10440 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 32 / Thursday, February 15, 2001 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DATES: We will accept comments until one of two varieties of the species April 16, 2001. Public hearing requests Chorizanthe pungens. The other variety Fish and Wildlife Service must be received by April 2, 2001. (Chorizanthe pungens var. ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, hartwegiana), known as Ben Lomond 50 CFR Part 17 you may submit your comments and spineflower, is restricted to the Santa materials concerning this proposal by Cruz Mountains, generally between RIN 1018–AHO4 any one of several methods: Scotts Valley and Ben Lomond. The You may submit written comments range of C. p. var. pungens partially Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and information to the Field Supervisor, overlaps with Chorizanthe robusta var. and Plants; Proposed Designation of Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. robusta (robust spineflower), another Critical Habitat for Chorizanthe Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola closely related taxon in the Pungentes pungens var. pungens (Monterey Road, Suite B, Ventura, California, section of the genus, in southern Santa Spineflower) 93003. Cruz County. Chorizanthe pungens var. AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, You may also send comments by hartwegiana and Chorizanthe robusta Interior. electronic mail (e-mail) to var. robusta are both endangered species; for a detailed description of ACTION: Proposed rule. [email protected]. See the Public Comments Solicited section below for these related taxa see the Recovery Plan SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and file format and other information about for Seven Coastal Plants and the Wildlife Service (Service), propose to electronic filing. Myrtle’s Silverspot Butterfly (Service designate critical habitat pursuant to the You may hand-deliver comments to 1998), the Draft Recovery Plan for the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as our Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, Robust Spineflower (Service 2000), and amended (Act), for Chorizanthe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 references within these plans. Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens is pungens var. pungens (Monterey Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, a short-lived annual species. It spineflower). Approximately 10,400 California 93003. germinates during the winter months hectares (25,800 acres) of land fall Comments and materials received will and flowers from April through June; within the boundaries of the proposed be available for public inspection, by although pollination ecology has not critical habitat designation. Proposed appointment, during normal business hours at the above address. been studied for this taxon, C. p. var. critical habitat is located in Santa Cruz pungens is likely visited by a wide array FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: and Monterey counties, California. of pollinators; observations of Critical habitat receives protection from Connie Rutherford or Diane Pratt, pollinators on other species of destruction or adverse modification Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Chorizanthe that occur in Santa Cruz through required consultation under Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola County have included leaf cutter bees section 7 of the Act with regard to Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003 (megachilids), at least six species of actions carried out, funded, or (telephone 805/644–1766; facsimile butterflies, flies, and sphecid wasps (R. authorized by a Federal agency. Section 805/644–3958). Morgan, biologist, Soquel, CA, pers. 4 of the Act requires us to consider SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: comm. 2000). Each flower produces one economic and other relevant impacts Background seed; depending on the vigor of an when specifying any particular area as individual plant, dozens, if not hundred critical habitat. Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens is of seeds could be produced. The Proposed critical habitat does not endemic to sandy soils in coastal areas importance of pollinator activity in seed include lands covered by the one in southern Santa Cruz and northern set has been demonstrated by the existing legally operative incidental take Monterey Counties, and in the Salinas production of seed with low viability permit issued under section 10(a)(1)(B) Valley in interior Monterey County. In where pollinator access was limited of the Act that includes Chorizanthe California, the spineflower genus (Harding Lawson Associates 2000). Seed pungens var. pungens as a covered (Chorizanthe) in the buckwheat family is collectable through August. The species. Subsection 4(b)(2) of the Act (Polygonaceae) comprises species of plants turn a rusty hue as they dry allows us to exclude from critical wiry annual herbs that inhabit dry through the summer months, eventually habitat designation areas where the sandy soils, both along the coast and shattering during the fall. Seed dispersal benefits of exclusion outweigh the inland. Because of the patchy and is facilitated by the involucral spines, benefits of designation, provided the limited distribution of such soils, many which attach the seed to passing exclusion will not result in the species of Chorizanthe tend to be highly animals. While animal vectors most extinction of the species. We believe localized in their distribution. likely facilitate dispersal between that the benefits of excluding HCPs from The overall appearance of colonies and populations, the prevailing the critical habitat designation for Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens is of coastal winds undoubtedly play a part Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens will a low-growing herb that is soft-hairy and in scattering seed within colonies and outweigh the benefits of including them. grayish or reddish in color. The plant populations. In areas where HCPs have not yet had has a prostrate to slightly ascending The locations where Chorizanthe permits issued, we have proposed habit, with large individuals reaching 50 pungens var. pungens occurs, with the critical habitat according to the factors centimeters (cm) (20 inches (in)) or exception of one (Soledad), are subject outlined in this rule. more in diameter. This taxon is to a mild maritime climate, where fog We solicit data and comments from distinguished by white (rarely pinkish) helps keep summer temperatures cool the public on all aspects of this scarious margins on the lobes of the and winter temperatures relatively proposal, including data on economic involucre that subtend the white- to warm, and provides moisture in and other impacts of the designation rose-colored flowers. The aggregate of addition to the normal winter rains. and our approaches for handling HCPs. flowers (heads) tend to be small (less Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens is We may revise this proposal to than cm (0.4 in) in diameter) and either found in a variety of seemingly incorporate or address new information distinctly or indistinctly aggregate. disparate habitat types, including active received during the comment period. Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens is coastal dunes, grassland, scrub, VerDate 11<MAY>2000 18:45 Feb 14, 2001 Jkt 194001 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\15FEP1.SGM pfrm02 PsN: 15FEP1 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 32 / Thursday, February 15, 2001 / Proposed Rules 10441 chaparral, and woodland types on Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens have locations, C. p. var. pungens occurs in interior upland sites; and interior been eliminated or altered by close proximity with the endangered floodplain dunes. However, all of these recreational use, industrial and urban Piperia yadonii (Yadon’s piperia) and habitat types include microhabitat development, and military activities. Chorizanthe robusta var. robusta. characteristics that are favored by C. p. Dune communities have also been Farther up the Salinas River, var. pungens. First, all sites are on altered in composition by the Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens was sandy soils; whether the origin of the introduction of non-native species, recently found on a dune located within soils are from active dunes, interior especially Carpobrotus species (sea-fig the river floodplain near Soledad, fossil dunes, or floodplain alluvium is or iceplant) and Ammophila arenaria Monterey County (CNDDB 2000). Two apparently unimportant. Second, these (European beachgrass), in an attempt to historic sites for C. p. var. pungens sites are relatively open and free of stabilize shifting sands. In the last occur near here. One, near Mission other vegetation. In grassland and oak decade, significant efforts have been Soledad, was collected once in 1881; the woodland communities, abundant made to restore native dune other, near San Lucas along the Salinas annual grasses may outcompete C. p. communities, including the elimination River, was collected once in 1935. Due var. pungens, while management of of these non-native species. to conversion to agriculture and grass species, either through grazing, At more inland sites, Chorizanthe channelization activities along the mowing or fire, may allow the pungens var. pungens occurs on sandy, Salinas River over the last century, C. p. spineflower to persist. In scrub and well-drained soils in a variety of plant var. pungens has most likely been chaparral communities, C p. var. communities, most frequently maritime extirpated from these locations. The pungens does not occur under dense chaparral, valley oak woodlands, and dune near Soledad is the only one of its stands, but will occur between more grasslands. The plant probably has been size and extent between there and the widely spaced