Please accept my apology in advance for any cross-postings of this message.
USFWS has initiated 5-year status reviews (mandated by the Endangered
Species Act) for
Amaranthus pumilus (seabeach amaranth)
Helianthus schweinitzii (Schweinitz's sunflower)
Hexastylis naniflora (dwarf flowered heartleaf)
The purpose of these reviews is to evaluate the current status of these
species throughout their range for the purpose of determining whether their
current ESA listing status (endangered or threatened) remains appropriate,
or if reclassification (down-listing or de-listing) is warranted. Unlike
status surveys, status reviews are limited to a review of readily available
information, and do not include field work to verify the status of
previously known populations, or surveys for new populations.
Dale Suiter is the designated FWS species recovery lead for Amaranthus
pumilus, and I have this responsibility for Helianthus schweinitzii and
Hexastylis naniflora. We would appreciate any relevant information you may
have on the distribution and threats affecting these species. The Federal
Register notice requests information by November 21, 2005. If you think
that you have information but are unable to provide it in this timeframe,
please contact us to discuss your ability to provide this information such
that it can be considered during our review of these species' status (which
is scheduled to be completed within one calendar year from the date of the
Federal Register notice, published 9/20/2005).
Thanks in advance for any information that you provide. Please contact me
(numbers below) or Dale (919/856-4520 ext 18, dale_suiter at fws.gov) with any
questions.
Carolyn
Carolyn L. Wells
Asheville Field Office, USFWS
160 Zillicoa Street
Asheville, NC 28801
phone: 828.258.3939 ext. 231
----- Forwarded by Gary Peeples/R4/FWS/DOI on 09/21/2005 03:55 PM -----
southeastnews at fws
.gov
To
09/21/2005 02:10 Gary_Peeples at fws.gov
PM cc
Subject
NEWS RELEASE: Fish and Wildlife
Service conducts five-year status
review of 14 Southeastern Species
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Southeast Region E-mail Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2005
Contact: Tom MacKenzie, 404/679-7291
Fish and Wildlife Service conducts five-year
status review of 14 Southeastern Species
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today
announced plans to conduct a five-year status
review of the endangered red wolf and thirteen
other threatened and endangered species in
Tennessee and North Carolina.
These five-year reviews are conducted to ensure
that listing classifications under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) are accurate. Any
interested party is invited to provide
information and comments pertaining to these
species. Written comments and information
related to this five-year review must be
received by November 21, 2005.
This notice covers fourteen species including
the endangered Appalachian elktoe (mussel), red
wolf, Cumberland monkeyface, Cumberland elktoe,
Cumberlandian combshell, green blossom, oyster
mussel, tubercled blossom, turgid blossom,
yellow blossom (all mussels), and Schweinitz's
sunflower. This notice also includes the
threatened painted snake coiled forest snail,
dwarf-flowered heartleaf and the plant seabeach
amaranth.
Specifically, this review seeks information on:
(1) species biology, including population
trends, distribution, abundance, demographics,
and genetics; (2) habitat conditions, including
amount, distribution, and suitability; (3)
conservation measures that have been
implemented; (4) threat status and trends; and
(5) other new information, data, or
corrections, including taxonomic or
nomenclatural changes, identification of
erroneous information contained in the ESA
list, and improved analytical methods. Comments
and materials received will be available for
public inspection by appointment.
In addition to reviewing the classification of
these species, a five-year review presents an
opportunity to track the species’ recovery
progress. It may benefit species by providing
valuable information to guide future
conservation efforts. Information gathered
during a review can assist in making funding
decisions, conducting interagency
consultations, making permitting decisions, and
determining whether to update recovery plans,
and other actions under the ESA.
Written comments and information submitted on
the red wolf should be sent to the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Alligator River National
Wildlife Refuge, P. O. Box 1969
Manteo, North Carolina 27954. Information
submitted on the Appalachian elktoe, Cumberland
monkeyface, dwarf-flowered heartleaf,
Schweinitz's sunflower, or the tubercled
blossom should be sent to the Field Supervisor,
Asheville Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 160 Zillicoa Street, Asheville, North
Carolina 28801. Information submitted on the
Cumberland elktoe, Cumberlandian combshell,
green blossom, oyster mussel, painted snake
coiled forest snail, turgid blossom or the
yellow blossom should be sent to the Field
Supervisor, Cookeville Field Office, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, 446 Neal Street,
Cookeville, Tennessee 38501. Information on the
seabeach amaranth should be sent to the Field
Supervisor, Raleigh Field Office, P. O. Box
33726, Raleigh, North Carolina 27636–3726.
The Federal Register notice announcing the
status review of these eight federally listed
species is available on-line at
http://www.fws.gov/policy/library/05-18688.html
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the
principal federal agency responsible for
conserving, protecting and enhancing fish,
wildlife and plants and their habitats for the
continuing benefit of the American people. The
Service manages the 95-million-acre National
Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545
national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It
also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64
fishery resources offices and 81 ecological
services field stations. The agency enforces
federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird
populations, restores nationally significant
fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife
habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and
Native American tribal governments with their
conservation efforts. It also oversees the
Federal Assistance program, which distributes
hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish
and wildlife agencies.