Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 153 / Wednesday, August 9, 1995 / Proposed Rules 40549 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, By the Commission, Chairman Morgan, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DC 20423. Vice Chairman Owen, Commissioners Simmons and McDonald. Background FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vernon A. Williams, Acanthomintha ilicifolia (San Diego Beryl Gordon, (202) 927±5610. [TDD for Secretary. thornmint), Dudleya stolonifera (Laguna the hearing impaired: (202) 927±5721.] [FR Doc. 95±19512 Filed 8±8±95; 8:45 am] Beach liveforever), Monardella linoides ssp. viminea. (willowy monardella), and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For a more BILLING CODE 7035±01±P detailed discussion of the current Hemizonia conjugens (Otay tarweed) statutes and regulations, the issues occur in San Diego and Orange Counties raised by the petition, and the in southwestern California. In addition, information that is needed to go DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR populations of three of these taxa (A. forward, see the Commission's separate ilicifolia, H. conjugens, and M. linoides decision in this proceeding issued Fish and Wildlife Service ssp. viminea) extend into extreme northern Baja California, Mexico. These today. To obtain a copy of the full 50 CFR Part 17 decision, write to, call, or pick up in species occur in coastal sage scrub or in a mosaic of sage scrub, chaparral, person from: Office of the Secretary, RIN 1018±AD 38 Room 2215, Interstate Commerce riparian scrub, and grassland habitats. Coastal sage scrub is a community Commission, 1201 Constitution Avenue, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife typically dominated by a variety of NW., Washington, DC 20423. and Plants; Proposed Endangered Telephone: (202) 927±7428. [Assistance drought-deciduous and evergreen Status for Four Plants From sclerophyllous shrubs, including for the hearing impaired is available Southwestern California and Baja through TDD services: (202) 927±5721.] Artemisia californica (California California, Mexico sagebrush), Eriogonum fasciculatum Regulatory Flexibility AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, (California buckwheat), Encelia Interior. californica (California encelia), E. Because this is not a notice of farinosa (brittle bush), Malosma laurina ACTION: Proposed rule. proposed rulemaking within the (laurel sumac), Opuntia spp. (prickly meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service pear, cholla), Salvia spp. (black sage, Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), we need not white sage), Rhus integrifolia conduct at this point an examination of (Service) proposes to list Acanthomintha ilicifolia (San Diego (lemonadeberry), and R. ovata impacts on small business. However, we (sugarbush). Coastal sage scrub was welcome any comments regarding small thornmint), Dudleya stolonifera (Laguna Beach dudleya), Hemizonia conjugens historically distributed throughout entity considerations embodied in that cismontane (coastal) California south of Act. (Otay tarweed), and Monardella linoides ssp. viminea (willowy monardella) as San Francisco to Ensenada in Baja Environmental and Energy endangered throughout their respective California, Mexico (Westman 1983). It Considerations ranges in southwestern California and ranges in elevation from sea level to northern Baja California, Mexico, about 600 meters (m) (2,000 feet (ft)) in Issuing this notice will not pursuant to the Endangered Species Act inland sites in the southerly portion of significantly affect either the quality of of 1973, as amended (Act). These its distribution (O'Leary 1990). the human environment or the species occur in coastal sage scrub, Acanthomintha ilicifolia grows in conservation of energy resources chaparral, and grassland habitats. The heavy clay soils in open areas of coastal because the notice merely seeks four taxa are threatened by a variety of sage-scrub, chaparral, and native information and is not proposing any factors including urban and agricultural grassland in San Diego County and change in current rules or policy. We development, competition from non- northern Baja California, Mexico. preliminarily conclude that, even if we native plant species, off-road vehicle Dudleya stolonifera is primarily subsequently decide to grant the relief use, mining, grazing, and trampling by restricted to weathered bluffs and rock sought by petitioner, an environmental hikers. This proposed rule, if made outcrops in microhabitats within coastal assessment would not be necessary final, would implement the Federal sage scrub or chaparral. D. stolonifera is under our regulations because the protection and recovery provisions found only in the vicinity of Laguna proposed action would not result in afforded by the Act for these four plant Beach (Orange County). Hemizonia changes in carrier operations that species. conjugens occurs in southern coastal exceed the threshold established in our San Diego County and northern Baja DATES: Comments from all interested regulations. See 49 CFR 1105.6(c)(2). We California, Mexico, and is typically parties must be received by October 9, invite comments on the environmental found in clay soils on slopes and mesas 1995. Public hearing requests must be and energy impacts of the proposal. within coastal sage scrub or grassland received by September 25, 1995. List of Subjects habitats. Monardella linoides ssp. ADDRESSES: Comments and materials viminea primarily inhabits washes in 49 CFR Part 1051 concerning this proposal should be sent coastal sage scrub or riparian scrub to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and habitats. Populations of M. linoides ssp. Buses, Freight, Motor carriers, Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Field Office, viminea, concentrated in the Miramar Reporting and Recordkeeping 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, area of San Diego County, extend south requirements. California 92008. Comments and into Baja California, Mexico. 49 CFR Part 1220 materials received will be available for Typically, areas with Mediterranean public inspection, by appointment, climates such as southern California Motor carriers, Railroads, Reporting during normal business hours at the have numerous rare, locally endemic and recordkeeping requirements. above address. species (Stebbins and Major 1965, Cody Authority: 49 U.S.C. 10321 and 11144, and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gail 1986). Southern California has the 5 U.S.C. 553. Kobetich at the above address highest concentration of locally Decided: July 25, 1995. (telephone 619/431-9440). endemic plant species in the United 40550 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 153 / Wednesday, August 9, 1995 / Proposed Rules States (Gentry 1986) and currently a type specimen collected from ``lower flower heads are composed of 8 to 10 experiences one of the highest human California,'' (Gray 1872). Gray (1878) ray flowers and 13 to 21 disk flowers population growth rates in the country. subsequently renamed the species A. with hairless or sparingly downy Habitat destruction or modification ilicifolia. A. ilicifolia is an annual corollas. The phyllaries are keeled with adversely affects taxa native to this area aromatic herb of the mint family short-stalked glands and large, by reducing population densities and (Lamiaceae). Members of the genus have unstalked, flat glands near the margins. contributing to habitat fragmentation. whorled flowers subtended by a pair of H. conjugens occurs within the range of Rapid urbanization and agricultural leaves and several sharply-spined H. fasciculata and H. paniculata. conversion in Orange and San Diego bracts. A. ilicifolia can be distinguished Certain morphological characteristics of Counties has already eliminated or from other members of the genus by its H. conjugens are intermediate between reduced populations of the four plant hairless anthers and style. The tubular, those of the closely related species, H. taxa addressed in this proposed rule. two-lipped corollas are white with rose fasciculata and H. paniculata (Tanowitz These species have also been adversely markings on the lower lip. 1982). H. conjugens can be affected by the invasion of non-native Acanthomintha ilicifolia usually distinguished from other members of plants, off-road vehicle use, increased occurs on clay soils in open patches of the genus by its keeled phyllaries, black erosion, grazing, and trampling by coastal sage scrub and chaparral of anthers, and its number of disk and ray humans. coastal San Diego County and south to flowers. By the 1980's, nearly 90 percent of the San Telmo in northern Baja California, Hemizonia conjugens has a very entire coastal sage scrub ecosystem in Mexico. This taxon is considered to be limited distribution, consisting of 15 California had been lost (Westman ``. one of the most restricted clay soil populations near Spring Valley in 1981a, 1981b). In San Diego County, 95 endemics'' (Oberbauer 1993). It is southern San Diego County and one percent of the native perennial frequently associated with gabbro soils population in Baja California, Mexico grasslands and nearly 60 percent of the derived from igneous rock, and also (Rieser 1994; Sandy Morey, Endangered coastal sage scrub had been eliminated occurs in calcareous marine sediments. Plants Program Coordinator, California as a result of urban and agricultural About 40 percent of the known 35 Department of Fish and Game, in litt. development (Oberbauer and historic populations of A. ilicifolia in 1994). Three of the 18 historic localities Vanderweir 1991, San Diego the United States have been extirpated. of H. conjugens in the United States are Association of Governments