[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 217 (Monday, November 13, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 52262-52263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24474]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2016-0078; 4500030113]
RIN 1018-BB64


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species 
Status for Chorizanthe parryi var. fernandina (San Fernando Valley 
Spineflower)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of the comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 
that a Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) has been prepared for 
Chorizanthe parryi var. fernandina (San Fernando Valley spineflower). 
The CCA was developed as a collaborative effort between the Newhall 
Land and Farming Company (Newhall Land), a California limited 
partnership, and the Service to implement conservation measures for the 
species. With the release of the CCA, we are reopening for an 
additional 30 days the comment period on the proposed rule to list C. 
parryi var. fernandina as a threatened species. We will submit a final 
listing determination to the Federal Register on or before March 15, 
2018.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule that published 
September 15, 2016, at 81 FR 63454 is reopened. We will accept comments 
received or postmarked on or before December 13, 2017. If you comment 
using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES), you must submit 
your comments by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the 
Search box, enter the docket number for this proposed rule, which is 
FWS-R8-ES-2016-0078. Then click on the Search button. You may submit a 
comment by clicking on ``Comment Now!'' Please ensure that you have 
found the correct rulemaking before submitting your comment.
    (2) U.S. mail or hand delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: 
Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2016-0078; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: 
BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen P. Henry, Field Supervisor, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 
Portola Road, Ventura, CA 93003; telephone 805-644-5763; facsimile 805-
644-3958. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On September 15, 2016, we published a proposed rule (81 FR 63454) 
to add Chorizanthe parryi var. fernandina as a threatened species to 
the List of Endangered and Threatened Plants under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). That proposal 
had a 60-day comment period, ending November 16, 2016. For a 
description of previous Federal actions concerning C. parryi var. 
fernandina, please refer to the September 15, 2016, proposed listing 
rule (81 FR 63454). On July 19, 2017, the Service announced a 6-month 
extension of the final determination of whether to list the species as 
a result of scientific disagreement and uncertainty (82 FR 33036), and 
reopened an additional 30-day comment period.
    Newhall Land and the Service have developed a CCA to provide 
additional conservation measures for Chorizanthe parryi var. 
fernandina. The CCA provides for Newhall Land to voluntarily implement 
additional conservation measures described in the San Fernando Valley 
Spineflower Enhancement and Introduction Plan (Introduction Plan) with 
the goal of enhancing the status of the species. The Introduction Plan 
provides for Newhall

[[Page 52263]]

Land to voluntarily establish new, protected C. parryi var. fernandina 
occurrences within the species' historical range that will increase the 
resiliency of the existing populations and expand the redundancy and 
representation of the species. Newhall Land will voluntarily conserve 
an additional 1,498 acres of its property for the benefit of the C. 
parryi var. fernandina and carry out additional conservation activities 
within portions of these 1,498 acres and within a portion of the 
Petersen Ranch Mitigation Bank. Spineflower introduction will occur on 
a total of at least 10 acres within the Additional Conservation Areas. 
These actions, collectively known as the Additional Conservation 
Measures, would contribute to reducing and eliminating current and 
potential future threats to the persistence of the species by expanding 
the area of protected conservation land for the plant, increasing the 
number and extent of protected C. parryi var. fernandina occurrence 
locations with outplanting, and providing protection for the 
introduction sites from development-related stressors with conservation 
easements and management actions. The Additional Conservation Measures 
would result in at least two new, self-sustaining, and persistent C. 
parryi var. fernandina occurrences and would increase the number of 
ecoregions in which the species is represented. All documents are 
posted to http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2016-0078.

Information Requested

    We will accept written comments and information during this 
reopened comment period on our proposed listing for Chorizanthe parryi 
var. fernandina that was published in the Federal Register on September 
15, 2016 (81 FR 63454) and the CCA. We will consider information and 
recommendations from all interested parties. We intend that any final 
action resulting from the proposal will be as accurate as possible and 
based on the best available scientific and commercial data.
    In consideration of the CCA, we are particularly interested in new 
information and comments regarding:
    (1) The efficacy of seed introduction for long-term establishment 
into suitable, unoccupied habitat of Chorizanthe or related taxa.
    (2) Whether the new areas proposed for seeding under the CCA will 
be appropriate to support populations of Chorizanthe parryi var. 
fernandina.
    (3) Whether the Additional Conservation Areas and Measures 
established under the Introduction Plan will afford sufficient 
resiliency, redundancy, and representation for the conservation of the 
species.
    If you previously submitted comments or information on the 
September 15, 2016, proposed rule (81 FR 63454) and/or the July 19, 
2017, reopening of the comment period on the proposed rule (82 FR 
33036), please do not resubmit them. We have incorporated previously 
submitted comments into the public record, and we will fully consider 
them in the preparation of our final determination. Our final 
determination concerning the proposed listing will take into 
consideration all written comments and any additional information we 
receive.
    You may submit your comments and materials concerning the proposed 
rule by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We request that you 
send comments only by the methods described in ADDRESSES.
    If you submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your 
entire submission--including any personal identifying information--will 
be posted on the Web site. If your submission is made via a hardcopy 
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 submissions on http://www.regulations.gov.
    Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we used in preparing the proposed rule, will be available 
for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, 
during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). 
You may obtain copies of the proposed rule at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2016-0078. Copies of the 
proposed rule are also available at http://www.fws.gov/cno/es//.

    Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: October 4, 2017.
Gregory Sheehan,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-24474 Filed 11-9-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P