44372 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 127 / Tuesday, July 2, 2002 / Rules and Regulations • § 63.1344(a)(3), related to the (San Diego ambrosia) pursuant to the collected near San Diego, California, in temperature operating limit for an in- Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 1836. Asa Gray (Gray 1882), after seeing line kiln/raw mill equipped with an amended (Act). This plant species is specimens of the plant with fruits, alkali bypass; restricted to 15 known occurrences in decided it was closely related to • § 63.1349(e)(3), related to San Diego and Riverside Counties, CA, members of the genus Ambrosia and requirements associated with and also occurs in Estado de Baja published the currently accepted preparation for, and conduct of, a new California, Mexico. Ambrosia pumila combination, Ambrosia pumila (Nutt.) performance test if a source anticipates primarily occurs on upper terraces of A. Gray. This classification has been making an operational change that may rivers and drainages as well as in open recognized by current systematic and adversely affect compliance with an grasslands, openings in coastal sage floristic treatments (Payne 1964, Munz applicable dioxin/furan (D/F) emission scrub habitat, and occasionally in areas 1935, Keck 1959, Ferris 1960, Munz standard; adjacent to vernal pools. This species is 1974, Beauchamp 1986, and Payne • § 63.1350(a)(4)(v) through (vii), threatened by the following: present or 1993). related to visible emission monitoring of threatened destruction, fragmentation, Ambrosia pumila is an herbaceous a totally enclosed conveying system and degradation of habitat primarily by perennial plant species that spreads transfer point; and construction and maintenance of vegetatively by means of slender, • § 63.1350(c)(2)(i), (d)(2)(i), and (e), highways, maintenance of utility branched, underground rhizome-like related to operating conditions during easements, development of recreational roots from which the aerial (above- daily visual opacity observations by facilities, and residential and ground) stems arise. Plants that spread Method 9 (40 CFR part 60, appendix A) commercial development; inadequate in this way are referred to as clonal and daily visual emissions observations regulatory mechanisms; potential species. This clonal growth pattern by Method 22 (40 CFR part 60, appendix competition, encroachment, and other results in groupings of aerial stems A). negative impacts from non-native interconnected by their underground Accordingly, these seven amendments plants; mowing and discing for fuel rhizome-like roots that represent are withdrawn as of July 2, 2002. We modification; and trampling, as well as genetically identical individuals. When will take final action on the proposed soil compaction by horses, humans, and these underground interconnections rule after considering the comments vehicles. This rule implements the disintegrate, aerial stems that are received. We will not institute a second Federal protection and recovery genetically identical are physically comment period on this action. The provisions of the Act for Ambrosia separate. The aerial stems sprout in seventeen provisions for which we did pumila. early spring after the winter rains. Dead not receive adverse comment will DATES: This rule is effective August 1, aerial stems may persist or deteriorate become effective on July 5, 2002, as 2002. after their growing season. Therefore, the plant may not be in evidence at provided in the preamble to the direct ADDRESSES: The supporting record for final rule. some times of the year. The aerial stems this rule is available for inspection, by sprout in early spring after the winter List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 63 appointment, during normal business rains and deteriorate in late summer. hours at the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Therefore, the plant may not be in Environmental protection, Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Administrative practice and procedure, evidence from late summer to early 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, CA spring. The aerial stems are 5 to 30 Air pollution control, Reporting and 92008. recordkeeping requirements. centimeters (cm) (2 to 12 inches (in)) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim tall, but may grow to 50 cm (20 in), and Dated: June 26, 2002. Bartel, Field Supervisor, at the above are densely covered with short hairs. Robert Brenner, address; telephone 760/431–9440; The leaves are two to four times Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and facsimile 760/918–0638. pinnately divided into many small Radiation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: segments and are covered with short, [FR Doc. 02–16642 Filed 7–1–02; 8:45 am] soft, gray-white, appressed (lying flat on Background BILLING CODE 6560–50–P surface) hairs. This wind-pollinated Ambrosia is a genus comprising 35 to species flowers from May through 50 wind-pollinated annual and October with separate male and female DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR perennial plant species in the flower clusters (heads) on the same Asteraceae (sunflower) family. The plant. The male flowers are yellow to Fish and Wildlife Service perennial taxa range from woody shrubs translucent and are borne in clusters on to herbaceous plants with rhizome-like terminal racemes (flower stalks). The 50 CFR Part 17 roots. Rhizomes are underground stems female flowers have no petals and are that produce leafy shoots. Self- yellowish-white. Female flowers are in RIN 1018–AF86 pollination and self-fertility contribute clusters in the axils of the leaves below Endangered and Threatened Wildlife to strong inbreeding among species of the male flower clusters. and Plants; Determination of Ambrosia (Payne 1976). Members of the Although some species of Ambrosia Endangered Status for Ambrosia genus occur predominantly in the have breeding systems that contribute to pumila (San Diego Ambrosia) From Western Hemisphere, especially North strong inbreeding (Payne 1976), the Southern California America. Species are generally found in breeding system of A. pumila has not arid or semiarid areas and some are been studied. The fruiting heads are AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, weeds of cultivated fields or strand enclosed by involucres (composed of Interior. species of Pacific and Caribbean modified leaf-like structures fused ACTION: Final rule. beaches. together) to form cup-like structures that Ambrosia pumila (San Diego have no spines, although some reports SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and ambrosia) was originally described as note a few vestigial (remnant) spines. Wildlife Service (Service), determine Franseria pumila by Thomas Nuttall Few preserved museum specimens have endangered status for Ambrosia pumila (Nuttall 1840) based on a specimen he fertile fruits, and field collections have VerDate May<23>2002 08:38 Jul 01, 2002 Jkt 197001 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\02JYR1.SGM pfrm17 PsN: 02JYR1 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 127 / Tuesday, July 2, 2002 / Rules and Regulations 44373 not provided evidence of production of each of the separate occurrences to 1936 (CNDDB 1999), including the significant numbers of viable seeds. preserve the genetic variability recently reported historical occurrence None of the 22 seeds collected from represented in each of the occurrences. in the City of Riverside (Provance et al. three sites at Mission Trails Regional Ambrosia pumila primarily occurs on 2001) which no longer exists. One Park germinated in a test performed by upper terraces of rivers and drainages as occurrence, near a city sidewalk, Ransom Seed Laboratory (City of San well as in open grasslands, openings in reduced to a single stem in 1996 Diego 2000). Although plants may coastal sage scrub, and occasionally in (CNDDB 1999), is considered non-viable flower, the annual reproductive output areas adjacent to vernal pools. The and therefore is not considered as an of fruits may be low. The lifespan of an species may also be found in disturbed extant occurrence. Subtracting these 4 individual plant, as well as the number sites such as fire fuel breaks and edges occurrences, we now believe that there and distribution of seedlings, are of dirt roadways. Associated native are 15 extant native occurrences of this unknown. A. pumila may be plants include Distichlis spicata species, 12 are in San Diego County and distinguished from other species of (saltgrass), Baccharis salicifolia (mule- 3 are in western Riverside County. Ambrosia in the area by its herbaceous fat), Baccharis sarathroides (broom Knowledge of the full extent of the perennial growth form, leaves which are baccharis), Eriogonum fasciculatum historical range of any organism is two to four times pinnately divided, (California buckwheat), and limited by the surviving records. In the cup-like involucres lacking hooked Eremocarpus setigerus (turkey-mullein). case of Ambrosia pumila in San Diego spines, and lack of longer, stiff hairs on In the United States, populations of A. County, the pattern of extirpated the stems and leaves. pumila occur on Federal, State, local occurrences reflects a significant loss of jurisdictional, and private lands in Because Ambrosia pumila is a clonal occurrences from each of the watersheds western San Diego and Riverside species, it is difficult to determine the in which the species occurs rather than Counties. a complete loss from those watersheds. extent of an individual plant. Individual This species has been previously plants persist as a herbaceous rhizome- The pattern in Riverside County is reported from 49 occurrences in the different in that the recently