[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 6, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45806-45846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17808]



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Part II





Department of the Interior





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Fish and Wildlife Service



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50 CFR Part 17



Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of 
Critical Habitat for Cirsium loncholepis (La Graciosa Thistle); 
Proposed Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 6, 2008 / 
Proposed Rules  

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-ES-2008-0078; 99210-1117-0000-B4]

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AV03


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised 
Designation of Critical Habitat for Cirsium loncholepis (La Graciosa 
Thistle)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to 
revise the currently designated critical habitat for Cirsium 
loncholepis (La Graciosa thistle) pursuant to the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 38,447 acres 
(ac) (15,559 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of this proposed 
revised critical habitat designation. The proposed revision is to 
critical habitat located in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, 
California.

DATES: We will accept comments from all interested parties until 
October 6, 2008. We must receive requests for public hearings, in 
writing, at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section by September 22, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: [FWS-R8-ES-2008-0078]; Division of Policy and Directives 
Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, 
Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.
    We will not accept e-mail or faxes. We will post all comments on 
http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any 
personal information you provide us (see the Public Comments section 
below for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane K. Noda, Field Supervisor, 
Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, 
California, 93003 (telephone 805/644-1766; facsimile 805/644-3958). If 
you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Comments Solicited

    We intend any final action resulting from this proposal to be as 
accurate and as effective as possible. Therefore, we request comments 
or suggestions on this proposed rule. We particularly seek comments 
concerning:
    (1) The reasons why we should or should not revise the designation 
of habitat as ``critical habitat'' under section 4 of the Act (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), including whether the benefit of designation 
would outweigh threats to the species caused by the designation, such 
that the designation of critical habitat is prudent;
    (2) Specific information on:
     The amount and distribution of Cirsium loncholepis 
habitat,
     The importance of including habitat that provides 
connectivity between extant populations of C. loncholepis to the 
species' conservation and recovery, and the amount and distribution of 
such habitat;
     Which areas within the geographical area occupied at the 
time of listing that contain features essential to the conservation of 
the species we should include in the designation and why, and
     Which areas not within the geographical area occupied at 
the time of listing that are essential for the conservation of the 
species and why;
    (3) Land use designations and current or planned activities in the 
subject areas and their possible impacts on proposed critical habitat;
    (4) Any foreseeable economic, national security, or other relevant 
impacts resulting from the proposed revised designation, and, in 
particular, any impacts on small entities, and the benefits of 
including or excluding areas that exhibit these impacts;
    (5) This proposed designation's revised criteria for determining 
essential features and critical habitat boundaries; and
    (6) The existence of any conservation or management plans being 
implemented by California State Parks, Oceano Dunes State Vehicular 
Recreation Area; Vandenberg Air Force Base; County of Santa Barbara, 
Rancho Guadalupe Dunes County Park; Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National 
Wildlife Refuge; or other public or private land management agencies or 
owners that we should consider for exclusion from the designation 
pursuant to section 4(b)(2) of the Act. Please include information on 
any benefits (educational, regulatory, etc.) of including or excluding 
lands from this proposed revised designation.
    (7) Whether we could improve or modify our approach to designating 
critical habitat in any way to provide for greater public participation 
and understanding, or to better accommodate public concerns and 
comments;
    (8) Whether there are areas that were previously designated as 
critical habitat that we are now removing from designation in this 
proposed rule, that should remain as critical habitat in the rule.
    You may submit your comments and materials concerning this proposed 
rule by one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section. We will not 
consider comments sent by e-mail or fax or to an address not listed in 
the ADDRESSES section.
    If you submit a comment via http://www.regulations.gov, your 
entire comment--including any personal identifying information--will be 
posted on the Web site. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes 
personal identifying information, you may request at the top of your 
document that we withhold this information from public review. However, 
we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all 
hardcopy comments on http://www.regulations.gov.

Background

    It is our intent to discuss only those topics directly relevant to 
this proposed revised designation of critical habitat. Additional 
background information covering the general ecology of Cirsium 
loncholepis was published in the final listing rule on March 20, 2000 
(65 Federal Register (FR) 14888), the proposed rule to designate 
critical habitat published on March 30, 1998 (63 FR 15164), and the 
final designation of critical habitat for C. loncholepis on March 17, 
2004 (69 FR 12553).

Species Description and Reproduction

    Cirsium loncholepis is a biennial to short-lived monocarpic 
perennial (a plant that blooms once, then dies) (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 
20-22; Teed 2003, p. 1). It is a spreading, mound-like or erect plant 
in the Asteraceae (sunflower family) that is well armored with spines 
on the leaves and flower heads. The plants range from 4 to 39 
(occasionally up to 59) inches (in) (10 to 100 (occasionally up to 150) 
centimeters (cm)) tall, with one or more stems. The lower leaves are 4 
to 12 in (10 to 30 cm) long, with spiny petioles (leaf stalks), and are 
usually deeply lobed with secondary lobes or teeth. The leaves are 
wavy-margined. The leaf bases of the middle and upper leaves form 
short, spiny wings along the petiole. Flowering heads are 0.8 to 1.6 in 
(2 to 4 cm) wide in tight clusters at the tips

[[Page 45807]]

of the stems. The corollas (flowers) are 1 to 1.2 in (25 to 30 
millimeters (mm)) long and are nearly white with a purplish tube 
containing purple anthers. The achenes (fruit) are 0.01 to 0.02 in (3 
to 4 mm) long and topped by an umbrella of long awns (0.6 to 1.0 in (15 
to 25 mm)) that are ideal for wind dispersal (Keil and Turner 1993, pp. 
232-239). Large individuals produce more flowering heads and more seeds 
per head (average = 473 seeds per plant) than smaller individuals 
(average = 168 seeds per plant), and therefore contribute 
disproportionately to the future seedbank of the population (Lea 2001a, 
unpaginated).

Taxonomy

    In 2006, Dr. David Keil revised the treatment for the genus Cirsium 
in North America for the Flora of North America north of Mexico by 
taking a broad view of the genus and the overlap in ranges of variation 
in morphologic characters (visible plant characteristics) (Keil 2006a, 
pp. 1, 57, 66, 82, 83, 93, 95-160). Dr. Keil synonymized (lumped) C. 
loncholepis with C. scariosum var. citrinum (La Graciosa thistle, same 
common name as the listed entity), a more widespread taxon whose 
distribution encompasses the following areas: The distribution of the 
C. loncholepis, at the mouth of the Santa Maria River; C. scariosum 
populations in the San Emigdio Mountains (Kern and Ventura Counties); 
and C. scariosum populations in the uplands and lowlands of the 
Peninsular Ranges of southern California (Riverside and San Diego 
Counties) that continue down into northern Baja California, Mexico 
(Keil 2006a, pp. 1, 57, 66, 82, 83, 93, 95-160). Dr. Keil has since 
informed us that he is re-recognizing C. loncholepis as a distinct 
entity as a subtaxon of C. scariosum and that he will publish it in a 
journal article and in the upcoming second edition of The Jepson 
Manual: Higher Plants of California. (Keil 2007a, unpaginated; 2007b, 
unpaginated). We consider this to be the best available scientific and 
commercial information. Accordingly, we continue to recognize C. 
loncholepis as a distinct entity.

Distribution

    Below, we define various terms that are used for different 
assemblages of plants that we use in discussing the status of Cirsium 
loncholepis. In this rule we use the term ``occurrence'' to be 
consistent with the definition used by the California Natural Diversity 
Database (CNDDB): A grouping of plants within 0.25 mile (mi) (0.4 
kilometer (km)) of each other (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated). There may be 
(and occasionally are) one or more discrete polygons of plants within a 
single ``occurrence.'' We use the term ``population'' to refer to a 
group of interbreeding individuals, in the biological sense of the 
word. There may be (and usually are) one or more ``occurrences'' within 
a single population. Our use of the term ``location'' in previous rules 
for C. loncholepis was interchangeable with ``occurrence'' and 
``population.'' In this rule ``location'' refers only to a particular 
site, area, or region, as in ``at that location,'' with no relation to 
an assemblage of plants (e.g., polygon, occurrence, population). The 
terms ``site,'' ``area,'' and ``region'' refer to physical places.
    Cirsium loncholepis historically was found in mesic areas (areas 
with intermediate or medium moisture conditions that are neither very 
wet nor very dry) in back dune and coastal wetlands along a 32-mi (52-
km) stretch of the coastal region of central California between Arroyo 
Grande Creek in San Luis Obispo County to the north and the Santa Ynez 
River in Santa Barbara County to the south. In this range, it occurred 
up to 16 mi (26 km) inland where it was documented at the Ca[ntilde]ada 
de las Flores area on the south side of the Solomon Hills. Most of the 
known occurrences are associated with mesic sites in two dune complexes 
(the Santa Maria Valley Dune Complex and the Santa Ynez Valley Dune 
Complex) and along the drainages and tributaries of four major 
watersheds in this area (from north to south: Arroyo Grande Creek, 
Santa Maria River, San Antonio Creek, and Santa Ynez River).
    Historically, Cirsium loncholepis has been reported or documented 
from a total of 25 occurrences that are grouped among 11 populations 
ranging from the dunes near Pismo Beach inland to hillside seeps at 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores south to the floodplains of the Santa Ynez 
River (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Consortium of California Herbaria 2008, 
unpaginated). These 11 populations are: Oceano, northern Callender Dune 
Lakes, southern Callender Dune Lakes, Oso Flaco, southern Guadalupe 
Dunes, Santa Maria River, Guadalupe, La Graciosa (type locality--the 
geographical location for the collection of the type specimen or the 
specimen that fixes a name to a species), Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores, 
San Antonio Terrace, and Santa Ynez River. See: 63 FR 15164, March 30, 
1998; 65 FR 14888, March 20, 2000; 66 FR 57560, November 15, 2001; and 
69 FR 12553, March 17, 2004; and Hendrickson (1990, pp. 1-25) for more 
in-depth discussions on the historical habitats, distribution, and 
range of C. loncholepis.
    At the time of the listing in 2000, there were 17 recorded 
occurrences. After reviewing the historical records, we determined that 
11 of the 17 occurrences were extant (still in existence). These 11 
extant occurrences were distributed among 7 populations. At the time of 
listing, the extant occurrences ranged from the northern Callender Dune 
Lakes in the Callender Dunes in the north to the seeps at Ca[ntilde]ada 
de las Flores in the south (65 FR 14888, March 20, 2000; CNDDB 1998, 
unpaginated). Since the time of listing, Cirsium loncholepis has 
experienced considerable declines throughout its range. Currently, C. 
loncholepis is considered to be extant at seven occurrences that are 
distributed among four populations: Southern Callender Dune Lakes, Oso 
Flaco, southern Guadalupe Dunes, and Santa Maria River. The seven 
extant occurrences consist of five occurrences that were identified in 
the final listing rule in 2000 as well as two new occurrences that have 
been identified since that time (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Elvin 2006, 
unpaginated, 2007a, unpaginated). The extant occurrences currently 
range from the southern Callender Dune Lakes in the north to the Santa 
Maria River in the south. See Figure 1 for the current versus 
historical distribution of C. loncholepis. The points in this figure 
represent locations of polygons of C. loncholepis plants. Some C. 
loncholepis occurrences contain more than one polygon.
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.000

    The Service has reviewed the most current information regarding 
occupancy at Cirsium loncholepis historically known to have been 
occupied, or occupied at time of listing. Cirsium loncholepis may still 
be extant

[[Page 45809]]

at Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores. It was last observed at this site in 
1989 (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25). Based on this information at the 
time of listing, we considered Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores to be 
occupied. Since the time of listing, there have still been no 
observations of C. loncholepis at Canada de las Flores. No plants were 
observed during surveys in 1990 (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25), and no 
plants were observed by Mark A. Elvin and Jeanette Sainz when they 
visited the site in November 2007. This visit was conducted outside the 
optimal time of year to observe this plant in a dry year, and it was 
not an exhaustive survey (Elvin 2007b, unpaginated). While C. 
loncholepis may still be at Canada de las Flores, we are considering 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores to be unoccupied for the purposes of this 
rule based on the continued lack of observation of C. loncholepis since 
2000. Cirsium loncholepis has not been observed at the northern 
Callender Dune Lakes population (in the dunes just south of Pismo Beach 
and Oceano) since 1988, but no surveys have been conducted here since 
1988 to our knowledge. Cirsium loncholepis may still be extant at this 
population. Cirsium loncholepis has not been observed at the Santa Ynez 
River population since 1958 (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Consortium of 
California Herbaria 2008, unpaginated; Smith 1976, p. 282, 1998, pp. 
153-154; Santa Barbara Botanical Garden Herbarium 2007, unpaginated). 
Surveys were conducted by the Biological Sciences Department at 
California Polytechnic State University between 1992 and 1994, but no 
plants were found (Keil and Holland 1998, pp. 83-84); no other surveys 
are known to have been conducted. Therefore, C. loncholepis is not 
currently known to occur along the Santa Ynez River. San Antonio 
Terrace is centrally located within the range of C. loncholepis. It is 
south of the Guadalupe and Callender Dune Sheets and the Santa Maria 
River, west of Canada de las Flores, and north of the Santa Ynez River. 
San Antonio Terrace supports numerous dune wetlands and swales and has 
the same physical and geological features, habitats, and vegetation as 
the Callender and Guadalupe Dune Sheets (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72; CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated; Consortium of California Herbaria 2008, unpaginated; 
Google Earth 2008, unpaginated). Cirsium loncholepis is reported from 
the dune swales on San Antonio Terrace, but it has never been 
documented here with a voucher specimen (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; 
Henningson et al. 1980, pp. 15-120; Consortium of California Herbaria 
2008, unpaginated). San Antonio Terrace is directly adjacent to the 
mouth of San Antonio Creek which, according to some researchers, is the 
most likely site for the type locality for C. loncholepis (Keil and 
Holland 1998, pp. 83-84; Oyler et al. 1995, pp. 1-76; Hendrickson 1990, 
pp. 1-25; Smith 1976, p. 282, 1998, pp. 153-154). The type locality is 
the geographical location for the collection of the type specimen or 
the specimen that fixes a name to a species. In the case of C. 
loncholepis, we do not know the exact location of the type locality of 
``La Graciosa''. There is a consensus among researchers that La 
Graciosa was at one of two places, one of which is the mouth of San 
Antonio Creek and the other along Orcutt Creek (see the final listing 
rule for a discussion on this location). Cirsium brevistylum has been 
documented at San Antonio Terrace. Some researchers speculate that the 
reports of C. loncholepis from the San Antonio Terrace population were 
pre-flowering C. brevistylum plants, which are very similar to pre-
flowering C. loncholepis plants (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Consortium of 
California Herbaria 2008, unpaginated; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; Keil 
and Holland 1998, p. 82).
    In addition to the apparent loss of occurrences and populations, 
there has been a decline in the status of the species and the number of 
individuals reported at the remaining extant sites identified in the 
listing rule (Chesnut 1998a, unpaginated; Chesnut 1998b, pp. 1-40; 
Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated). Most notably, 
Service staff visited the western portion of the Santa Maria River 
population in November 2006, and fewer than 10 individuals were 
observed (Elvin 2006, unpaginated). While this was outside the optimal 
time of year, Cirsium loncholepis was fruiting and observable. This 
population (which includes two occurrences) was estimated to contain 
6,000 individuals in 1986 (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated), more than 50,000 
individuals in 1990 (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25), and 500 individuals 
in the western portion in 2001 (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated). Specific 
survey conditions are not known for these reports. Reports also 
indicate declines in status and numbers of individuals at the northern 
Guadalupe Dunes population with estimates in the 25-50 range for the 
1980s and early 1990s down to 7 individuals in 1998 (Chesnut 1998a, 
unpaginated; Chesnut 1998b, pp. 1-40; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated). Reports for the southern Guadalupe Dunes population 
have been fluctuating between 30 and 137 individuals with Service staff 
noting greater than 50 individuals in November of 2006 (CNDDB 2007, 
unpaginated; Elvin 2006, unpaginated; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25).
    In summary, Cirsium loncholepis may not currently be present at the 
Oceano, northern Callender Dune Lakes, Guadalupe, La Graciosa, 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores, San Antonio Terrace, and Santa Ynez River 
populations. This species has declined from 11 extant occurrences 
identified at the time of listing to 7 remaining extant occurrences (in 
4 populations). The seven extant occurrences consist of five 
occurrences that were identified in the final listing rule in 2000 as 
well as two new occurrences that have been identified since that time. 
We believe that C. loncholepis may not persist if the Santa Maria 
Valley Dune Complex occurrences (including those along the Santa Maria 
River) are the only ones remaining. However, we believe that C. 
loncholepis could be conserved and recovered if additional populations 
exist or new populations arise in habitat with features (described 
below) that allow the populations to remain connected throughout the 
two dune complexes and four major watersheds where it once was known to 
occur.

Previous Federal Actions

    A proposed rule to list Cirsium loncholepis and three other species 
as endangered was published on March 30, 1998 (63 FR 15164). Cirsium 
loncholepis was listed as endangered under the Act in 2000 due to 
threats from groundwater pumping, oil field development, oil field 
remediation, competition from non-native plants, and grazing from 
cattle (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; California Department of Fish and 
Game (CDFG) 1992, pp. 111-112; 65 FR 14888, March 20, 2000). The State 
of California listed this species as threatened in 1990 (CDFG 1992, pp. 
111-112). The proposed rule to designate critical habitat for C. 
loncholepis and two other species was published in the Federal Register 
on November 15, 2001 (66 FR 57560). In August 2002, we received a 1-
year extension beyond the statutory time limit on the publication date 
of a final rule for C. loncholepis critical habitat due to its 
taxonomic uncertainty. In September 2003, we sought an additional 
extension due, in part, to the continued uncertainty regarding its 
taxonomic status, but the court denied that request. We published a 
final rule designating critical habitat for C. loncholepis on March 17, 
2004 (69 FR 12553), in compliance with the court's order. Please refer 
to the final listing

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rule published in the Federal Register on March 20, 2000 (65 FR 14888), 
and to the final designation of critical habitat published on March 17, 
2004 (69 FR 12553), for additional or more complete information on 
previous Federal actions prior to that time. In the 2004 final critical 
habitat rule we designated approximately 41,089 acres (ac) (16,628 
hectares (ha)) of land in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, 
California, as critical habitat for C. loncholepis. The final critical 
habitat rule also contains information regarding the litigation history 
related to the listing and designation of critical habitat for this 
species (Southwest Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service et al. (No. C99-2992 (N.D.Ca.)).
    On March 30, 2005, the Homebuilders Association of Northern 
California, et al., filed a complaint against the Service (Home 
Builders Association of N. Cal., et al. v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, et al., No. 2:05-01363, E.D. Cal.) alleging that the final 
rule designating critical habitat for Cirsium loncholepis (and 26 other 
species) violated the Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the 
National Environmental Policy Act. In March 2006, a settlement was 
reached to re-evaluate five final critical habitat designations, which 
included the 2004 critical habitat designation for C. loncholepis. The 
settlement stipulated that proposed revisions to the C. loncholepis 
designation would be submitted to the Federal Register on or before 
July 27, 2007. On May 17, 2007, the court approved a modification to 
the settlement timeframe to require that a proposed rule regarding any 
revisions to the C. loncholepis critical habitat designation would be 
submitted to the Federal Register on or before July 27, 2008, and a 
final decision regarding any proposed rule would be submitted on or 
before July 27, 2009. This revised proposed rule complies with the May 
17, 2007, court order.

Critical Habitat

    Critical habitat is defined in section 3 of the Act as:
    (1) The specific areas within the geographical area occupied by a 
species, at the time it is listed in accordance with the Act, on which 
are found those physical or biological features
    (a) essential to the conservation of the species and
    (b) which may require special management considerations or 
protection; and
    (2) Specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by a 
species at the time it is listed, upon a determination that such areas 
are essential for the conservation of the species.
    Conservation, as defined under section 3 of the Act, means the use 
of all methods and procedures that are necessary to bring any 
endangered species or threatened species to the point at which the 
measures provided under the Act are no longer necessary.
    Critical habitat receives protection under section 7 of the Act 
through the prohibition against Federal agencies carrying out, funding, 
or authorizing the destruction or adverse modification of critical 
habitat. Section 7 of the Act requires consultation on Federal actions 
that may affect critical habitat. The designation of critical habitat 
does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, 
reserve, preserve, or other conservation area. Such designation does 
not allow the government or public to access private lands. Such 
designation does not require implementation of restoration, recovery, 
or enhancement measures by the landowner. Where the landowner seeks or 
requests federal agency funding or authorization that may affect a 
listed species or critical habitat, the consultation requirements of 
section 7 would apply, but even in the event of a destruction or 
adverse modification finding, the landowner's obligation is not to 
restore or recover the species, but to implement reasonable and prudent 
alternatives to avoid destruction or adverse modification of critical 
habitat.
    For inclusion in a critical habitat designation, habitat within the 
geographical area occupied by the species at the time it was listed 
must contain features that are essential to the conservation of the 
species. Critical habitat designations identify, to the extent known 
using the best scientific data available, habitat areas that provide 
essential life cycle needs of the species (areas on which are found the 
primary constituent elements, as defined at 50 CFR 424.12(b)). Occupied 
habitat that contains the features essential to the conservation of the 
species meets the definition of critical habitat only if those features 
may require special management considerations or protection. Under the 
Act, we can designate critical habitat in areas outside the 
geographical area occupied by the species at the time it is listed only 
when we determine that those areas are essential for the conservation 
of the species.
    Section 4 of the Act requires that we designate critical habitat on 
the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available. 
Further, our Policy on Information Standards Under the Endangered 
Species Act (published in the Federal Register on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 
34271)), the Information Quality Act (section 515 of the Treasury and 
General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Pub. L. 
106-554; H.R. 5658)), and our associated Information Quality 
Guidelines, provide criteria, establish procedures, and provide 
guidance to ensure that our decisions are based on the best scientific 
data available. They require our biologists, to the extent consistent 
with the Act and with the use of the best scientific data available, to 
use primary and original sources of information as the basis for 
recommendations to designate critical habitat.
    When we are determining which areas should be proposed as critical 
habitat, our primary source of information is generally the information 
developed during the listing process for the species. Additional 
information sources may include the recovery plan for the species, 
articles in peer-reviewed journals, conservation plans developed by 
States and counties, scientific status surveys and studies, biological 
assessments, or other unpublished materials and expert opinion or 
personal knowledge.
    Habitat is often dynamic, and species may move from one area to 
another over time. Furthermore, we recognize that critical habitat 
designated at a particular point in time may not include all of the 
habitat areas that we may eventually determine, based on scientific 
data not now available to the Service, are necessary for the recovery 
of the species. For these reasons, a critical habitat designation does 
not signal that habitat outside the designated area is unimportant or 
may not be required for recovery of the species.
    Areas that support populations, but are outside the critical 
habitat designation, will continue to be subject to conservation 
actions we implement under section 7(a)(1) of the Act. They are also 
subject to the regulatory protections afforded by the section 7(a)(2) 
jeopardy standard, as determined on the basis of the best available 
scientific information at the time of the agency action. Federally 
funded or permitted projects affecting listed species outside their 
designated critical habitat areas may still result in jeopardy findings 
in some cases. Similarly, critical habitat designations made on the 
basis of the best available information at the time of designation will 
not control the direction and substance of future recovery plans, 
habitat conservation plans (HCPs), or other species conservation 
planning efforts if new information available to these planning efforts 
calls for a different outcome.

[[Page 45811]]

Methods

    As required by section 4(b) of the Act, we used the best scientific 
and commercial data available in determining specific areas within the 
geographical area occupied at the time of listing that contain physical 
or biological features essential to the conservation of Cirsium 
loncholepis and specific areas outside the geographical area occupied 
at the time of listing that are essential for the conservation C. 
loncholepis. This includes information from the final listing rule in 
2000 and final critical habitat designation in 2004; data from research 
and survey observations published in peer-reviewed articles; data from 
research and survey observations included in reports and other 
manuscripts (i.e., theses, monitoring reports); written and oral 
communications from species and other physical science experts; reports 
and survey forms prepared for Federal, State, and local agencies, and 
private corporations; regional Geographic Information System layers, 
including soil, species, aerial imagery, and wetlands coverages; 
information from herbarium specimens at the following institutions: 
University of California Santa Barbara Herbarium, University of 
California Berkeley Herbarium, the Jepson Herbarium at the University 
of California Berkeley, University of Minnesota Saint Paul Herbarium, 
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Herbarium, Herbarium of the California 
Academy of Sciences, California Department of Food and Agriculture 
Herbarium, Santa Barbara Botanical Garden Herbarium, San Diego Natural 
History Museum Herbarium, Robert F. Hoover Herbarium at California 
Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, University of California 
Riverside Herbarium, and University of California Irvine Herbarium; 
site visits by Service biologists to several population sites of C. 
loncholepis in 2006 and 2007; and data submitted to the CNDDB. We have 
also reviewed available information that pertains to the ecology, life 
history, and habitat requirements for this species. This material 
included information and data in peer-reviewed articles; reports of 
monitoring and habitat characterizations; reports submitted during 
section 7 consultations; and information received from local species 
experts.

Primary Constituent Elements

    In accordance with section 3(5)(A)(i) of the Act and regulations at 
50 CFR 424.12, in determining which areas within the geographical area 
occupied at the time of listing to propose as critical habitat, we 
consider the physical and biological features that are essential to the 
conservation of the species to be the primary constituent elements 
(PCEs) laid out in the appropriate quantity and spatial arrangement for 
conservation of the species. These include, but are not limited to:
    (1) Space for individual and population growth and for normal 
behavior;
    (2) Food, water, air, light, minerals, or other nutritional or 
physiological requirements;
    (3) Cover or shelter;
    (4) Sites for breeding, reproduction, rearing, or development of 
offspring; and
    (5) Habitats that are protected from disturbance or are 
representative of the historical, geographical, and ecological 
distributions of a species.
    We derive the specific PCEs required for the Cirsium loncholepis 
from its biological needs.

Space for Individual and Population Growth

    Cirsium loncholepis generally grows in association with mesic areas 
on the margins of dune swales, dune lakes, marshes, estuaries, coastal 
meadows, seeps, springs, intermittent streams, creeks, and rivers 
(CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Consortium of California Herbaria 2008, 
unpaginated; Elvin 2006, unpaginated, 2007a, unpaginated, 2007b, 
unpaginated). Cirsium loncholepis occurs in a series of dynamic systems 
of dunes and riparian floodplains. Cirsium loncholepis can appear and 
disappear from particular sites appearing to ``move'' from place to 
place in areas with suitable habitat on a fairly regular basis (this 
has been observed several times over the past 50 or more years (CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated; Chesnut 1998a, unpaginated; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-
25)). New suitable sites are continuously created throughout the 
dynamic ecosystems where C. loncholepis grows over time (i.e., floods 
remove vegetation and create new sites; dunes move and suitable sites 
open up). The conservation of C. loncholepis depends not only on 
maintaining suitable sites for germination and growth as they exist at 
the present, but it also depends on maintaining the dynamic nature of 
the habitat (the dune and riparian complexes) where it grows, which 
will ensure that suitable sites for germination and growth will develop 
in the future.

Nutritional and Physiological Requirements Including Soils, 
Communities, and Dispersal

Soils
    Soils where Cirsium loncholepis are found are somewhat variable, 
but include a large component of sand. Coastal populations occur on 
dune sands, Oceano sands, Camarillo sandy loams, riverwash, and sandy 
alluvial soils at elevations of less than 31 meters (m) (100 feet (ft)) 
(Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 2001, unpaginated, 2007, 
unpaginated). Occasionally, individuals have been found on dune slopes 
or ridges, rather than in the more typical dune swale habitat; more 
stable dunes have been shown to act as reservoirs of moisture, and 
these individuals may be tapping into this moisture (Thomas 2001, 
unpaginated). Plants at an inland population have been found on 
Camarillo sandy loam at an elevation of 183 m (600 ft) (CNDDB 2001, 
unpaginated).
Communities
    The vegetation communities associated with Cirsium loncholepis are 
rather diverse and include central dune scrub, coastal dune, coastal 
scrub, freshwater seeps and springs, coastal and valley freshwater 
marsh and fen, riparian scrub (e.g., mule fat scrub, willow scrub), 
riparian forest, chaparral, oak woodland, intermittent streams, and 
other wetland communities (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 2007, 
unpaginated). Cirsium loncholepis is often growing in and amongst a mat 
of low-growing, herbaceous, wetland plants including Juncus spp. 
(rush), Scirpus spp. (tule), Carex praegracilis (sedge), Distichlis 
spicata (salt grass), Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass), Trifolium 
wormskioldii (clover), Anemopsis californica (yerba mansa), Potentilla 
anserina (silverweed), and Lotus corniculatus (birdfoot trefoil) 
(Langford 2001, unpaginated; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Chesnut 1998b, 
pp. 1-40; Elvin 2006, unpaginated, 2007a, unpaginated; Reed 1988, pp. 
15-51). Other closely associated riparian plants include Salix spp. 
(willow), Rubus (blackberry), and Baccharis douglasii (Douglas' 
baccharis) (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Chesnut 1998b, pp. 1-40; Elvin 
2006, unpaginated, 2007a, unpaginated, 2007b, unpaginated; Reed 1988, 
pp. 15-51). Upland plants that occur adjacent to or nearby include 
Toxicodendron diversilobum (poison oak), Baccharis pilularis (coyote 
brush), Solidago californica (California goldenrod), Isocoma menziesii 
(coast goldenbush), and Corethrogyne filaginifolia (California aster)

[[Page 45812]]

(Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Elvin 2006, 
unpaginated, 2007a, unpaginated, 2007b, unpaginated). Plants at the 
most inland site for Cirsium loncholepis have been found primarily 
around gently sloping hillside seeps within a grassland community, at 
the edge of willows around a seep bordering an oak woodland community 
(Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25, Elvin 2007b, unpaginated). Cirsium 
loncholepis does occasionally occur in non-mesic conditions such as on 
ridges or dune tops such as in the Guadalupe Dunes (Elvin 2006, 
unpaginated) or throughout meadows (temporally and spatially) on flat 
valley bottoms, which are rather dry compared to the mesic seeps in 
these area (Elvin 2007b, unpaginated).
Dispersal
    Genetic material can move both within a population or between 
different populations. In plants this can be accomplished through the 
movement of pollen, seeds, plants, or plant parts to other plants or 
sites within the same population or to another population. For Cirsium 
loncholepis, the main agents for gene flow are pollen and seeds. 
Pollinators move pollen from one flower to another. Most pollinators 
move pollen within the same population, but it can be moved to another 
population if it is close enough and the pollinator is capable of 
moving the pollen across that distance. Cirsium loncholepis seeds are 
capable of being moved within the same population and to another 
population by animals, wind, and water.
    Pollinators: Cirsium loncholepis is capable of both self-
fertilization (pollination events on the same individual) and cross-
fertilization (pollination events between two individuals). Other 
similar, riparian, monocarpic Cirsium species self- and cross-pollinate 
(Hamzo and Jolls 2000, pp. 141-153). Cirsium loncholepis flowers 
produce nectar and copious quantities of pollen and are visited by 
birds and a wide variety of insects (Keil 2008, unpaginated). Cirsium 
loncholepis and other Cirsium taxa with similar heads are pollinated by 
bees (i.e., solitary, mining, (families Andrenidae and Anthophoridae), 
mason (Osmia sp.), carpenter (Xylocopa sp.), and leaf cutter bees 
(family Megachilidae) and the introduced honeybee (Apis mellifera)), 
butterflies (order Lepidoptera), flies (order Diptera), beetles (order 
Coleoptera (e.g., darkling ground beetles (family Tenebrionidae))), 
black ants (family Formicidae), and hummingbirds (family Trochilidae) 
(Keil 2001, unpaginated, 2008, unpaginated; Moldenke 1976, pp. 305-361; 
Krombein et al. 1979, Vol. 2, pp. 1751-2209; Lea. 2001b, unpaginated). 
Specialist-feeding bees (solitary bees, which are known to visit 
Cirsium species (Krombein et al. 1979, Vol. 2 pp. 1751-2209)) commonly 
develop co-evolutionary relationships with particular host plants 
(Moldenke 1976, pp. 305-361). While we do not have comprehensive 
information on the home ranges and species fidelity of these 
pollinators, we do have some data. A number of the insects noted above 
that are known to visit Cirsium flowers (i.e., ants, some beetles, 
butterflies, flies, and many bee taxa) live, nest, and reproduce in 
upland habitats (e.g., coastal dune scrub, coastal scrub, chaparral, 
oak woodland, grassland) within the range of C. loncholepis (Moldenke 
1976, pp. 305-361; Hogue 1993, 446 pp.; Krombein et al. 1979, Vol. 2 
pp. 1751-2209; Thorp et al. 1983, pp. 1-79). Alternative pollen source 
plants may be necessary for the persistence of these insects when C. 
loncholepis is not in flower seasonally or annually because of poor 
environmental conditions.
    The main dispersal vectors for Cirsium loncholepis pollen include 
ants, beetles, butterflies, flies, bees, and hummingbirds. Some of 
these visitors (e.g., bumble bees, hummingbirds) can fly large 
distances and are therefore capable of transferring pollen longer 
distances, from plants in one population to plants in another 
population. Studies to quantify the distance that bees will fly to 
pollinate their host plants are limited in number, but the few that 
exist show that some bees will routinely fly from 328 to 984 ft (100 to 
500 m) to pollinate plants (Thorp and Leong 1995, pp. 3-7; Schulke and 
Waser 2001, pp. 239-245). In a study of experimental isolation and 
pollen dispersal of Delphinium nuttallianum (Nuttall's larkspur), 
Schulke and Waser (2001, pp. 239-245) report that adequate pollen loads 
were dispersed by bumblebees within control populations and in isolated 
experimental ``populations'' from 328 to 1,312 ft (100 m to 400 m) 
distant from the control populations. One of the several pollinator 
taxa effective at 1,312 ft (400 m) was Bombus (bumblebee), which has 
also been documented to visit Cirsium (Ascher 2006, unpaginated). 
Studies by Steffan-Dewenter and Tscharntke (2000, pp. 288-296) 
demonstrated that it is possible for bees to fly as far as 3,280 ft 
(1,000 m) to pollinate flowers, and at least one study suggests that 
bumblebees may forage many kilometers from a colony (Sugden 1985, pp. 
299-312). Hummingbirds can fly long distances while foraging for nectar 
or food or migrating. Using area rather than distance, an Anna's 
hummingbird (Calypte anna), for example, will hold a core territory of 
about 0.25 ac (0.1 ha) and a ``buffer zone'' of variable size, but 
usually 10-15 ac (4-6 ha) (Russell 1996, pp. 1-13). Hummingbirds are 
not restricted to these territories, but may venture greater distances 
crossing through neighboring territories to feed. Additionally, because 
extant populations of C. loncholepis are located within the Pacific 
flyway for migratory birds, while migrating, hummingbirds could forage 
in one population one day, and in another population later that day or 
the next day, thereafter, until either reaching their breeding or 
wintering grounds, or traveling beyond the range of C. loncholepis.
    Seed Dispersal Vectors: According to Craddock and Huenneke (1997, 
pp. 215-219), Cirsium seeds are usually wind-dispersed, but birds and 
small mammals also disperse Cirsium seeds (Burton and Black 1978, pp. 
383-390; Bent 1940, pp. 332-352, 1968, pp. 447-466). According to Keil 
and Turner (1993, pp. 232-239), wind is a likely dispersal vector for 
C. loncholepis seeds based on the architecture of their achenes, which 
are topped by an umbrella of long awns that are ideal for wind 
dispersal. The distribution of plants within a population (often an 
elongated pattern) is consistent with seed dispersal caused by the 
prevailing coastal winds (Lea 2002, pp. 1-84; Teed 2003, pp. 1-58). 
Additional dispersal vectors for C. loncholepis include small mammals 
and birds. Several small mammals that feed on seed of Cirsium species 
and move them among their seed caches live in the range of C. 
loncholepis. These include such species as kangaroo rats (Dipodomys 
spp.), pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae), California ground squirrels 
(Spermophilus beecheyi), and pocket mice (Perognathus spp.) (Blecha et 
al. 2007, pp. 1-354; Burton and Black 1978, pp. 383-390). Some small 
mammals, such as mice, use Cirsium tufts or down (the achene and 
pappus) as nest material (Root 2008, unpaginated). Various mammals such 
as mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and cattle occur in the Callender-
Guadalupe Dunes and have been documented grazing on thistle here 
(Nellis and Ross 1969, pp. 191-195; Theo et al. 2000, pp. 73-80; Blecha 
et al. 2007, pp. 1-354; Elvin 2007a, unpaginated). Some bird species, 
such as American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) and hummingbirds, some 
of which live within the range of C.

[[Page 45813]]

loncholepis, use its tufts (or down) for nest construction (Bent 1940, 
pp. 332-352, 1968, pp. 447-466; Weydemeyer 1923, pp. 117-118; Blecha et 
al. 2007, pp. 1-354).
    Water has been shown to be an important dispersal vector for seeds 
in another thistle, C. vinaceum, which also occurs in spring and 
streamside habitats (Craddock and Huenneke 1997, pp. 215-219). Cirsium 
seeds disperse via water ``considerable distances along streams'' 
(Craddock and Huenneke 1997, pp. 215-219). Cirsium loncholepis 
populations have been documented from the upper reaches of drainages 
and watersheds outlined below to suitable sites near the mouths of the 
rivers and creeks (within 1,000 ft (300 m)) of the Pacific Ocean (CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated; Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Herbarium 2007, 
unpaginated; University of California Santa Barbara Herbarium 2007, 
unpaginated).

Sites for Reproduction, Population Growth, and Dispersal

    Cirsium loncholepis has been reported from one or more polygons 
within 25 occurrences that are part of 11 populations distributed 
throughout 2 dune complexes and 4 drainages. All of these groupings are 
connected to each other in one or more ways. Cirsium loncholepis is 
closely associated with wetlands and mesic sites on the margins along 
four drainages that end in the Pacific Ocean (Arroyo Grande Creek, 
Santa Maria River, San Antonio Creek, and Santa Ynez River) (CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated; Consortium of California Herbaria 2008, 
unpaginated). Cirsium loncholepis has not been seen along Arroyo Grande 
Creek since 1910, so this area is not considered to be essential and 
will not be discussed further in this rule. The dynamic nature of these 
drainages is an essential part of the life cycle for C. loncholepis. 
The habitat along these creeks and rivers is constantly changing. It is 
under a constant state of succession and renewal. A mosaic of habitat 
occurs along these drainages with new suitable sites being created with 
every storm or flow event. The flows of water are also an important 
mechanism to move seeds from currently occupied sites to these newly 
created suitable sites.
    Orcutt Creek runs from the southeast to the northwest parallel with 
wind direction in the area. The headwaters for Orcutt Creek are 
southeast of the town of Orcutt on the northwest face of Graciosa 
Ridge. The stretch of Orcutt Creek near the town of Orcutt is one of 
the two likely sites where the type specimens were collected (see 
discussion in Background section). Orcutt Creek flows to the northwest 
and enters into the Santa Maria River near the Pacific Ocean. Cirsium 
loncholepis seeds that are deposited in the waters of Orcutt Creek 
would flow downstream from Orcutt toward the Santa Maria River. This 
stretch of the Santa Maria River has historically contained the largest 
population of C. loncholepis. Most of the records for C. loncholepis 
are from within the historical boundaries of the Santa Maria River 
floodplain.
    Graciosa Ridge is the dividing line between the headwaters of 
Orcutt Creek (in the Santa Maria River watershed) and Ca[ntilde]ada de 
las Flores (in the San Antonio Creek watershed). Because the prevailing 
winds in this area are from the northwest, Cirsium loncholepis seed in 
the Orcutt area would likely be blown over Graciosa Ridge toward 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores, which is southeast of the headwaters of 
Orcutt Creek. Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores, which flows south, is the 
headwaters for one of the tributaries of San Antonio Creek which flows 
to the Pacific Ocean. The estuary system (lagoon) at the mouth of San 
Antonio Creek was described by Fray Juan Crespi as La Graciosa in 1769 
(Smith 1976, p. 282, 1998, pp. 153-154) and is the other of the two 
most likely sites where the type specimen of C. loncholepis was 
collected (see discussion in Background section).
    The Santa Ynez River flows from east to west where it empties into 
the Pacific Ocean. The prevailing, strong winds in this area, from the 
west, would move Cirsium loncholepis seeds eastward, which is further 
upriver. Any resulting seed from upriver C. loncholepis populations 
that are deposited in the waters of the Santa Ynez River would then 
flow downstream toward the estuary system at the mouth of the river. 
Seed from any occurrence in the Santa Ynez River population would 
likely be dispersing to other occurrences in the Santa Ynez River 
(e.g., seed from upriver plants dispersing to the estuary plants via 
water and seed from estuary plants dispersing to the upriver plants via 
wind).

Habitats That Are Representative of the Historical, Geographical, and 
Ecological Distributions of Cirsium loncholepis

    Cirsium loncholepis has throughout time had a limited distribution 
in southwestern San Luis Obispo County and northwestern Santa Barbara 
County, California, within a unique geomorphic area known as the Santa 
Maria Basin (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72). See Figure 2 for a map containing 
the locations of place and feature names in this region. The Santa 
Maria Basin stretches along a 39-mi (63-km) section of the coastal 
region of central California that is dominated by a system of dune 
complexes that are interspersed with several major drainages. The Santa 
Maria Basin is comprised of the Santa Maria Valley, in the north, and 
the Santa Ynez Valley, in the south. The Santa Maria Valley is located 
between the hills northeast of Pismo and the Casmalia and Solomon Hills 
that end at Point Sal in the west. The Santa Ynez Valley is located 
between the Casmalia and Solomon Hills and the Santa Ynez Mountains (on 
the south side of the Santa Ynez River). The Santa Maria Basin is 
dominated by moderate to strong winds from the northwest (categorized 
as greater than 7.47 miles per hour (mph) (12.02 kilometers per hour 
(kph))) most of the time and throughout the year (USDA NRCS 2008, 
unpaginated; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Western 
Regional Climate Center (NOAA) 2007, unpaginated; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 
1-25). These prevailing northwest winds are a major factor in shaping 
the terrain and creating the dunes such that the active dune and swale 
systems are aligned with these winds (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72). Deflation 
areas (the swales between two parallel dunes and behind the foredunes) 
are often at or near the water table, creating the wetlands and back-
dune lakes (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72). This terrain, the parallel ridges and 
swales, and the physical features that created and maintain it are 
essential for the conservation of C. loncholepis.
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.001


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Santa Maria Valley

    The Santa Maria Valley contains one major dune complex (the Santa 
Maria Valley Dune Complex) and three major riparian systems (or 
drainages): Arroyo Grande Creek, the Santa Maria River, and Orcutt 
Creek. The Santa Maria Valley Dune Complex contains five Dune Sheets 
(or associated sand depositional episodes): Callender, Nipomo Mesa, 
Guadalupe, Mussel Rock, and Orcutt Terrace. Individual dune sheets 
represent sequential and spatially overlapped depositional episodes 
within contiguous areas of any particular dune complex. Arroyo Grande 
Creek and its floodplain are at the northern edge of the Callender Dune 
Sheet (specifically) and the Santa Maria Valley Dune Complex (in 
general) (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72). The junction of Arroyo Grande Creek and 
the Callender Dune Sheet also marks the northern limit for Cirsium 
loncholepis, which occurred here in the low ``grassy'' areas among the 
sand hills at the junction of the dunes and Arroyo Grande Creek 
(University of California [Berkeley] Herbarium 2007, unpaginated). The 
Callender Dune Sheet reaches Oso Flaco Creek and Oso Flaco Lake at its 
southern extent. Cirsium loncholepis has occurred at numerous sites 
throughout the Callender Dunes (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 2007, 
unpaginated). The Guadalupe Dune Sheet extends from Oso Flaco Lake to 
the Santa Maria River. Cirsium loncholepis has occurred at numerous 
sites throughout the Guadalupe Dunes (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated). The Santa Maria Valley is a broad floodplain that 
is bounded by Orcutt Creek along its southern edge and by the Callender 
Dune Sheet and the Nipomo Dune Sheet (including Nipomo Mesa) along its 
northern edge. Between the city of Santa Maria and the coast 12 mi (19 
km) to the west, the valley floor has historically been dotted with 
small settlements and a few oil fields, but the vast majority of the 
land has been converted to agriculture. A member of the Gaspar de 
Portola expedition to Monterey in 1769 noted that the expedition had 
difficulty getting through the Santa Maria Valley because of all the 
marshes (Companys 1983, pp. 105-344). As has been typical along the 
central coast of California, however, many of the valley's wetlands 
have been drained or filled to maximize agricultural production; old 
maps show lakes such as Lake Guadalupe that no longer exist. Cirsium 
loncholepis has occurred at numerous mesic sites throughout the Santa 
Maria River floodplain and the Guadalupe Dunes (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 
1-25; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated). Orcutt Creek and the Santa Maria River 
mark the northern edge of the Mussel Rock Dune Sheet, which has had 
multiple C. loncholepis occurrences (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated). Cirsium loncholepis most likely had a more 
widespread distribution within this area, but may have been eliminated 
from most of the locations in this area by the vast conversion of this 
area to agriculture before it could be documented. However, even with 
such conversion, current aerial photos and topographic maps show the 
persistence of numerous, small marshes, wetlands, and drainages in this 
area; some of these may still harbor small populations of C. 
loncholepis.

Santa Ynez Valley

    The Santa Ynez Valley contains one major dune complex (the Santa 
Ynez Valley Dune Complex) and two major riparian systems (or 
drainages): San Antonio Creek and the Santa Ynez River. The Santa Ynez 
Valley Dune Complex contains three Dune Sheets: San Antonio, Burton 
Mesa, and Lompoc Terrace. The San Antonio Terrace Dune Sheet is at the 
northern edge of the Santa Ynez Valley Dune Complex. It supports 
numerous dune wetlands and swales and is very similar in habitat, 
physical, and geological features to the Callender and Guadalupe Dune 
Sheets (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72; Google Earth 2008, unpaginated). San 
Antonio Creek is downwind on the southern edge of the San Antonio 
Terrace Dune Sheet. The mouth of San Antonio Creek is one of the two 
most likely sites for the type locality (La Graciosa) for Cirsium 
loncholepis (Keil and Holland 1998, pp. 83-84; Oyler et al. 1995, pp. 
1-76; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; Smith 1976, p. 282, 1998, pp. 153-
154) and still harbors numerous small marshes and wetlands that are 
apparent in aerial imagery (Google Earth 2008, unpaginated). Historical 
collections indicate that C. loncholepis used to occur along the Santa 
Ynez River, somewhere between the towns of Surf and Lompoc, at the 
current edge of Vandenberg Air Force Base (University of Minnesota 
Saint Paul Herbarium 2007, unpaginated; Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 
Herbarium 2007, unpaginated; Santa Barbara Botanical Garden Herbarium 
2007, unpaginated; University of California Riverside Herbarium 2007, 
unpaginated). Collections of the plant were made here in 1958; however, 
by 1988 when surveys were conducted to relocate this population, none 
could be found (Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25). Over the years, some, but 
not all, habitat for C. loncholepis in the floodplain for the river has 
been altered. According to Smith's notes, agricultural fields have been 
plowed to the banks of the drainage, willows have been bulldozed, and 
herbicides were sprayed to eradicate C. vulgare (bull thistle) (Smith 
1976, p. 282, 1998, pp. 153-154). Because this area historically 
supported the southernmost, documented C. loncholepis populations and 
because some habitat still remains today, it is considered to be an 
important area for the conservation of C. loncholepis (Morey 1990, pp. 
1-13; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2008, unpaginated).
    Historically, Cirsium loncholepis has been reported or documented 
from a total of 25 occurrences as parts of 11 populations ranging from 
the dunes near Pismo Beach inland to hillside seeps at Ca[ntilde]ada de 
las Flores south to the floodplains of the Santa Ynez River (CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated; Consortium of California Herbaria 2008, 
unpaginated). At the time of the listing in 2000, there were 17 known 
occurrences of which 11 were extant. These 11 extant occurrences were 
distributed among 7 populations (65 FR 14888, March 20, 2000; CNDDB 
1998, unpaginated). Since the time of listing in 2000, C. loncholepis 
has experienced considerable declines throughout its range in the 
number of both occurrences and populations and in the number of 
individuals within each of the remaining occurrences and populations. 
Currently, C. loncholepis is considered to be extant at seven 
occurrences that are distributed among four populations. The seven 
extant occurrences consist of five occurrences that were identified in 
the final listing rule in 2000 as well as two new occurrences that have 
been identified since that time (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Elvin 2006, 
unpaginated, 2007a, unpaginated). Cirsium loncholepis does not 
currently occur at the following populations: Oceano, northern 
Callender Dune Sheet Lakes, Guadalupe, La Graciosa, Ca[ntilde]ada de 
las Flores, San Antonio Terrace Dune Sheet, and Santa Ynez River. Since 
the time of listing, the loss of known polygons, occurrences, and 
populations has outpaced the discovery of new polygons, occurrences, 
and populations.
    In habitats that are fragmented and/or isolated, the trend for 
native plant species is one of decline (Soule et al. 1992, pp. 39-47). 
This supports the equilibrium theory of island biogeography (MacArthur 
and Wilson, 1963, pp. 373-387, 1967) that predicts that species with 
populations that are isolated and have more extirpation events than re-
colonization events will

[[Page 45816]]

decline to zero (extinction). Recent research on species that are long-
distance dispersers (such as Cirsium loncholepis) determined that when 
the distances between suitable habitat sites for a species become 
greater than its dispersal distance (such as due to habitat 
fragmentation); its long-term survival will be threatened unless the 
long-distance dispersal between the sites can be re-established 
(Trakhtenbrot et al. 2005, pp. 173-181). The study by Trakhtenbrot et 
al. (2005, pp. 173-181) regarding long-distance dispersal species 
supports the study by Soule et al. (1992, pp. 39-47) and the 
equilibrium theory of island biogeography (MacArthur and Wilson 1963, 
pp. 373-387, 1967). Based on these studies and our current 
understanding of this species and its decline, we believe that 
conserving solely the areas with the remaining known occurrences and 
populations of C. loncholepis is not sufficient to conserve or recover 
the species. The additional habitat that would provide connectivity 
between occurrences and populations is essential for the conservation 
and recovery of C. loncholepis. This is supported by Damschen et al. 
(2006, pp. 1284-1286), who showed that habitat patches that were 
connected by corridors benefitted wildlife and plants.

Primary Constituent Elements for Cirsium loncholepis

    For areas within the geographical area occupied by Cirsium 
loncholepis at the time of listing, we must identify the PCEs that may 
require special management considerations or protection. Based on the 
above needs and our current knowledge of the life history, biology, and 
ecology of the species, we have determined the PCEs for C. loncholepis 
are:
    1. Mesic areas associated with: (a) Margins of dune swales, dune 
lakes, marshes, and estuaries that are associated with dynamic 
(changing) dune systems including the Santa Maria Valley Dune Complex 
and Santa Ynez Valley Dune Complex; (b) margins of dynamic riparian 
systems including the Santa Maria and Santa Ynez Rivers and Orcutt and 
San Antonio Creeks; and (c) freshwater seeps and intermittent streams 
found in other habitats, including grassland, meadow, coastal scrub, 
chaparral, and oak woodland. These areas provide space needed for 
individual and population growth including sites for germination, 
reproduction, seed dispersal, seed bank, and pollination.
    2. Associated plant communities including: Central dune scrub, 
coastal dune, coastal scrub, freshwater seep, coastal and valley 
freshwater marsh and fen, riparian scrub (e.g., mule fat scrub, willow 
scrub), chaparral, oak woodland, intermittent streams, and other 
wetland communities, generally in association with the following 
species: Juncus spp. (rush), Scirpus spp. (tule), Salix spp. (willow), 
Toxicodendron diversilobum (poison oak), Distichlis spicata (salt 
grass), Baccharis pilularis (coyote brush), and B. douglasii (Douglas' 
baccharis).
    3. Soils with a sandy component including but not limited to dune 
sands, Oceano sands, Camarillo sandy loams, riverwash, and sandy 
alluvial soils.
    4. Features that allow dispersal and connectivity between 
populations, particularly: (a) Natural riparian drainages in Santa 
Maria River, Orcutt Creek, San Antonio Creek, and Santa Ynez River that 
are not channelized or confined by barriers or dams, such that they 
have soft bottoms and sides and a natural flood plain (allowing 
uninterrupted water flows); and (b) natural aeolian geomorphology in 
the Santa Maria Dune Complex and Santa Ynez Dune Complex, and along the 
Santa Maria River, Orcutt Creek, San Antonio Creek, and Santa Ynez 
River drainages that is not confined by barriers or wind-blocks such as 
large man-made structures, tree rows, or wind-breaks (allowing 
uninterrupted winds across these areas).
    We believe that C. loncholepis could be conserved and recovered if 
populations in habitat with essential features remain connected 
throughout the two dune complexes and four major watersheds where it 
once was known to occur. With this proposed revision of critical 
habitat, we intend to identify the physical and biological features 
that are essential to the conservation of the species, through the 
identification of the appropriate quantity and spatial arrangement of 
the PCEs sufficient to support the life history functions of the 
species. Each of the areas proposed in this rule have been determined 
to contain at least one PCE to provide for the life history functions 
of C. loncholepis. Units are proposed for designation based on one or 
more PCEs being present to support one or more of the species' life 
history functions.

Special Management Considerations or Protections

    When designating critical habitat, we assess whether the occupied 
areas contain the physical or biological features essential to the 
conservation of the species, and whether these features may require 
special management considerations or protection. It is recognized that 
numerous activities in and adjacent to the unit designated as critical 
habitat, as described in this proposed rule, may affect one or more of 
the PCEs found in that unit. These activities include, but are not 
limited to, those listed in the Application of the ``Adverse 
Modification'' Standard section as activities that may destroy or 
adversely modify critical habitat. We summarize here the primary 
threats to the physical and biological features essential to the 
conservation of the species.
    Many of the known occurrences of Cirsium loncholepis are threatened 
by direct and indirect effects from energy-related operations (i.e., 
maintenance activities, hazardous waste cleanup); development that 
results in additional habitat modification (i.e., agricultural and 
urban development); facility accidents by oil companies or Vandenberg 
Air Force Base; groundwater extraction in the Guadalupe Dunes and 
vicinity; hydrological alterations; direct and indirect effects from 
off highway vehicle (OHV) activity; and small population size; and 
habitat fragmentation and loss through the invasion of aggressive 
nonnative weeds such as Ammophila arenaria (European beach grass), 
Carpobrotus spp. (iceplant), Ehrharta calycina (veldt grass), and 
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (crystalline iceplant) (Davis et al. 
1988, pp. 169-195; Zedler and Schied 1988, pp. 196-201; Morey 1989, pp. 
1-16; Odion et al. 1992, pp. 1-2; CNDDB 1998, unpaginated, 2008, 
unpaginated; Chesnut 1998a, unpaginated, 1998b, pp. 1-40; Smith 1976, 
p. 282; Smith 1998, pp. 153-154; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CDFG 1992, 
pp. 111-112; Keil 2006b, unpaginated). These threats may require 
special management to ensure the long-term conservation of C. 
loncholepis. Threats specific to individual units are described in the 
unit descriptions below.

Criteria Used To Identify Critical Habitat

    We analyzed the biology, life history, ecology, and distribution 
(historical, at the time of listing, and current) of Cirsium 
loncholepis. Based on this information, we are proposing to designate 
critical habitat in areas within the geographical area occupied by C. 
loncholepis at the time of listing in 2000. We also propose some 
specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by C. loncholepis 
at the time of listing, which although are currently unoccupied, are 
within the historical range of the species, and because we have 
determined that such areas are

[[Page 45817]]

essential for the conservation of C. loncholepis.
    To delineate proposed revised critical habitat, we first determined 
occupancy within the extant range of Cirsium loncholepis. Occupancy 
status was determined using occurrence data from research and survey 
observations included in reports and other manuscripts (i.e., theses, 
monitoring reports); data from research and survey observations 
published in peer-reviewed articles; data submitted to the CNDDB; 
reports and survey forms prepared for Federal, State, and local 
agencies, and private corporations; written and oral communications 
from species and physical science experts; information from herbarium 
specimens; scientific information in our draft recovery outline for C. 
loncholepis (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2008, unpaginated); and 
visits by Service biologists to C. loncholepis populations. Areas or 
sites containing data indicating occupancy from 1988 or later (within 
approximately the past 20 years) were considered currently occupied. We 
then determined which areas were occupied at the time of listing by 
comparing survey and collection information to descriptions of occupied 
areas in the final listing rule published in the Federal Register on 
March 20, 2000 (65 FR 14888).
    Based on these studies, our current understanding of the status of 
Cirsium loncholepis since the time of listing is that it continues to 
decrease in the number of populations, in the number of occurrences 
within populations, and in the number of individuals within the 
remaining occurrences and populations. Therefore, we determined that 
the areas in which the extant populations are distributed are alone not 
sufficient to conserve or recover it. Based on its decline, its 
biology, and new scientific information on the biological conditions 
necessary for long-distance dispersal species (such as C. loncholepis), 
we have determined that habitat providing connectivity between the 
areas containing the extant populations is also essential for its 
conservation and recovery.
    Once we determined the extant range of the species, we analyzed 
areas outside the geographical area occupied by Cirsium loncholepis at 
the time of listing, but within the historical range of the species, 
for areas that are essential. We first looked for large, continuous 
blocks of suitable habitat, such as the numerous mesic areas and seeps 
in and surrounding the lower reaches of the Santa Ynez River. We then 
looked for important corridors of suitable habitat that connect the 
large, continuous areas based on their abilities to disperse seed or 
pollen, such as the area along Orcutt Creek between the Guadalupe Dunes 
and Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores. We then analyzed the presence and 
characteristics of other features that are important to maintain the 
metapopulation dynamics for C. loncholepis in these areas (e.g., winds 
and their relationship to the formation of geographic features, 
movement patterns for various dispersal agents, watersheds, geology). 
Using all the information above, we were able to discern areas that are 
potentially important for the recovery of C. loncholepis. From this, we 
then selected the extent of those areas that we consider to be 
essential to the conservation and recovery of the species. All of the 
areas that we are proposing to designate as critical habitat that are 
currently not known to be occupied by the species are essential for its 
conservation.
    To map the proposed revised critical habitat units (both those 
occupied at the time of listing and those outside the geographical area 
occupied by the species at the time of listing), we overlaid Cirsium 
loncholepis occurrences (current and historical) on soil series, 
vegetation types, and watershed/wetland data to determine appropriate 
polygons that would contain one or more PCEs in the quantity and 
spatial arrangement necessary to provide the features essential to the 
conservation of C. loncholepis. This taxon is closely associated with 
dynamic ecosystems such as dune and riparian watershed systems and with 
the presence of sandy soil types and mesic conditions, but it also 
occurs in adjacent upland habitats and areas. Units were delineated by 
first mapping the occurrences (current and historical) and continuous 
and intervening suitable habitat, then considering other geographical 
features such as developed, urban, and agriculture (e.g., row crops) 
areas that are continuously maintained or utilized and removing areas 
with these features that did not contain the appropriate quantity and 
spatial arrangement of the PCEs essential to the conservation of the 
species.
    When determining the proposed revisions to critical habitat 
boundaries within this proposed rule, we made every effort to avoid 
including developed areas, such as buildings, paved areas, and other 
structures, as well as tilled fields and row crops that lack the PCEs 
for Cirsium loncholepis. The scale of the maps prepared under the 
parameters for publication within the Code of Federal Regulations may 
not reflect the exclusion of such developed areas. Any such areas 
inadvertently left inside critical habitat boundaries shown on the maps 
of this proposed revision to critical habitat have been excluded by 
text in the proposed revision and are not proposed for designation as 
critical habitat. Therefore, Federal actions limited to these areas 
would not trigger section 7 consultation with respect to critical 
habitat and the requirement of no adverse modification unless the 
specific action may affect adjacent critical habitat.
    Using the above criteria, we identified six units that contain the 
necessary features essential to the conservation of Cirsium 
loncholepis. These six units are located near the Pacific Coast in 
southwestern San Luis Obispo and northwestern Santa Barbara Counties. 
The northern-most unit consists of the dune system from Pismo Beach to 
the Santa Maria River in San Luis Obispo County. The second unit 
consists of the lower reaches of the Santa Maria River in San Luis 
Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties and of Orcutt Creek in Santa Barbara 
County. The remaining units are all within Santa Barbara County: one at 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores, one along the lower reaches of San Antonio 
Creek, one that encompasses the San Antonio Dunes, and one along the 
lower reaches of the Santa Ynez River.
    We are proposing to revise the critical habitat designation on 
lands that meet the first prong of the definition of critical habitat 
and, therefore, were determined to be occupied at the time of listing 
and contain the physical and biological features essential for the 
conservation of the species. We are also proposing to revise the 
critical habitat designation to include lands that meet the second 
prong of the definition of critical habitat and, therefore, consist of 
specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by the species at 
the time it is listed that are essential for the conservation of the 
species. The proposed revision to critical habitat is designed to 
provide sufficient habitat to maintain self-sustaining populations of 
Cirsium loncholepis throughout its range and provide the necessary 
features that are essential for the conservation of the species. The 
essential features include: (1) Space for individual and population 
growth, including sites for germination, pollination, reproduction, 
pollen and seed dispersal; (2) areas that allow gene flow and provide 
connectivity between occupied areas; and (3) areas that provide basic 
requirements for growth, such as appropriate soil type and openings 
within vegetation cover. All proposed revised critical habitat units 
were

[[Page 45818]]

delineated based on the appropriate quantity and spatial arrangement of 
PCEs being present to support C. loncholepis life processes essential 
to the conservation of the species.
    Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act authorizes us to issue permits for 
the take of listed animal species incidental to otherwise lawful 
activities. An incidental take permit application must be supported by 
a habitat conservation plan (HCP) that identifies conservation measures 
that the permittee agrees to implement for the species to minimize and 
mitigate the impacts of the requested incidental take. We often exclude 
non-Federal public lands and private lands that are covered by an 
existing operative HCP and incidental take permit under section 
10(a)(1)(B) of the Act from designated critical habitat because the 
benefits of exclusion outweigh the benefits of inclusion as discussed 
in section 4(b)(2) of the Act. We are currently unaware of any areas 
within this critical habitat proposal that fall into this category.

Summary of Changes From Previously Designated Critical Habitat

    The areas identified in this proposed rule constitute a proposed 
revision from the areas we designated as critical habitat for Cirsium 
loncholepis on March 17, 2004 (69 FR 12553). The main differences 
include the following:
    1. The 2004 critical habitat rule consisted of two units comprising 
a total of 41,090 acres (16,629 ha). This proposed revision includes 
six units comprising a total of 38,447 ac (15,559 ha). Units 4, 5, and 
6 are considered to be unoccupied currently and at the time of listing. 
In the 2004 final designation, Unit 2 Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores (Unit 
3 in the current revised proposed designation) was considered to be 
occupied at the time of listing and occupied in the final designation 
of critical habitat in 2004. For this revised proposed designation, we 
are considering it to currently be unoccupied All six units are within 
the historical range of the species. The decrease in acreage is due 
primarily to the removal of large areas of agriculture fields under 
private ownership that do not contain the appropriate spatial 
arrangement, quantity, or quality of the features essential to the 
conservation of the species.
    2. We revised the PCEs. The 2004 critical habitat rule listed three 
PCEs that we determined were important to maintaining populations of 
Cirsium loncholepis where they occur (soils, plant communities, low 
cover of non-native species, and physical processes that support 
natural dune dynamics). In our proposed revision of critical habitat, 
we list five PCEs in an effort to emphasize areas that are important 
for the long-distance dispersal of this species and for its 
metapopulation dynamics.
    3. We included three areas in this proposal that were not included 
in the final designation. These areas include San Antonio Creek, San 
Antonio Terrace Dunes, and Santa Ynez River. They are outside of the 
geographical area occupied by the species at the time of listing, but 
are within the historical range of the species (See Figure 1 and Index 
Map), and are essential to the conservation and recovery of the species 
because the current areas where extant populations of Cirsium 
loncholepis are distributed are not sufficient to conserve or recover 
it. The resulting proposed critical habitat is more accurately mapped 
to include those areas that contain the PCEs and that are essential for 
the conservation and recovery of C. loncholepis.

Proposed Revisions to the Critical Habitat Designation

    We are proposing six critical habitat units for Cirsium 
loncholepis. These units, if finalized, would entirely replace the 
current critical habitat designation for C. loncholepis in 50 CFR 
17.95(a). The critical habitat units described below constitute our 
best assessment at this time of: (1) Specific areas within the 
geographical area determined to be occupied by C. loncholepis at the 
time of listing that contain the physical and biological features that 
may require special management, and (2) additional specific areas 
outside the geographical area occupied by C. loncholepis at the time of 
listing that are essential for its conservation. The six proposed 
critical habitat units are: Callender-Guadalupe Dunes Unit 1, Santa 
Maria River-Orcutt Creek Unit 2, Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores Unit 3, 
San Antonio Creek Unit 4, San Antonio Terrace Dunes Unit 5, and Santa 
Ynez River Unit 6.
    The approximate area encompassed within each proposed critical 
habitat unit is shown in Table 1.

                                            Table 1--Critical Habitat Units Proposed for Cirsium Loncholepis.
                                      [Area estimates reflect all land within critical habitat unit boundaries] \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 State lands          Private lands       County and other        Federal lands       Estimate of total
                                           --------------------------------------------  local jurisdictions ----------------------       acreages
                 Unit name                                                             ----------------------                      ---------------------
                                              Acres     Hectares    Acres     Hectares    Acres     Hectares    Acres     Hectares    Acres     Hectares
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Callender-Guadalupe Dunes..............      2,414        977      5,138      2,079        349        141      2,428        983     10,329      4,180
2. Santa Maria River-Orcutt Creek.........        329        133     12,433      5,032        465        188          0          0     13,227      5,353
3. Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores............          0          0        740        299          0          0          0          0        740        299
4. San Antonio Creek......................          0          0        186         75          0          0      4,149      1,679      4,335      1,754
5. San Antonio Terrace Dunes..............          0          0         52         21          0          0      7,282      2,947      7,334      2,968
6. Santa Ynez River.......................          0          0         43         18         38         15      2,401        972      2,482      1,005
                                           -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Approximate Total.........................      2,743      1,110     18,592      7,524        852        344     16,260      6,581     38,447     15,559
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Approximate acres have been converted to hectares (1 ha = 2.47 ac). Totals are sums of units.


[[Page 45819]]


                  Table 2--Occupancy of Critical Habitat Units Proposed for Cirsium loncholepis
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Occupied at the time
            Unit Name               Within areas occupied at      critical habitat        Known to be occupied
                                      the time of listing?           designated?               currently?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Callender-Guadalupe Dunes.....  Yes......................  Yes.....................  Yes
2. Santa Maria River-Orcutt Creek  Yes......................  Yes.....................  Yes
3. Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores...  Yes......................  Yes.....................  No \1\
4. San Antonio Creek.............  No.......................  No......................  No
5. San Antonio Terrace Dunes.....  No.......................  No......................  No
6. Santa Ynez River..............  No.......................  No......................  No
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ We are not considering this unit to be occupied, but the population may still be extant. Plants have not
  been seen since 1989, but sufficient surveys have not been conducted since 1990.

    We present descriptions of all units, and reasons why they meet the 
definition of critical habitat for Cirsium loncholepis below.

Unit 1: Callender-Guadalupe Dunes (10,329 ac (4,180 ha))

    Unit 1 is located in the southwestern corner of San Luis Obispo 
County, California. It stretches along 8.5 mi (13.5 km) of coast from 
Arroyo Grande Creek south to the Santa Maria River. This unit is south 
of Pismo Beach, west of Nipomo and north of Guadalupe. Unit 1 was 
occupied at the time of listing, is currently occupied, and contains 
the physical and biological features essential to the conservation of 
the species (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Elvin 2006, unpaginated, 2007b, 
unpaginated; 65 FR 14888, March 20, 2000). Unit 1 is essential because 
it contains three of the four remaining C. loncholepis populations, the 
populations represent the northern-most occurrences of the species, and 
it includes the largest block of native habitat still occupied by C. 
loncholepis. While maintaining all of these three remaining populations 
(six occurrences) and the 10,329 ac (4,180 ha) of habitat in this unit 
is essential for this species to survive, it does not appear to be 
sufficient to maintain this species for the long term because four 
occurrences (of eight known at the time of listing) within the three 
populations in this unit have been lost since the listing of this plant 
in 2000.
    Unit 1 is comprised of 2,428 ac (983 ha) of Federal lands; 2,414 ac 
(977 ha) of State lands; 349 ac (141 ha) of County and other local 
jurisdiction land; and 5,138 ac (2,079 ha) of private land (162 ac (65 
ha) of which belongs to non-governmental organizations (NGOs)). Unit 1 
includes a portion of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife 
Refuge, Pismo Dunes State Preserve, Oceano Dunes State Vehicular 
Recreation Area, and privately owned lands. Unit 1 is located within 
the Santa Maria Valley Dune Complex (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72). This dune 
complex contains numerous mesic areas on the margins of dune swales, 
dune lakes, marshes, and estuaries within the dynamic (changing) 
Callender and Guadalupe Dune Sheets (PCE 1). Unit 1 is dominated by 
moderate to strong winds from the northwest most of the time throughout 
the year. These winds are a major factor in creating the dunes and 
shaping the terrain, such as the parallel ridges and swales that are 
essential for the conservation of Cirsium loncholepis (PCE 4).
    The geomorphological processes that shaped/developed the terrain 
features in the Santa Maria Valley Dune Complex are intact and continue 
to rejuvenate and maintain the dynamic dune and riparian features and 
processes of the constantly shifting mosaic of terrain, vegetation, and 
wetlands (PCE 4). The vegetation in the dunes includes central dune 
scrub, coastal dune, coastal scrub, coastal freshwater marsh and fen, 
riparian scrub, chaparral, and oak woodland (PCE 2) (Cooper 1967, pp. 
75-90; Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; CNPS 2008, 
unpaginated; Holland 1986, pp. 1-156). The soils throughout the dunes 
are dominated by sand (PCE 3). The dunes support a wide diversity of 
flora and fauna including numerous insects, many of which are 
pollinators for Cirsium loncholepis, and hummingbirds (Keil 2008, 
unpaginated; Martin et al. 1951, pp. 92-277; Krombein et al. 1979, Vol. 
2 pp. 1751-2209; Blecha et al. 2007, pp. 1-354). The dunes also support 
numerous small mammal and bird species (Blecha et al. 2007, pp. 1-354) 
that act as dispersal vectors for C. loncholepis seed (PCE 4). This 
unit contains large tracts of undeveloped land including dunes, 
wetlands, and upland areas occupied by the species and its pollinators 
(PCEs 1, 2, 3, and 4). The dynamic geomorphological processes, mosaic 
of habitats, and diversity of flora and fauna provide for and enhance 
the dispersal of genetic material of C. loncholepis between and among 
the various populations (and occurrences) within this dune complex and 
provide adjacent uplands for pollinators (PCEs 1, 3, and 4).
    The prevailing, strong wind patterns blow southeast across the 
lower Santa Maria River Valley, up Orcutt Creek, past the town of 
Orcutt, and beyond Graciosa Ridge to Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores. These 
winds are an essential dispersal vector that help move plants/seeds 
from the Cirsium loncholepis populations in the Callender and Guadalupe 
Dunes to populations in the Santa Maria River, Orcutt Creek, and 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores and are essential in maintaining 
connectivity between populations in the Santa Maria River Valley and 
those in the San Antonio Creek and Santa Ynez River Valleys.
    The essential features found in Unit 1 may require special 
management considerations or protection in Unit 1 resulting from: (1) 
Direct and indirect effects from energy-related operations (i.e., 
maintenance activities, hazardous waste cleanup, facility accidents); 
(2) ground water extraction which lowers the water table and dries the 
wetlands; (3) stochastic (i.e., random) extirpation/extinction events 
that occur because the population size is small or isolated; (4) 
trampling and grazing from trespass of cattle; (5) competition from 
invasive, aggressive, nonnative weeds (e.g., Ammophila arenaria, 
Carpobrotus spp., Ehrharta calycina, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum); 
and (6) direct and indirect effects from OHV activity (Davis et al. 
1988, pp. 169-195; Zedler and Schied 1988, pp. 196-201; Morey 1989, pp. 
1-16; Odion et al. 1992, pp. 1-2; CNDDB 1998, unpaginated, 2008, 
unpaginated; Chesnut 1998a, unpaginated, 1998b, pp. 1-40; Smith 1976, 
p. 282, 1998, pp. 153-154; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CDFG 1992 pp. 
111-112; Elvin 2006, unpaginated; Keil 2006b, unpaginated).

[[Page 45820]]

Unit 2: Santa Maria River-Orcutt Creek (13,227 ac (5,353 ha))

    Unit 2 is located along the lower 5 mi (8 km) of the Santa Maria 
River and along the length of Orcutt Creek (approximately 13 mi (21 
km)) in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, California. Unit 2 
was occupied at the time of listing, is currently occupied, and 
contains the physical and biological features essential to the 
conservation of the species (CNDDB 2007; 65 FR 14888, March 20, 2000). 
Unit 2 is essential because it contains the last Cirsium loncholepis 
population in riparian habitat. Unit 2 also contains what has 
historically been recognized as the largest C. loncholepis population 
with an estimated 54,000 individuals being reported in 1990 (CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25). However, only about 25 
plants were observed in the lower 0.9 mi (1.5 km) stretch of the Santa 
Maria River when visited in November 2006 (Elvin 2006, unpaginated). 
This unit contains large blocks of intact riparian habitat along the 
Santa Maria River and the southwest side of Orcutt Creek. Unit 2 is 
also essential as a dispersal corridor between the Santa Maria Valley 
and the Santa Ynez Valley.
    Unit 2 is comprised of 329 ac (133 ha) of State land; 465 ac (188 
ha) of County and other local jurisdiction land; and 12,433 ac (5,032 
ha) of private lands. Unit 2 includes Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Park in 
Santa Barbara County. Unit 2 is located within the broad Santa Maria 
Valley, in the floodplains of the lower Santa Maria River and Orcutt 
Creek. Unit 2 is also within the Santa Maria Valley Dune Complex (Hunt 
1993, pp. 5-72). It skirts the edges of the Guadalupe Dune Sheet to the 
north of the Santa Maria River, the Mussel Rock Dune Sheet to the 
southeast of Orcutt Creek and the Santa Maria River, and the Orcutt 
Terrace Dune Sheet to the northeast of the upper reaches of Orcutt 
Creek (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72). These drainages and the adjacent dune 
sheets contain numerous mesic areas on the margins and floodplains of 
the river and creek and freshwater seeps and in grasslands, coastal 
scrub, and chaparral in the adjacent dune sheets (PCEs 1, 2, 3 and 4).
    The geomorphological processes (fluvial and aeolian) that shaped 
and developed the terrain features in the Santa Maria Valley Dune 
Complex are intact and continue to affect the dynamic dune and riparian 
features and processes and their associated habitats in this unit (PCEs 
1, 2, 3, and 4). The more interior portions of this unit are primarily 
within the lower portion of the Santa Maria River Valley where 
conversion to agricultural production to the edges of the river and the 
northeastern edge of the creek has occurred. The lower 5 mi (8 km) of 
the Santa Maria River remain intact with riparian scrub vegetation, 
sandy alluvial soils (PCEs 2 and 3), and dynamic fluvial 
geomorphological processes, which allow it to operate as a dynamic 
riparian system with uninterrupted water flows (PCEs 1 and 4). Pockets 
of numerous small marshes, wetlands, and drainages are still 
interspersed within the agricultural fields along Orcutt Creek, and the 
dynamic processes that rejuvenate and maintain the ever-changing mosaic 
of coastal scrub and riparian habitats are still largely intact (PCEs 
1, 2, and 3). Additionally, areas to the southwest of Orcutt Creek 
contain large blocks of intact habitat (PCEs 1, 2, and 3) including 
suitable upland habitat areas between the intermittent streams and 
freshwater seeps (PCE 1) that provide habitat for pollinators and other 
dispersal vectors (PCE 4) such as birds and small mammals that move 
Cirsium seed. The vegetation in this unit includes central dune scrub, 
coastal dune, coastal scrub, freshwater seep, coastal and valley 
freshwater marsh and fen, riparian scrub (e.g., mule fat scrub, willow 
scrub), chaparral, oak woodland, and intermittent streams (PCE 2) 
(CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; CNPS 2008, unpaginated; Holland 1986, pp. 1-
156; Elvin 2006, unpaginated). The soils in this unit are predominantly 
sandy (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation 
Service (USDA NRCS) 2000, unpaginated; 2005, unpaginated) (PCE 3).
    Unit 2 is dominated by the prevailing, moderate to strong winds 
from the northwest that blow southeast along the length of Orcutt 
Creek, which would then function as a dispersal corridor for Cirsium 
loncholepis seed from the dunes to Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores. These 
winds help move seeds from the populations in the Callender and 
Guadalupe Dunes to pocket wetlands along Orcutt Creek, to seeps and 
intermittent drainages southwest of the creek (along the Mussel Rock 
Dune Sheet), and eventually to the C. loncholepis population at 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores (PCEs 1 and 4). Orcutt Creek also acts as a 
dispersal vector by carrying seed from upstream plants down to the 
Santa Maria River population (PCE 1 and 4). These intermittent wetland 
sites or ``pocket wetlands'' and the intervening habitat areas are 
essential to maintain connectivity between more distant populations 
(Trakhtenbrot et al. 2005, pp. 173-181; Higgins and Richardson 1999, 
pp. 464-475), particularly between those in the Santa Maria Valley and 
those in the San Antonio Creek and Santa Ynez Valleys. These pocket 
wetlands also act as important core areas for C. loncholepis.
    The essential features found in Unit 2 may require special 
management considerations for or protection from: (1) Nutrient inputs 
in the water systems that are above concentrations known to adversely 
affect freshwater ecosystems and cause adverse ecological effects 
including altering the composition of the plant community and inducing 
biostimulation; (2) stochastic (i.e., random) extirpation/extinction 
events that occur because the population size of some occurrences is 
small or isolated; (3) trampling and grazing from cattle; or (4) 
competition from invasive, aggressive, nonnative weeds (e.g., Ammophila 
arenaria, Carpobrotus spp., Ehrharta calycina, Mesembryanthemum 
crystallinum) (California State Water Resources Control Board 2006, pp. 
1-71; Central Coastal Ambient Monitoring Program 2002, pp. 1-60; Dodds 
et al. 1998, pp. 1455-1462; Davis et al. 1988, pp. 169-195; Zedler and 
Schied 1988, pp. 196-201; Morey 1989, pp. 1-16; Odion et al. 1992, pp. 
1-2; CNDDB 1998, unpaginated, 2007, unpaginated; Chesnut1998a, 
unpaginated, 1998b, pp. 1-40; Smith 1976, p. 282, 1998, pp. 153-154; 
Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; CDFG 1992, pp. 111-112; Elvin 2006, 
unpaginated; Keil 2006b, unpaginated).

Unit 3: Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores (740 ac (299 ha))

    Unit 3 is located approximately 5 mi (8 km) northwest of the town 
of Los Alamos and southwest of the Solomon Hills in Santa Barbara 
County, California. Unit 3 was considered to be occupied at the time of 
the listing and at the time critical habitat was designated for this 
species in 2004. Cirsium loncholepis may still be extant at 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores. It was last observed at this site in 1989 
(Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25). Since the time of listing and at the time 
critical habitat was designated, there have still been no observations 
of C. loncholepis here. While C. loncholepis may still be at 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores, we are considering Ca[ntilde]ada de las 
Flores to be unoccupied for the purposes of this rule based on the 
continued lack of observation of C. loncholepis since 2000 (Hendrickson 
1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Consortium of California 
Herbaria 2008, unpaginated; Elvin 2007a, unpaginated; 65 FR 14888, 
March 20, 2000). The population in Unit 3 represents the eastern-most 
and

[[Page 45821]]

farthest-inland location at which Cirsium loncholepis has been 
documented. Additionally, Unit 3 occurs at a pivotal location for the 
species as a whole; it is down-wind from populations in the Santa Maria 
Valley and upstream from populations in the San Antonio Valley (e.g., 
the mouth of San Antonio Creek (one of the potential type locality 
sites for C. loncholepis) and San Antonio Terrace Dunes). Therefore, 
the Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores location is essential to maintain 
connectivity between populations in the Santa Maria Valley and 
populations in the San Antonio Creek and Santa Ynez Valleys (PCE 4)
    Unit 3 is comprised of 740 ac (299 ha) of private land at the head 
of La Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores in Santa Barbara County, California. 
Unit 3 contains mesic areas at the edge of freshwater seep, marsh, 
meadow, grassland, chaparral, and oak woodland habitats (PCEs 1 and 2). 
We consider the two Cirsium loncholepis occurrences that have been 
recorded (and may still occur) here to be part of one population that 
has expanded at times to represent one large polygon of plants (CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated; Elvin 2007b, unpaginated). Ca[ntilde]ada de las 
Flores has slightly different environmental conditions than the coastal 
areas; specifically, it is at a higher elevation (200 ft (61 m)) and 
has a warmer climate. Preserving any genetic variability within the 
species that has allowed it to adapt to these slightly different 
environmental conditions would be important for the long-term survival 
and conservation of the species. Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores is mapped 
as Camarillo sandy loam with sand visible on the surface throughout the 
floor and lower portions of the surrounding hills/ridges in the canyon 
(PCE 3) (U.S. Soil Conservation Service 1972, unpaginated; Hendrickson 
1990, pp. 1-25; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Elvin 2007b, unpaginated).

Unit 4: San Antonio Creek (4,335 ac (1,754 ha))

    Unit 4 is located in the northwestern portion of Santa Barbara 
County, California. Unit 4 stretches along the lower 11 mi (17 km) of 
San Antonio Creek. Unit 4 was not considered to be occupied at the time 
of listing, and is currently considered to be unoccupied, although it 
is within the historical distribution of the species. The mouth of San 
Antonio Creek is one of the two most likely locations for the type 
locality for Cirsium loncholepis (Smith 1976, p. 282, 1998, pp. 153-
154; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 1-25; Oyler et al. 1995, pp. 1-76; 
California Academy of Sciences Herbarium 2007, unpaginated).
    Unit 4 is comprised of 4,149 ac (1,679 ha) of Federal lands and 186 
ac (75 ha) of private lands. The majority of Unit 4 lands occur on 
Vandenberg Air Force Base. Most of the mission-critical projects and 
activities on Vandenberg Air Force Base are confined to areas outside 
of wetlands in general, and San Antonio Creek in particular. The few 
known land uses in and immediately adjacent to San Antonio Creek 
consist of agriculture leases and transportation and communications 
crossings (SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35). There are many sensitive 
resources along San Antonio Creek including jurisdictional wetlands, 
cultural resources, and sensitive species (SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 
1-1 to 9-14; SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35). Management activities 
for these resources may also benefit Cirsium loncholepis. Unit 4 is 
located within the Santa Ynez Valley Dune Complex, and San Antonio 
Creek is one of the two major drainages in it (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72). 
San Antonio Creek is the geological feature that separates the San 
Antonio Dune Sheet and the Burton Mesa Dune Sheet. This drainage and 
the adjacent dune sheets contain numerous mesic areas on the margins of 
the creek and its floodplain; in freshwater marshes (e.g., Barka 
Slough); and in freshwater seeps in adjacent grasslands, coastal scrub, 
chaparral, and the adjacent dune sheets that allow for dispersal (PCEs 
1, 3, and 4) (Dial 1980, pp. 1-100; Cooper 1967, pp. 75-90; Hunt 1993, 
pp. 5-72; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated).
    The geomorphological processes (fluvial and aeolian) that shaped 
and developed the terrain features in the San Antonio Valley are intact 
and continue to affect the dynamic riparian and adjacent dune features 
and processes in this unit (PCEs 1 and 4). The lower 10 mi (16 km) of 
San Antonio Creek remain intact with riparian scrub, woodland, and 
forest vegetations (PCE 2); sandy alluvial soils (PCE 3); and dynamic 
fluvial geomorphological processes, which allow it to operate as a 
dynamic riparian system with uninterrupted flows of water (PCEs 1 and 
4). Numerous small marshes, wetlands, and intermittent tributary 
drainages still occur naturally along this stretch of San Antonio Creek 
and the dynamic processes that rejuvenate and maintain the riparian 
habitats are still largely intact here (PCEs 1 and 4) (Keil 1997, pp. 
1-12; Dial 1980, pp. 1-100; SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14; SRS 
Technologies 2007 pp. 1-35; Google Earth 2008, unpaginated). 
Additionally, areas adjacent to the creek on both sides still contain 
large blocks of intact habitat (PCEs 1, 2 and 4) including suitable 
upland habitat areas between the intermittent streams and freshwater 
seeps (PCEs 1 and 2) that provide habitat for pollinators and other 
dispersal vectors (PCE 4) such as birds and small mammals that move 
Cirsium seed (SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35). The vegetation in this 
unit includes central dune scrub, coastal dune, coastal scrub, 
freshwater seep, coastal and valley freshwater marsh and fen, riparian 
scrub (e.g., mule fat scrub, willow scrub), chaparral, oak woodland, 
and intermittent streams (PCE 2) (SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35; Keil 
1997, pp. 1-12; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; CNPS 2008, unpaginated; 
Holland 1986, pp. 1-156; Elvin 2007c, unpaginated). The soils in this 
unit are predominantly sandy (USDA NRCS 2005, unpaginated; SRS 
Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14) (PCE 3).
    This unit is dominated by the prevailing, moderate to strong winds 
from the northwest that blow southeast across the San Antonio Dune 
Sheet and up San Antonio Creek (USDA NRCS 2008, unpaginated; NOAA 2007, 
unpaginated). These winds are an essential dispersal vector that help 
disperse seeds from the San Antonio Dunes and the estuary at the mouth 
of San Antonio Creek to suitable habitat sites upstream along San 
Antonio Creek (PCE 4). The uninterrupted flow of water from the 
headwaters of San Antonio Creek and its tributaries down to its mouth 
is essential to facilitate the dispersal of Cirsium loncholepis seeds 
from and maintain connectivity between upstream populations such as 
Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores to other suitable mesic habitat sites 
downstream along San Antonio Creek and to mesic areas in the adjacent 
dune sheets (PCE 4).
    While this unit was not occupied at the time of listing, Unit 4 is 
essential to the conservation of the species because it contains lands 
along San Antonio Creek that can function as a core area and dispersal 
corridor for Cirsium loncholepis. Unit 4 is essential as a core area 
for C. loncholepis and would decrease fragmentation for the species. It 
contains many intermittent wetlands along the length of the creek and 
in the estuary at the mouth of the San Antonio Creek and is capable of 
supporting populations for long periods of time. These intermittent 
wetland sites (PCE 1) and the intervening habitat areas are also 
essential to maintain connectivity between more distant C. loncholepis 
populations (Trakhtenbrot et al. 2005, pp. 173-181; Higgins and 
Richardson 1999, pp. 464-475), such as those in the upper watershed of 
San Antonio Creek and those in the lower reaches of the

[[Page 45822]]

creek and the adjacent San Antonio Terrace Dunes. Unit 4 is more easily 
managed for the species than many other areas in the historical 
distribution of the species because there are fewer pressures for 
commercial or agricultural development.

Unit 5: San Antonio Terrace Dunes (7,334 ac (2,968 ha))

    Unit 5 is located in western Santa Barbara County, California. Unit 
5 stretches along 4 mi (6.5 km) of the coast north from San Antonio 
Creek. This unit is southwest of the town of Casmalia. Unit 5 was not 
considered to be occupied at the time of listing and is currently 
considered to be unoccupied; it is within the historical distribution 
of the species. Cirsium loncholepis has been reported from wetlands in 
the San Antonio Terrace Dunes, but has not been officially documented 
with a herbarium specimen (CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Consortium of 
California Herbaria 2008, unpaginated).
    Unit 5 is comprised of 7,282 ac (2,947 ha) of Federal lands on 
Vandenberg Air Force Base and 52 ac (21 ha) of private lands. Most of 
the projects and activities on Vandenberg Air Force Base are confined 
to areas outside of wetlands. The few known land uses in the San 
Antonio Terrace consist of ``improved areas,'' launch facilities, 
transportation and communications facilities, recreational activities, 
and remediation and restoration programs (SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-
1 to 9-14; SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35). There are numerous 
sensitive resources on San Antonio Terrace including jurisdictional 
wetlands, cultural resources, and sensitive species (SRS Technologies 
2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14; SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35). Management 
activities for some of the resources may also benefit Cirsium 
loncholepis. Unit 5 is located within the Santa Ynez Valley Dune 
Complex (Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72). The San Antonio Terrace Dune Sheet is 
the primary physiographic feature in Unit 5. San Antonio Creek is one 
of the two major drainages in the Santa Ynez Valley Dune Complex (Hunt 
1993, pp. 5-72). This dune complex contains numerous mesic areas on the 
margins of dune swales, dune lakes, and marshes within the dynamic 
(changing) San Antonio Terrace Dune Sheet (PCEs 1 and 3). Unit 5 is 
dominated by strong winds from the northwest throughout the majority of 
the year that are a major factor in creating the dunes and shaping the 
terrain, such as the parallel ridges and the swales and other dune 
wetlands that are so important for Cirsium loncholepis (PCE 4) (USDA 
NRCS 2008, unpaginated; NOAA 2007, unpaginated; Hendrickson 1990, pp. 
1-25).
    The geomorphological processes that shaped and developed the 
terrain features in the Santa Ynez Valley Dune Complex are intact and 
continue to rejuvenate and maintain the dynamic dune and riparian 
features and processes of the constantly shifting mosaic of terrain, 
vegetation, and wetlands (PCEs 1, 2, 3, and 4). The vegetation in the 
dunes includes central dune scrub, coastal dune, coastal strand, 
coastal scrub, coastal freshwater marsh and fen, riparian scrub, 
chaparral, and oak woodland (PCE 2) (SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 
9-14; SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35; Cooper 1967, pp. 75-90; CNDDB 
2007, unpaginated; CNPS 2008, unpaginated; Holland 1986, pp. 1-156). 
The soils throughout these dunes are dominated by sand (PCE 3) (Cooper 
1967, pp. 75-90; Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72; USDA NRCS 2005, unpaginated). 
Dunes in the vicinity of Vandenberg Air Force Base support a wide 
diversity of flora and fauna including numerous insects and 
hummingbirds, many of which are pollinators for Cirsium loncholepis 
(SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14; Keil 2008, unpaginated; Martin 
et al. 1951, pp. 92-277; Krombein et al. 1979, Vol. 2 pp. 1751-2209; 
Blecha et al. 2007, pp. 1-354). The dunes also support numerous small 
mammal and bird species (SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14; Blecha 
et al. 2007, pp. 1-354) that act as dispersal vectors for C. 
loncholepis seed (PCE 4). This unit contains large tracts of 
undeveloped land including dunes, wetlands, and upland areas utilized 
by the species and its pollinators (PCEs 1, 2, 3, and 4). The dynamic 
geomorphological processes, mosaic of habitats, and diversity of flora 
and fauna provide for and enhance the dispersal of genetic material of 
Cirsium loncholepis between and among the various wetlands within this 
dune complex and provide adjacent uplands for pollinators (PCEs 1, 2, 
3, and 4).
    The prevailing, strong wind patterns from the northwest, greater 
than 7.47 mph (12.02 kph) most of the time throughout the year, blow 
southeast across the San Antonio Terrace Dunes to areas up San Antonio 
Creek, across the Burton Mesa Dune Sheet, and along the Santa Ynez 
River. These winds are an essential dispersal vector that would help 
disperse Cirsium loncholepis seeds from the San Antonio Dunes to 
suitable habitat sites upstream along San Antonio Creek, in the Burton 
Mesa Dunes, and along the Santa Ynez River (PCE 4). The uninterrupted 
flow of these winds is essential to facilitate this dispersal and to 
maintain connectivity between C. loncholepis populations that might 
occur in these areas (PCEs 1 and 3) (USDA NRCS 2008, unpaginated; NOAA 
2007, unpaginated; SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14).
    While this unit was not occupied at the time of listing, Unit 5 is 
essential as a core area for C. loncholepis in that the many mesic 
areas and intermittent wetlands within the dune system are capable of 
supporting C. loncholepis populations for long periods of time. The San 
Antonio Terrace Dune Sheet supports numerous dune wetlands and swales 
and is very similar in habitat, physical, and geological features to 
the Callender and Guadalupe Dune Sheets (Cooper 1967, pp. 75-90; Hunt 
1993, pp. 5-72; Google Earth 2008, unpaginated). These wetland sites 
and the intervening upland habitat areas are essential to maintain 
connectivity within this dune system and between more distant C. 
loncholepis populations (Trakhtenbrot et al. 2005, pp. 173-181; Higgins 
and Richardson 1999, pp. 464-475), such as along San Antonio Creek and 
those in and along the Santa Ynez River or those between the Santa 
Maria Valley (specifically in the Santa Maria Valley Dune Complex and 
the Santa Maria River drainage system) and those downwind in the Santa 
Ynez Valley. Unit 5 is more easily managed for the species than many 
other areas in the historical distribution of the species because there 
are fewer pressures for commercial or agricultural development.

Unit 6: Santa Ynez River (2,482 ac (1,005 ha))

    Unit 6 is located in the western portion of Santa Barbara County, 
California. This unit consists of the lower 4 mi (3.5 km) of the Santa 
Ynez River, most of which is on Vandenberg Air Force Base. Unit 6 is 
west of Lompoc and east of Surf. Unit 6 was not considered to be 
occupied at the time of listing, and is currently considered to be 
unoccupied. Unit 6 is within the historical distribution of the 
species.
    Unit 6 is comprised of 2,401 ac (972 ha) of Federal lands, 38 ac 
(15 ha) of county and other local jurisdiction land, and 43 ac (18 ha) 
of private land. The majority of Unit 6 lands occur on Vandenberg Air 
Force Base. Most of the mission-critical projects and activities on 
Vandenberg Air Force Base are confined to areas outside of wetlands in 
general, and the Santa Ynez River in particular. The few known land 
uses in and immediately adjacent to the Santa Ynez River consist of 
grazing and agriculture programs, transportation and communications 
facilities, recreational programs, and several restoration

[[Page 45823]]

programs (SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14; SRS Technologies 
2007, pp. 1-35). There are many sensitive resources along San Antonio 
Creek including jurisdictional wetlands, cultural resources, and 
sensitive species (SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14; SRS 
Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35). Management activities for these resources 
may also benefit Cirsium loncholepis. The Santa Ynez River is one of 
the two major drainages in the Santa Ynez Valley Dune Complex (Hunt 
1993, pp. 5-72). The Santa Ynez River is the geological feature that 
separates the Burton Mesa Dune Sheet and the Lompoc Terrace Dune Sheet. 
This drainage and the adjacent uplands contain numerous mesic areas on 
the margins of the river and its floodplain; in freshwater marshes; in 
intermittent streams that are tributaries; and in freshwater seeps in 
adjacent grasslands, coastal scrub, and chaparral (PCEs 1, 2, and 3) 
(Google Earth 2008, unpaginated; CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; Elvin 2008, 
unpaginated).
    The geomorphological processes (fluvial and aeolian) that shaped 
and developed the terrain features in the Santa Ynez Valley are intact 
and continue to affect the dynamic dune and riparian features and 
processes and their associated habitats in this unit (PCEs 1 and 4). 
The lower 4 mi (6.4 km) of the Santa Ynez River remains mostly intact 
with some adjacent agriculture; adjacent riparian scrub vegetation and 
sandy alluvial soils (PCE 2); and dynamic fluvial geomorphological 
processes, which allow it to operate as a dynamic riparian system with 
uninterrupted water flows (PCEs 1 and 4). Additionally, areas to the 
north and south of the river contain large blocks of intact habitat 
(PCEs 1 and 4), including suitable upland habitat areas between the 
intermittent streams and freshwater seeps (PCE 1) that provide habitat 
for pollinators and other dispersal vectors (PCE 4) such as birds and 
small mammals that move Cirsium seed. The vegetation in this unit 
includes central dune scrub, coastal dune, coastal scrub, freshwater 
seep, coastal and valley freshwater marsh and fen, riparian scrub 
(e.g., mule fat scrub, willow scrub), chaparral, and intermittent 
streams (PCEs 1, and 2) (Cooper 1967, pp. 75-90; Hunt 1993, pp. 5-72; 
CNDDB 2007, unpaginated; CNPS 2008, unpaginated; Holland 1986, pp. 1-
156; SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14; SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 
1-35; Elvin 2007c, unpaginated; Elvin 2008, unpaginated). The soils in 
this unit are predominantly sandy (USDA NRCS 2008, unpaginated; SRS 
Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14; SRS Technologies 2007, pp. 1-35; 
Elvin 2007c, unpaginated; Elvin 2008, unpaginated) (PCE 3).
    In Unit 6, as in Unit 5, the prevailing, strong wind patterns from 
the northwest, greater than 7.47 mph (12.02 kph) most of the time 
throughout the year, blow southeast across the San Antonio Terrace 
Dunes to areas up San Antonio Creek, across the Burton Mesa Dune Sheet, 
and along the Santa Ynez River. These winds are an essential dispersal 
vector that would help disperse Cirsium loncholepis seeds from the San 
Antonio Dunes to suitable habitat sites upstream along San Antonio 
Creek, in the Burton Mesa Dunes, and along the Santa Ynez River (PCE 
4). The uninterrupted flow of these winds is essential to facilitate 
this dispersal and to maintain connectivity between C. loncholepis 
populations that might occur in these areas (PCEs 1 and 4) (USDA NRCS 
2008, unpaginated; NOAA 2007, unpaginated; SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 
1-1 to 9-14). These strong winds also blow from the lower portion of 
the Santa Ynez River along the north base of the Santa Ynez Mountains, 
more or less upstream along the Santa Ynez River and to the numerous 
seeps along the north base of the Santa Ynez Mountains. These winds are 
an essential dispersal vector that would help move any Cirsium 
loncholepis seeds from San Antonio Terrace Dunes to the Santa Ynez 
River (and its ancillary, adjacent wetlands) and from the lower reaches 
of the Santa Ynez River to the pocket wetlands along the river and 
upstream. These uninterrupted winds are essential to maintain 
connectivity between population areas in the Santa Ynez Valley (PCEs 1 
and 4) (USDA NRCS 2008, unpaginated; NOAA 2007, unpaginated; SRS 
Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14). The Santa Ynez River also acts as 
a dispersal vector by carrying seed from upstream plants down to the 
mouth (PCE 1 and 4). The uninterrupted flow of water from up-river 
along the Santa Ynez River to the wetlands at its mouth is essential to 
maintain the connectivity between occurrences in Unit 6 (PCE 4). The 
lower reaches of the Santa Ynez River contain numerous pocket wetlands, 
intermittent streams/tributaries, marshes, and estuaries. Several 
hillside seeps also occur in this stretch of the river (PCE 1).
    While this unit was not occupied at the time of listing, Unit 6 is 
essential as a core area for C. loncholepis in that the many 
intermittent wetlands and freshwater seeps within the dynamic river 
system are capable of supporting C. loncholepis populations for long 
periods of time. The wetlands and the intervening upland habitat areas 
in Unit 6 are essential to maintain connectivity within and throughout 
this riparian system as a core area for C. loncholepis. Unit 6 is more 
easily managed for the species than many other areas in the historical 
distribution of the species because a large part of this unit has fewer 
pressures for commercial or agricultural development.

Effects of Critical Habitat Designation

Section 7 Consultation

    Section 7(a)(2) of the Act requires Federal agencies, including the 
Service, to ensure that actions they fund, authorize, or carry out are 
not likely to destroy or adversely modify critical habitat. Decisions 
by the 5th and 9th Circuit Courts of Appeals have invalidated our 
definition of ``destruction or adverse modification'' (50 CFR 402.02) 
(see Gifford Pinchot Task Force v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 378 
F. 3d 1059 (9th Cir 2004) and Sierra Club v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service et al., 245 F.3d 434, 443 (5th Cir 2001)), and we do not rely 
on this regulatory definition when analyzing whether an action is 
likely to destroy or adversely modify critical habitat. Under the 
statutory provisions of the Act, we determine destruction or adverse 
modification on the basis of whether, with implementation of the 
proposed Federal action, the affected critical habitat would remain 
functional (or retain the current ability for the PCEs to be 
functionally established) to serve its intended conservation role for 
the species.
    Section 7(a)(4) of the Act requires Federal agencies to confer with 
us on any action that is likely to jeopardize the continued existence 
of a species proposed for listing or result in destruction or adverse 
modification of proposed critical habitat. Conference reports provide 
conservation recommendations to assist the agency in eliminating 
conflicts that may be caused by the proposed action. We may issue a 
formal conference report if requested by a Federal agency. Formal 
conference reports on proposed critical habitat contain an opinion that 
is prepared according to 50 CFR 402.14, as if critical habitat were 
designated. We may adopt the formal conference report as the biological 
opinion when the critical habitat is designated, if no significant new 
information or changes in the action alter the content of the opinion 
(see 50 CFR 402.10(d)). The conservation recommendations in a 
conference report are advisory.

[[Page 45824]]

    If we list a species or designate critical habitat, section 7(a)(2) 
of the Act requires Federal agencies to ensure that activities they 
authorize, fund, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the 
continued existence of the species or to destroy or adversely modify 
its critical habitat. Activities on State, Tribal, local, or private 
lands requiring a Federal permit (such as a permit from the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (Corps) under section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 
U.S.C. 1251 et seq. ) or a permit from us under section 10 of the Act) 
or involving some other Federal action (such as funding from the 
Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, or the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency) are subject to the section 7(a)(2) 
consultation process. Federal actions not affecting listed species or 
critical habitat, and actions on State, Tribal, local, or private lands 
that are not federally funded, authorized, or carried out, do not 
require section 7(a)(2) consultations. If a Federal action may affect a 
listed species or its critical habitat, the responsible Federal agency 
(action agency) must enter into consultation with us. As a result of 
this consultation, we document compliance with the requirements of 
section 7(a)(2) through our issuance of:
    (1) A concurrence letter for Federal actions that may affect, but 
are not likely to adversely affect, listed species or critical habitat; 
or
    (2) A biological opinion for Federal actions that may affect, and 
are likely to adversely affect, listed species or critical habitat.
    When we issue a biological opinion concluding that a project is 
likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species or 
destroy or adversely modify critical habitat, we also provide 
reasonable and prudent alternatives to the project, if any are 
identifiable. We define ``Reasonable and prudent alternatives'' at 50 
CFR 402.02 as alternative actions identified during consultation that:
    (1) Can be implemented in a manner consistent with the intended 
purpose of the action,
    (2) Can be implemented consistent with the scope of the Federal 
agency's legal authority and jurisdiction,
    (3) Are economically and technologically feasible, and
    (4) Would, in the Director's opinion, avoid jeopardizing the 
continued existence of the listed species or destroying or adversely 
modifying critical habitat.
    Reasonable and prudent alternatives can vary from slight project 
modifications to extensive redesign or relocation of the project. Costs 
associated with implementing a reasonable and prudent alternative are 
similarly variable.
    When we issue a biological opinion concluding that a project is not 
likely to jeopardize a listed species or adversely modify critical 
habitat, but may result in incidental take of listed animals, we 
provide an incidental take statement that specifies the impact of such 
incidental taking on the species. We then define ``Reasonable and 
Prudent Measures'' considered necessary or appropriate to minimize the 
impact of such taking. Reasonable and prudent measures are binding 
measures the action agency must implement to receive an exemption to 
the prohibition against take contained in section 9 of the Act. These 
reasonable and prudent measures are implemented through specific 
``Terms and Conditions'' that must be followed by the action agency or 
passed along by the action agency as binding conditions to an 
applicant. Reasonable and prudent measures, along with the terms and 
conditions that implement them, cannot alter the basic design, 
location, scope, duration, or timing of the action under consultation 
and may involve only minor changes (50 CFR 402.14). The Service may 
provide the action agency with additional conservation recommendations, 
which are advisory and not intended to carry binding legal force.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 402.16 require Federal agencies to reinitiate 
consultation on previously reviewed actions in instances where we have 
listed a new species or subsequently designated critical habitat that 
may be affected and the Federal agency has retained discretionary 
involvement or control over the action (or the agency's discretionary 
involvement or control is authorized by law). Consequently, Federal 
agencies may sometimes need to request reinitiation of consultation 
with us on actions for which formal consultation has been completed, if 
those actions with discretionary involvement or control may affect 
subsequently listed species or designated critical habitat.

Application of the ``Adverse Modification'' Standard

    The key factor related to the adverse modification determination is 
whether, with implementation of the proposed Federal action, the 
affected critical habitat would continue to serve its intended 
conservation role for the species, or would retain its current ability 
for the PCEs to be functionally established. Activities that may 
destroy or adversely modify critical habitat are those that alter the 
physical and biological features, or other conservation role and 
function of the affected designated area, to an extent that appreciably 
reduces the conservation value of critical habitat for Cirsium 
loncholepis. Generally, the conservation role of C. loncholepis 
critical habitat units is to support viable core populations and 
corridors, which support temporal populations that maintain 
connectivity between core area populations.
    Section 4(b)(8) of the Act requires us to briefly evaluate and 
describe, in any proposed or final regulation that designates critical 
habitat, activities involving a Federal action that may destroy or 
adversely modify such habitat, or that may be affected by such 
designation.
    Activities that, when carried out, funded, or authorized by a 
Federal agency, may affect critical habitat and therefore should result 
in consultation for Cirsium loncholepis include, but are not limited 
to:
    (1) Actions that would degrade or destroy native maritime 
chaparral, dune, and oak woodland communities, including but not 
limited to, livestock grazing, clearing, disking, introducing or 
encouraging the spread of non-native plants, and heavy recreational 
use;
    (2) Actions that would appreciably diminish habitat value or 
quality through indirect effects (e.g., edge effects, invasion of non-
native plants or animals, or fragmentation), such as livestock grazing; 
clearing vegetation; disking; introducing or encouraging the spread of 
non-native plants; heavy recreational use; fragmentation of habitat 
blocks, the creation of barriers or dams; channelizing rivers, creeks, 
or drainages; or the introduction or creation of barriers or wind-
blocks such as large man-made structures, developments, tree rows, or 
windbreaks.
    (3) Actions that would appreciably interrupt or alter water flows 
in the Santa Maria River, Orcutt Creek, San Antonio Creek, or Santa 
Ynez River (such as channelization or confinement of the water flows by 
barriers or dams or converting them from soft bottoms and sides to a 
lined, channelized drainage).
    (4) Actions that would appreciably interrupt or alter winds across 
the Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Dune Complexes and along the 
Santa Maria River, Orcutt Creek, San Antonio Creek, and Santa Ynez 
River watershed areas such that the natural aeolian geomorphology in 
the Santa Maria Dune Complex and Santa Ynez Dune Complex, and along the 
Santa Maria

[[Page 45825]]

River, Orcutt Creek, San Antonio Creek, and Santa Ynez River drainages 
would be blocked or altered by barriers or wind-blocks such as large 
man-made structures, developments, tree rows, or windbreaks.

Exemptions and Exclusions

Application of Section 4(a)(3) of the Act

    The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Pub. 
L. 108-136) amended the Act to limit areas eligible for designation as 
critical habitat. Specifically, section 4(a)(3)(B)(i) of the Act (16 
U.S.C. 1533(a)(3)(B)(i)) now provides: ``The Secretary shall not 
designate as critical habitat any lands or other geographical areas 
owned or controlled by the Department of Defense, or designated for its 
use, that are subject to an integrated natural resources management 
plan [INRMP] prepared under section 670a of this title, if the 
Secretary determines in writing that such plan provides a benefit to 
the species for which critical habitat is proposed for designation.''
    The Sikes Improvement Act of 1997 (Sikes Act) (16 U.S.C. 670a) 
required each military installation that includes land and water 
suitable for the conservation and management of natural resources to 
complete, by November 17, 2001, an INRMP. An INRMP integrates 
implementation of the military mission of the installation with 
stewardship of the natural resources found on the base. Each INRMP 
includes an assessment of the ecological needs on the installation, 
including the need to provide for the conservation of listed species; a 
statement of goals and priorities; a detailed description of management 
actions to be implemented to provide for these ecological needs; and a 
monitoring and adaptive management plan. Among other things, each INRMP 
must, to the extent appropriate and applicable, provide for fish and 
wildlife management, fish and wildlife habitat enhancement or 
modification, wetland protection, enhancement, and restoration where 
necessary to support fish and wildlife and enforcement of applicable 
natural resource laws.
    Lands at Vandenberg Air Force Base are not discussed in this 
section because Vandenberg Air Force Base only has a draft INRMP for 
2003-2008 (SRS Technologies 2003, pp. 1-1 to 9-14). This draft does not 
currently include management guidelines for Cirsium loncholepis. We are 
currently working with Vandenberg Air Force Base on a programmatic 
consultation for base-wide activities.

Application of Section 4(b)(2) of the Act

    Section 4(b)(2) of the Act states that the Secretary must designate 
and revise critical habitat on the basis of the best available 
scientific data after taking into consideration the economic impact, 
national security impact, and any other relevant impact, of specifying 
any particular area as critical habitat. The Secretary may exclude an 
area from critical habitat if he determines that the benefits of such 
exclusion outweigh the benefits of specifying such area as part of the 
critical habitat, unless he determines, based on the best scientific 
data available, that the failure to designate such area as critical 
habitat will result in the extinction of the species. In making that 
determination, the statute, as well as its legislative history, is 
clear that the Secretary has broad discretion regarding which factor(s) 
to use and how much weight to give to any factor.
    Pursuant to section 4(b)(2) of the Act, we must consider relevant 
impacts in addition to economic ones. We anticipate no impact to 
national security, Tribal lands, or HCPs from this proposed revision to 
the current critical habitat designation. Based on the best available 
information, we believe that all of the proposed revised units contain 
the features essential to Cirsium loncholepis or are otherwise 
essential for the conservation of this species. As such, we have 
considered but are not proposing to exclude any lands from this 
designation based on the potential impacts to these or other factors. 
However, during the development of a final designation, we will be 
considering economic impacts, public comments, and other new 
information, and areas may be excluded from the final critical habitat 
designation under section 4(b)(2) and our implementing regulations at 
50 CFR 424.19.

Economic Analysis

    Section 4(b)(2) of the Act allows the Secretary to exclude areas 
from critical habitat for economic reasons if the Secretary determines 
that the benefits of such exclusion exceed the benefits of designating 
the area as critical habitat. However, this exclusion cannot occur if 
it will result in the extinction of the species concerned.
    We are preparing an analysis of the economic impacts of this 
proposed revision to critical habitat for Cirsium loncholepis. We will 
announce the availability of the draft economic analysis as soon as it 
is completed, at which time we will seek public review and comment. At 
that time, copies of the draft economic analysis will be available for 
downloading from the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov, or by 
contacting the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office directly (see ADDRESSES 
section). We may exclude areas from the final rule based on the 
information in the economic analysis.

Peer Review

    In accordance with our joint policy published in the Federal 
Register on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 34270), we are requesting the expert 
opinions of at least three appropriate independent specialists 
regarding this proposed rule. The purpose of peer review is to ensure 
that our critical habitat designation is based on scientifically sound 
data, assumptions, and analyses. We have invited these peer reviewers 
to comment during this public comment period on our specific 
assumptions and conclusions in this proposed revised designation of 
critical habitat.
    We will consider all comments and information we receive during the 
comment period on this proposed rule during our preparation of a final 
determination. Accordingly, our final decision may differ from this 
proposal.

Public Hearings

    The Act provides for one or more public hearings on this proposal, 
if we receive any requests for hearings. We must receive your request 
for a public hearing within 45 days after the date of this Federal 
Register publication. Send your request to the person named in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. We will schedule public hearings 
on this proposal, if any are requested, and announce the dates, times, 
and places of those hearings, as well as how to obtain reasonable 
accommodations, in the Federal Register and local newspapers at least 
15 days before the first hearing.

Required Determinations

Regulatory Planning and Review--Executive Order 12866

    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has determined that this 
rule is not significant and has not reviewed this rule under Executive 
Order (E.O.) 12866. OMB bases its determination upon the following four 
criteria:
    (1) Whether the rule will have an annual effect of $100 million or 
more on the economy or adversely affect an economic sector, 
productivity, jobs, the environment, or other units of the government.
    (2) Whether the rule will create inconsistencies with other Federal 
agencies' actions.
    (3) Whether the rule will materially affect entitlements, grants, 
user fees,

[[Page 45826]]

loan programs, or the rights and obligations of their recipients.
    (4) Whether the rule raises novel legal or policy issues.
    At this time, we lack the available economic information necessary 
to determine whether the rule would have an annual effect on the 
economy of $100 million or more or affect the economy in a material 
way.

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA; 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., as 
amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act 
(SBREFA) of 1996), whenever an agency must publish a notice of 
rulemaking for any proposed or final rule, it must prepare and make 
available for public comment a regulatory flexibility analysis that 
describes the effects of the rule on small entities (small businesses, 
small organizations, and small government jurisdictions). However, no 
regulatory flexibility analysis is required if the head of the agency 
certifies the rule will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. SBREFA amended RFA to require 
Federal agencies to provide a statement of the factual basis for 
certifying that the rule will not have a significant economic impact on 
a substantial number of small entities.
    At this time, we lack the available economic information necessary 
to provide an adequate factual basis for the required RFA finding. 
Therefore, we defer the RFA finding until completion of the draft 
economic analysis prepared under section 4(b)(2) of the Act and E.O. 
12866. This draft economic analysis will provide the required factual 
basis for the RFA finding. Upon completion of the draft economic 
analysis, we will announce availability of the draft economic analysis 
of the proposed designation in the Federal Register and reopen the 
public comment period for the proposed designation. We will include 
with this announcement, as appropriate, an initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis or a certification that the rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities 
accompanied by the factual basis for that determination. We have 
concluded that deferring the RFA finding until completion of the draft 
economic analysis is necessary to meet the purposes and requirements of 
the RFA. Deferring the RFA finding in this manner will ensure that we 
make a sufficiently informed determination based on adequate economic 
information and provide the necessary opportunity for public comment.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.)

    In accordance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, we make the 
following findings:
    (1) This rule will not produce a Federal mandate. In general, a 
Federal mandate is a provision in legislation, statute, or regulation 
that would impose an enforceable duty upon State, local, or Tribal 
governments, or the private sector, and includes both ``Federal 
intergovernmental mandates'' and ``Federal private sector mandates.'' 
These terms are defined in 2 U.S.C. 658(5)-(7). ``Federal 
intergovernmental mandate'' includes a regulation that ``would impose 
an enforceable duty upon State, local, or [T]ribal governments'' with 
two exceptions. It excludes ``a condition of Federal assistance.'' It 
also excludes ``a duty arising from participation in a voluntary 
Federal program,'' unless the regulation ``relates to a then-existing 
Federal program under which $500,000,000 or more is provided annually 
to State, local, and [T]ribal governments under entitlement 
authority,'' if the provision would ``increase the stringency of 
conditions of assistance'' or ``place caps upon, or otherwise decrease, 
the Federal Government's responsibility to provide funding,'' and the 
State, local, or Tribal governments ``lack authority'' to adjust 
accordingly. At the time of enactment, these entitlement programs were: 
Medicaid; AFDC work programs; Child Nutrition; Food Stamps; Social 
Services Block Grants; Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants; Foster 
Care, Adoption Assistance, and Independent Living; Family Support 
Welfare Services; and Child Support Enforcement. ``Federal private 
sector mandate'' includes a regulation that ``would impose an 
enforceable duty upon the private sector, except (i) a condition of 
Federal assistance or (ii) a duty arising from participation in a 
voluntary Federal program.''
    The designation of critical habitat does not impose a legally 
binding duty on non-Federal Government entities or private parties. 
Under the Act, the only regulatory effect is that Federal agencies must 
ensure that their actions do not destroy or adversely modify critical 
habitat under section 7. While non-Federal entities that receive 
Federal funding, assistance, or permits, or that otherwise require 
approval or authorization from a Federal agency for an action, may be 
indirectly impacted by the designation of critical habitat, the legally 
binding duty to avoid destruction or adverse modification of critical 
habitat rests squarely on the Federal agency. Furthermore, to the 
extent that non-Federal entities are indirectly impacted because they 
receive Federal assistance or participate in a voluntary Federal aid 
program, the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act would not apply, nor would 
critical habitat shift the costs of the large entitlement programs 
listed above onto State governments.
    (2) We do not believe that this rule will significantly or uniquely 
affect small governments because small governments will be affected 
only to the extent that any programs having Federal funds, permits, or 
other authorized activities must ensure that their actions will not 
adversely affect the critical habitat. Therefore, a Small Government 
Agency Plan is not required. However, as we conduct our economic 
analysis, we will further evaluate this issue and revise this 
assessment if appropriate.

Takings--Executive Order 12630

    In accordance with E.O. 12630 (``Government Actions and 
Interference with Constitutionally Protected Private Property 
Rights''), we have analyzed the potential takings implications of 
designating revised critical habitat for the Cirsium loncholepis in a 
takings implications assessment. The takings implications assessment 
concludes that this designation of revised critical habitat for the C. 
loncholepis does not pose significant takings implications for lands 
within or affected by the revised designation.

Federalism--Executive Order 13132

    In accordance with E.O. 13132 (Federalism), this proposed rule does 
not have significant Federalism effects. A Federalism assessment is not 
required. In keeping with Department of the Interior and Department of 
Commerce policy, we requested information from, and coordinated 
development of, this proposed revised critical habitat designation with 
appropriate State resource agencies in California. The designation may 
have some benefit to these governments because the areas that contain 
the features essential to the conservation of the subspecies are more 
clearly defined, and the primary constituent elements of the habitat 
necessary to the conservation of the subspecies are specifically 
identified. This information does not alter where and what federally 
sponsored activities may occur. However, it may assist local 
governments in long-range planning (rather than having them wait for 
case-

[[Page 45827]]

by-case section 7 consultations to occur).

Civil Justice Reform--Executive Order 12988

    In accordance with E.O. 12988 (Civil Justice Reform), it has been 
determined that the rule does not unduly burden the judicial system and 
meets the requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of the Order. We 
have proposed designating critical habitat in accordance with the 
provisions of the Act. This proposed revision to critical habitat uses 
standard property descriptions and identifies the primary constituent 
elements within the designated areas to assist the public in 
understanding the habitat needs of Cirsium loncholepis.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)

    This rule does not contain any new collections of information that 
require approval by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 
rule will not impose recordkeeping or reporting requirements on State 
or local governments, individuals, businesses, or organizations. An 
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)

    It is our position that, outside the jurisdiction of the Circuit 
Court of the United States for the Tenth Circuit, we do not need to 
prepare environmental analyses as defined by NEPA in connection with 
designating critical habitat under the Act. We published a notice 
outlining our reasons for this determination in the Federal Register on 
October 25, 1983 (48 FR 49244). This assertion was upheld by the 
Circuit Court of the United States for the Ninth Circuit (Douglas 
County v. Babbitt, 48 F.3d 1495 (9th Cir. 1995), cert. denied 516 U.S. 
1042 (1996)).

Clarity of the Rule

    We are required by E.O. 12866 and E.O. 12988 and by the 
Presidential Memorandum of June 1, 1998, to write all rules in plain 
language. This means that each rule we publish must:
    (1) Be logically organized;
    (2) Use the active voice to address readers directly;
    (3) Use clear language rather than jargon;
    (4) Be divided into short sections and sentences; and
    (5) Use lists and tables wherever possible.
    If you feel that we have not met these requirements, send us 
comments by one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section. To 
better help us revise the rule, your comments should be as specific as 
possible. For example, you should tell us the numbers of the sections 
or paragraphs that are unclearly written, which sections or sentences 
are too long, the sections where you feel lists or tables would be 
useful, etc.

Government-to-Government Relationship With Tribes

    In accordance with the President's memorandum of April 29, 1994, 
Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal 
Governments (59 FR 22951), E.O. 13175, and the Department of the 
Interior's manual at 512 DM 2, and Secretarial Order 3206, we readily 
acknowledge our responsibility to communicate meaningfully with 
recognized Federal Tribes on a government-to-government basis. In 
accordance with Secretarial Order 3206 of June 5, 1997 (American Indian 
Tribal Rights, Federal-Tribal Trust Responsibilities, and the 
Endangered Species Act), we readily acknowledge our responsibilities to 
work directly with Tribes in developing programs for healthy 
ecosystems, to acknowledge that Tribal lands are not subject to the 
same controls as Federal public lands, to remain sensitive to Indian 
culture, and to make information available to Tribes. We have 
determined that there are no Tribal lands occupied by Cirsium 
loncholepis at the time of listing or currently occupied that contain 
the features essential for the conservation of the species, and no 
Tribal lands that are in unoccupied areas that are essential for the 
conservation of the species. Therefore, in this proposed revised rule, 
critical habitat for C. loncholepis has not been proposed for 
designation on Tribal lands.

Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use--Executive Order 13211

    On May 18, 2001, the President issued an Executive Order (E.O. 
13211; Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy 
Supply, Distribution, or Use) on regulations that significantly affect 
energy supply, distribution, and use. E.O. 13211 requires agencies to 
prepare Statements of Energy Effects when undertaking certain actions. 
We do not expect this proposed rule to designate critical habitat for 
Cirsium loncholepis to significantly affect energy supplies, 
distribution, or use. Therefore, this action is not a significant 
energy action, and no Statement of Energy Effects is required. However, 
we will further evaluate this issue as we conduct our economic 
analysis, and review and revise this assessment as warranted.

References Cited

    A complete list of all references cited in this rulemaking is 
available on http://www.regulations.gov and upon request from the Field 
Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES section).

Author(s)

    The primary author of this package is the staff of the Ventura Fish 
and Wildlife Office.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

    Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.

Proposed Regulation Promulgation

    Accordingly, we propose to amend part 17, subchapter B of chapter 
I, title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as set forth below:

PART 17--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for part 17 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544; 16 U.S.C. 
4201-4245; Pub. L. 99-625, 100 Stat. 3500; unless otherwise noted.

    2. In Sec.  17.96(a), revise the entry for ``Family Asteraceae: 
Cirsium loncholepis (La Graciosa thistle)'' to read as follows:


Sec.  17.96  Critical habitat--plants.

    (a) Flowering plants.
* * * * *
Family Asteraceae: Cirsium loncholepis (La Graciosa thistle)
    (1) Critical habitat units are depicted for San Luis Obispo and 
Santa Barbara counties, California, on the maps below.
    (2) The primary constituent elements of critical habitat for 
Cirsium loncholepis are:
    (i) Mesic areas associated with:
    (A) Margins of dune swales, dune lakes, marshes, and estuaries that 
are associated with dynamic (changing) dune systems including the Santa 
Maria Valley Dune Complex and Santa Ynez Valley Dune Complex;
    (B) Margins of dynamic riparian systems including the Santa Maria 
and Santa Ynez Rivers and Orcutt and San Antonio Creeks; and
    (C) Freshwater seeps and intermittent streams found in other 
habitats, including grassland, meadow, coastal scrub, chaparral, and 
oak woodland.

[[Page 45828]]

These areas provide space needed for individual and population growth 
including sites for germination, reproduction, seed dispersal, seed 
bank, and pollination;
    (ii) associated plant communities including: Central dune scrub, 
coastal dune, coastal scrub, freshwater seep, coastal and valley 
freshwater marsh and fen, riparian scrub (e.g., mule fat scrub, willow 
scrub), chaparral, oak woodland, intermittent streams, and other 
wetland communities, generally in association with the following 
species: Juncus spp. (rush), Scirpus spp. (tule), Salix spp. (willow), 
Toxicodendron diversilobum (poison oak), Distichlis spicata (salt 
grass), Baccharis pilularis (coyote brush), and B. douglasii (Douglas' 
baccharis);
    (iii) soils with a sandy component including but not limited to 
dune sands, Oceano sands, Camarillo sandy loams, riverwash, and sandy 
alluvial soils; and
    (iv) features that allow dispersal and connectivity between 
populations, particularly:
    (A) Natural riparian drainages in Santa Maria River, Orcutt Creek, 
San Antonio Creek, and Santa Ynez River that are not channelized or 
confined by barriers or dams, such that they have soft bottoms and 
sides and a natural flood plain (allowing uninterrupted water flows); 
and
    (B) Natural aeolian geomorphology in the Santa Maria Dune Complex 
and Santa Ynez Dune Complex, and along the Santa Maria River, Orcutt 
Creek, San Antonio Creek, and Santa Ynez River drainages that is not 
confined by barriers or wind-blocks such as large man-made structures, 
tree rows, or wind-breaks (allowing uninterrupted winds across these 
areas).
    (3) Critical habitat does not include manmade structures (such as 
buildings, aqueducts, airports, roads, and other paved areas) and the 
land on which they are located existing within the legal boundaries on 
the effective date of this rule.
    (4) Critical habitat map units. Data layers defining map units were 
created on base maps using aerial imagery from the National 
Agricultural Imagery Program (aerial imagery captured June 2005). Data 
were projected to Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) zone 11, North 
American Datum (NAD) 1983.
    (5) Note: Index map of Cirsium loncholepis critical habitat 
follows:
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

[[Page 45829]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.002


[[Page 45830]]


    (6) Unit 1: Callender-Guadalupe Dunes Unit, San Luis Obispo County, 
California.
    (i) From USGS 1:24,000 scale quadrangle Oceano, Point Sal, and 
Guadalupe. Land bounded by the following UTM zone 10 NAD83 coordinates 
(E, N) 715180, 3874101; 715375, 3875018; 715578, 3875772; 715692, 
3876690; 715789, 3877362; 715834, 3878096; 715838, 3878233; 715830, 
3878381; 715855, 3878453; 715865, 3878522; 715862, 3878600; 715870, 
3878713; 715887, 3878818; 715904, 3878906; 715935, 3878974; 715954, 
3879081; 715968, 3879368; 715989, 3879384; 716000, 3879418; 716079, 
3879449; 716119, 3879497; 716172, 3879522; 716240, 3879505; 716347, 
3879451; 716435, 3879446; 716542, 3879446; 716604, 3879485; 716627, 
3879528; 716624, 3879570; 716602, 3879635; 716602, 3879703; 716616, 
3879779; 716647, 3879827; 716715, 3879884; 716709, 3880002; 716689, 
3880047; 716686, 3880092; 716751, 3880170; 716751, 3880235; 716731, 
3880317; 716689, 3880391; 716610, 3880473; 716545, 3880526; 716398, 
3880611; 716373, 3880673; 716373, 3880738; 716418, 3880780; 716466, 
3880783; 716602, 3880754; 716669, 3880769; 716746, 3880769; 716792, 
3880847; 716821, 3880916; 716822, 3881238; 716816, 3881323; 716782, 
3881416; 716706, 3881546; 716672, 3881668; 716678, 3881765; 716703, 
3881904; 716703, 3882042; 716717, 3882149; 716715, 3882200; 716661, 
3882402; 716652, 3882466; 716652, 3882546; 716675, 3882625; 716709, 
3882678; 716791, 3882709; 716890, 3882723; 716971, 3882783; 716998, 
3882869; 716957, 3882989; 716896, 3883121; 716774, 3883263; 716712, 
3883345; 716655, 3883534; 716587, 3883645; 716531, 3883705; 716426, 
3883767; 716282, 3883891; 716254, 3883995; 716274, 3884038; 716347, 
3884043; 716412, 3884012; 716542, 3883939; 716593, 3883936; 716607, 
3883973; 716599, 3884165; 716576, 3884252; 716534, 3884381; 716489, 
3884552; 716475, 3884622; 716415, 3884758; 716387, 3884800; 716336, 
3884843; 716249, 3884891; 716129, 3884972; 716115, 3885214; 716090, 
3885364; 716091, 3885492; 716104, 3885573; 716096, 3885679; 716081, 
3885782; 716084, 3885887; 716053, 3886108; 716062, 3886180; 716058, 
3886268; 716043, 3886344; 716040, 3886407; 716088, 3886596; 716126, 
3886661; 716180, 3886671; 716303, 3886671; 716359, 3886661; 716381, 
3886646; 716529, 3886637; 716559, 3886616; 716593, 3886609; 716629, 
3886609; 716693, 3886621; 716746, 3886619; 716811, 3886601; 716896, 
3886565; 716928, 3886540; 716982, 3886475; 716998, 3886439; 716997, 
3886412; 716978, 3886381; 716935, 3886346; 716926, 3886325; 716926, 
3886309; 716949, 3886276; 717001, 3886236; 717033, 3886203; 717047, 
3886179; 717058, 3886139; 717075, 3886110; 717095, 3886095; 717124, 
3886086; 717196, 3886090; 717237, 3886084; 717293, 3886065; 717329, 
3886044; 717372, 3885996; 717397, 3885950; 717409, 3885905; 717418, 
3885823; 717438, 3885778; 717477, 3885747; 717571, 3885710; 717619, 
3885669; 717650, 3885634; 717697, 3885555; 717704, 3885501; 717712, 
3885477; 717784, 3885353; 717796, 3885314; 717801, 3885242; 717808, 
3885214; 717823, 3885183; 717852, 3885147; 717921, 3885091; 718017, 
3885024; 718063, 3884999; 718173, 3884953; 718200, 3884931; 718238, 
3884888; 718270, 3884863; 718413, 3884785; 718557, 3884689; 718642, 
3884645; 718757, 3884604; 718831, 3884556; 718910, 3884527; 718930, 
3884512; 718940, 3884497; 718944, 3884471; 718937, 3884436; 718917, 
3884408; 718892, 3884394; 718837, 3884386; 718778, 3884361; 718738, 
3884353; 718672, 3884355; 718504, 3884376; 718473, 3884363; 718452, 
3884338; 718450, 3884310; 718482, 3884269; 718491, 3884235; 718487, 
3884225; 718473, 3884212; 718451, 3884204; 718411, 3884197; 718388, 
3884174; 718381, 3884149; 718395, 3884101; 718381, 3884069; 718380, 
3884052; 718399, 3884030; 718462, 3883994; 718512, 3883944; 718539, 
3883901; 718555, 3883846; 718525, 3883826; 718483, 3883779; 718457, 
3883763; 718412, 3883763; 718331, 3883785; 718311, 3883784; 718294, 
3883777; 718268, 3883731; 718241, 3883711; 718222, 3883679; 718222, 
3883644; 718230, 3883623; 718255, 3883583; 718371, 3883489; 718494, 
3883413; 718537, 3883382; 718584, 3883337; 718672, 3883229; 718573, 
3883209; 718547, 3883191; 718503, 3883185; 718429, 3883155; 718341, 
3883143; 718278, 3883141; 718266, 3883135; 718264, 3883127; 718270, 
3883115; 718313, 3883088; 718369, 3883065; 718370, 3883052; 718385, 
3883042; 718451, 3883025; 718503, 3882986; 718513, 3882984; 718528, 
3882990; 718540, 3882958; 718568, 3882922; 718572, 3882895; 718570, 
3882872; 718549, 3882824; 718523, 3882791; 718438, 3882715; 718426, 
3882695; 718421, 3882672; 718424, 3882648; 718434, 3882634; 718456, 
3882614; 718503, 3882592; 718601, 3882564; 718671, 3882535; 718813, 
3882503; 718845, 3882488; 718901, 3882448; 718958, 3882425; 719011, 
3882416; 719109, 3882413; 719173, 3882397; 719228, 3882371; 719299, 
3882318; 719330, 3882301; 719368, 3882290; 719413, 3882295; 719444, 
3882274; 719493, 3882259; 719518, 3882235; 719533, 3882201; 719526, 
3882165; 719506, 3882132; 719476, 3882103; 719429, 3882078; 719436, 
3881993; 719429, 3881930; 719410, 3881870; 719373, 3881811; 719324, 
3881762; 719265, 3881726; 719204, 3881707; 719138, 3881701; 719175, 
3881642; 719191, 3881592; 719193, 3881544; 719182, 3881438; 719171, 
3881399; 719155, 3881375; 719127, 3881356; 719088, 3881348; 719074, 
3881340; 719060, 3881321; 719051, 3881295; 719052, 3881274; 719066, 
3881238; 719068, 3881206; 719078, 3881188; 719121, 3881170; 719161, 
3881125; 719215, 3881112; 719252, 3881069; 719304, 3881041; 719329, 
3880837; 719233, 3880841; 719163, 3880856; 719118, 3880873; 719043, 
3880911; 718956, 3880936; 718881, 3880972; 718844, 3880983; 718827, 
3880982; 718820, 3880964; 718829, 3880945; 718847, 3880930; 718890, 
3880909; 718944, 3880889; 718980, 3880861; 718989, 3880843; 718981, 
3880813; 718989, 3880790; 719006, 3880774; 719060, 3880745; 719104, 
3880694; 719131, 3880676; 719355, 3880570; 719499, 3879561; 719547, 
3879326; 719366, 3879383; 719185, 3879462; 719112, 3879488; 718947, 
3879495; 718843, 3879507; 718347, 3879615; 718268, 3879643; 718231, 
3879643; 718203, 3879618; 718186, 3879559; 718183, 3879499; 718172, 
3879471; 718118, 3879471; 718064, 3879460; 718016, 3879424; 717962, 
3879425; 717936, 3879420; 717971, 3879319; 718059, 3879248; 718222, 
3879056; 718313, 3879008; 718522, 3879039; 718623, 3879036; 718725, 
3879008; 718852, 3878887; 718943, 3878856; 719024, 3878771; 719146, 
3878729; 719236, 3878678; 719406, 3878638; 719599, 3878326; 719647, 
3878290; 719672, 3878259; 719681, 3878194; 719853, 3878024; 719819, 
3877993; 719720, 3878047; 719630, 3878154; 719568, 3878245; 719506, 
3878307; 719500, 3878369; 719466, 3878445; 719367, 3878581; 719291, 
3878612; 719240, 3878609; 719003, 3878674; 718887, 3878727; 718760, 
3878877; 718658, 3878883; 718577, 3878874; 718500, 3878835; 718458, 
3878790; 718195, 3878857; 717868, 3879111; 717696, 3879253; 717650, 
3879278; 717544, 3879233; 717437, 3879213; 717364, 3879145; 717338, 
3879097; 717358, 3879052; 717358, 3878987; 717350, 3878939; 717426, 
3878781; 717412, 3878744;

[[Page 45831]]

717285, 3878688; 717131, 3878668; 717022, 3878612; 716983, 3878479; 
717129, 3878340; 717121, 3878307; 717285, 3878208; 717392, 3878239; 
717448, 3878222; 717516, 3878225; 717587, 3878160; 717587, 3878117; 
717573, 3878095; 717576, 3878067; 717638, 3878019; 717705, 3878019; 
717821, 3877990; 717914, 3877951; 717979, 3877900; 718033, 3877846; 
718056, 3877780; 718052, 3877778; 718058, 3877733; 718071, 3877687; 
718096, 3877643; 718129, 3877611; 718245, 3877536; 718322, 3877467; 
718358, 3877456; 718402, 3877472; 718434, 3877466; 718507, 3877404; 
718551, 3877374; 718756, 3877271; 718916, 3877173; 718962, 3877135; 
719040, 3877045; 719172, 3876926; 719195, 3876893; 719224, 3876828; 
719253, 3876794; 719281, 3876776; 719355, 3876743; 719451, 3876660; 
719541, 3876616; 719577, 3876588; 719612, 3876542; 719650, 3876449; 
719685, 3876394; 719721, 3876358; 719804, 3876301; 719819, 3876284; 
719827, 3876262; 719822, 3876240; 719799, 3876222; 719778, 3876215; 
719731, 3876214; 719715, 3876206; 719710, 3876197; 719717, 3876170; 
719751, 3876139; 719760, 3876098; 719784, 3876074; 719786, 3876057; 
719780, 3876040; 719761, 3876025; 719735, 3876020; 719713, 3876024; 
719681, 3876039; 719653, 3876042; 719645, 3876035; 719640, 3876023; 
719639, 3876012; 719645, 3875997; 719731, 3875938; 719815, 3875892; 
719853, 3875865; 719891, 3875829; 719963, 3875744; 720015, 3875698; 
720059, 3875667; 720104, 3875647; 720130, 3875647; 720160, 3875656; 
720186, 3875646; 720212, 3875632; 720269, 3875590; 720352, 3875548; 
720370, 3875531; 720386, 3875506; 720396, 3875478; 720410, 3875409; 
720427, 3875377; 720448, 3875353; 720532, 3875284; 720560, 3875274; 
720626, 3875262; 720660, 3875240; 720671, 3875217; 720669, 3875177; 
720657, 3875156; 720636, 3875140; 720612, 3875134; 720572, 3875139; 
720544, 3875152; 720491, 3875185; 720448, 3875192; 720432, 3875186; 
720408, 3875161; 720378, 3875145; 720366, 3875126; 720363, 3875108; 
720392, 3875068; 720438, 3875034; 720470, 3875003; 720551, 3874975; 
720611, 3874928; 720685, 3874889; 720707, 3874867; 720747, 3874811; 
720809, 3874777; 720818, 3874751; 720818, 3874726; 720808, 3874699; 
720793, 3874679; 720735, 3874648; 720712, 3874607; 720678, 3874599; 
720647, 3874577; 720611, 3874579; 720599, 3874573; 720591, 3874562; 
720586, 3874544; 720594, 3874497; 720586, 3874484; 720569, 3874474; 
720541, 3874480; 720477, 3874511; 720390, 3874512; 720345, 3874522; 
720305, 3874535; 720180, 3874588; 720097, 3874642; 720069, 3874655; 
720034, 3874660; 720013, 3874647; 720006, 3874630; 720019, 3874603; 
720019, 3874584; 720012, 3874576; 719992, 3874576; 719985, 3874572; 
719976, 3874549; 719968, 3874543; 719931, 3874536; 719922, 3874521; 
719927, 3874506; 719965, 3874461; 719991, 3874416; 720016, 3874390; 
720069, 3874355; 720155, 3874320; 720199, 3874286; 720315, 3874132; 
720418, 3874038; 720443, 3874005; 720462, 3873963; 720475, 3873912; 
720477, 3873880; 720461, 3873866; 720448, 3873867; 720424, 3873880; 
720416, 3873878; 720406, 3873869; 720407, 3873839; 720428, 3873800; 
720433, 3873773; 720423, 3873751; 720394, 3873734; 720360, 3873731; 
720296, 3873747; 720208, 3873740; 720111, 3873761; 720053, 3873767; 
720023, 3873763; 719991, 3873753; 719971, 3873739; 719956, 3873721; 
719936, 3873688; 719931, 3873657; 719936, 3873627; 719964, 3873562; 
719968, 3873533; 719965, 3873503; 719955, 3873474; 719911, 3873435; 
719903, 3873418; 719902, 3873399; 719912, 3873374; 719950, 3873329; 
719967, 3873299; 719977, 3873260; 719979, 3873213; 719939, 3873156; 
719912, 3873141; 719874, 3873106; 719824, 3873094; 719783, 3873092; 
719706, 3873110; 719681, 3873110; 719660, 3873099; 719647, 3873085; 
719644, 3873071; 719648, 3873039; 719636, 3873021; 719610, 3873011; 
719502, 3873001; 719455, 3873003; 719367, 3873023; 719288, 3873017; 
719253, 3873019; 719206, 3873034; 719140, 3873070; 719105, 3873079; 
719056, 3873077; 719030, 3873069; 719014, 3873057; 719000, 3873038; 
718999, 3873019; 719038, 3872973; 719088, 3872935; 719169, 3872898; 
719214, 3872872; 719262, 3872832; 719289, 3872801; 719301, 3872760; 
719298, 3872719; 719278, 3872687; 719240, 3872659; 719196, 3872658; 
719151, 3872663; 719104, 3872679; 719002, 3872733; 718946, 3872757; 
718896, 3872771; 718866, 3872776; 718837, 3872765; 718817, 3872767; 
718803, 3872758; 718735, 3872799; 718707, 3872812; 718672, 3872822; 
718603, 3872830; 718562, 3872841; 718524, 3872858; 718451, 3872900; 
718399, 3872919; 718369, 3872925; 718273, 3872934; 718248, 3872933; 
718219, 3872926; 718179, 3872909; 718107, 3872859; 718018, 3872821; 
717968, 3872789; 717919, 3872746; 717855, 3872673; 717817, 3872643; 
717765, 3872621; 717688, 3872608; 717666, 3872599; 717647, 3872586; 
717623, 3872560; 717604, 3872530; 717563, 3872443; 717536, 3872398; 
717508, 3872361; 717404, 3872243; 717377, 3872217; 717348, 3872195; 
717317, 3872177; 717268, 3872157; 717219, 3872122; 717186, 3872114; 
717157, 3872121; 717102, 3872161; 717030, 3872195; 716941, 3872259; 
716912, 3872268; 716893, 3872265; 716886, 3872257; 716881, 3872245; 
716884, 3872220; 716881, 3872207; 716872, 3872195; 716851, 3872182; 
716841, 3872170; 716838, 3872156; 716842, 3872141; 716856, 3872121; 
716881, 3872105; 716906, 3872099; 716949, 3872097; 716967, 3872089; 
716983, 3872072; 716985, 3872064; 716981, 3872050; 716967, 3872035; 
716946, 3872021; 716896, 3872007; 716864, 3871993; 716807, 3871942; 
716730, 3871900; 716685, 3871865; 716647, 3871829; 716609, 3871807; 
716571, 3871810; 716522, 3871824; 716449, 3871852; 716405, 3871862; 
716313, 3871875; 716222, 3871895; 716181, 3871909; 716169, 3871917; 
716159, 3871888; 716159, 3871859; 716136, 3871843; 716140, 3871835; 
716148, 3871789; 716162, 3871752; 716204, 3871718; 716215, 3871679; 
716233, 3871661; 716259, 3871650; 716258, 3871632; 716246, 3871606; 
716225, 3871597; 716156, 3871628; 716127, 3871626; 716100, 3871613; 
716069, 3871581; 716032, 3871559; 715939, 3871533; 715905, 3871508; 
715886, 3871487; 715884, 3871492; 715866, 3871499; 715839, 3871499; 
715809, 3871508; 715763, 3871538; 715723, 3871575; 715611, 3871694; 
715584, 3871758; 715554, 3871853; 715504, 3871910; 715399, 3872094; 
715311, 3872195; 715220, 3872317; 715187, 3872353; 715174, 3872384; 
715139, 3872385; 715045, 3872409; 715026, 3872416; 714979, 3872448; 
714943, 3872486; 714936, 3872484; 714865, 3872561; 714841, 3872574; 
714822, 3872569; 714812, 3872557; 714811, 3872538; 714757, 3872600; 
returning to 715180, 3874101.
    (ii) Note: Map of Unit 1 follows:
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

[[Page 45832]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.003


[[Page 45833]]


    (7) Unit 2: Santa Maria River-Orcutt Creek Unit, San Luis Obispo 
and Santa Barbara Counties, California.
    (i) From USGS 1:24,000 scale quadrangles Orick and Rodgers Peak. 
Land bounded by the following UTM zone 10 NAD83 coordinates (E, N): 
725058, 3866813; 725142, 3866607; 725306, 3866481; 725393, 3866297; 
725509, 3865959; 725635, 3865833; 725983, 3865562; 726263, 3865185; 
726418, 3865118; 726524, 3865021; 727336, 3865021; 727820, 3865002; 
727868, 3864731; 728342, 3864683; 728419, 3864518; 728787, 3864228; 
729289, 3864131; 729773, 3864141; 730073, 3863841; 730059, 3863511; 
729874, 3863511; 729764, 3863378; 729624, 3863143; 729462, 3863010; 
729475, 3862983; 730408, 3862960; 731496, 3862251; 731690, 3862118; 
731698, 3861732; 732125, 3861437; 732125, 3861321; 732481, 3861206; 
732721, 3861209; 732829, 3861067; 733104, 3861067; 733067, 3860762; 
733501, 3860781; 733547, 3860698; 733547, 3860412; 733731, 3860414; 
733732, 3860492; 734031, 3860498; 734222, 3860421; 734619, 3860236; 
735294, 3860264; 735326, 3860229; 735349, 3860199; 735404, 3860093; 
735463, 3860011; 735484, 3859974; 735517, 3859952; 735545, 3859927; 
735643, 3859813; 735671, 3859799; 735721, 3859794; 735766, 3859810; 
735872, 3859834; 735905, 3859851; 735941, 3859864; 735978, 3859873; 
736009, 3859876; 736080, 3859875; 736123, 3859869; 736172, 3859854; 
736216, 3859831; 736262, 3859796; 736294, 3859760; 736334, 3859743; 
736372, 3859720; 736518, 3859600; 736556, 3859557; 736588, 3859498; 
736610, 3859473; 736712, 3859380; 736752, 3859326; 736957, 3859145; 
736997, 3859100; 737060, 3858987; 737080, 3858929; 737107, 3858898; 
737131, 3858860; 737154, 3858802; 737180, 3858777; 737204, 3858747; 
737235, 3858692; 737269, 3858650; 737289, 3858619; 737312, 3858567; 
737325, 3858509; 737337, 3858482; 737377, 3858431; 737397, 3858391; 
737414, 3858337; 737420, 3858275; 737413, 3858212; 737394, 3858158; 
737362, 3858104; 737319, 3858058; 737266, 3858022; 737207, 3857999; 
737177, 3857992; 737139, 3857989; 737101, 3857990; 737063, 3857996; 
736777, 3857987; 736428, 3858104; 736234, 3858401; 736156, 3858324; 
736001, 3858272; 735884, 3858207; 735703, 3858207; 735522, 3858259; 
735367, 3858311; 735238, 3858427; 735160, 3858505; 735108, 3858453; 
735018, 3858349; 734888, 3858259; 734759, 3858181; 734423, 3858181; 
734293, 3858220; 734151, 3858285; 733983, 3858414; 733918, 3858595; 
733892, 3858738; 733711, 3858763; 733569, 3858880; 733439, 3859061; 
733271, 3859216; 733000, 3859100; 732909, 3858983; 732741, 3858867; 
732534, 3858738; 732314, 3858699; 732068, 3858595; 731784, 3858647; 
731577, 3858673; 731253, 3858828; 731072, 3858996; 731020, 3859255; 
731020, 3859488; 731085, 3859721; 731227, 3859889; 731499, 3860070; 
731771, 3860109; 731861, 3860161; 732004, 3860264; 732076, 3860554; 
731771, 3860665; 731538, 3860704; 731357, 3860665; 731266, 3860665; 
731085, 3860678; 730930, 3860717; 730775, 3860794; 730645, 3860898; 
730529, 3861040; 730490, 3861208; 730335, 3861286; 730180, 3861351; 
730089, 3861480; 729992, 3861635; 729940, 3861765; 729850, 3861816; 
729746, 3861894; 729694, 3861997; 729656, 3862127; 729552, 3862140; 
729436, 3862179; 729255, 3862166; 729125, 3862153; 728957, 3862114; 
728828, 3862114; 728660, 3862153; 728478, 3862217; 728336, 3862360; 
728207, 3862295; 728013, 3862036; 727909, 3861907; 727819, 3861778; 
727651, 3861661; 727508, 3861571; 727327, 3861545; 727146, 3861545; 
726952, 3861596; 726758, 3861739; 726641, 3861920; 726577, 3862101; 
726564, 3862347; 726629, 3862541; 726745, 3862709; 726900, 3862851; 
726952, 3862968; 727055, 3863149; 726926, 3863239; 726797, 3863291; 
726719, 3863433; 726629, 3863550; 726577, 3863666; 726564, 3863808; 
726460, 3863847; 726318, 3863847; 726240, 3863744; 726150, 3863446; 
726085, 3863343; 725943, 3863149; 725762, 3863019; 725568, 3862981; 
725314, 3863033; 725252, 3863035; 725195, 3863049; 724361, 3863473; 
724318, 3863500; 724290, 3863523; 724264, 3863550; 724242, 3863581; 
724225, 3863615; 724210, 3863657; 724201, 3863700; 724199, 3863744; 
724204, 3863788; 724015, 3864261; 723899, 3864416; 723821, 3864585; 
723757, 3864792; 723614, 3864792; 723498, 3864818; 723356, 3864921; 
723213, 3865076; 723071, 3865180; 722890, 3865400; 722774, 3865464; 
722238, 3865670; 722195, 3865680; 722159, 3865693; 722116, 3865717; 
722076, 3865749; 722043, 3865786; 722015, 3865831; 721981, 3865833; 
721947, 3865839; 721887, 3865861; 721859, 3865876; 721828, 3865898; 
721784, 3865943; 721740, 3865933; 721690, 3865931; 721640, 3865937; 
721591, 3865952; 721552, 3865971; 721512, 3866000; 721484, 3866026; 
721456, 3866060; 721442, 3866083; 721244, 3867532; 721175, 3867904; 
721136, 3868205; 721103, 3868253; 721049, 3868299; 720982, 3868317; 
720653, 3868333; 719876, 3868331; 719268, 3868423; 718685, 3868487; 
718241, 3868658; 717821, 3868878; 717409, 3869156; 716910, 3869404; 
716783, 3869451; 716556, 3869543; 716369, 3869658; 716332, 3869689; 
716298, 3869724; 716275, 3869757; 716241, 3869815; 716204, 3869917; 
716198, 3869973; 716207, 3870080; 716224, 3870186; 716199, 3870238; 
716175, 3870268; 716094, 3870416; 716059, 3870534; 716035, 3870554; 
716004, 3870586; 715909, 3870591; 715866, 3870602; 715831, 3870616; 
715768, 3870655; 715729, 3870693; 715703, 3870729; 715591, 3870806; 
715563, 3870829; 715439, 3870812; 715379, 3870814; 715307, 3870828; 
715214, 3870811; 715126, 3870808; 715072, 3870811; 714968, 3870829; 
714893, 3870858; 714821, 3870901; 714754, 3870953; 714710, 3870996; 
714652, 3871088; 714623, 3871171; 714594, 3871237; 714585, 3871679; 
714633, 3871964; 714648, 3872084; 714700, 3872498; 714757, 3872600; 
714811, 3872538; 714812, 3872557; 714822, 3872569; 714841, 3872574; 
714865, 3872561; 714936, 3872484; 714943, 3872486; 714979, 3872448; 
715026, 3872416; 715045, 3872409; 715139, 3872385; 715174, 3872384; 
715187, 3872353; 715220, 3872317; 715311, 3872195; 715399, 3872094; 
715504, 3871910; 715554, 3871853; 715584, 3871758; 715611, 3871694; 
715723, 3871575; 715763, 3871538; 715809, 3871508; 715839, 3871499; 
715866, 3871499; 715884, 3871492; 715886, 3871487; 715905, 3871508; 
715939, 3871533; 716032, 3871559; 716069, 3871581; 716100, 3871613; 
716127, 3871626; 716156, 3871628; 716225, 3871597; 716246, 3871606; 
716258, 3871632; 716259, 3871650; 716233, 3871661; 716215, 3871679; 
716204, 3871718; 716162, 3871752; 716148, 3871789; 716140, 3871835; 
716136, 3871843; 716159, 3871859; 716159, 3871888; 716169, 3871917; 
716181, 3871909; 716222, 3871895; 716313, 3871875; 716405, 3871862; 
716449, 3871852; 716522, 3871824; 716571, 3871810; 716609, 3871807; 
716647, 3871829; 716685, 3871865; 716730, 3871900; 716807, 3871942; 
716864, 3871993; 716896, 3872007; 716946, 3872021; 716967, 3872035; 
716981, 3872050; 716985, 3872064; 716983, 3872072; 716967, 3872089; 
716949, 3872097; 716906, 3872099; 716881, 3872105; 716856, 3872121; 
716842, 3872141; 716838, 3872156; 716841, 3872170; 716851, 3872182; 
716872, 3872195; 716881, 3872207; 716884, 3872220; 716881, 3872245; 
716886, 3872257; 716893, 3872265;

[[Page 45834]]

716912, 3872268; 716941, 3872259; 717030, 3872195; 717102, 3872161; 
717157, 3872121; 717186, 3872114; 717219, 3872122; 717268, 3872157; 
717317, 3872177; 717348, 3872195; 717377, 3872217; 717404, 3872243; 
717508, 3872361; 717536, 3872398; 717563, 3872443; 717604, 3872530; 
717623, 3872560; 717647, 3872586; 717666, 3872599; 717688, 3872608; 
717765, 3872621; 717817, 3872643; 717855, 3872673; 717919, 3872746; 
717968, 3872789; 718018, 3872821; 718107, 3872859; 718179, 3872909; 
718219, 3872926; 718248, 3872933; 718273, 3872934; 718369, 3872925; 
718399, 3872919; 718451, 3872900; 718524, 3872858; 718562, 3872841; 
718603, 3872830; 718672, 3872822; 718707, 3872812; 718735, 3872799; 
718803, 3872758; 718817, 3872767; 718837, 3872765; 718866, 3872776; 
718896, 3872771; 718946, 3872757; 719002, 3872733; 719104, 3872679; 
719151, 3872663; 719196, 3872658; 719240, 3872659; 719268, 3872680; 
719349, 3872671; 719457, 3872667; 719506, 3872659; 719570, 3872635; 
719627, 3872606; 719674, 3872571; 719732, 3872514; 719768, 3872484; 
719798, 3872488; 719859, 3872487; 719933, 3872506; 720039, 3872502; 
720078, 3872511; 720180, 3872519; 720233, 3872513; 720254, 3872516; 
720410, 3872516; 720485, 3872508; 720522, 3872549; 720538, 3872583; 
720566, 3872627; 720599, 3872659; 720665, 3872695; 720743, 3872752; 
720831, 3872807; 720860, 3872821; 720869, 3872844; 720903, 3872903; 
720967, 3872995; 721045, 3873136; 721125, 3873225; 721236, 3873325; 
721300, 3873370; 721391, 3873426; 721431, 3873446; 721579, 3873489; 
721745, 3873504; 721755, 3873508; 721736, 3872983; 721676, 3872947; 
721604, 3872932; 721469, 3872572; 721453, 3872216; 721076, 3871755; 
721064, 3871691; 721041, 3871621; 721010, 3871564; 720911, 3871474; 
720836, 3871431; 720770, 3871408; 720720, 3871397; 720694, 3871396; 
720619, 3871416; 720602, 3871423; 720558, 3871452; 720511, 3871494; 
720439, 3871479; 720347, 3871476; 720275, 3871486; 720237, 3871480; 
720158, 3871488; 720140, 3871495; 720108, 3871515; 720059, 3871481; 
720022, 3871466; 719978, 3871455; 719938, 3871456; 719915, 3871463; 
719895, 3871475; 719876, 3871493; 719863, 3871514; 719853, 3871547; 
719847, 3871589; 719845, 3871673; 719821, 3871663; 719784, 3871658; 
719750, 3871666; 719721, 3871686; 719546, 3871690; 719438, 3871698; 
719405, 3871673; 719371, 3871663; 719214, 3871667; 719190, 3871671; 
719174, 3871677; 719143, 3871698; 719127, 3871715; 719118, 3871730; 
719103, 3871777; 719099, 3871870; 719024, 3871923; 718988, 3871944; 
718944, 3871987; 718927, 3872015; 718909, 3872031; 718888, 3872039; 
718873, 3872049; 718832, 3872089; 718820, 3872105; 718680, 3872109; 
718657, 3872118; 718642, 3872128; 718613, 3872161; 718494, 3872106; 
718477, 3872075; 718450, 3872053; 718301, 3872000; 718226, 3871979; 
718143, 3871963; 718093, 3871967; 718063, 3871966; 718025, 3871978; 
718024, 3871947; 718017, 3871924; 718000, 3871900; 717982, 3871885; 
717949, 3871867; 717906, 3871850; 717883, 3871831; 717867, 3871823; 
717821, 3871809; 717776, 3871801; 717706, 3871782; 717653, 3871721; 
717601, 3871669; 717541, 3871618; 717486, 3871592; 717443, 3871566; 
717327, 3871536; 717268, 3871502; 717186, 3871445; 717016, 3871276; 
716937, 3871210; 716935, 3871159; 716923, 3871127; 716934, 3871107; 
716938, 3871090; 716946, 3870945; 716950, 3870946; 716759, 3870721; 
716704, 3870703; 716556, 3870676; 716621, 3870616; 716640, 3870630; 
716667, 3870639; 716689, 3870643; 716713, 3870641; 716746, 3870628; 
716792, 3870595; 716826, 3870578; 716889, 3870553; 716909, 3870541; 
716929, 3870518; 716941, 3870486; 716944, 3870338; 716949, 3870336; 
717097, 3870320; 717202, 3870321; 717223, 3870336; 717252, 3870346; 
717267, 3870362; 717287, 3870374; 717326, 3870385; 717354, 3870385; 
717463, 3870368; 717510, 3870353; 717550, 3870333; 717579, 3870311; 
717605, 3870281; 717625, 3870270; 717642, 3870254; 717656, 3870229; 
717662, 3870194; 717880, 3870216; 717974, 3870221; 718014, 3870220; 
718661, 3870104; 718713, 3870090; 718801, 3870045; 718834, 3870025; 
718872, 3869992; 718911, 3869948; 718991, 3869919; 719051, 3869883; 
719334, 3869806; 719381, 3869788; 719896, 3869439; 719971, 3869378; 
720022, 3869344; 720050, 3869335; 720112, 3869333; 720158, 3869335; 
720195, 3869345; 720228, 3869362; 720268, 3869356; 720292, 3869358; 
720317, 3869348; 720341, 3869346; 720389, 3869352; 720831, 3869379; 
720825, 3869371; 721395, 3869508; 721511, 3869524; 721582, 3869523; 
721631, 3869515; 721688, 3869557; 721764, 3869591; 721809, 3869605; 
721946, 3869631; 722043, 3869682; 722197, 3869744; 722236, 3869756; 
722281, 3869763; 722346, 3869764; 722397, 3869755; 722444, 3869738; 
722488, 3869714; 722522, 3869688; 722565, 3869643; 722592, 3869608; 
722613, 3869569; 722628, 3869528; 722660, 3869357; 722783, 3869166; 
722921, 3869000; 723068, 3868844; 723102, 3868813; 723136, 3868769; 
723186, 3868721; 723234, 3868711; 723277, 3868694; 723319, 3868668; 
723353, 3868639; 723418, 3868565; 723683, 3868227; 723718, 3868208; 
723774, 3868168; 723800, 3868142; 723852, 3868082; 723872, 3868050; 
723899, 3867992; 723913, 3867957; 723920, 3867926; 723929, 3867815; 
723926, 3867774; 723918, 3867738; 724066, 3867726; 724110, 3867718; 
724173, 3867693; 724222, 3867660; 724255, 3867629; 724281, 3867595; 
724345, 3867532; 724373, 3867497; 724589, 3867151; 724615, 3867098; 
724647, 3867051; 724693, 3866970; 724768, 3866941; 724801, 3866922; 
724829, 3866900; 733655, 3859548; 733713, 3859516; 733951, 3859516; 
733951, 3859419; 734594, 3859416; 734594, 3860030; 734473, 3860022; 
734462, 3860249; 734200, 3860337; 734110, 3860337; 733933, 3860286; 
733933, 3860223; 733623, 3860210; 733615, 3860204; 733607, 3860128; 
733568, 3860054; 733541, 3859940; 733533, 3859890; 733655, 3859548; 
returning to 725058, 3866813.
    (ii) Note: Map of Unit 2 follows:
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

[[Page 45835]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.004

    (8) Unit 3: Ca[ntilde]ada de las Flores Unit, Santa Barbara County, 
California.
    (i) From USGS 1:24,000 scale quadrangle Sisquoc. Land bounded by 
the following UTM zone 10 NAD83 coordinates (E, N): 742558, 3850507;

[[Page 45836]]

742481, 3850424; 742403, 3850419; 742326, 3850452; 742181, 3850480; 
742176, 3850556; 742180, 3850605; 742197, 3850665; 742245, 3850766; 
742232, 3850832; 742235, 3850902; 742246, 3850958; 742266, 3851007; 
742271, 3851048; 742281, 3851084; 742301, 3851131; 742335, 3851182; 
742363, 3851243; 742394, 3851292; 742429, 3851332; 742438, 3851375; 
742456, 3851419; 742461, 3851457; 742471, 3851496; 742471, 3851532; 
742476, 3851569; 742483, 3851600; 742497, 3851635; 742515, 3851669; 
742541, 3851704; 742572, 3851735; 742608, 3851761; 742624, 3851815; 
742650, 3851865; 742652, 3851886; 742641, 3851924; 742625, 3851999; 
742612, 3852029; 742601, 3852065; 742583, 3852157; 742579, 3852210; 
742552, 3852255; 742534, 3852302; 742527, 3852316; 742442, 3852346; 
742392, 3852375; 742342, 3852419; 742306, 3852466; 742285, 3852506; 
742270, 3852553; 742262, 3852604; 742263, 3852655; 742203, 3852734; 
742141, 3852858; 742121, 3852916; 742111, 3852978; 742193, 3853224; 
742288, 3853414; 742484, 3853503; 742816, 3853484; 742812, 3853488; 
743060, 3853489; 743066, 3853483; 743067, 3853489; 743247, 3853474; 
743454, 3853451; 743454, 3853446; 743490, 3853449; 743535, 3853447; 
743585, 3853438; 743625, 3853424; 743659, 3853408; 743694, 3853384; 
743727, 3853356; 743756, 3853321; 743780, 3853284; 743796, 3853249; 
743808, 3853208; 743817, 3853159; 743819, 3853115; 743800, 3852934; 
743754, 3852734; 743649, 3852472; 743561, 3852342; 743421, 3852276; 
743316, 3852119; 743278, 3851942; 743218, 3851742; 743193, 3851646; 
743172, 3851599; 743164, 3851565; 743151, 3851530; 743105, 3851444; 
743086, 3851416; 743094, 3851372; 743096, 3851328; 743092, 3851290; 
743082, 3851247; 743058, 3851187; 743037, 3851148; 743010, 3851113; 
742982, 3851087; 742955, 3851028; 742931, 3850990; 742906, 3850962; 
742866, 3850925; 742864, 3850869; 742852, 3850819; 742862, 3850709; 
742860, 3850678; 742854, 3850640; 742840, 3850598; 742821, 3850559; 
742795, 3850522; 742769, 3850495; returning to 742558, 3850507.
    (ii) Note: Map of Unit 3 follows:
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

[[Page 45837]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.005

    (9) Unit 4: San Antonio Creek Unit, Santa Barbara County, 
California.
    (i) From USGS 1:24,000 scale quadrangles Casmalia and Orcutt. Land 
bounded by the following UTM zone 10 NAD83 coordinates (E, N): 721762,

[[Page 45838]]

3852103; 722015, 3851871; 722000, 3851830; 721973, 3851777; 721962, 
3851727; 721940, 3851675; 721913, 3851633; 721883, 3851600; 721853, 
3851576; 721807, 3851548; 721799, 3851502; 721788, 3851466; 721772, 
3851432; 721751, 3851396; 721763, 3851388; 721806, 3851378; 721845, 
3851364; 721915, 3851326; 721952, 3851309; 721989, 3851285; 722038, 
3851243; 722071, 3851228; 722129, 3851229; 722183, 3851221; 722199, 
3851234; 722200, 3851277; 722206, 3851320; 722218, 3851362; 722234, 
3851398; 722261, 3851443; 722339, 3851542; 722384, 3851585; 722440, 
3851619; 722498, 3851641; 722555, 3851649; 722611, 3851647; 722667, 
3851633; 722718, 3851609; 722764, 3851575; 722802, 3851533; 722832, 
3851485; 722850, 3851437; 722863, 3851372; 722950, 3851373; 723026, 
3851360; 723109, 3851328; 723140, 3851310; 723172, 3851288; 723222, 
3851320; 723269, 3851340; 723332, 3851355; 723401, 3851362; 723523, 
3851362; 723633, 3851351; 723676, 3851343; 723728, 3851322; 723737, 
3851322; 723741, 3851324; 723785, 3851411; 723816, 3851450; 723839, 
3851485; 723868, 3851518; 723870, 3851580; 723886, 3851641; 723919, 
3851706; 723937, 3851732; 723963, 3851759; 723998, 3851787; 724042, 
3851812; 724094, 3851830; 724143, 3851839; 724194, 3851840; 724238, 
3851833; 724286, 3851817; 724331, 3851794; 724382, 3851797; 724415, 
3851839; 724452, 3851872; 724484, 3851893; 724535, 3851915; 724562, 
3851934; 724599, 3851953; 724636, 3851989; 724674, 3852017; 724676, 
3852086; 724688, 3852141; 724692, 3852181; 724704, 3852244; 724727, 
3852225; 724773, 3852197; 724814, 3852186; 724852, 3852181; 724881, 
3852184; 724896, 3852180; 725000, 3852103; 725112, 3852093; 725333, 
3852032; 725334, 3852028; 725368, 3852034; 725403, 3852036; 725438, 
3852045; 725475, 3852049; 725463, 3852102; 725459, 3852176; 725442, 
3852206; 725424, 3852244; 725413, 3852281; 725408, 3852312; 725406, 
3852349; 725408, 3852381; 725415, 3852419; 725427, 3852455; 725447, 
3852494; 725472, 3852530; 725503, 3852562; 725538, 3852589; 725576, 
3852610; 725618, 3852626; 725661, 3852636; 725712, 3852638; 725749, 
3852635; 725780, 3852628; 725839, 3852604; 725946, 3852533; 726001, 
3852479; 726043, 3852416; 726067, 3852356; 726074, 3852322; 726077, 
3852287; 726072, 3852216; 726081, 3852196; 726125, 3852140; 726164, 
3852153; 726171, 3852167; 726390, 3852142; 726746, 3851991; 726741, 
3851981; 726830, 3851939; 726857, 3851921; 726885, 3851896; 726931, 
3851843; 726967, 3851774; 727011, 3851776; 727069, 3851770; 727096, 
3851775; 727171, 3851799; 727230, 3851812; 727277, 3851833; 727351, 
3851856; 727349, 3851863; 727573, 3851852; 727569, 3851863; 727846, 
3851875; 728053, 3851872; 728057, 3851854; 728104, 3851850; 728140, 
3851841; 728176, 3851828; 728213, 3851808; 728261, 3851773; 728302, 
3851729; 728367, 3851684; 728425, 3851669; 728487, 3851639; 728528, 
3851611; 728567, 3851572; 728620, 3851571; 728679, 3851562; 728715, 
3851550; 728760, 3851527; 728805, 3851510; 728870, 3851510; 728961, 
3851495; 729009, 3851480; 729055, 3851455; 729121, 3851440; 729182, 
3851457; 729294, 3851467; 729340, 3851467; 729384, 3851460; 729457, 
3851434; 729500, 3851412; 729545, 3851378; 729596, 3851322; 729631, 
3851301; 729688, 3851289; 729761, 3851310; 729817, 3851316; 729850, 
3851341; 729884, 3851358; 729949, 3851387; 729998, 3851401; 730042, 
3851405; 730080, 3851404; 730177, 3851384; 730224, 3851414; 730281, 
3851457; 730348, 3851494; 730375, 3851526; 730410, 3851557; 730490, 
3851607; 730574, 3851637; 730619, 3851646; 730665, 3851671; 730740, 
3851698; 730777, 3851706; 730824, 3851710; 730891, 3851725; 730941, 
3851728; 731013, 3851720; 731086, 3851698; 731138, 3851675; 731180, 
3851647; 731217, 3851613; 731247, 3851572; 731272, 3851526; 731311, 
3851505; 731311, 3851592; 731315, 3851630; 731324, 3851667; 731345, 
3851723; 731364, 3851761; 731390, 3851797; 731421, 3851829; 731455, 
3851856; 731494, 3851877; 731572, 3851909; 731609, 3851920; 731646, 
3851926; 731703, 3851926; 731775, 3851917; 731811, 3851909; 731863, 
3851909; 731919, 3851900; 731973, 3851882; 732015, 3851858; 732061, 
3851823; 732098, 3851780; 732124, 3851737; 732140, 3851695; 732149, 
3851652; 732153, 3851598; 732165, 3851567; 732208, 3851553; 732242, 
3851538; 732427, 3851430; 732457, 3851405; 732560, 3851303; 732590, 
3851263; 732611, 3851221; 732650, 3851193; 732714, 3851173; 732849, 
3851106; 732955, 3851030; 732982, 3851004; 733013, 3850968; 733074, 
3851007; 733103, 3851020; 733141, 3851031; 733183, 3851051; 733258, 
3851075; 733321, 3851083; 733385, 3851108; 733437, 3851120; 733499, 
3851149; 733544, 3851165; 733667, 3851195; 733711, 3851198; 733749, 
3851195; 733813, 3851178; 733858, 3851159; 733890, 3851141; 733934, 
3851105; 734000, 3851032; 734036, 3850977; 734058, 3850924; 734069, 
3850869; 734069, 3850810; 733994, 3850850; 733870, 3850837; 733805, 
3850835; 733684, 3850837; 733385, 3850709; 733248, 3850662; 733178, 
3850515; 733125, 3850381; 732899, 3850360; 732902, 3849998; 733235, 
3849969; 733259, 3849848; 733616, 3849806; 733710, 3849704; 733797, 
3849670; 733743, 3849369; 733681, 3849340; 733359, 3849233; 733327, 
3849224; 733289, 3849219; 733165, 3849216; 733114, 3849221; 732829, 
3849289; 732780, 3849296; 732646, 3849339; 732495, 3849399; 732443, 
3849429; 732413, 3849453; 732383, 3849486; 732361, 3849518; 732335, 
3849567; 732289, 3849579; 732177, 3849584; 732087, 3849603; 732029, 
3849609; 731975, 3849624; 731941, 3849637; 731890, 3849662; 731833, 
3849683; 731700, 3849753; 731563, 3849801; 731463, 3849846; 731375, 
3849865; 731305, 3849886; 731222, 3849915; 731143, 3849948; 731090, 
3849979; 731059, 3850002; 731024, 3850038; 731000, 3850072; 730947, 
3850089; 730897, 3850115; 730867, 3850137; 730821, 3850177; 730786, 
3850197; 730756, 3850221; 730704, 3850279; 730660, 3850346; 730638, 
3850391; 730520, 3850501; 730388, 3850568; 730309, 3850618; 730261, 
3850635; 730222, 3850656; 730196, 3850675; 730165, 3850704; 730091, 
3850788; 730050, 3850774; 729951, 3850749; 729871, 3850739; 729761, 
3850708; 729717, 3850703; 729650, 3850703; 729606, 3850710; 729559, 
3850723; 729507, 3850723; 729469, 3850727; 729414, 3850742; 729380, 
3850758; 729353, 3850774; 729323, 3850798; 729295, 3850826; 729243, 
3850859; 729205, 3850850; 729167, 3850846; 729078, 3850853; 728960, 
3850883; 728865, 3850897; 728828, 3850908; 728791, 3850925; 728741, 
3850923; 728687, 3850916; 728637, 3850919; 728576, 3850899; 728526, 
3850892; 728481, 3850893; 728424, 3850902; 728359, 3850921; 728305, 
3850948; 728243, 3850994; 728203, 3851038; 728159, 3851072; 728124, 
3851108; 728070, 3851129; 728069, 3851114; 727865, 3851171; 727657, 
3851203; 727457, 3851190; 727457, 3851196; 727452, 3851198; 727398, 
3851212; 727361, 3851206; 727316, 3851204; 727257, 3851185; 727162, 
3851167; 727096, 3851122; 727061, 3851107; 727025, 3851096; 726987, 
3851090; 726956, 3851088; 726892, 3851090; 726848, 3851096; 726810, 
3851106; 726761, 3851124; 726703, 3851155; 726645, 3851191; 726586, 
3851238; 726503, 3851318; 726464, 3851372; 726431, 3851437; 726395,

[[Page 45839]]

3851453; 726363, 3851472; 726301, 3851493; 726257, 3851519; 726226, 
3851507; 726106, 3851405; 726051, 3851369; 726004, 3851349; 725948, 
3851337; 725883, 3851311; 725846, 3851301; 725789, 3851294; 725752, 
3851293; 725714, 3851296; 725677, 3851305; 725572, 3851350; 725541, 
3851371; 725501, 3851407; 725490, 3851412; 725451, 3851372; 725391, 
3851326; 725335, 3851298; 725261, 3851271; 725205, 3851260; 725149, 
3851260; 725100, 3851266; 725052, 3851280; 725008, 3851230; 724951, 
3851190; 724891, 3851115; 724831, 3851050; 724805, 3851027; 724745, 
3850980; 724713, 3850960; 724679, 3850945; 724588, 3850915; 724546, 
3850874; 724504, 3850845; 724462, 3850791; 724446, 3850757; 724426, 
3850726; 724394, 3850687; 724363, 3850658; 724341, 3850606; 724309, 
3850553; 724270, 3850507; 724225, 3850471; 724154, 3850411; 723989, 
3850326; 723742, 3850146; 723523, 3850061; 723468, 3850059; 723409, 
3850068; 723369, 3850080; 723332, 3850097; 723236, 3850159; 723203, 
3850188; 723152, 3850226; 723083, 3850288; 722961, 3850227; 722919, 
3850211; 722880, 3850202; 722886, 3850183; 722696, 3850119; 722697, 
3850114; 722450, 3850031; 722310, 3850034; 722273, 3850045; 722252, 
3850055; 722226, 3850072; 722181, 3850121; 722167, 3850080; 722171, 
3850012; 722174, 3850007; 721926, 3850012; 721727, 3850092; 721668, 
3850119; 721594, 3850161; 721490, 3850206; 721451, 3850228; 721405, 
3850263; 721360, 3850286; 721295, 3850337; 721220, 3850406; 721184, 
3850449; 721154, 3850499; 721117, 3850488; 721069, 3850481; 721025, 
3850482; 720985, 3850487; 720936, 3850501; 720892, 3850518; 720792, 
3850573; 720762, 3850596; 720728, 3850629; 720704, 3850658; 720684, 
3850690; 720669, 3850725; 720647, 3850791; 720641, 3850828; 720639, 
3850883; 720621, 3850894; 720560, 3850907; 720480, 3850896; 720425, 
3850895; 720377, 3850902; 720329, 3850917; 720189, 3851070; 720057, 
3851148; 719923, 3851200; 719762, 3851249; 719734, 3851275; 719706, 
3851307; 719621, 3851285; 719586, 3851282; 719538, 3851283; 719489, 
3851293; 719440, 3851311; 719392, 3851313; 719343, 3851322; 719302, 
3851335; 719263, 3851355; 719222, 3851383; 719187, 3851417; 719153, 
3851431; 719120, 3851450; 719077, 3851481; 719051, 3851505; 719023, 
3851539; 718981, 3851601; 718964, 3851635; 718951, 3851673; 718897, 
3851684; 718844, 3851706; 718764, 3851758; 718706, 3851809; 718679, 
3851838; 718623, 3851913; 718603, 3851945; 718588, 3851978; 718551, 
3851999; 718515, 3852028; 718466, 3852046; 718378, 3852068; 718338, 
3852087; 718286, 3852121; 718198, 3852145; 718119, 3852179; 718081, 
3852200; 718002, 3852254; 717924, 3852320; 717887, 3852363; 717835, 
3852451; 717812, 3852517; 717764, 3852545; 717708, 3852593; 717675, 
3852614; 717681, 3852875; 717685, 3852872; 717686, 3853145; 717723, 
3853110; 717797, 3853060; 717839, 3853009; 718078, 3852793; 718144, 
3852742; 718224, 3852666; 718297, 3852606; 718371, 3852527; 718426, 
3852482; 718450, 3852469; 718491, 3852464; 718579, 3852436; 718668, 
3852396; 718677, 3852396; 718738, 3852365; 718811, 3852338; 718851, 
3852316; 718871, 3852291; 718895, 3852230; 718901, 3852160; 718930, 
3852117; 718976, 3852066; 719006, 3852041; 719038, 3852036; 719101, 
3852057; 719145, 3852060; 719220, 3852078; 719250, 3852075; 719263, 
3852068; 719283, 3852035; 719294, 3851992; 719293, 3851974; 719273, 
3851924; 719266, 3851892; 719266, 3851868; 719280, 3851835; 719310, 
3851806; 719370, 3851766; 719446, 3851726; 719467, 3851710; 719544, 
3851670; 719589, 3851656; 719618, 3851654; 719668, 3851664; 719702, 
3851681; 719740, 3851692; 719795, 3851727; 719834, 3851730; 719870, 
3851717; 719880, 3851721; 719919, 3851719; 719939, 3851725; 719957, 
3851749; 719986, 3851811; 720000, 3851827; 720057, 3851864; 720082, 
3851874; 720109, 3851876; 720182, 3851859; 720303, 3851802; 720376, 
3851786; 720429, 3851780; 720486, 3851763; 720512, 3851748; 720582, 
3851692; 720625, 3851666; 720663, 3851650; 720672, 3851652; 720653, 
3851714; 720658, 3851737; 720657, 3851842; 720666, 3851897; 720661, 
3851917; 720648, 3851935; 720674, 3851924; 720706, 3851920; 720742, 
3851927; 720777, 3851940; 720797, 3851955; 720814, 3851975; 720836, 
3852036; 720864, 3852048; 720892, 3852071; 720981, 3852084; 721083, 
3852108; 721109, 3852099; 721147, 3852098; 721226, 3852108; 721250, 
3852092; 721286, 3852079; 721310, 3852077; 721333, 3852081; 721369, 
3852097; 721410, 3852133; 721462, 3852164; 721509, 3852215; 721538, 
3852260; returning to 721762, 3852103.
    (ii) Note: Map of Unit 4 follows:
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

[[Page 45840]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.006


[[Page 45841]]


    (10) Unit 5: San Antonio Terrace Dunes Unit, Santa Barbara County, 
California.
    (i) From USGS 1:24,000 scale quadrangles Casmalia and Orcutt. Land 
bounded by the following UTM zone 10 NAD83 coordinates (E, N): 718605, 
3859659; 718632, 3859657; 718697, 3859669; 718778, 3859567; 718777, 
3859481; 718786, 3859450; 718804, 3859422; 718947, 3859267; 719023, 
3859199; 719113, 3859092; 719153, 3859066; 719188, 3859055; 719261, 
3859047; 719299, 3859037; 719351, 3859008; 719388, 3858974; 719406, 
3858946; 719403, 3858923; 719379, 3858912; 719331, 3858928; 719316, 
3858929; 719306, 3858919; 719307, 3858893; 719320, 3858877; 719349, 
3858862; 719382, 3858836; 719537, 3858692; 719596, 3858642; 719718, 
3858573; 719756, 3858523; 719783, 3858510; 719808, 3858517; 719815, 
3858530; 719808, 3858550; 719759, 3858603; 719749, 3858631; 719751, 
3858639; 719756, 3858643; 719767, 3858640; 719874, 3858594; 719969, 
3858523; 720074, 3858429; 720185, 3858366; 720238, 3858305; 720289, 
3858264; 720330, 3858247; 720368, 3858204; 720373, 3858187; 720389, 
3858168; 720387, 3858160; 720418, 3858106; 720442, 3858084; 720458, 
3858063; 720561, 3858017; 720700, 3857948; 720740, 3857917; 720782, 
3857874; 720864, 3857844; 720844, 3857813; 720798, 3857789; 720769, 
3857783; 720737, 3857788; 720701, 3857783; 720689, 3857775; 720672, 
3857741; 720676, 3857711; 720687, 3857694; 720707, 3857681; 720736, 
3857675; 720803, 3857689; 720806, 3857681; 720757, 3857597; 720742, 
3857515; 720743, 3857476; 720753, 3857441; 720764, 3857423; 720765, 
3857408; 720785, 3857375; 720837, 3857331; 720981, 3857243; 721077, 
3857172; 721186, 3857075; 721304, 3856957; 721381, 3856891; 721410, 
3856860; 721619, 3856669; 721682, 3856625; 721804, 3856514; 721968, 
3856387; 722031, 3856326; 722101, 3856241; 722169, 3856170; 722265, 
3856086; 722284, 3856084; 722294, 3856066; 722332, 3856023; 722373, 
3855962; 722376, 3855941; 722371, 3855894; 722386, 3855851; 722399, 
3855840; 722468, 3855813; 722485, 3855800; 722517, 3855763; 722528, 
3855735; 722558, 3855687; 722633, 3855583; 722658, 3855530; 722669, 
3855468; 722667, 3855445; 722687, 3855392; 722706, 3855373; 722766, 
3855346; 722893, 3855269; 723116, 3855074; 723150, 3855051; 723198, 
3854994; 723214, 3854946; 723222, 3854885; 723250, 3854853; 723266, 
3854839; 723364, 3854784; 723408, 3854774; 723451, 3854785; 723484, 
3854787; 723518, 3854777; 723537, 3854762; 723558, 3854732; 723505, 
3854653; 723501, 3854618; 723511, 3854574; 723536, 3854530; 723571, 
3854490; 723618, 3854458; 723754, 3854398; 723829, 3854321; 723881, 
3854276; 723940, 3854205; 723960, 3854165; 723969, 3854127; 723946, 
3854104; 723941, 3854087; 723945, 3854054; 723959, 3854028; 723992, 
3853990; 724017, 3853969; 724091, 3853938; 724170, 3853878; 724282, 
3853770; 724332, 3853715; 724342, 3853709; 724418, 3853612; 724408, 
3853601; 724407, 3853586; 724424, 3853532; 724462, 3853485; 724551, 
3853389; 724638, 3853316; 724650, 3853279; 724652, 3853253; 724637, 
3853093; 724641, 3853000; 724655, 3852912; 724693, 3852756; 724727, 
3852664; 724783, 3852553; 724839, 3852487; 724864, 3852446; 724990, 
3852276; 725010, 3852204; 725010, 3852144; 725000, 3852103; 724896, 
3852180; 724881, 3852184; 724852, 3852181; 724814, 3852186; 724773, 
3852197; 724727, 3852225; 724704, 3852244; 724690, 3852296; 724679, 
3852310; 724658, 3852331; 724598, 3852368; 724502, 3852462; 724447, 
3852497; 724382, 3852521; 724335, 3852547; 724248, 3852620; 724101, 
3852732; 723998, 3852791; 723799, 3852926; 723491, 3853016; 723054, 
3852881; 722842, 3852752; 722816, 3852515; 722906, 3852470; 723056, 
3852348; 723033, 3852303; 723007, 3852267; 722971, 3852232; 722931, 
3852205; 722927, 3852163; 722912, 3852137; 722894, 3852121; 722861, 
3852107; 722789, 3852090; 722734, 3852083; 722711, 3852086; 722677, 
3852099; 722632, 3852098; 722564, 3852105; 722521, 3852095; 722469, 
3852089; 722425, 3852091; 722375, 3852102; 722323, 3852124; 722276, 
3852155; 722212, 3852225; 722152, 3852280; 722107, 3852301; 722058, 
3852334; 721988, 3852360; 721968, 3852345; 721730, 3852283; 721762, 
3852103; 721538, 3852260; 721509, 3852215; 721462, 3852164; 721410, 
3852133; 721369, 3852097; 721333, 3852081; 721310, 3852077; 721286, 
3852079; 721250, 3852092; 721226, 3852108; 721147, 3852098; 721109, 
3852099; 721083, 3852108; 720981, 3852084; 720892, 3852071; 720864, 
3852048; 720836, 3852036; 720814, 3851975; 720797, 3851955; 720777, 
3851940; 720742, 3851927; 720706, 3851920; 720674, 3851924; 720648, 
3851935; 720661, 3851917; 720666, 3851897; 720657, 3851842; 720658, 
3851737; 720653, 3851714; 720670, 3851664; 720672, 3851652; 720663, 
3851650; 720625, 3851666; 720582, 3851692; 720512, 3851748; 720486, 
3851763; 720429, 3851780; 720376, 3851786; 720303, 3851802; 720182, 
3851859; 720109, 3851876; 720082, 3851874; 720057, 3851864; 720000, 
3851827; 719986, 3851811; 719957, 3851749; 719939, 3851725; 719919, 
3851719; 719880, 3851721; 719870, 3851717; 719834, 3851730; 719795, 
3851727; 719740, 3851692; 719702, 3851681; 719668, 3851664; 719618, 
3851654; 719589, 3851656; 719544, 3851670; 719467, 3851710; 719446, 
3851726; 719370, 3851766; 719310, 3851806; 719280, 3851835; 719266, 
3851868; 719266, 3851892; 719273, 3851924; 719293, 3851974; 719294, 
3851992; 719283, 3852035; 719263, 3852068; 719250, 3852075; 719220, 
3852078; 719145, 3852060; 719101, 3852057; 719038, 3852036; 719006, 
3852041; 718976, 3852066; 718930, 3852117; 718901, 3852160; 718895, 
3852230; 718871, 3852291; 718851, 3852316; 718811, 3852338; 718738, 
3852365; 718677, 3852396; 718668, 3852396; 718579, 3852436; 718491, 
3852464; 718450, 3852469; 718426, 3852482; 718371, 3852527; 718297, 
3852606; 718224, 3852666; 718144, 3852742; 718078, 3852793; 717839, 
3853009; 717797, 3853060; 717723, 3853110; 717686, 3853145; 717674, 
3853147; 717666, 3853167; 717675, 3853223; 717685, 3853261; 717734, 
3853389; 717746, 3853456; 717742, 3853590; 717763, 3853704; 717779, 
3853758; 717788, 3853820; 717783, 3853927; 717790, 3853968; 717822, 
3854086; 717846, 3854146; 717848, 3854308; 717855, 3854376; 717878, 
3854437; 717880, 3854476; 717913, 3854597; 717917, 3854689; 717922, 
3854724; 717933, 3854755; 717940, 3854844; 717956, 3854882; 717960, 
3854929; 717975, 3854996; 717978, 3855029; 717989, 3855066; 717994, 
3855116; 718010, 3855177; 718013, 3855213; 718031, 3855266; 718056, 
3855377; 718075, 3855491; 718079, 3855550; 718087, 3855579; 718096, 
3855644; 718118, 3855727; 718146, 3855788; 718158, 3855837; 718160, 
3855938; 718179, 3856070; 718181, 3856147; 718194, 3856205; 718202, 
3856297; 718225, 3856420; 718231, 3856494; 718242, 3856540; 718245, 
3856582; 718258, 3856625; 718265, 3856675; 718285, 3856731; 718296, 
3856796; 718321, 3856884; 718323, 3856920; 718340, 3857025; 718352, 
3857052; 718369, 3857127; 718394, 3857282; 718408, 3857340; 718424, 
3857457; 718442, 3857527; 718450, 3857586; 718462, 3857629; 718479, 
3857711; 718481, 3857743; 718496, 3857802; 718500, 3857891; 718491, 
3857950; 718498, 3858048; 718525,

[[Page 45842]]

3858214; 718536, 3858363; 718542, 3858401; 718573, 3858507; 718575, 
3858566; 718570, 3858602; 718523, 3858731; 718538, 3858964; 718531, 
3859020; 718498, 3859180; 718487, 3859308; 718485, 3859439; 718454, 
3859579; 718429, 3859754; 718386, 3859925; 718379, 3860005; 718370, 
3860051; 718373, 3860072; 718392, 3860063; 718409, 3860046; 718449, 
3859977; 718476, 3859945; 718503, 3859902; 718525, 3859841; 718520, 
3859825; 718525, 3859757; 718554, 3859705; 718596, 3859665; returning 
to 718605, 3859659.
    (ii) Note: Map of Unit 5 follows:
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

[[Page 45843]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.007

    (11) Unit 6: Santa Ynez River Unit, Santa Barbara County, 
California.
    (i) From USGS 1:24,000 scale quadrangle Surf. Land bounded by the 
following UTM zone 10 NAD83 coordinates (E, N): 723859, 3838896;

[[Page 45844]]

725620, 3837543; 725271, 3837051; 724901, 3836933; 724638, 3837069; 
724497, 3837192; 724248, 3837597; 724203, 3837932; 723652, 3838108; 
723524, 3838238; 723422, 3838457; 723388, 3838299; 723182, 3837963; 
722841, 3837832; 722612, 3837911; 722535, 3838033; 722526, 3838178; 
722660, 3838389; 722817, 3838984; 722632, 3839136; 722566, 3839348; 
720953, 3840388; 720833, 3840568; 720377, 3840677; 720267, 3840828; 
720267, 3841007; 719515, 3841235; 719882, 3842225; 720041, 3842323; 
720232, 3842302; 720395, 3842134; 720431, 3841932; 720809, 3841827; 
721128, 3841609; 721478, 3841925; 721870, 3841964; 722263, 3841900; 
722718, 3841675; 722963, 3841384; 723238, 3841416; 723454, 3841333; 
723560, 3841154; 723497, 3840885; 723592, 3840685; 723500, 3840365; 
723716, 3840247; 723901, 3840313; 723743, 3839692; 723632, 3839434; 
723459, 3839221; returning to 723859, 3838896.
    (ii) Note: Map of Unit 6 follows:
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

[[Page 45845]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP06AU08.008


[[Page 45846]]


* * * * *

    Dated: July 28, 2008.
Lyle Laverty,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. E8-17808 Filed 8-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-C