[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 104 (Thursday, June 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25299-25302]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11305]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R2-ES-2017-N004; FXES11130200000C2-112-FF02ENEH00]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Texas 
Coastal Bend Shortgrass Prairie Multi-Species Recovery Plan: Including 
Slender Rush-Pea (Hoffmannseggia tenella) and South Texas Ambrosia 
(Ambrosia cheiranthifolia)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of our draft Texas Coastal Bend Shortgrass Prairie Multi-
Species Recovery Plan that includes the slender rush-pea 
(Hoffmannseggia tenella) and South Texas ambrosia (Ambrosia 
cheiranthifolia). Both species are listed as endangered under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Slender rush-pea and 
South Texas ambrosia are currently found in remnant patches of 
shortgrass prairie within the Texas Coastal Bend in Nueces and Kleberg 
Counties, Texas. The draft recovery plan includes specific recovery 
objectives and criteria that, when achieved, will enable us to remove 
both species from the list of endangered and threatened plants. We 
request review and comment on this plan from local, State, and Federal 
agencies; tribes; and the public. We will also accept any new 
information on the status of the slender rush-pea and South Texas 
ambrosia throughout their ranges to assist in finalizing the recovery 
plan.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive written comments on or 
before July 31, 2017. However, we will accept information about any 
species at any time.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the draft recovery plan, you may 
obtain a copy by any one of the following methods:
    Internet: Download the file at www.fws.gov/southwest/es/ElectronicLibrary_Main.cfm.

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    U.S. mail: Send a request to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 17629 
El Camino Real Suite 211, Houston, TX 77058; or
    Telephone: (281) 286-8282.
    If you wish to comment on the draft recovery plan, you may submit 
your comments in writing by any one of the following methods:
     U.S. mail: Project Leader, at the above address;
     Hand-delivery: Texas Coastal Ecological Services Office, 
at the above address;
     Fax: (281) 488-5882; or
     Email: [email protected].
    For additional information about submitting comments, see Request 
for Public Comments, below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amber Miller, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above address and phone number, or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Recovery of endangered or threatened animals and plants to the 
point where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems is a primary goal of our endangered species program and the 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Recovery means improvement of the status 
of listed species to the point at which listing is no longer 
appropriate under the criteria set out in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. 
The Act requires the development of recovery plans for listed species, 
unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular 
species. The recovery plan discussed in this notice is designed to 
recover (delist) two endangered plants: The slender rush-pea 
(Hoffmannseggia tenella) and the South Texas ambrosia (Ambrosia 
cheiranthifolia). The Service approved a recovery plan for slender 
rush-pea in 1988 (Service 1988) but has not previously published a 
recovery plan for South Texas ambrosia. Therefore, this plan will serve 
as an update for the 1988 recovery plan for the slender rush-pea and 
the first recovery plan for the South Texas ambrosia. This recovery 
plan uses an ecosystem-based approach because both species currently 
inhabit patches of shortgrass prairie and primary threats stem from the 
present destruction, modification, and curtailment of habitat or range.

Summary of Habitat

Texas Coastal Bend Shortgrass Prairie Ecosystem

    South Texas ambrosia and slender rush-pea are both perennial 
herbaceous plant species found in historically fire-dependent prairie 
habitat in South Texas. Both species are geographically restricted to 
open grasslands where they occur in Nueces and Kleberg Counties, Texas. 
Populations of both species grow within the fine, calcareous clays 
associated with Pleistocene deltas. Primary threats stem from the 
present or threatened destruction, modification, and curtailment of 
habitat or range. Specifically, habitat loss results from conversion of 
native prairie to row crops, improved pastures, residential 
development, and commercial development. Ongoing and significant 
habitat degradation has resulted in the encroachment of nonnative, 
invasive pasture grasses; some localized disturbance from management 
techniques (mowing); and minimal damage from herbicide drift incidents 
onto highway right-of-ways (ROWs). Drought conditions associated with 
climate change may exacerbate these impacts.

Species History

Slender rush-pea

    The slender rush-pea was federally listed as endangered throughout 
its range on November 1, 1985 (50 FR 45614). Critical habitat was not 
designated at the time of listing due to a potential increase in the 
vulnerability of collection and vandalism pressures. With a Recovery 
Priority Number of 2, the Service recommended high-priority activities 
to evaluate the best management practices at existing sites and to 
determine the best methods of controlling nonnative, invasive plants 
(i.e., introduced grasses) (USFWS 2010).
    Slender rush-pea is an herbaceous perennial plant, first collected 
in 1922 by L.J. Bottimer, but described as a valid taxon by F.E. 
Clements in 1931. Slender rush-pea has a long, woody taproot, capable 
of forming colonies (Poole 1988, p. 2), but often the plant will grow 
in clusters. A single plant has spreading stems and alternate 
bipinnately (divided into smaller leaflets) compound leaves, ranging 
from 5-12 centimeters (cm) (2-4.7 inches (in)) (Poole et al. 2007, p. 
266). There are five small, yellow-pink to reddish orange petals per 
flower, which bloom in the spring and summer months from April to 
November (Poole et al. 2007, p. 266) but may flower as late as December 
(Cobb 2013, pers. comm.). Slender rush-pea flowering and fruiting are 
linked to the bimodal rainfall episodes occurring in South Texas. 
Effective pollinators of slender rush-pea have not been observed in the 
field or in a greenhouse setting. Evidence suggests that slender rush-
pea can self-fertilize. Abundant fruits and viable seed are produced in 
the wild and in propagated populations at the San Antonio Botanical 
Gardens, Bexar County, Texas, and the Kika de la Garza Plant Materials 
Center, Kleberg County, Texas. The species has been introduced at one 
site at the North American Butterfly Association's National Butterfly 
Center, Hidalgo County, Texas.
    There are eight extant populations of slender rush-pea, all 
occurring on native remnants of shortgrass prairie habitat along 
drainage areas near creeks and streams. Victoria-associated soils that 
are loam, fine sandy loam, or sand clay loam support buffalograss-
dominated vegetation (USFWS 2012, p. 5) at the known population sites. 
Extant populations of slender rush-pea include those found on unplowed 
and undisturbed remnant stands of shortgrass prairie, with known sites 
found within railroad and highway ROWs, cemeteries, mowed park fields, 
and erosional areas along creek systems. The extant sites include: Two 
sites on State land (Petronila Creek and U.S. Highway 77 ROW); two 
sites on city or county-owned lands (Bishop City Park and Sablatura 
County Park); and four privately owned sites, one at the St. James 
Cemetery in Bishop, a private residence near Bishop, a formerly leased 
habitat on the National Guard training area known as the King Ranch 
Training Area, and an introduced site at the North American Butterfly 
Association--National Butterfly Center. There are no verified 
occurrences of slender rush-pea in Mexico.

South Texas ambrosia

    The South Texas ambrosia was federally listed as endangered 
throughout its range on August 24, 1994 (59 FR 43648). Critical habitat 
was not designated at the time of listing due to a potential increase 
in the vulnerability of collection and vandalism pressures. With a 
Recovery Priority Number of 8, the Service recommended high-priority 
activities to evaluate the best management practices at existing sites 
and to determine the best methods of controlling nonnative, invasive 
plants (i.e., introduced grasses) (USFWS 2010).
    South Texas ambrosia is an herbaceous, rhizomatous perennial that 
stands erect at approximately 10 cm (3.9 in) to 60 cm (23.6 in) tall. 
Leaves are opposite below, alternate above, sessile, oblanceolate 
(widest at leaf tip and tapering to the base) to oblong-lanceolate, and 
up to 4 cm long (Poole et al. 2007, p. 76). Flowers are dioecious, 
where male and female flowers occur on different plants. Flower heads 
are raceme-like (unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence 
bearing flowers with

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pedicels (short floral stalks) along its axis) terminal inflorescences 
(complete flower head of a plant including stems, stalks, bracts, and 
flowers) with yellowish florets. South Texas ambrosia is distinguished 
from a similar-looking species, the false ragweed (Parthenium 
confertum), by its distinctive ashy-blue-gray color (Maher 2012, pers. 
comm.). Even given the distinctive color, South Texas ambrosia can be 
difficult to locate because taller native and introduced grasses easily 
obscure this species (Turner 1983, p. 4). Flowering occurs in late 
summer or fall depending on rainfall, and lasts until lack of water or 
cold temperature curtails growth. The pollination mechanisms of South 
Texas ambrosia remain largely unknown, although at one site stems 
produced a terminal inflorescence of staminate (male) heads that 
released abundant wind-dispersed pollen. The species responds well to 
propagation and reintroduction efforts. Root cuttings were used as the 
source for a pilot reintroduction and research plot at Nueces County 
Park. This reintroduction project showed that watering seedlings is 
essential to sustaining plants and that removal and maintenance of 
nonnative grasses is important.
    More often than not, South Texas ambrosia is seen reproducing 
vegetatively by underground stem (rhizomatous) regrowth in the upper 
portion of the soil. As a result, a single individual plant may be 
represented by several-to-hundreds of stems, depending on the age of 
the plant (Turner 1983, p. 4). Current and ongoing reproductive studies 
suggest that this might be the case for a population found on the Naval 
Air Station Kingsville, Kleberg County, Texas, that had little genetic 
variation among other South Texas ambrosia samples collected and 
genetic markers; this determination implies that patches of plants on 
this site are likely part of one larger population, or a 
metapopulation.
    There are seven extant, or presumed extant, South Texas ambrosia 
populations from north-central Kleberg County through central Nueces 
County. These populations occupy habitats consisting of open prairies, 
savannas, and grassland habitats scattered with mesquite. These 
populations are known to occur on soils derived primarily from the 
Beaumont clay series, ranging from heavy clays to lighter textured 
sandy loams typical of the Texas Coastal Plain (Turner 1983, p. 6; 
Poole et al. 2007, pp. 76-77). Plant associates are composed of native 
prairie species and can include honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), 
huisache (Acacia), huisachillo (Acacia schaffneri), brasil (Condalia 
hookeri), granjeno (Celtis llida), and lotebush (Ziziphus obtusifolia) 
(USFWS 1994, in USFWS 2010, p. 18). Slender rush-pea co-occurs at three 
sites with South Texas ambrosia (Poole et al. 2007, pp. 76-77), but it 
is not a dominant species.
    South Texas ambrosia is typically found on unplowed but managed 
remnant stands of shortgrass prairie, with known sites found within 
railroad and highway ROWs, cemeteries, mowed park fields, and erosional 
areas along creek systems. The extant South Texas ambrosia sites occur 
on State lands, on both the north and southbound ROWs of U.S. Highway 
77; Federal land at the Naval Air Station Kingsville; two sites on city 
or county-owned lands (Bishop City Park and the Nueces County Park in 
Robstown); two privately owned sites, one at the St. James Cemetery in 
Bishop and a small group of plants on a lot in Kingsville (General 
Cavazos Boulevard); and a formerly leased habitat on the National Guard 
training area known as the King Ranch Training Area.
    Although all known extant populations of South Texas ambrosia are 
concentrated in the northern part of the species' range, historic 
records show that the range extended from Nueces County, Texas, south 
to San Fernando, Mexico. However, numerous South Texas ambrosia 
occurrences are now considered historic and have not been re-located in 
more than 20 years or lack a confirmation of identification (or a 
voucher).

Recovery Strategy

    The strategy to recover South Texas ambrosia and slender rush-pea 
by restoring and maintaining their shortgrass prairie habitat and its 
unique native flora includes the long-term protection, management, 
monitoring, and creation of shortgrass prairie habitat. Areas of 
sufficient size, number, composition (i.e., quality of habitat), and 
juxtaposition will support the continued existence of both species in 
the wild.

Recovery Plan Goals

    The objective of an agency recovery plan is to provide a framework 
for the recovery of a species so that protection under the Act is no 
longer necessary. A recovery plan includes scientific information about 
the species and provides criteria and actions necessary for us to be 
able to reclassify the species to threatened status or remove it from 
the lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. Recovery 
plans help guide our recovery efforts by describing actions we consider 
necessary for the species' and their habitats' conservation, and by 
estimating time and costs for implementing needed recovery measures. A 
primary objective of this plan is to ensure that there are shortgrass 
prairie areas of sufficient size, number (20 populations of slender 
rush-pea and 15 populations of South Texas ambrosia), composition, and 
juxtaposition, determined by the most current biological information 
known for the species to support the continued existence of their 
populations, that are able to persist and thrive in the wild. To 
achieve the plan's recovery goals and objectives, this draft recovery 
plan identifies the following action:
     Minimize further loss or fragmentation of native 
shortgrass prairie habitat within Nueces and Kleberg Counties, such 
that there is sufficient habitat to support slender rush-pea and South 
Texas ambrosia at levels that meet recovery goals.
     Actively manage shortgrass prairie conditions at all 
extant population (or subpopulation) sites of slender rush-pea and 
South Texas ambrosia to sustain both species at Minimum Viable 
Population levels or higher.
     Develop reintroduction sites within the geographic range 
of slender rush-pea and South Texas ambrosia to help increase the 
number of protected populations.
     Determine the extent and prevent depletion of rush-pea and 
ambrosia seed banks.
     Promote landowner relations and habitat management 
throughout the occupied and historical ranges of slender rush-pea and 
South Texas ambrosia in the United States.
     Determine the genetic diversity within and among 
populations of rush-pea and ambrosia, and prevent its loss.
     Determine optimal habitat requirements for slender rush-
pea and South Texas ambrosia.
     Determine and implement best management practices where 
possible and monitor the response of slender rush-pea and South Texas 
ambrosia populations to these practices.
     Monitor long-term viability of all populations of slender 
rush-pea and South Texas ambrosia.
     Increase knowledge of slender rush-pea and South Texas 
ambrosia abundance, distribution, and ecology.
     Acquire long-term conservation easements where feasible, 
or conservation agreements, for occupied sites of slender rush-pea and 
South Texas ambrosia within each watershed from which the species are 
known.
    The draft recovery plan contains recovery criteria based on 
maintaining and increasing population numbers and

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habitat quality and quantity and mitigating significant threats to 
slender rush-pea and South Texas ambrosia. The draft recovery plan 
focuses on protecting populations, managing threats, maintaining and 
creating appropriate habitat, monitoring progress, and building 
partnerships to facilitate recovery. When the recovery of the slender 
rush-pea and/or South Texas ambrosia approaches these criteria, we will 
review the species' status and consider downlisting on, and, 
ultimately, removal from the list of federally endangered and 
threatened plants.

Request for Public Comments

    Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to provide public notice and an 
opportunity for public review and comment during recovery plan 
development. It is also our policy to request peer review of recovery 
plans (July 1, 1994; 59 FR 34270). In an appendix to the approved 
recovery plan, we will summarize and respond to the issues raised by 
the public and peer reviewers. Substantive comments may or may not 
result in changes to the recovery plan; comments regarding recovery 
plan implementation will be forwarded as appropriate to Federal or 
other entities so that they can be taken into account during the course 
of implementing recovery actions. Responses to individual commenters 
will not be provided, but we will provide a summary of how we addressed 
substantive comments in an appendix to the approved recovery plan.
    We invite written comments on the draft recovery plan. In 
particular, we are interested in additional information regarding the 
current threats to the species, ongoing beneficial management efforts, 
and the costs associated with implementing the recommended recovery 
actions.
    Before we approve our final recovery plan, we will consider all 
comments we receive by the date specified in DATES, above. Methods of 
submitting comments are described in ADDRESSES, above.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    Comments and materials we receive will be available, by 
appointment, for public inspection during normal business hours at our 
office (see ADDRESSES).

References Cited

    A complete list of all references cited herein is available upon 
request from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Branch of Recovery 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Authority

    We developed our draft recovery plan and publish this notice under 
the authority of section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: January 17, 2017.
Benjamin N. Tuggle,
Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-11305 Filed 5-31-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P