[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 67 (Friday, April 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17900-17902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5087]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of a 5-
Year Review of Maguire Daisy, Holmgren Milk-Vetch, Shivwits Milk-Vetch, 
Virgin River Chub, Woundfin, and Kanab Ambersnail

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 5-
year review of Maguire daisy (Erigeron maguirei), Holmgren milk-vetch 
(Astragalus holmgreniorum), Shivwits milk-vetch (Astragalus 
ampullarioides), Virgin River chub (Gila seminuda), woundfin 
(Plagopterus argentissimus), and Kanab ambersnail (Oxyloma haydeni 
kanabensis) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). The purpose 
of reviews conducted under this section of the ESA is to ensure that 
the classification of species as threatened or endangered on the List 
of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (50 CFR 17.12) is 
accurate. The 5-year review is an assessment of the best scientific and 
commercial data available at the time of the review.

DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must 
receive your information no later than June 6, 2006. However, we will 
continue to accept new information about any listed species at any 
time.

ADDRESSES: Submit information to the Utah Field Office, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Attention: 5-year Review, 2369 West Orton Circle, 
Suite 50, West Valley City, Utah 84119. Information received in 
response to this notice and review, as well as other documentation in 
our files, will be available for public inspection, by appointment, 
during normal business hours, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henry Maddux, Field Supervisor, at the 
above address, or telephone 801-975-3330.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Why Is a 5-Year Review Being Conducted?

    Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires 
that we conduct a review of listed species at least once every 5 years. 
We are then, under section 4(c)(2)(B) and the provisions of subsections 
(a) and (b), to determine, on the basis of such a review, whether or 
not any species should be removed from the List of Endangered and 
Threatened Wildlife and Plants (delisted), or reclassified from 
endangered to threatened (downlisted), or reclassified from threatened 
to endangered (uplisted). The 5-year review is an assessment of the 
best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the 
review. Therefore, we are requesting submission of any new information 
(best scientific and commercial data) on the following species since 
their original listings as endangered (Holmgren milk-vetch (66 FR 
49560, September 28, 2001), Kanab ambersnail (57 FR 13657, April 17, 
1992), Shivwits milk-vetch (66 FR 49560, September 28, 2001), Virgin 
River chub (54 FR 35305, August 24, 1989), Woundfin (39 FR 1171, 
January 4, 1974), and Maguire daisy (50 FR 36089, September 5, 1985)). 
For Maguire daisy, we especially request information since its 1996 
reclassification from endangered to threatened (61 FR 31054, June 19, 
1996). While the Holmgren and Shivwits milk-vetches have not yet been 
listed for 5 years, these reviews will not be completed until after the 
5-year period on September 28, 2006. If the present classification of 
any of these species is not consistent with the best scientific and 
commercial information available, the Service will recommend whether or 
not a change is warranted in the Federal classification of the species. 
Any change in Federal classification would require a separate rule-
making process.
    Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice 
in the Federal Register announcing those species currently under active 
review. This notice announces our active review of the Holmgren milk-
vetch, Kanab ambersnail, Maguire daisy, Shivwits milk-vetch, Virgin 
River chub, and woundfin.

What Information Is Considered in the Review?

    A 5-year review considers all new information available at the time 
of the review. These reviews will consider the best scientific and 
commercial data that have become available since the current listing 
determination or most recent status review of each species, 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 (see five factors 
under heading ``How do we determine whether a species is endangered or 
threatened?''); and (E) Other new

[[Page 17901]]

information, data, or corrections, including but not limited to 
taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous 
information contained in the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 
and Plants, and improved analytical methods.

Public Solicitation of New Information

    We request any new information concerning the status of Holmgren 
milk-vetch, Kanab ambersnail, Maguire daisy, Shivwits milk-vetch, 
Virgin River chub, and woundfin. See ``What information is considered 
in the review?'' heading for specific criteria. Information submitted 
should be supported by 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 the species; information regarding the effects of current 
land management on population distribution and abundance; information 
on the current condition of designated or proposed critical habitat 
(only applies to Holmgren and Shitwits milk-vetches, Virgin River chub, 
and Woundfin); 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 ESA) 
and each 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 comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual 
respondents may request that we withhold their home addresses from the 
supporting record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. 
There also may be circumstances in which we may withhold from the 
supporting record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law. If you 
wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. However, we will not 
consider anonymous comments. 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.

How Are These Species Currently Listed?

    The List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (List) is 
found in 50 CFR 17.11 (wildlife) and 17.12 (plants). Amendments to the 
List through final rules are published in the Federal Register. The 
List also is available on our Internet site at http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html#Species. In Table 1 below, we provide 
a summary of the listing information for the species under active 
review.

   Table 1.--Summary of the Listing Information for Holmgren Milk-vetch, Kanab Ambersnail, Maguire Daisy, Shivwits Milk-vetch, Virgin River Chub, and
                                                                        Woundfin
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                        Species
--------------------------------------------------------    Historic range    Where endangered or      Status      When listed    Critical     Special
           Common name                Scientific name                              threatened                                     habitat       rules
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                                                                      * * * * * * *
              Plants
Holmgren Milk-vetch..............  Astragalus            U.S.A. (AZ, UT)....  Entire.............  E                       711           NA           NA
                                    holmgreniorum.
Maguire Daisy....................  Erigeron maguirei...  U.S.A. (UT)........  Entire.............  T                   202,584           NA           NA
Shivwits Milk-vetch..............  Astragalus            U.S.A. (UT)........  Entire.............  E                       711           NA           NA
                                    ampullarioides.
 
                                                                      * * * * * * *
               Fish
Virgin River Chub................  Gila seminuda.......  U.S.A. (AZ, NV, UT)  Entire.............  E                       361    17.95 (e)           NA
Woundfin.........................  Plagopterus           U.S.A. (AZ, NV, UT)  Entire, except Gila  E                     2,193    17.95 (e)           NA
                                    argentissimus.                             R. drainage, AZ,
                                                                               NM.
Do...............................  do..................  do.................  Gila R. drainage,    EXPN                    193           NA    17.84 (b)
                                                                               AZ, NM.
 
                                                                      * * * * * * *
          Invertebrates
Kanab Ambersnail.................  Oxyloma haydeni       U.S.A. (AZ, UT)....  Entire.............  E                     431E,           NA           NA
                                    kanabensis.                                                                        459,477
 
                                                                      * * * * * * *
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Definitions Related to This Notice

    The following definitions are provided to assist those persons who 
contemplate submitting information regarding the species being 
reviewed--(A) 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; (B) Endangered means any 
species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant 
portion of its range; (C) Threatened means any species that is likely 
to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future 
throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

[[Page 17902]]

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

    Section 4(a)(1) of the ESA establishes 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(a)(1) of the ESA requires 
that our determination be made on the basis of the best scientific and 
commercial data available.

What Could Happen as a Result of This Review?

    If we find that there is new information concerning Holmgren milk-
vetch, Kanab ambersnail, Maguire daisy, Shivwits milk-vetch, Virgin 
River chub, and woundfin indicating 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 endangered to threatened 
(downlist); (b) reclassify the species from threatened to endangered 
(uplist); or (c) remove the species from the List. If we determine that 
a change in classification is not warranted, then these species will 
remain on the List under their current status.

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: March 20, 2006.
Casey Stemler,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. E6-5087 Filed 4-6-06; 8:45 am]
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