2018-12974. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews of 50 Species in California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin of Oregon

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information.

SUMMARY:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are initiating 5-year status reviews of 50 species in California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin of Oregon under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any new information on these species that has become available since the last review.

DATES:

To ensure consideration in our reviews, we are requesting submission of new information no later than August 17, 2018. However, we will continue to accept new information about any species at any time.

ADDRESSES:

For how and where to send information, see Request for New Information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For whom to contact for species-specific information, see Request for New Information. Individuals who are hearing impaired or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8337 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Why do we conduct 5-year reviews?

Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we maintain lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species (referred to as the List) in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17.11 (for wildlife) and 17.12 (for plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Act requires us to review each listed species' status at least once every 5 years. For additional information about 5-year reviews, refer to our factsheet at http://www.fws.gov/​endangered/​what-we-do/​recovery-overview.html.

What information do we consider in our review?

A 5-year review considers all new information available at the time of the review. In conducting these reviews, we consider the best scientific and commercial data that have become available since the listing determination or 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 to benefit the species;

(D) Threat status and trends in relation to the five listing factors (as defined in section 4(a)(1) of the Act); 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.

Any new information will be considered during the 5-year review and will also be useful in evaluating the ongoing recovery programs for the species.

Which species are under review?

This notice announces our active review of the species listed in the table below.

Common name	Scientific name	Status	States where the species is known to occur	Final Listing rule (Federal Register citation and publication date)	Lead Fish and Wildlife Office
Animals
Butterfly, Lange's metalmark	Apodemia mormo langei	Endangered	California	41 FR 22041 22044; 6/1/1976	San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office.
Butterfly, Smith's blue	Euphilotes enoptes smithi	Endangered	California	41 FR 22041 22044; 6/1/1976	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Cuckoo, yellow-billed	Coccyzus americanus	Threatened	Western U.S. distinct population segment (DPS): Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, as well as Canada and Mexico	79 FR 59991 60038; 10/03/2014	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Frog, California red-legged	Rana draytonii	Threatened	California	61 FR 25813 25833; 5/23/1996	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Frog, mountain yellow-legged	Rana muscosa	Endangered	Southern California DPS: California	67 FR 44382 44392; 7/2/2002	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Goby, tidewater	Eucyclogobius newberryi	Endangered	California	59 FR 5494 5499; 2/4/1994	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Kangaroo rat, Stephens'	Dipodomys stephensi (incl. D. cascus)	Endangered	California	53 FR 38465 38469; 9/30/1988	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Mountain beaver, Point Arena	Aplodontia rufa nigra	Endangered	California	56 FR 64716 64723; 12/12/1991	Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office.
Mouse, Pacific pocket	Perognathus longimembris pacificus	Endangered	California	59 FR 49752 49764; 9/29/1994	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Plover, western snowy	Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus	Threatened	Pacific Coast population DPS: California, Oregon, Washington, Mexico (within 50 miles of Pacific coast)	58 FR 12864 12874; 3/5/1993	Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office.
Poolfish, Pahrump	Empetrichthys latos	Endangered	Nevada	32 FR 4001; 3/11/1967	Southern Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office.
Rail, California clapper	Rallus longirostris obsoletus	Endangered	California	35 FR 16047 16048; 10/13/1970	San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office.
Sheep, Sierra Nevada bighorn	Ovis canadensis sierrae	Endangered	California	64 FR 19300 19309; 4/20/1999	Reno Fish and Wildlife Office.
Skipper, Laguna Mountains	Pyrgus ruralis lagunae	Endangered	California	62 FR 2313 2322; 1/16/1997	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Snail, Morro shoulderband (=Banded dune)	Helminthoglypta walkeriana	Endangered	California	59 FR 64613 64623; 12/15/1994	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Sucker, Lost River	Deltistes luxatus	Endangered	California, Oregon	53 FR 27130 27134; 7/18/1988	Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office.
Sucker, shortnose	Chasmistes brevirostris	Endangered	California, Oregon	53 FR 27130 27134; 7/18/1988	Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office.
Tern, California least	Sterna antillarum browni	Endangered	Arizona, California	35 FR 8491 8498; 6/2/1970	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Towhee, Inyo California	Pipilo crissalis eremophilus	Threatened	California	52 FR 28780 28786; 8/3/1987	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Plants
Bedstraw, El Dorado	Galium californicum ssp. sierrae	Endangered	California	61 FR 54346 54358; 10/18/1996	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Bedstraw, island	Galium buxifolium	Endangered	California	62 FR 40954 40974; 7/31/1997	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Bird's-beak, Pennell's	Cordylanthus tenuis ssp. capillaris	Endangered	California	60 FR 6671 6685; 2/3/1995	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Bluegrass, San Bernardino	Poa atropurpurea	Endangered	California	63 FR 49006 49022; 9/14/1998	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Butterweed, Layne's	Senecio layneae	Threatened	California	61 FR 54346 54358; 10/18/1996	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Ceanothus, Pine Hill	Ceanothus roderickii	Endangered	California	61 FR 54346 54358; 10/18/1996	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Checker-mallow, Kenwood Marsh	Sidalcea oregana ssp. valida	Endangered	California	62 FR 54791 54808; 10/22/1997	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Clarkia, Vine Hill	Clarkia imbricata	Endangered	California	62 FR 54791 54808; 10/22/1997	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Crownbeard, big-leaved	Verbesina dissita	Threatened	California, Mexico	61 FR 52370 52384; 10/7/1996	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Evening-primrose, San Benito	Camissonia benitensis	Threatened	California	50 FR 5755 5759; 2/12/1985	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Flannelbush, Pine Hill	Fremontodendron californicum ssp. decumbens	Endangered	California	61 FR 54346 54358; 10/18/1996	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Goldfields, Burke's	Lasthenia burkei	Endangered	California	56 FR 61173 61182; 12/2/1991	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Larkspur, Baker's	Delphinium bakeri	Endangered	California	65 FR 4156 4162; 1/26/2000	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Larkspur, yellow	Delphinium luteum	Endangered	California	65 FR 4156 4162; 1/26/2000	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Lily, Pitkin Marsh	Lilium pardalinum ssp. pitkinense	Endangered	California	62 FR 54791 54808; 10/22/1997	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Lily, Western	Lilium occidentale	Endangered	California, Oregon	59 FR 42171 42176; 8/17/1994	Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office.
Lupine, Nipomo Mesa	Lupinus nipomensis	Endangered	California	65 FR 14888 14898; 3/20/2000	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Meadowfoam, Sebastopol	Limnanthes vinculans	Endangered	California	56 FR 61173 61182; 12/2/1991	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Milk-vetch, Applegate's	Astragalus applegatei	Endangered	California, Oregon	58 FR 40547 40551; 7/28/1993	Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office.
Milk-vetch, Clara Hunt's	Astragalus clarianus	Endangered	California	62 FR 54791 54808; 10/22/1997	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Milk-vetch, Peirson's.	Astragalus magdalenae var. peirsonii	Threatened	California	63 FR 53596 53615; 10/6/1998	Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office.
Morning-glory, Stebbins'	Calystegia stebbinsii	Endangered	California	61 FR 54346 54358; 10/18/1996	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Mountainbalm, Indian Knob	Eriodictyon altissimum	Endangered	California	59 FR 64613 64623; 12/15/1994	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Penny-cress, Kneeland Prairie	Thlaspi californicum	Endangered	California	65 FR 6332 6338; 2/9/2000	Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office.
Phlox, Yreka	Phlox hirsuta	Endangered	California	65 FR 5268 5275; 2/3/2000	Yreka Fish and Wildlife Office.
Rush-rose, island	Helianthemum greenei	Threatened	California	62 FR 40954 40974; 7/31/1997	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Sedge, white	Carex albida	Endangered	California	62 FR 54791 54808; 10/22/1997	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Spineflower, Howell's	Chorizanthe howellii	Endangered	California	57 FR 27848 27859; 6/22/1992	Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office.
Spineflower, Scotts Valley	Chorizanthe robusta var. hartwegii	Endangered	California	59 FR 5499 5510; 2/4/1994	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.
Sunshine, Sonoma	Blennosperma bakeri	Endangered	California	56 FR 61173 61182; 12/2/1991	Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
Thistle, La Graciosa	Cirsium loncholepis	Endangered	California	65 FR 14888 14898; 3/20/2000	Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.

What is a Distinct Population Segment?

Yellow-billed cuckoo, mountain yellow-legged frog, and western snowy plover were each listed as a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of a vertebrate taxon. A DPS is defined in the February 7, 1996, Policy Regarding the Recognition of Distinct Vertebrate Population Segments (61 FR 4722). For a population to be listed under the Act as a distinct vertebrate population segment, three elements are considered: (1) The discreteness of the population segment in relation to the remainder of the species to which it belongs; (2) the significance of the population segment to the species to which it belongs; and (3) the population segment's conservation status in relation to the Act's standards for listing (i.e., is the population segment endangered or threatened?). Distinct population segments of vertebrate species, as well as subspecies of all listed species, may be proposed for separate reclassification or for removal from the list. We will apply the DPS policy during the 5-year review.

Request for New Information

To ensure that a 5-year review is complete and based on the best available scientific and commercial information, we request new information from all sources. See What Information Do We Consider in Our Review? for specific criteria. If you submit information, please 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.

To get more information on a species, submit information on a species; or review information we receive, please use the following contact information, depending on the Lead Fish and Wildlife Office for the species specified in the table above.

Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office: Kathleen Brubaker, 707-822-7201 (phone); [e-mail] (email); or 1655 Heindon Road, Arcata, CA 952121 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents);

Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office: Bradd Baskerville-Bridges, 760-431-9440 (phone); [e-mail] (email); or 2177 Salk Avenue, Suite 250, Carlsbad, CA 92008 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents);

Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office: Daniel Blake, 541-885-2512 (phone); [e-mail] (email); or 1936 California Ave., Klamath Falls, OR 97601 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents);

Reno Fish and Wildlife Office: Erin Nordin, 760-872-5020 (phone); [e-mail] (email); or 351 Pacu Lane, Bishop, California 93514 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents);

Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office: Josh Hull, 916-414-6742 (phone); [e-mail] (email); or 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W2605, Sacramento, California 95825 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents);

San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office: Steven Detwiler, 916-930-2640 (phone); [e-mail] (email); or 650 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents);

Southern Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office: James Harter, 702-515-5230 (phone); [e-mail] (email; or 4701 N. Torrey Pines Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89130 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents);

Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office: Cat Darst, 805-677-3318 (phone); [e-mail] (email); or 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura CA 93003 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents);

Yreka Fish and Wildlife Office: Nadine Kanim, 530-841-3108 (phone); [e-mail] (email); or 1829 S Oregon Street, Yreka, California 96097 (U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or in-person review of documents).

Public Availability of Comments

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the offices to which the comments are submitted.

Authority

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

Jody Holzworth,

Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.