[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7064-7068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2504]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-
Year Reviews of 58 Species in California and Nevada; Availability of 
Completed 5-Year Reviews in California and Nevada

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of initiation of 5-year reviews; availability of 
completed 5-year reviews.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
initiation of a 5-year review of 58 species under section 4(c)(2)(B) of 
the Endangered Species Act (Act). The purpose of a 5-year review is to 
ensure that the classification of a species as threatened or endangered 
on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants is 
accurate and based on the best scientific and commercial data available 
at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of any such 
information that has become available since the original listing of 
each of these 58 species. Based on the results of these 5-year reviews, 
we will make the requisite findings under section 4(c)(2)(A) of the 
Act. We also indicate in this notice the 5-year reviews we completed 
for species in California and Nevada in FY 2006.

DATES: We must receive your information no later than April 16, 2007. 
However, we will continue to accept new information about any listed 
species at any time.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for instructions on how to 
submit information and review the information that we receive on these 
species.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For species-specific information, 
contact the appropriate individual listed under ``Public Solicitation 
of New Information.'' For contact information about completed 5-year 
reviews, see ``Completed 5-Year Reviews.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Why Do We Conduct a 5-Year Review?

    Under the Endangered Species Act (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we 
maintain a List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants at 50 
CFR 17.11 (for animals) and 17.12 (for plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of 
the Act requires that we conduct a review of listed species at least 
once every 5 years. Then, on the basis of such reviews under section 
4(c)(2)(B), we determine whether or not any species should be removed 
from the List (delisted), or reclassified from endangered to threatened 
or from threatened to endangered. Delisting a species must be supported 
by the best scientific and commercial data available and only 
considered if such data substantiates that the species is neither 
endangered nor threatened for one or more of the following reasons: (1) 
The species is considered extinct; (2) the species is considered to be 
recovered; and/or (3) the original data available when the species was 
listed, or the interpretation of such data, were in error. Any change 
in Federal classification would require a separate rulemaking process. 
The regulations in 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 58 species 
listed in Table 1.

                                    Table 1.--Summary of Listing Information for 58 species in California and Nevada
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           Common name                 Scientific name                  Status                         Where listed                Final listing rule
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Animals
    Bighorn (Sierra Nevada DPS).  Ovis canadensis           Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA--Sierra Nevada)........  65 FR 20 (03-JAN-00).
                                   californiana.
    California tiger salamander   Ambystoma californiense.  Endangered....................  U.S.A (Santa Barbara County, CA)..  65 FR 57241 (21-SEP-00).
     (Santa Barbara County DPS).
    Clover Valley speckled dace.  Rhinichthys osculus       Endangered....................  U.S.A. (NV).......................  54 FR 41448 (10-OCT-89).
                                   oligoporus.

[[Page 7065]]

 
    Coachella Valley fringe-toed  Uma inornata............  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  45 FR 63812 (25-SEP-80).
     lizard.
    Desert slender salamander...  Batrachoseps aridus.....  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  38 FR 14678 (04-JUN-73).
    El Segundo blue butterfly...  Euphilotes battoides      Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  41 FR 22041 (01-JUN-76).
                                   allyni.
    Hiko White River springfish.  Crenichthys baileyi       Endangered....................  U.S.A. (NV).......................  50 FR 39123 (27-SEP-85).
                                   grandis.
    Independence Valley speckled  Rhinichthys osculus       Endangered....................  U.S.A. (NV).......................  54 FR 41448 (10-OCT-89).
     dace.                         lethoporus.
    Lahontan cutthroat trout....  Oncorhynchus clarki       Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA, NV, OR, UT)...........  40 FR 29863 (16-JUL-75).
                                   henshawi.
    Lange's metalmark butterfly.  Apodemia mormo langei...  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  41 FR 22041 (01-JUN-76).
    Lotis blue butterfly........  Lycaeides argyrognomon    Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  41 FR 22041 (01-JUN-76).
                                   lotis.
    Pacific pocket mouse........  Perognathus longimembris  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  59 FR 49752 (29-SEP-94).
                                   pacificus.
    Palos Verdes blue butterfly.  Glaucopsyche lygdamus     Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  45 FR 44939 (02-JUL-80).
                                   palosverdesensis.
    Railroad Valley springfish..  Crenichthys nevadae.....  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (NV).......................  51 FR 10857 (31-MAR-86).
    San Clemente loggerhead       Lanius ludovicianus       Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  42 FR 40682 (11-AUG-77).
     shrike.                       mearnsi.
    Tipton kangaroo rat.........  Dipodomys nitratoides     Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  53 FR 25608 (08-JUL-88).
                                   nitratoides.
    White River springfish......  Crenichthys baileyi       Endangered....................  U.S.A. (NV).......................  50 FR 39123 (27-SEP-85).
                                   baileyi.
Plants
    Antioch Dunes evening         Oenothera deltoides ssp.  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  43 FR 17910 (26-APR-78).
     primrose.                     howellii.
    Applegate's milk vetch......  Astragalus applegatei...  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (OR).......................  58 FR 40547 (28-JUL-93).
    Ash-grey (Indian) paintbrush  Castilleja cinerea......  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 49022 (14-SEP-98).
    Beach layia.................  Layia carnosa...........  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  57 FR 27848 (22-JUN-92).
    Ben Lomond wallflower.......  Erysimum teretifolium...  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  59 FR 5499 (04-FEB-94).
    Bear Valley sandwort........  Arenaria ursina.........  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 49006 (14-SEP-98).
    Braunton's milk vetch.......  Astragalus brauntonii...  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 4172 (29-JAN-97).
    Burke's goldfields..........  Lasthenia burkei........  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  56 FR 61173 (02-DEC-91).
    California taraxacum........  Taraxacum californicum..  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 49006 (14-SEP-98).
    Contra Costa goldfields.....  Lasthenia conjugens.....  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 33029 (18-JUN-97).
    Contra Costa wallflower.....  Erysimum capitatum var.   Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  43 FR 17910 (26-APR-78).
                                   angustatum.
    Few-flowered navarretia.....  Navarretia leucocephala   Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 33029 (18-JUN-97).
                                   ssp. pauciflora (=N.
                                   pauciflora).
    Fish Slough milk vetch......  Astragalus lentiginosus   Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 53596 (06-OCT-98).
                                   var. piscinensis.
    Gowen cypress...............  Cupressus goveniana ssp.  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 43100 (12-AUG-98).
                                   goveniana.
    Greene's tuctoria...........  Tuctoria greenei........  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 14338 (26-MAR-97).
    Hoover's spurge.............  Chamaesyce hooveri......  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 14338 (26-MAR-97).
    Island barberry.............  Berberis pinnata ssp.     Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 40954 (31-JUL-97).
                                   insularis.
    Island phacelia.............  Phacelia insularis ssp.   Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 40954 (31-JUL-97).
                                   insularis.
    Lake County stonecrop.......  Parvisedum leiocarpum...  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 33029 (18-JUN-97).
    Loch Lomond coyote thistle..  Eryngium constancei.....  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  51 FR 45904 (23-DEC-86).
    Lyon's pentachaeta..........  Pentachaeta lyonii......  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 4172 (29-JAN-97).

[[Page 7066]]

 
    Many-flowered navarretia....  Navarretia leucocephala   Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 33029 (18-JUN-97).
                                   ssp. plieantha.
    Marsh sandwort..............  Arenaria paludicola.....  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  58 FR 41378 (03-AUG-93).
    Mexican flannelbush.........  Fremontodendron           Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 54956 (13-OCT-98).
                                   mexicanum.
    Monterey spineflower........  Chorizanthe pungens var.  Threatened....................  U.S.A (CA)........................  59 FR 5499 (04-FEB-94).
                                   pungens.
    Palmate-bracted bird's-beak.  Cordylanthus palmatus...  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  51 FR 23765 (01-JUL-86).
    Purple amole................  Chlorogalum purpureum...  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  65 FR 14878 (20-MAR-00).
    Salt marsh bird's-beak......  Cordylanthus maritimus    Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  43 FR 44810 (28-SEP-78).
                                   ssp. maritimus.
    San Bernardino bluegrass....  Poa atropurpurea........  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 49006 (14-SEP-98).
    San Benito evening-primrose.  Camissonia benitensis...  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  50 FR 5755 (12-FEB-85).
    San Joaquin Orcutt grass....  Orcuttia inaequalis.....  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 14338 (26-MAR-97).
    San Joaquin wooly-threads...  Monolopia (=Lembertia)    Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  55 FR 29361 (19-JUL-90).
                                   congdonii.
    Santa Cruz cypress..........  Cupressus abramsiana....  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  52 FR 675 (08-JAN-87).
    Santa Cruz Island fringepod.  Thysanocarpus             Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 40954 (31-JUL-97).
                                   conchuliferus.
    Sebastopol meadowfoam.......  Limnanthes vinculans....  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  56 FR 61173 (02-DEC-91).
    Soft bird's-beak............  Cordylanthus mollis ssp.  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 61916 (20-NOV-97).
                                   mollis.
    Solano grass................  Tuctoria mucronata......  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  43 FR 44810 (28-SEP-78).
    Sonoma sunshine.............  Blennosperma bakeri.....  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  56 FR 61173 (02-DEC-91).
    Southern mountain wild        Eriogonum kennedyi var.   Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 49006 (14-SEP-98).
     buckwheat.                    austromontanum.
    Suisun thistle..............  Cirsium hydrophilum var.  Endangered....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  62 FR 61916 (20-NOV-97).
                                   hydrophilum.
    Vail Lake ceanothus.........  Ceanothus ophiochilus...  Threatened....................  U.S.A. (CA).......................  63 FR 54956 (13-OCT-98).
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What Information Do We Consider in the 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 has become available since the 
current 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 that 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 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.

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

    Section 4(a)(1) of the Act requires 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.
    Our assessment of these factors is required, under section 4(b)(1) 
of the Act, to be based solely on the best scientific and commercial 
data available.

What Could Happen as a Result of Our Review?

    If we find information concerning the 58 species listed in Table 1 
indicating that 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 threatened to endangered; (b) reclassify the species 
from endangered to threatened; or (c) remove the species from the List. 
If we find that a change in classification is not warranted, the 
species will remain on the List under its current status.

Public Solicitation of New Information

    To ensure that these 5-year reviews are complete and based on the 
best available scientific and commercial information, we solicit new 
information from the public, concerned governmental agencies, Tribes, 
the scientific community, environmental

[[Page 7067]]

entities, industry, and any other interested parties concerning the 
status of the species.
    If you wish to provide information for any species included in 
these 5-year reviews, submit your information and materials as follows:
    For Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, desert slender salamander, 
El Segundo blue butterfly, Pacific pocket mouse, Palos Verdes blue 
butterfly, San Clement loggerhead shrike, ash-grey (Indian) paintbrush, 
Bear Valley sandwort, California taraxacum, Mexican flannelbush, salt 
marsh bird's-beak, San Bernardino bluegrass, southern mountain wild 
buckwheat, and Vail Lake ceanothus, send information to Field 
Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, 6010 Hidden Valley Road, Carlsbad, 
CA 92011. Information may also be submitted electronically at 
[email protected]. To obtain further information, contact Scott 
Sobiech at the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office at (760) 431-9440.
    For the Sierra Nevada DPS of bighorn, the Santa Barbara County DPS 
of California tiger salamander, Ben Lomond wallflower, Braunton's milk-
vetch, Fish Slough milk-vetch, Gowen cypress, island barberry, island 
phacelia, Lyon's pentachaeta, marsh sandwort, Monterey spineflower, 
purple amole, San Benito evening primrose, Santa Cruz cypress, and 
Santa Cruz Island fringepod, send information to Field Supervisor, 
Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish 
and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003. 
Information may also be submitted electronically at 
[email protected]. To obtain further information on bighorn and 
California tiger salamander, contact Mike McCrary at the Ventura Fish 
and Wildlife Office at (805) 644-1766. To obtain further information on 
the plant species, contact Connie Rutherford at the Ventura Fish and 
Wildlife Office at (805) 644-1766.
    For Lange's metalmark butterfly, Tipton kangaroo rat, Antioch Dunes 
evening primrose, Burke's goldfields, Contra Costa goldfields, Contra 
Costa wallflower, few-flowered navarretia, Greene's tuctoria, Hoover's 
spurge, Lake County stonecrop, Loch Lomond coyote thistle, many-
flowered navarretia, palmate-bracted bird's-beak, San Joaquin Orcutt 
grass, San Joaquin wooly-threads, Sebastopol meadowfoam, soft bird's-
beak, Solano grass, Sonoma sunshine, Suisun thistle, send information 
to Field Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-
2605, Sacramento, CA 95825. Information may also be submitted 
electronically at [email protected]. To obtain further information, 
contact Craig Aubrey at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office at 
(916) 414-6600.
    For Clover Valley speckled dace, Hiko White River springfish, 
Independence Valley speckled dace, Lahontan cutthroat trout, Railroad 
Valley springfish, and White River springfish, send information to 
Field Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Suite 
234, Reno, NV 89502. Information may also be submitted electronically 
at [email protected]. To obtain further information on Hiko White 
River springfish and White River springfish, contact Cynthia Martinez 
at the Southern Nevada Field at (702) 515-5230. To obtain further 
information on Clover Valley speckled dace, Independence Valley 
speckled dace, Lahontan cutthroat trout, and Railroad Valley 
springfish, contact Laurie Sada at the Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office 
at (775) 861-6300.
    For lotis blue butterfly and beach layia, send information to Field 
Supervisor, Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office, 11655 Heindon Road, Arcata, CA 95521. 
Information may also be submitted electronically at [email protected] 
for Lotis blue butterfly and [email protected] for beach layia. To 
obtain further information on Lotis blue butterfly, contact Jim Watkins 
at the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office at (707) 822-7201. To obtain 
further information on beach layia, contact Dave Imper at the Arcata 
Fish and Wildlife Office at (707) 822-7201.
    For Applegate's milk-vetch, send information to Field Supervisor, 
Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Falls 
Fish and Wildlife Office, 1936 California St., Klamath Falls, OR 97601. 
Information may also be submitted electronically at [email protected]. To 
obtain further information, contact Ron Larson at the Klamath Falls 
Fish and Wildlife Office at (541) 885-8481.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised 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 from public review your personal identifying 
information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will 
not consider anonymous comments, however. To the extent consistent with 
applicable law, 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. Comments and materials 
received will be available for public inspection, by appointment, 
during normal business hours at the offices where the comments are 
submitted.

Completed 5-Year Reviews

    We also take this opportunity to inform the public of 12 5-year 
reviews that we completed in FY 2006 for species in California and 
Nevada. These 12 reviews can be found at http://www.fws.gov/cno/es/5yr.html. Any recommended change in listing status will require a 
separate rulemaking process. The table below summarizes the results of 
these reviews:

                        Table 2.--Summary of species in California and Nevada for Which 5-year Reviews Were Completed in FY 2006
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           Common name                 Scientific name              Recommendation             Lead Fish and Wildlife Office             Contact
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Animals
    California least tern.......  Sterna antillarum browni  Downlist......................  Carlsbad..........................  Jane Hendron at (760)
                                                                                                                                 431-9440
    Giant garter snake..........  Thamnophis gigas........  No status change..............  Sacramento........................  Al Donner at (916) 414-
                                                                                                                                 6600

[[Page 7068]]

 
    Island night lizard.........  Xantusia riversiana.....  Downlist San Clemente Island..  Carlsbad..........................  Jane Hendron at (760)
                                                                                                                                 431-9440
    Least Bell's vireo..........  Vireo bellii pusillus...  Downlist......................  Carlsbad..........................  Jane Hendron at (760)
                                                                                                                                 431-9440
    Morro shoulderband snail....  Helminthoglypta           Downlist Morro shoulderband     Ventura...........................  Lois Grunwald at (805)
                                   walkeriana.               and delist Chorro                                                   644-1766
                                                             shoulderband.
    San Francisco garter snake..  Thamnophis sirtalis       No status change..............  Sacramento........................  Al Donner at (916) 414-
                                   tetrataenia.                                                                                  6600
    Smith's blue butterfly......  Euphilotes enoptes        Downlist......................  Ventura...........................  Lois Grunwald at (805)
                                   smithi.                                                                                       644-1766
    Valley elderberry longhorn    Desmocerus californicus   Delist........................  Sacramento........................  Al Donner at (916) 414-
     beetle.                       dimorphus.                                                                                    6600
    Western snowy plover          Charadrius alexandrinus   No status change..............  Arcata............................  Al Donner at (916) 414-
     (Pacific Coast DPS).          nivosus.                                                                                      6600
Plants
    Hidden Lake bluecurls.......  Trichostema               No status change..............  Carlsbad FWO......................  Jane Hendron at (760)
                                   austromontanum ssp.                                                                           431-9440
                                   compactum.
    Kneeland Prairie pennycress.  Thlaspi californicum....  No status change..............  Arcata FWO........................  Al Donner at (916) 414-
                                                                                                                                 6600
    Santa Cruz Island rockcress.  Sibara filifolia........  No status change..............  Carlsbad FWO......................  Jane Hendron at (760)
                                                                                                                                 431-9440
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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: February 7, 2007.
Ken McDermond,
Acting Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E7-2504 Filed 2-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P