[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 3, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46430-46431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-22332]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 
Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Threatened and Endangered 
Status for Seven Desert Milk-Vetch Taxa From California and Nevada

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; Notice of reopening of comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 five plants that have been proposed 
as endangered: Lane Mountain milk-vetch (Astragalus jaegerianus), 
Coachella Valley milk-vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. coachellae), 
Fish Slough milk-vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis), 
Peirson's milk-vetch (Astragalus magdalenae var. peirsonii), and 
triple-ribbed milk-vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. micans); and two 
plants that have been proposed as threatened: shining milk-vetch 
(Astragalus tricarinatus) and Sodaville milk-vetch (Astragalus 
lentiginosus var. sesquimetralis). The comment period has been reopened 
to acquire additional information from interested parties, and to 
reconsider the proposed listing actions.

DATES: The public comment period closes October 18, 1996. Any comments 
received by the closing date will be considered in the final decision 
on this proposal.


[[Page 46431]]


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: Diane Steeck (see ADDRESSES section) 
at 805/644-1766.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The seven taxa included within the proposed rule occur in Inyo, 
Mono, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Imperial Counties within 
California; Mineral and Nye Counties in Nevada; and northeastern Baja 
California, Mexico. Like many taxa in the genus Astragalus, these seven 
taxa are endemic to habitats with specific substrate or hydrologic 
conditions and are, therefore, naturally limited in distribution by the 
availability of habitat. Five of the seven taxa occur primarily on 
public lands.
    The seven plant taxa may be threatened by one or more of the 
following: off-road vehicle (ORV) use, grazing and trampling by 
livestock and feral burros, competition from alien plants, urban 
development, alteration of soil hydrology, and construction related to 
fisheries development. Several of the plants may also be threatened 
with random naturally occurring events by virtue of their small numbers 
and population sizes.
    On May 8, 1992, the Service published a rule proposing endangered 
status for Astragalus jaegerianus, A. lentiginosus var. coachellae, A. 
lentiginosus var. piscinensis, A. magdalenae var. peirsonii, and A. 
lentiginosus var. micans; and threatened status for A. tricarinatus and 
A. lentiginosus var. sesquimetralis (57 FR 19844). The original comment 
period closed on July 7, 1992.
    The Service was unable to make a final listing determination on 
these species because of a limited budget, other endangered species 
assignments driven by court orders, and higher listing priorities. In 
addition, a moratorium on listing actions (Public Law 104-6), which 
took affect on April 10, 1995, stipulated that no funds could be used 
to make final listing or critical habitat determinations. Now that 
limited funding has been restored and the President has waived the 
moratorium on the use of appropriated funds for final listing and 
critical habitat determinations, the Service is proceeding with a final 
determination for these seven plants. This final decision, however, 
must address and consider any changes in the administration of desert 
lands since 1992, like the lands transferred from the Bureau of Land 
Management to the National Park Service, and any conservation efforts, 
like the West Mohave Conservation Plan, that may have influenced 
management of desert areas.
    Due to the length of time that has elapsed since the close of the 
initial comment period, changing procedural and biological 
circumstances and the need to review the best scientific and commercial 
information available during the decision-making process, the comment 
period is being reopened. The Service particularly seeks information 
that has become available in the last four years, concerning:
    (1) Biological, commercial, or other relevant data on any threat 
(or lack thereof) to these species;
    (2) Additional information on the size, number, or distribution of 
populations; and
    (3) Whether one or more of these plant species are subject to 
conservation agreements or other protection instruments, and their 
possible impacts to such species.
    Written comments may now be submitted until October 18, 1996 to the 
Service office in the ADDRESSES section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Diane Steeck (see ADDRESSES 
section).

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: August 26, 1996.
Thomas Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 96-22332 Filed 8-30-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-U