[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 55 (Thursday, March 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14995-14997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5632]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R2-ES-2008-N0023, 21012-11130000-C4]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 5-Year Reviews of 
28 Southwestern Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of reviews.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 5-
year reviews of 28 southwestern species listed under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (Act). The purpose of reviews conducted under this 
section of the Act is to ensure that the classification of species as 
threatened or endangered on the List of Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife and Plants 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 adequate time to conduct this review, information 
submitted for our consideration must be received on or before June 18, 
2008. However, we will continue to accept new information about any 
listed species at any time.

ADDRESSES: Information submitted on these species should be sent to the 
Service at the addresses listed under ``Public Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. Information received in response to 
this notice of review will be available for public inspection by 
appointment, during normal business hours, at the same addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the appropriate office named 
in ``Public Comments'' for species-specific information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Why is a 5-year review conducted?

    Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Act (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 (delisted) from the List of 
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (50 CFR 17.12), or 
reclassified from endangered to threatened (downlisted), or 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 28 species since their original 
listings as either endangered (Arizona hedgehog cactus, Big Bend 
gambusia, Brady pincushion cactus, Clear Creek gambusia, Comal Springs 
dryopid beetle, Comal Springs riffle beetle, fountain darter, Kearney 
blue star, Leon Springs pupfish, Peck's Cave amphipod, San Marcos 
gambusia, Sonoran pronghorn, Socorro isopod, Socorro springsnail, south 
Texas ambrosia, southwestern willow flycatcher, Terlingua Creek cat's-
eye, Texas ayenia, Texas blind salamander, Texas wild-rice, Tobusch 
fishhook cactus, Yaqui chub, and Yaqui topminnow) or threatened 
(beautiful shiner, Hinckley oak, San Marcos salamander, Sonora chub, 
and Yaqui catfish). 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 that 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 28 species 
listed in Table 1.

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 has 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 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.

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 is also available on our Internet site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/wildlife.html. In Table 1 below, we provide a summary of the 
listing information for the species under active review.

[[Page 14996]]



                                  Table 1.--Summary of the Listing Information
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           Common name              Scientific name        Status          Where listed       Final listing rule
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Arizona hedgehog cactus.........  Echinocereus         E               AZ                    44 FR 61556
                                   triglochidiatus
                                   var. arizonicus.
Beautiful shiner................  Cyprinella formosa.  T               AZ, NM                49 FR 34490
Big Bend gambusia...............  Gambusia gaigei....  E               TX                    32 FR 4001
Brady pincushion cactus.........  Pediocactus bradyi.  E               AZ                    44 FR 61784
Clear Creek gambusia............  Gambusia heterochir  E               TX                    32 FR 4001
Comal Springs dryopid beetle....  Stygoparnus          E               TX                    62 FR 66295
                                   comalensis.
Comal Springs riffle beetle.....  Heterelmis           E               TX                    62 FR 66295
                                   comalensis.
Fountain darter.................  Etheostoma           E               TX                    35 FR 16047
                                   fonticola.
Hinckley oak....................  Quercus hinckleyi..  T               TX                    53 FR 32824
Kearney blue star...............  Amsonia kearneyana.  E               AZ                    54 FR 2131
Leon Springs pupfish............  Cyprinodon bovinus.  E               TX                    45 FR 54678
Peck's Cave amphipod............  Stygobromus          E               TX                    62 FR 66295
                                   (=Stygonectes)
                                   pecki.
San Marcos gambusia.............  Gambusia georgei...  E               TX                    45 FR 47355
San Marcos salamander...........  Eurycea nana.......  T               TX                    45 FR 47355
Sonora chub.....................  Gila ditaenia......  T               AZ                    51 FR 16042
Sonoran pronghorn...............  Antilocapra          E               AZ                    32 FR 4001
                                   americana
                                   sonoriensis.
Socorro isopod..................  Thermosphaeroma      E               NM                    43 FR 12690
                                   thermophilus.
Socorro springsnail.............  Pyrgulopsis          E               NM                    56 FR 49646
                                   neomexicana.
South Texas ambrosia............  Ambrosia             E               TX                    59 FR 43648
                                   cheiranthifolia.
Southwestern willow flycatcher..  Empidonax traillii   E               AZ, CA, CO, NV, NM,   60 FR 10693
                                   extimus.                             TX, UT
Terlingua Creek cat's-eye.......  Cryptantha           E               TX                    56 FR 49634
                                   crassipes.
Texas ayenia....................  Ayenia limitaris...  E               TX                    59 FR 43648
Texas blind salamander..........  Typhlomolge          E               TX                    32 FR 4001
                                   rathbuni.
Texas wild-rice.................  Zizania texana.....  E               TX                    43 FR 17910
Tobusch fishhook cactus.........  Ancistrocactus       E               TX                    44 FR 64736
                                   tobuschii.
Yaqui catfish...................  Ictalurus pricei...  T               AZ                    49 FR 34490
Yaqui chub......................  Gila purpurea......  E               AZ                    49 FR 34490
Yaqui topminnow.................  Poeciliopsis         E               AZ, NM                32 FR 4001
                                   occidentalis
                                   sonoriensis.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

How do we determine whether a species is endangered or threatened?

    Section 4(a)(1) of the Act 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 Act 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 any of the 28 
species listed in Table 1 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; 
(b) reclassify the species from threatened to endangered; 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.

Public Comments

    Information regarding the Brady pincushion cactus (Pediocactus 
bradyi), Arizona hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. 
arizonicus), Kearney blue star (Amsonia kearneyana), southwestern 
willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), and Sonora chub (Gila 
ditaenia) should be sent to the Field Supervisor, Attention 5-year 
Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Ecological Services 
Field Office, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix, AZ 85021. 
The office phone number is 602-242-0210.
    Information regarding Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana 
sonoriensis) should be sent to the Refuge Manager, Attention 5-year 
Review, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, 1611 North Second 
Avenue, Ajo, Arizona 85321. The office phone number is 520/387-6483, 
and Web address is: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/cabeza/index.html.
    Information regarding beautiful shiner (Cyprinella formosa), Yaqui 
catfish (Ictalurus pricei), Yaqui chub (Gila purpurea), and Yaqui 
topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis sonoriensis) should be sent to the 
Refuge Manager, Attention 5-year Review, San Bernardino National 
Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 3509, Douglas, Arizona 85607. The office 
phone number is 520/364-2104, and Web address is: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/sanbernardino.html.
    Information regarding the Texas blind salamander (Typhlomolge 
rathbuni), fountain darter (Etheostoma fonticola), Texas wild-rice 
(Zizania texana), San Marcos gambusia (Gambusia georgei),

[[Page 14997]]

San Marcos salamander (Eurycea nana), Peck's Cave amphipod (Stygobromus 
(=Stygonectes) pecki), Comal Springs dryopid beetle (Stygoparnus 
comalensis), Comal Springs riffle beetle (Heterelmis comalensis), Leon 
Springs pupfish (Cyprinodon bovinus), Tobusch fishhook cactus 
(Ancistrocactus tobuschii), Terlingua Creek cat's-eye (Cryptantha 
crassipes), Hinckley oak (Quercus hinckleyi), Big Bend gambusia 
(Gambusia gaigei), and Clear Creek gambusia (Gambusia heterochir) 
should be sent to the Field Supervisor, Attention 5-year Review, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin Ecological Services Field Office, 
10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78758. The office phone 
number is 512-490-0057.
    Information regarding Socorro isopod (Thermosphaeroma thermophilus) 
and Socorro springsnail (Pyrgulopsis neomexicana) should be sent to the 
Field Supervisor, Attention 5-year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office, 2105 Osuna Road 
NE., Albuquerque, NM 87113. The office phone number is 505-346-2525.
    Information regarding Texas ayenia (Ayenia limitaris) and south 
Texas ambrosia (Ambrosia cheiranthifolia) should be sent to the Field 
Supervisor, Attention 5-year Review, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service c/o 
TAMU-CC, Ecological Services, 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5837, Corpus 
Christi, TX 78412. The office phone number is 361-994-9005.

Public Solicitation of New Information

    We request any new information concerning the status of the 28 
species listed in Table 1. 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. 
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other 
personal identifying information in your comments, you should be aware 
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 your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Authority: This document is published under the authority of the 
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: January 23, 2008.
Christopher T. Jones,
Acting Regional Director, Region 2.
 [FR Doc. E8-5632 Filed 3-19-08; 8:45 am]
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