[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 90 (Tuesday, May 11, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 25216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11746]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 
Reclassification of Lesquerella stonensis (Stones River bladderpod)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of candidate taxa reclassification.

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SUMMARY: In this document, we explain the changes in the status of 
Lesquerella stonensis (Stones River bladderpod), a plant that is under 
review for possible addition to the List of Endangered and Threatened 
Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We 
are removing this species from candidate status at this time.

ADDRESSES: You may submit questions concerning this notice to the 
Chief, Division of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
1849 C Street, N.W., Mail Stop 452 ARLSQ, Washington, D.C. 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chief, Division of Endangered Species 
(see ADDRESSES section) (telephone: 703/358-2171).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Candidate taxa are those taxa for which we have on file sufficient 
information to support issuance of a proposed rule to list under the 
Act. In addition to our annual review of all candidate taxa, we have an 
on-going review process, particularly to update taxa whose status may 
have changed markedly. This notice provides the specific explanation 
for the reclassification of this species.
    It is important to note that candidate assessment is an ongoing 
function and changes in status should be expected. We may restore 
species to candidate status that are removed from the candidate list if 
additional information supporting such a change becomes available. We 
most recently requested such information in the plant and animal 
candidate notice of review published in the Federal Register on 
September 19, 1997 (62 FR 49398).

Finding

    Lesquerella stonensis Rollins (Stones River bladderpod), a small 
winter annual plant, occurs in three populations found in the 
floodplain of the Stones River, Rutherford County, Tennessee. The three 
populations are divided among 20 sites located on U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers' (COE) lands, Tennessee Department of Environment and 
Conservation's (TDEC) lands, and privately owned lands. Over half of 
the known populations are on lands managed by the COE and the TDEC. 
This species requires annual disturbance in order to complete its life 
cycle. Historically, natural events such as flooding maintained its 
habitat by removing perennial grasses and woody plants that quickly 
invade the floodplain without regular natural or artificial 
disturbance. Annual crop production is currently the primary means of 
artificially maintaining L. stonensis' habitat, provided there is no 
fall planting and herbicide use is limited.
    The Smithsonian Institution's January 9, 1975, report to Congress 
on those plants considered to be endangered, threatened, or extinct 
(House Document No. 94-51) included Lesquerella stonensis. We first 
designated Lesquerella stonensis as a candidate species in the December 
15, 1980, Notice of Review (45 FR 82480). In designating this species a 
candidate, we considered the encroachment of more competitive 
vegetation and the loss of habitat through conversion of land to uses 
other than cultivation of annual crops as the primary threats to the 
species. In 1994, we entered into cooperative agreements with TDEC and 
the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to determine the 
management regimes needed to protect and to maintain healthy, viable 
populations of Lesquerella stonensis. This information provided the 
basis for the 1998 Cooperative Management Agreement (CMA) among the 
Service, TWRA, TDEC, and COE for the conservation of L. stonensis. 
Under the CMA, appropriate agricultural management techniques will 
provide the disturbance required for the species. We believe that the 
CMA secures into the foreseeable future the 14 sites where the species 
occurs on public conservation lands. These populations are distributed 
over the historic range of the species. The TDEC will continue to work 
with the owners of the six privately owned sites to gain appropriate 
management for these sites and to obtain long-term protection for them. 
We conclude that habitat loss and modification are not likely to cause 
L. stonensis to become endangered or to be in danger of extinction in 
the foreseeable future over all or a significant portion of its range; 
therefore, neither the issuance of a proposed rule nor continuation of 
candidate status for this species is warranted.

Author

    Staff biologists in our regional and field offices prepared the 
evaluation summarized in this document by Scott Hicks, Division of 
Endangered Species (see ADDRESSES section).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: April 14, 1999.

Jamie Rappaport Clark,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 99-11746 Filed 5-10-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P