[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49818-49819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23974]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding 
on a Petition To List Mimulus clivicola (Bank Monkeyflower)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of 12-month petition finding.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 12-
month finding for a petition to list Mimulus clivicola (bank 
monkeyflower) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (Act). After review of all available scientific and commercial 
data, the Service finds that listing this species is not warranted at 
this time.

DATES: The finding announced in this document was made on September 19, 
1995.

ADDRESSES: Data, information, comments, or questions concerning this 
petition may be sent to the Field Supervisor, Portland Field Office, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 SE 98th Avenue, Suite 100, 
Portland, Oregon 97266. The petition finding, supporting data, 
comments, and materials received will be available for public 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above 
address.


[[Page 49819]]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Andrew F. Robinson, Jr., staff 
botanist, see ADDRESSES section or telephone 503/231-6179.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that, for any petition to 
revise the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants that 
presents substantial scientific and commercial information, the Service 
make a finding within 12 months of the date of the receipt of the 
petition on whether the petitioned action is (a) not warranted, (b) 
warranted, or (c) warranted but precluded from immediate proposal by 
other pending proposals of higher priority. Such 12-month findings are 
to be published promptly in the Federal Register.
    On June 28, 1989, the Service received a petition dated May 1, 
1989, from Steve Paulson representing Friends of the Clearwater, 
Lenore, Idaho, to list Mimulus clivicola (bank monkeyflower) as an 
endangered species. The petition cited as potential threats to the 
species an extremely limited range, the threatened destruction of 
habitat (specifically the Dworshak connection road, Clearwater National 
Forest), and the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms. At the 
time of the petition there were only 30 documented populations of M. 
clivicola. A 90-day finding was made by the Service that the petition 
presented substantial information indicating that the requested action 
may be warranted. The 90-day finding was published in the Federal 
Register on November 1, 1990 (55 FR 46080). A status review was 
continued for the category 2 candidate species (50 FR 6214; February 
21, 1990). The Service reclassified Mimulus clivicola as a category 3C 
candidate on September 30, 1993 (58 FR 51175) as a result of new 
information about the status of the species. Category 3C candidates are 
those taxa that have proven to be more abundant or widespread than 
previously believed and/or those that are not subject to any 
identifiable threat.
    Mimulus clivicola is an annual herb up to about 6 inches in height 
with purple flowers and opposite elliptic leaves. M. clivicola occurs 
within fairly mountainous regions from 1,200 feet to 7,120 feet 
elevation in Idaho and Oregon. The plant is typically found where there 
is exposed mineral soil, including sites where the soil has been 
exposed because of big game activity or manmade disturbance along 
trails and roadcuts. However, the species also needs moist areas that 
are saturated in the spring. Today there are 152 known extant 
populations with a combined population size varying from 46,000 to 
63,000 plants that occupy 132 acres of habitat. The majority of the 
populations (92 percent) occur on Federal land including 6 populations 
occurring on Bureau of Land Management lands and l34 on Forest Service 
lands. Only 12 populations (8 percent) occur on private lands.
    A Species Management Guide, which specifically addresses 
conservation strategies for Mimulus clivicola on Forest Service lands 
was prepared in 1992 by the Forest Service. Of the 134 populations 
occurring on Forest Service lands, 58 were identified for protection 
with the 1992 Species Management Guide. The construction of Dworshak 
Reservoir on the North fork Clearwater River destroyed habitats 
occupied by M. clivicola (the Ahasanka and Dent populations). Although 
road building/maintenance, mining, recreational activities, timber 
harvest, cattle grazing, and alien plant invasions still disturb 118 
out of 152 populations (78 percent) of M. clivicola,  recent 
information indicates that this species is tolerant of moderate 
disturbance. This conclusion is based on the fact that much of the 
habitat with areas of exposed mineral soil that support M. clivicola 
populations was along the tops of older roadcuts or beside trails. 
Currently 20 populations grow along trails and 68 grow along roads. 
Eight populations occurring on the Payette National Forest in Idaho and 
Wallowa-Whitman National Forests in Oregon are subject to damage by 
livestock grazing. Exclosures were constructed around two of these 
populations in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forests in 1990 to protect 
these sites. The presence of Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass), a weedy 
alien annual plant, has been documented as being present in 59 (39 
percent) populations of M. clivicola. Preliminary laboratory studies 
suggest that B. tectorum inhibits germination (allelopathci affects) of 
selected native plants. M. clivicola is an annual species, and thus the 
presence of B. tectorum and the possibility of it inhibiting 
germination of seed of M. clivicola  may affect these populations. 
However, there is no information at this time to indicate that the 
continued existence of M. clivicola as a species is threatened by the 
presence of such invasive alien plants.
    The service has reviewed the petition, other available literature 
and information, and consulted with biologists and researchers familiar 
with Mimulus clivicola. On the basis of the best scientific and 
commercial information available regarding M. clivicola, the Service 
finds that the petitioned action is not warranted at this time because 
the taxon is not in danger of extinction or likely to become so in the 
foreseeable future. The Service reclassified M. clivicola as a category 
3C candidate on September 30, 1993 (58 FR 51175). Category 3C 
candidates are those taxa that have proven to be more abundant or 
widespread than previously believed and/or those that are not subject 
to any identifiable threat. If information becomes available indicating 
that M. clivicola may be threatened with extinction, the Service would 
reevaluate this decision.

References

    A complete list of references used in the preparation of this 
finding is available upon request from the Portland Field Office (see 
ADDRESSES section).

Author

    The primary author of this document is Dr. Andrew F. Robinson Jr., 
Portland Field Office (see ADDRESSES section).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: September 19, 1995.
John G. Rogers,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 95-23974 Filed 9-26-95; 8:45 am]
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