E8-4258. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of 58 Species in California and Nevada; Availability of Completed 5-Year Reviews in California, Nevada and Southern Oregon

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of initiation of 5-year reviews; availability of completed 5-year reviews.

SUMMARY:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, initiate 5-year reviews for 58 species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We request any new information on these species that may have a bearing on their classification as endangered or threatened (see Table 1 below). Based on the results of these 5-year reviews, we will make a finding on whether these species are properly classified under the Act. We also indicate in this notice the 5-year reviews we completed for species in California, Nevada and southern Oregon in FY 2007 and early FY 2008.

DATES:

To allow us adequate time to conduct these reviews, we must receive your information no later than May 5, 2008. However, we will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any time.

ADDRESSES:

For instructions on how to submit information and review the information that we receive on these species, see “Public Solicitation of New Information.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For species-specific information, contact the appropriate person listed under “Public Solicitation of New Information.” For contact information about completed 5-year reviews, see “Completed 5-Year Reviews.” Individuals who are hearing impaired or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at [phone] for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Why Do We Conduct a 5-Year Review?

Under the Endangered Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we maintain a List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants at 50 CFR 17.11 (for animals) and 17.12 (for plants) (List). We amend the List by publishing final rules in the Federal Register. Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Act requires that we conduct a review of listed species at least once every 5 years. Section 4(c)(2)(B) requires that we determine (1) whether a species no longer meets the definition of threatened or endangered and should be removed from the List (delisted); (2) whether a species listed as endangered more properly meets the definition of threatened and should be reclassified to threatened; or (3) whether a species listed as threatened more properly meets the definition of endangered and should be reclassified to endangered. Using the best scientific and commercial data available, a species will be considered for delisting if the data substantiate that the species is neither endangered nor threatened for one or more of the following reasons: (1) The species is considered extinct; (2) the species is considered to be recovered; and/or (3) the original data available when the species was listed, or the interpretation of such data, were in error. Any change in Federal classification requires a separate rulemaking process. Therefore, we are requesting submission of any new information (best scientific and commercial data) on these species since they were originally listed or since the species' most recent status review.

Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing those species currently under review. This notice announces initiation of our active review of 58 species. This notice announces initiation of our active review of the species in Table 1.

Table 1.—Summary of Listing Information, 27 Wildlife Species and 31 Plant Species in California and Nevada

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Where listed	Final listing rule
ANIMALS
Amargosa vole	Microtus californicus scirpensis	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	49 FR 45160; 11/15/1984
Arroyo (=arroyo southwestern) toad	Bufo californicus	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA), Mexico	59 FR 64859; 12/16/1994
Ash Meadows naucorid	Ambrysus amargosus	Threatened	U.S.A. (NV)	50 FR 20777; 05/20/1985
Bay checkerspot butterfly	Euphydryas editha bayensis	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA)	52 FR 35366; 09/18/1987
Big Spring spinedace	Lepidomeda mollispinis pratensis	Threatened	U.S.A. (NV)	50 FR 12298; 03/28/1995
Callippe silverspot butterfly	Speyeria callippe callippe	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 64306; 12/05/1997
Carson wandering skipper	Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA, NV)	67 FR 51116; 08/07/2002
Coastal California gnatcatcher	Polioptila californica californica	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA); Mexico	58 FR 16742; 03/30/1993
Desert tortoise, Mojave population	Gopherus agassizii	Threatened	U.S.A., except in Sonoran Desert	55 FR 12178; 04/02/1990
Light-footed clapper rail	Rallus longirostris levipes	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	35 FR 16047; 10/13/1970
Mission blue butterfly	Icaricia icarioides missionensis	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	41 FR 22041; 06/01/1976
Mount Hermon June beetle	Polyphylla barbata	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 3616; 1/24/1997
Mohave tui chub	Gila bicolor mohavensis	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	35 FR 16047; 10/13/1970
Myrtle's silverspot butterfly	Speyeria zerene myrtleae	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	57 FR 27848; 06/22/1992
Owen's pupfish	Cyprinodon radiosus	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	32 FR 4001; 3/11/1967
Owen's tui chub	Gila bicolor snyderi	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	50 FR 31592; 08/05/1985
Pahranagat roundtail chub	Gila robusta jordani	Endangered	U.S.A. (NV)	35 FR 16047; 10/13/1970
Point Arena mountain beaver	Aplodontia rufa nigra	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	56 FR 64716; 12/12/1991
Quino checkerspot butterfly	Euphydryas editha quino (wrighti)	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA); Mexico	62 FR 2313; 01/16/1997
San Bruno elfin butterfly	Callophrys mossii bayensis	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	41 FR 22041; 06/01/1976
San Bernardino kangaroo rat	Dipodomys merriami parvus	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	63 FR 51005; 09/24/1998
San Clemente sage sparrow	Amphispiza belli clementeae	Threatened	U.S.A (CA)	42 FR 40682; 08/11/1977
Santa Cruz long-toed salamander	Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	32 FR 4001; 3/11/1967
Salt marsh harvest mouse	Reithrodontomys raviventris	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	35 FR 16047; 10/13/1970
Shasta crayfish	Pacifastacus fortis	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	53 FR 38465; 09/30/1988
Unarmored threespine stickleback	Gasterosteus aculeatus williamsoni	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	35 FR 16047; 10/13/1970
Zayante band-winged grasshopper	Trimerotropis infantilis	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 3616; 01/24/1997
PLANTS
Ash Meadows milk-vetch	Astragalus phoenix	Threatened	U.S.A. (NV)	50 FR 20777; 05/20/1985
Calistoga allocarya	Plagiobothrys strictus	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 55791; 10/22/1997
Clara Hunt's milk-vetch	Astragalus clarianus	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 55791; 10/22/1997
Clover lupine	Lupinus tidestromii	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	57 FR 27848; 06/22/1992
Coastal dunes milk-vetch	Astragalus tener var. titi	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	63 FR 43100; 8/12/1998
Conejo dudleya	Dudleya abramsii ssp. parva	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 4172; 01/29/1997
Cushenberry buckwheat	Eriogonum ovalifolium var. vineum	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	59 FR 43652; 08/24/1994
Cushenberry milk-vetch	Astragalus albens	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	59 FR 43652; 08/24/1994
Cushenberry oxytheca	Acanthoscyphus (Oxytheca) parishii var. goodmaniana	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	59 FR 43652; 08/24/1994
Fleshy owl's-clover	Castilleja campestris ssp. succulenta	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 14338; 03/26/1997
Hickman's potentilla	Potentilla hickmanii	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	63 FR 43100; 08/12/1998
Ione buckwheat (incl.Irish Hill)	Eriogonum apricum (incl. var. prostratum)	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	64 FR 28403; 0526/1999
Ione manzanita	Arctostaphylos myrtifolia	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA)	64 FR 28403; 0526/1999
Kenwood Marsh checkermallow	Sidalcea oregano ssp. valida	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 55791; 10/22/1997
Large-flowered fiddleneck	Amsinckia grandiflora	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	50 FR 54791; 10/22/1997
Marcescent dudleya	Dudleya cymosa ssp. marcescens	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 4172; 01/29/1997
Napa bluegrass	Poa napensis	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 55791; 10/22/1997
Nevin's barberry	Berberis nevinii	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA); Mexico	63 FR 54956; 10/13/1998
Parish's daisy	Erigeron parishii	Threatened	U.S.A (CA)	59 FR 43652; 08/24/1994
Peirson's milk-vetch	Astragalus magdalenae var. peirsonii	Threatened	U.S.A (CA)	63 FR 53596; 10/06/1998
Pitkin Marsh lily	Lilium pardalinum ssp. pitkinense	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 55791; 10/22/1997
San Bernardino Mountains bladderpod	Physaria (Lesquerella) kingii	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	59 FR 43652; 08/24/1994
San Diego thornmint	Acanthomintha ilicifolia	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA); Mexico	63 FR 54937; 10/13/1998
Santa Monica Mountains dudleya	Dudleya cymosa ssp. Ovatifolia	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 4172; 01/29/1997
Tiburon jewelflower	Streptanthus niger	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	60 FR 6671; 02/03/1995
Tiburon mariposa lily	Calochortus tiburonensis	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA)	60 FR 6671; 02/03/1995
Tiburon paintbrush	Castilleja affinis ssp. Neglecta	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	60 FR 6671; 02/03/1995
Triple-ribbed milk-vetch	Astragalus tricarinatus	Endangered	U.S.A (CA)	63 FR 53596; 10/06/1998
Verity's dudleya	Dudleya verityi	Threatened	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 4172; 01/29/1997
Western lily	Lilium occidentale	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA, OR)	59 FR 42171; 08/17/1994
White sedge	Carex albida	Endangered	U.S.A. (CA)	62 FR 55791; 10/22/1997

What Information Do We Consider in the Review?

In our 5-year review, we consider all new information available at the time of the review. In conducting these reviews, we consider the best scientific and commercial data that has become available since the current listing determination or the most recent status review, such as—(A) Species biology including, but not limited to, population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics; (B) Habitat conditions including, but not limited to, amount, distribution, and suitability; (C) Conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit the species; (D) Threat status and trends (see five factors under heading “How Do We Determine Whether a Species is Endangered or Threatened?”); and (E) Other new information, data, or corrections including, but not limited to, taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous information contained in the List, and improved analytical methods.

Public Solicitation of New Information

We request any new information concerning the status of these wildlife and plant species. See “What Information Do We Consider in Our Review?” for specific criteria. If you submit information, support it with documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, methods used to gather and analyze the data, and/or copies of any pertinent publications, reports, or letters by knowledgeable sources. We specifically request information regarding data from any systematic surveys, as well as any studies or analysis of data that may show population size or trends; information pertaining to the biology or ecology of these species; information regarding the effects of current land management on population distribution and abundance; information on the current condition of habitat; and recent information regarding conservation measures that have been implemented to benefit the species. Additionally, we specifically request information regarding the current distribution of populations and evaluation of threats faced by the species in relation to the five listing factors (as defined in section 4(a)(1) of the Act) and the species' listed status as judged against the definition of threatened or endangered. Finally, we solicit recommendations pertaining to the development of, or potential updates to recovery plans and additional actions or studies that would benefit these species in the future.

Our practice is to make information, including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review. Before including your address, telephone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your response, you should be aware that your entire submission—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your response to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will not consider anonymous comments. To the extent consistent with applicable law, we will make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety. Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the offices where the comments are submitted.

Mail or hand-deliver information on the following species to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the corresponding address below. You may also view information we receive in response to this notice, as well as other documentation in our files, at the following locations by appointment, during normal business hours.

For coastal California gnatcatcher, light-footed clapper rail, Quino checkerspot butterfly, San Bernardino kangaroo rat, San Clemente sage sparrow, Cushenbury buckwheat, Cushenbury milk-vetch, Cushenbury oxytheca, Nevin's barberry, Parish's daisy, Peirson's milk-vetch, San Bernardino Mountains bladderpod, San Diego thornmint, and triple-ribbed milk-vetch, send information to Field Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, 6010 Hidden Valley Road, Carlsbad, CA 92011. Information may also be submitted electronically at [e-mail]. To obtain further information, contact Scott Sobiech at the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office at [phone].

For the Amargosa vole, arroyo (= arroyo southwestern) toad, Mount Hermon june beetle, Mohave tui chub, Owens pupfish, Owens tui chub, Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, unarmored three-spine stickleback, Zayante band-winged grasshopper, coastal dunes milk-vetch, Conejo dudleya, Hickman's potentilla, marcescent dudleya, Santa Monica Mountains dudleya, and Verity's dudleya, send information to Field Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003. Information may also be submitted electronically at [e-mail]. To obtain further information on the animal species, contact Mike McCrary at the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office at [phone]. To obtain further information on the plant species, contact Connie Rutherford at the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office at [phone].

For bay checkerspot butterfly, callippe silverspot butterfly, mission blue butterfly, Myrtle's silverspot butterfly, San Bruno elfin butterfly, salt marsh harvest mouse, Shasta crayfish, Calistoga allocarya, Clara Hunt's milk-vetch, clover lupine, fleshy owl's-clover, Ione buckwheat (including Irish Hill), Ione manzanita, Kenwood Marsh checkermallow, large-flowered fiddleneck, Napa bluegrass, Pitkin Marsh lily, Tiburon jewelflower, Tiburon mariposa lily, Tiburon paintbrush and white sedge, send information to Field Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825. Information may also be submitted electronically at [e-mail]. To obtain further information, contact Kirsten Tarp at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office at [phone].

For Ash Meadows naucorid, Big Spring spinedace, Carson wandering skipper, desert tortoise (Mohave population), Pahranagat roundtail chub, and Ash Meadows milk-vetch, send information to Field Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Suite 234, Reno, NV 89502. Information may also be submitted electronically at [e-mail]. To obtain further information on Ash Meadows naucorid, Big Spring spinedace, Pahranagat roundtail chub and Ash Meadows milk-vetch, contact Janet Bair at the Southern Nevada Field at [phone]. To obtain further information on Carson wandering skipper, contact Selena Werdon at the Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office at [phone]. To obtain further information on desert tortoise, contact Roy Averill-Murray at the Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office at [phone].

For Point Arena Mountain beaver and western lily, send information to Field Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office, 11655 Heindon Road, Arcata, CA 95521. Information may also be submitted electronically at [e-mail] for Point Arena Mountain beaver and [e-mail] for western lily. To obtain further information on Point Arena Mountain beaver, contact Robin Hamlin at the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office at [phone]. To obtain further information on western lily, contact Dave Imper at the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office at [phone].

All electronic information must be submitted in Text format or Rich Text format. Include the following identifier in the subject line of the e-mail: Information on 5-year review for [NAME OF SPECIES], and include your name and return address in the body of your message.

How Are These Species Currently Listed?

The current listing status of species for which 5-year reviews are being initiated by this notice is identified in Table 1 above. The current status may also be found on the List, which covers all listed species, and which is available on our Internet site at http://endangered.fws.gov/​wildlife.html#Species.

Definitions Related to This Notice

To help you submit information about the species we are reviewing, we provide the following definitions:

Species includes any species or subspecies of fish, wildlife, or plant, and any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate, which interbreeds when mature;

Endangered species means any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range; and

Threatened species means any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

How Do We Determine Whether a Species Is Endangered or Threatened?

Section 4(a)(1) of the Act requires that we determine whether a species is endangered or threatened based on one or more of the five following factors: (A) The present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (B) Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes; (C) Disease or predation; (D) The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E)Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence. Section 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act requires that our determination be made on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available.

What Could Happen as a Result of Our Review?

For each species under review, if we find new information that indicates a change in classification may be warranted, we may propose a new rule that could do one of the following: (a) Reclassify the species from threatened to endangered (uplist); (b) reclassify the species from endangered to threatened (downlist); or (c) remove the species from the List (delist). If we determine that a change in classification is not warranted, then the species will remain on the List under its current status.

Completed 5-Year Reviews

We also take this opportunity to inform the public of 39 5-year reviews that we completed in FY 2007 and early FY 2008 for species in California, Nevada, and southern Oregon. These 39 reviews can be found at http://www.fws.gov/​cno/​es/​5yr.html. Any recommended change in listing status will require a separate rulemaking process. The table below summarizes the results of these reviews:

Table 2.—Summary of Species in California, Nevada, and Southern Oregon for Which 5-Year Reviews Were Completed in FY 2007 and Early FY 2008

Common name	Scientific name	Recommendation	Lead Fish and Wildlife Office	Contact
ANIMALS
Brown pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis	Delist	Region 2	Steve Chambers at [phone]
California freshwater shrimp	Syncaris pacifica	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Conservancy fairy shrimp	Branchinecta conservatio	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Kern primrose sphinx moth	Euproserpinus euterpe	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Laguna Mountains skipper	Pyrgus ruralis lagunae	No status change	Carlsbad	Jane Hendron at [phone]
Longhorn fairy shrimp	Branchinecta longiantenna	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Lost River sucker	Deltistes luxatus	Downlist	Klamath Falls	Curt Mullis at [phone]
Lotis blue butterfly	Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis	No status change	Arcata
Shortnose sucker	Chasmistes brevirostris	No status change	Klamath Falls	Curt Mullis at [phone]
Tidewater goby	Eucyclogobius newberryi	Downlist	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Vernal pool fairy shrimp	Branchinecta lynchi	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Vernal pool tadpole shrimp	Lepidurus packardi	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
PLANTS
Amargosa niterwort	Nitrophila mohavensis	No status change	Nevada	Jeannie Stafford at [phone]
Ash Meadows gumplant	Grindelia fraxino-pratensis	No status change	Nevada	Jeannie Stafford at [phone]
Ben Lomond spineflower	Chorizanthe pungens var. hartwegiana	No status change	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Catalina Island mountain mahogany	Cercocarpus traskiae	No status change	Carlsbad	Jane Hendron at [phone]
Chinese Camp brodiaea	Brodiaea pallida	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Chorro Creek bog thistle	Cirsium fontinale var. obispoense	No status change	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Eureka Valley dunegrass	Swallenia alexandrae	Delist	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Eureka Valley evening primrose	Oenothera avita ssp. eurekensis	Delist	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Greene's tuctoria	Tuctoria greenei	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Hartweg's golden sunburst	Pseudobahia bahiifolia	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Hoffman's rockcress	Arabis hoffmannii	No status change	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Howell's spineflower	Chorizanthe howellii	No status change	Arcata	Randy Brown at [phone]
Keck's checkermallow	Sidalcea keckii	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Mariposa pussypaws	Calyptridium pulchellum	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Orcutt's spineflower	Chorizanthe orcuttiana	No status change	Carlsbad	Jane Hendron at [phone]
Red Hills vervain	Verbena californica	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
San Clemente Island broom	Lotus dendroideus ssp. traskiae	Downlist	Carlsbad	Jane Hendron at [phone]
San Clemente Island bushmallow	Malacothamnus clementinus	Downlist	Carlsbad	Jane Hendron at [phone]
San Clemente Island paintbrush	Castilleja grisea	Downlist	Carlsbad	Jane Hendron at [phone]
San Clemente Island woodland star	Lithophragma maximum	No status change	Carlsbad	Jane Hendron at [phone]
San Joaquin adobe sunburst	Pseudobahia peirsonii	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Santa Barbara Island live-forever	Dudleya traskiae	No status change	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Santa Cruz Island bushmallow	Malacothamnus fasciculatus var. nesioticus	No status change	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Santa Rosa Island manzanita	Arctostaphylos confertiflora	No status change	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Showy Indian clover	Trifolium amoenum	No status change	Sacramento	Al Donner at [phone]
Soft-leaved paintbrush	Castilleja mollis	No status change	Ventura	Lois Grunwald at [phone]
Yreka phlox	Phlox hirsuta	No status change	Yreka	Matt Baun or Nadine Kanim at [phone]

Authority: This document is published under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Dated: February 27, 2008.

Ken McDermond,

Regional Director, Region 8, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.