus on minimizing human impacts on the Shenandoah
salamander and conducting long-term monitoring to detect any
significant changes in size or demographic structure of Shenandoah
salamander populations as well as any shifts in distribution between
this species and the red-backed salamander. Studies to examine impacts
of acid deposition, forest defoliators, and control agents will be
conducted if it is determined that Shenandoah salamander habitat is
susceptible to defoliation. All Park maintenance and management
activities will be conducted in a way that is compatible with
Shenandoah salamander populations.
The draft Recovery Plan is being submitted for agency review. After
consideration of comments received during the review period, the Plan
will be submitted for final approval.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the Recovery Plan
described. All comments received by the date specified above will be
considered prior to approval of the Plan.
Authority
The authority for this action is Section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: August 5, 1994.
Ralph Pisapia,
Acting for Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-19697 Filed 8-11-94; 8:45 am]
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