[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 3263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1496]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AD39
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of
Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for Sixteen
Plants From the Northern Channel Islands of California
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of reopening of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provides notice of
reopening of the comment period for 16 plant species that have been
proposed as endangered--Arabis hoffmannii (Hoffmann's rock-cress),
Arctostaphylos confertiflora (Santa Rosa Island manzanita), Berberis
pinnata ssp. insularis (island barberry), Castilleja mollis (soft-
leaved paintbrush), Dudleya blochmaniae ssp. insularis (Santa Rosa
Island dudleya), Dudleya sp. nov. ``East Point'' (munchkin dudleya),
Dudleya nesiotica (Santa Cruz Island dudleya), Galium buxifolium
(island bedstraw), Gilia tenuiflora ssp. hoffmannii (Hoffmann's
slender-flowered gilia), Helianthemum greenei (island rush-rose),
Heuchera maxima (island alumroot), Malacothamnus fasciculatus ssp.
nesioticus (Santa Cruz Island bushmallow), Malacothrix indecora (Santa
Cruz Island malacothrix), Malacothrix squalida (island malacothrix),
Phacelia insularis ssp. insularis (island phacelia), and Thysanocarpus
conchuliferus (Santa Cruz Island fringepod). The comment period has
been reopened to receive public comments on new information on the
conservation measures proposed by the National Park Service for those
proposed endangered plant species on Santa Rosa Island since the close
of the original comment period on October 9, 1995.
DATES: The public comment period, which originally closed on October 9,
1995, now closes February 21, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials concerning this proposal
should be sent directly to the Field Supervisor, Ventura Field Office,
2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003. Comments and
materials received will be available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Thomas, Botanist, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, at the address listed above; telephone 805-644-1766,
facsimile 805-644-3958.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On July 25, 1995, the Service published in the Federal Register (60
FR 37993) a proposal to list 16 plants as endangered species pursuant
to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and requested
public comment. The 16 plants are restricted primarily to the northern
Channel Islands (Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel) of
California. The Service received comments until the close of the
original comment period on October 9, 1995. Since that time, the
National Park Service has prepared a Resource Management Plan and Draft
Environmental Impact Statement to address the conservation needs for
the proposed endangered plants on Santa Rosa Island, which is within
the boundaries of the Channel Islands National Park.
Since the publication of the proposed rule, new information has
been made available to the Service that may affect the status of one or
more of the proposed species. In 1996, Arabis hoffmannii, last seen on
the Island in the 1930's, was discovered on a small protected ledge in
Lobo Canyon on Santa Rosa Island. A small population of Malacothrix
indecora was discovered on Santa Rosa Island, previously only known
from Santa Cruz and San Miguel Islands. A new population of the
Heuchera maxima has been discovered in Lobo Canyon on Santa Rosa
Island. The editor of Madrono (Journal of the California Botanical
Society) has provisionally accepted the manuscript for the description
of the ``new'' dudleya (munchkin dudleya) species from Santa Rosa
Island to be published as Dudleya gnoma. The National Park Service has
constructed exclosure fencing around the entire population of this
dudleya and a portion of the largest population of Gilia tenuiflora
ssp. hoffmannii. In compliance with the terms and conditions of a
section 7 consultation for the western snowy plover, the park
constructed an electric fence to keep cattle off of the beaches that
include the entire population of Dudleya blochmaniae ssp. insularis. In
spite of active surveys, there have been no observations of
Thysanocarpus conchuliferus for 2 years.
Public Comments Solicited
Due to the changes in resource management plans and the need to
review the best scientific information available during the decision-
making process, the comment period is being reopened. The Service is
requesting comments from the public on the measures presented by the
National Park Service to protect the proposed endangered plant species
on Santa Rosa Island and the new information on distribution and status
of the proposed species. All comments received by the date specified
above will be considered in the Service's final decision.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: January 13, 1997.
H. Dale Hall,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 97-1496 Filed 1-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
