Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Part III Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Acanthomintha ilicifolia (San Diego thornmint); Final Rule VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:16 Aug 25, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 C:\FR\FM\26AUR3.SGM 26AUR3 sroberts on PROD1PC76 with RULES 50454 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 26, 2008 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 2007 (72 FR 11946). We did not receive March 14, 2007). We accepted public any new information pertaining to the comments on the proposed designation Fish and Wildlife Service species description, life history, for 60 days, ending May 14, 2007. distribution, ecology, or habitat of A. On November 27, 2007, we published 50 CFR Part 17 ilicifolia following the publication of the a notice announcing the availability of proposed designation of critical habitat the draft economic analysis (DEA) and [FWS–R8–ES–2007–0007; 92210–1117– reopening the public comment period 0000–B4] for this species; therefore, please refer to the documents listed above for a on the proposed rule (72 FR 66122). RIN 1018–AU86 complete detailed discussion of this This comment period closed on species. December 27, 2007. In light of new Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Acanthomintha ilicifolia is an annual information received, we requested an and Plants; Designation of Critical member of the mint family in the genus extension of the due date of the final Habitat for Acanthomintha ilicifolia Acanthomintha. This plant ranges in critical habitat rule. On April 16, 2008, (San Diego thornmint) height from 2 to 6 inches (in) (5 to 15 the extension request was granted centimeters (cm)) and has white, two- allowing us to open an additional AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, lipped, tubular flowers with rose- comment period. On May 13, 2008, we Interior. colored markings on the lower lip opened a third comment period on the ACTION: Final rule. (Jokerst 1993, p. 713). Members of this DEA and the proposed rule. This genus have paired leaves and several comment period closed on June 12, SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and sharp, spiny bracts (modified leaves) 2008 (73 FR 27483). Please refer to the Wildlife Service (Service), are below whorled flowers. Acanthomintha ‘‘Previous Federal Actions’’ section of designating critical habitat for ilicifolia can be distinguished from the proposed critical habitat rule for Acanthomintha ilicifolia (San Diego other members of the genus by its Acanthomintha ilicifolia, which thornmint) under the Endangered flower, which has hairless anthers and published in the Federal Register on Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). style. March 14, 2007 (72 FR 11946), for a In total, approximately 671 acres (ac) Acanthomintha ilicifolia usually discussion of additional Federal actions (272 hectares (ha)) of land in San Diego occurs on heavy clay soils in open areas that occurred prior to the proposed County, California, fall within the surrounded by shrubby vegetation. designation of critical habitat for this boundaries of the critical habitat These openings are generally found species. This final rule complies with designation. within coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and the December 21, 2004, settlement DATES: This rule becomes effective on native grassland of coastal San Diego agreement and April 16, 2008, September 25, 2008. County and south to San Telmo in extension. ADDRESSES: The final rule, final northern Baja California, Mexico (Beauchamp 1986, p. 175; Reiser 2001, Summary of Comments and economic analysis, and map of critical Recommendations habitat are available on the Internet at pp. 3–5). Acanthomintha ilicifolia is We requested written comments from http://www.regulations.gov. Supporting frequently associated with gabbro soils, the public on the proposed designation documentation we used in preparing which are derived from igneous rock, of critical habitat for Acanthomintha this final rule will be available for and gray calcareous clays derived from ilicifolia in the proposed rule that public inspection, by appointment, soft calcareous sandstone (Oberbauer published on March 14, 2007 (72 FR during normal business hours, at the and Vanderwier 1991, pp. 208–209). 11946), and in the notice of availability U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad This species is endemic to San Diego County, California, and northwestern of the draft EA published in the Federal Fish and Wildlife Office, 6010 Hidden Baja California, Mexico, and grows on Register on November 27, 2007 (72 FR Valley Road, Carlsbad, CA 92011; open clay lenses described as friable, 66122). We received significant telephone 760–431–9440; facsimile meaning that these soils have a loose, information during the second comment 760–431–5901. crumbly texture. period; therefore, we opened a third FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim comment period on the proposed rule Bartel, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Previous Federal Actions and the draft EA. The third comment Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Fish and On August 10, 2004, the Center for period opened on May 13, 2008, and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES); Biological Diversity and California closed June 12, 2008 (73 FR 27483). We telephone 760–431–9440; facsimile Native Plant Society challenged our contacted appropriate Federal, State, 760–431–5901. If you use a failure to designate critical habitat for and local agencies; scientific telecommunications device for the deaf this species as well as four other plant organizations; and other interested (TDD), call the Federal Information species (Center for Biological Diversity parties and invited them to comment on Relay Service (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. v. Norton, C–04–3240 JL (N. D. Cal.)). In the proposed rule and the draft EA. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: a settlement agreement dated December During the comment period that 21, 2004, we agreed to submit for opened on March 14, 2007, and closed Background publication in the Federal Register a on May 14, 2007, we received two It is our intent to discuss only those proposed designation of critical habitat, comments directly addressing the topics directly relevant to the if prudent and determinable, on or proposed critical habitat designation. designation of critical habitat for before February 28, 2007, and a final One comment was from a Federal Acanthomintha ilicifolia in this final determination by February 28, 2008. We agency and the other was from a non- rule. For more information on the published a proposed critical habitat governmental organization. During the taxonomy, biology, and ecology of A. designation for Acanthomintha ilicifolia second comment period open from ilicifolia, refer to the final listing rule in the Federal Register on March 14, November 27, 2007 to December 27, published in the Federal Register on 2007 (72 FR 11946). As part of that 2007 2007, we received four comment letters. October 13, 1998 (63 FR 54938), and the proposed designation, we determined Of these latter comments, one was from proposed critical habitat rule published that it was prudent to designate critical a Federal agency, one was from a local in the Federal Register on March 14, habitat for this species (72 FR 11946; government, one was from a peer VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:16 Aug 25, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 C:\FR\FM\26AUR3.SGM 26AUR3 sroberts on PROD1PC76 with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 26, 2008 / Rules and Regulations 50455 reviewer, and one was from an used the best available scientific and Avenue Mitigation Bank and is actively organization. We did not receive any commercial data to designate critical managed for Acanthomintha ilicifolia additional comments during the third habitat for this species. The peer (Spiegelberg 2005, p. 1–33). comment period. All comments reviewer’s comments support the Preservation and management of the received were grouped into general designation, and the peer reviewer did Manchester Avenue Mitigation Bank is issue categories relating to the proposed not identify any significant data that we independent of the completion of the designation of critical habitat for did not consider. We look forward to City of Encinitas’ subarea plan. We Acanthomintha ilicifolia, and are working with stakeholders, researchers, determined that the benefits of addressed in the following summary and other organizations to study the excluding the lands within the and incorporated into this final rule as important issues identified by the peer Manchester Avenue Mitigation Bank appropriate. We did not receive requests reviewer. The California Department of outweigh the benefits of including these for a public hearing or comments on the Fish and Game is funding a study on the lands in a critical habitat designation draft EA. pollinators of A. ilicifolia. This and and that their exclusion will not result other future projects will help us to in extinction of this species. Therefore, Peer Review better understand the conservation we excluded 70 ac (28 ha) of subunit 1C In accordance with our policy needs of this species. under section 4(b)(2) of the Act (see published on July 1, 1994 (59 FR Comment 2: The peer reviewer ‘‘Exclusions Under Section 4(b)(2) of the 34270), we solicited expert opinions applauded and reiterated the Act’’ section of this final rule for a from five knowledgeable individuals importance of our inclusion of newly detailed discussion of this exclusion), with scientific