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For Immediate
Release: January 20, 2003
Media Contact: Steve Hill 802-241-3817
Steve Parren 802-879-5669
PUBLIC HEARING
SCHEDULED ON THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES
WATERBURY, VT -- A public
hearing will be held January 25 by the Agency of Natural Resources to
gather comments on a proposed amendment to Vermont's Threatened
and
Endangered Species rule.
Ten species would be
affected by the proposed amendment to be discussed on
January 25 at the
Old Dorm Lounge, at Vermont Technical College in Randolph. The hearing
starts at 7:00 p.m. and ends at 9:00 p.m.
The proposed rule would
remove osprey, common loon, peregrine falcon and
many-leaved sedge from
the state's Threatened and Endangered Species List.
It also would change
the status of upland sandpiper and black tern from threatened
to
endangered, add eastern ratsnake and eastern racer as threatened, and
add
dwarf chinkapin oak and pygmy water-lily as endangered.
Vermont's Endangered
Species Committee recommends changes to the list based
on input from the
Scientific Advisory Groups. The committee is made up of nine
members,
three from state government and six from the public. The six Scientific
Advisory Groups assist the committee in gathering and analyzing
information on
specific plant and animal species.
Removing the osprey,
common loon and peregrine falcon from the Threatened and Endangered
Species List would mark the success of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife
Department's long-term management efforts in conjunction with partners
and
volunteers outside of state government. Delisting is based on
criteria established
for recovery plans developed for each species.
Among the criteria are the average
number of nests and young produced
annually, and where the nesting occurs. All
three species have met their
recovery plan benchmarks for delisting.
From 1975 to 1986, no
ospreys were found nesting in Vermont. In 1988, ospreys
again nested
successfully at Little Otter Creek. From 1999 to 2003, ospreys had an
average of 37 nests and produced on average 70 fledglings each year, due
in large
part to artificial nesting structures provided through a
partnership between Vermont
electric utility companies and the Vermont
Fish & Wildlife Department.
Low breeding success
during the early 1980s prompted the listing of the common
loon as an
endangered species in 1987. Management efforts, such as protecting
loons
and their breeding sites, installing artificial nesting platforms and
monitoring
loon numbers for trends and fluctuations, have increased loon
numbers dramatically.
In 1983, seven nesting pairs produced nine chicks.
Common loons averaged 41
nesting pairs and produced on average 44 chicks
per year from 2000 to 2004.
The peregrine falcon, which disappeared from the state due to the
pesticide DDT, has responded dramatically to restoration efforts. In
1985, there was only one peregrine
falcon nest. From 2000 to 2004,
peregrines averaged 27 nesting pairs and produced
40 young annually.
The current proposed rule is the sixth revision of the Vermont
Threatened and
Endangered Species List since it was first adopted by
rule in 1987. The list is designed
to protect Vermont's plants and
animals that are in jeopardy of disappearing from the state. Public
comments will be accepted until February 2, 2005, following the hearing.
Mail comments to Stephen K. Hill, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department,
103 South
Main St., Waterbury VT 05671-0501 or send email to
fwinformation@anr.state.vt.us .
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