Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 16 / Friday, January 24, 1997 / Rules and Regulations
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
3616 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 16 / Friday, January 24, 1997 / Rules and Regulations Entry and Inspection of Facilities. winged grasshopper (Trimerotropis included in the Zayante sand hills Section .46 infantilis) are endemic to the unique ecosystem. Financial Responsibility for Petroleum Zayante sand hills ecosystem associated The occurrence of ponderosa pine UST Owners and Operators. with isolated sandstone deposits in the (Pinus ponderosa) in this region Section .48 represents a disjunct, remnant Severability. Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Cruz County, California. occurrence of the species in the Santa [FR Doc. 97±1763 Filed 1±23±97; 8:45 am] The Santa Cruz Mountains are a Cruz Mountains, reflective of the unique BILLING CODE 6560±50±P geologically young range composed of edaphic conditions on Zayante soils. igneous and metamorphic rocks Here, maritime coast range ponderosa overlaid by thick layers of sedimentary pine forest occurs as open, park-like DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR material uplifted from the ocean floor stands with low densities of ponderosa and ancient shoreline zone (Caughman pines occasionally interspersed with Fish and Wildlife Service and Ginsberg 1987). These Miocene knobcone pines (Pinus attenuata) and, at some sites, the federally endangered 50 CFR Part 17 marine terraces, called the Santa Margarita formation (Clark 1981; Santa Cruz cypress (Cupressus RIN 1018±AC50 Marangio 1985), persist as pockets of abramsiana). The presence of knobcone sandstones and limestones geologically pines and Santa Cruz cypress, which Endangered and Threatened Wildlife distinct from the volcanic origins of the require periodic fires for reproduction and Plants; Determination of Santa Cruz Mountains. Soils that formed (Vogl et al. 1988), suggests that fire may Endangered Status for Two Insects from these sandstone deposits occur in play an important role in the From the Santa Cruz Mountains of scattered pockets covering maintenance of the Zayante sand hills California approximately 3,400 hectares (ha) (8,400 habitat mosaic (Griffin 1964; Marangio acres (ac)), and are called the Zayante 1985; Holland 1986). AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Northern maritime chaparral on soil series (USDA Soil Conservation Interior. Zayante soils is dominated by the silver- Service 1980). Zayante soils are ACTION: Final rule. leafed manzanita (Arctostaphylos endemic to Santa Cruz County and silvicola), a candidate for Federal listing occur in three primary clusters. The SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife endemic to the region. It may occur as largest cluster is in the vicinity of the Service (Service) determines monotypic stands or be mixed with communities of Ben Lomond, Felton, endangered status pursuant to the Ceanothus sp., Adenostoma sp., Mount Hermon, Olympia, and Scotts Endangered Species Act of 1973, as Eriodictyon sp., and other shrub species. amended (Act), for the Mount Hermon Valley. A second cluster is located in Knobcone pine may occasionally be June beetle (Polyphylla barbata) and the Bonny Doon area. The third, and present (Morgan 1983; Marangio 1985; Zayante band-winged grasshopper smallest, cluster is found near the Lee 1994). (Trimerotropis infantilis). These two community of Corralitos. Zayante soils The Zayante sand hills ecosystem insect species are restricted to the are deep, coarse-textured, poorly harbors a diversity of rare and endemic Zayante sand hills ecosystem endemic developed, and well drained (USDA plant species and disjunct populations to inland marine sand deposits in the Soil Conservation Service 1980). (Thomas 1961; Griffin 1964; Morgan Santa Cruz Mountains of Santa Cruz Predominant vegetation of the Santa 1983). In addition to the endemic silver- County, California. The species are in Cruz Mountains consists of coast leafed manzanita and the disjunct danger of extinction principally because redwood forest (Zinke 1988) and mixed population of ponderosa pine, Zayante of ongoing and future habitat loss to evergreen forest (Sawyer et al. 1988). soils support the federally endangered sand mining and urban development. However, the coarse, sandy, Zayante Erysimum teretifolium (Ben Lomond This rule implements Federal protection soils create a warmer and drier wallflower), Chorizanthe pungens var. and recovery provisions afforded by the microclimate that supports a uniquely hartwegiana (Ben Lomond spineflower), Act for each of these animals. The adapted flora distinctly different from and Chorizanthe robusta var. hartwegii proposal to list the Santa Cruz rain the surrounding forest and chaparral (Scotts Valley spineflower). Because of beetle (Pleocoma conjungens communities (Marangio 1985; Davilla the unique flora found there, the conjungens) as an endangered species is 1990). The Zayante soils in the Ben Zayante sand hills are considered to be being withdrawn and will appear in a Lomond-Mount Hermon-Scotts Valley ``biological islands'' (Marangio 1985). separate section of this publication. and Bonny Doon regions harbor a A unique habitat within the Zayante EFFECTIVE DATE: February 24, 1997. complex vegetation mosaic dominated sand hills ecosystem is sand parkland by maritime coast range ponderosa pine characterized by sparsely vegetated, ADDRESSES: The complete file for this forest and northern maritime chaparral rule is available for inspection, by sandstone-dominated ridges and saddles (Griffin 1964; Holland 1986). The appointment, during normal business that support a wide array of annual and distributions of northern maritime hours at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife perennial herbs and grasses. Scattered chaparral and maritime coast range Service, Ventura Field Office, 2493 ponderosa pine trees are often present. ponderosa pine forest overlap to form a Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, Although overall vegetation cover is complex and intergrading mosaic of California 93003. generally less than 20 percent, sand communities variously referred to as parkland supports over 90 specifically FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl ``ponderosa sand parkland,'' ``ponderosa adapted plant species (Morgan 1983; Benz, Assistant Field Supervisor (see pine sandhills,'' and ``silver-leafed Davilla 1990). ADDRESSES section, telephone 805/644± manzanita mixed chaparral.'' These The ranges of the Mount Hermon June 1766). habitats will be collectively referred to beetle and Zayante band-winged SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: as ``Zayante sand hills habitat'' or the grasshopper are highly restricted within ``Zayante sand hills ecosystem.'' The the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Mount Background Corralitos cluster of Zayante soils is Hermon June beetle is limited to the The Mount Hermon June beetle distant and does not support similar Zayante sand hills ecosystem. It is (Polyphylla barbata) and Zayante band- vegetation. Therefore, that cluster is not found in sand parkland and other sandy VerDate 28-OCT-97 11:56 Jan 14, 1998 Jkt 179005 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\XXTEMP\R24JA0.XXX r24pt1 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 16 / Friday, January 24, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 3617 areas within chaparral and ponderosa sand hills ecosystem (W. Hazeltine, in Most Polyphylla species have narrow pine stands. The Zayante band-winged litt. 1993). distributions. Of 28 North American grasshopper is more narrowly During summer, Mount Hermon June species, 20 have restricted ranges; 15 of distributed, known only from seven beetles emerge as imagos (adult forms) these are endemic to isolated sand patches of sand parkland. to reproduce. Males are strong fliers, deposits (Young 1988). The restricted The Mount Hermon June beetle was emerging from their burrows to fly low distributions of these species are likely first described by Cazier (1938) from to the ground in search of females (W. due to various factors including Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz County, Hazeltine, in litt. 1994). Females are substrate and food preferences, edaphic California. The adult male is a cryptic thought to be fossorial, remaining just tolerances, and the low mobility of small scarab beetle with a black head, below the surface in burrows. Females fossorial larvae and females. Most dark blackish-brown elytra (thick may not fly due to their large body size Polyphylla species seem to prefer sand leathery forewings) clothed with (A. Evans, pers. comm. 1993; A. Hardy, and grass or sand, grass, and conifer scattered long brown hair, and a striped California Department of Food and associations similar to those found in body. Elytral vittae (stripes) are broken, Agriculture, pers. comm. 1993). Like the Zayante sand hills ecosystem often reduced to discontinuous clumps other Polyphylla species, males are (Borror et al. 1976; Young 1988; A. of scales, but still form identifiable lines believed to locate females by tracking Hardy, pers. comm. 1993). (Cazier 1938; Young 1988). Females are female pheromone signals (Fowler and The range of the Mount Hermon June larger, with a black head, chestnut- Whitford 1981; Hazeltine 1993); such a beetle is restricted to the Zayante sand colored clypeus (plate on lower part of mechanism would ensure reproductive hills habitat of the Ben Lomond-Mount face) and elytra, and golden hairs on the success within the limited time period Hermon-Scotts Valley area. Historically, head, thorax, and legs (Young 1988). for mating (Lilly and Shorthouse 1971). specimens were known only from The single adult female described was The flight season generally extends from ``sandhills'' at the type locality of Mount 22 by 11 millimeters (mm) (0.87 by 0.43 mid-June to