Vol. 79 Thursday, No. 196 October 9, 2014 Part II Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Trichomanes punctatum ssp. floridanum (Florida Bristle Fern); Proposed Rules VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:10 Oct 08, 2014 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\09OCP2.SGM 09OCP2 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 61136 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 196 / Thursday, October 9, 2014 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Information Requested, below, for more to ensure that our determination is information). based on scientifically sound data, Fish and Wildlife Service FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: assumptions, and analyses. We will Craig Aubrey, Field Supervisor, U.S. invite these peer reviewers to comment 50 CFR Part 17 Fish and Wildlife Service, South Florida on our listing proposal. Because we will [Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2014–0044; Ecological Services Office, 1339 20th consider all comments and information 4500030113] Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960; by we receive during the comment period, telephone 772–562–3909; or by our final determination may differ from RIN 1018–AY97 facsimile 772–562–4288. Persons who this proposal. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife use a telecommunications device for the Information Requested and Plants; Endangered Species deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Status for Trichomanes punctatum Information Relay Service (FIRS) at Public Comments ssp. floridanum (Florida Bristle Fern) 800–877–8339. We intend that any final action SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: resulting from this proposed rule will be AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, based on the best scientific and Executive Summary Interior. commercial data available and be as ACTION: Proposed rule. Why we need to publish a rule. Under accurate and as effective as possible. the Endangered Species Act (Act), if we Therefore, we request comments or SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and find that a species warrants listing as an information from other concerned Wildlife Service, propose to list endangered or threatened species governmental agencies, Native Trichomanes punctatum ssp. throughout all or a significant portion of American tribes, the scientific floridanum (Florida bristle fern), a plant its range, we are required to promptly community, industry, or any other subspecies from Miami-Dade and publish a proposal in the Federal interested parties concerning this Sumter Counties in Florida, as an Register and make a determination on proposed rule. We particularly seek endangered species under the our proposal within 1 year. Listing a comments concerning: Endangered Species Act of 1973, as species as an endangered or threatened (1) Trichomanes punctatum ssp. amended (Act). If we finalize this rule species can only be completed by floridanum’s biology, range, and as proposed, it would extend the Act’s issuing a rule. In the near future, we population trends, including: protections to this plant and add this intend to propose to designate critical (a) Biological or ecological plant to the Federal List of Endangered habitat for Trichomanes punctatum ssp. requirements of the plant, including and Threatened Plants. floridanum under the Act. Critical habitat requirements; DATES: We will accept comments habitat is prudent, but not determinable (b) Genetics and taxonomy; received or postmarked on or before at this time. We will publish a proposal (c) Historical and current range, December 8, 2014. Comments submitted to designate critical habitat for including distribution patterns; electronically using the Federal Trichomanes punctatum ssp. (d) Historical and current population eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES floridanum under the Act in the near levels, and current and projected trends; below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. future. and Eastern Time on the closing date. We This rule proposes to list (e) Past and ongoing conservation must receive requests for public Trichomanes punctatum ssp. measures for the plant, its habitat, or hearings, in writing, at the address floridanum (Florida bristle fern) as an both. shown in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION endangered species. (2) Factors that may affect the CONTACT by November 24, 2014. The basis for our action. Under the continued existence of the plant, which ADDRESSES: You may submit comments Act, we may determine that a species is may include habitat modification or by one of the following methods: an endangered or threatened species destruction, overutilization, disease, (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal based on any of five factors: (A) The predation, the inadequacy of existing eRulemaking Portal: http:// present or threatened destruction, regulatory mechanisms, or other natural www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, modification, or curtailment of its or manmade factors. enter FWS–R4–ES–2014–0044, which is habitat or range; (B) overutilization for (3) Biological, commercial trade, or the docket number for this rulemaking. commercial, recreational, scientific, or other relevant data concerning any Then, in the Search panel on the left educational purposes; (C) disease or threats (or lack thereof) to this plant and side of the screen, under the Document predation; (D) the inadequacy of existing regulations that may be Type heading, click on the Proposed existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E) addressing those threats. Rules link to locate this document. You other natural or manmade factors (4) Additional information concerning may submit a comment by clicking on affecting its continued existence. We the historical and current status, range, ‘‘Comment Now!’’ have determined that the threats to distribution, and population size of this (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail Trichomanes punctatum ssp. plant, including the locations of any to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: floridanum consist primarily of additional populations of the plant. FWS–R4–ES–2014–0044; Division of destruction and modification of habitat Please include sufficient information Policy and Directives Management; U.S. resulting in changes in canopy, with your submission (such as scientific Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, humidity, hydrology, and fragmentation journal articles or other publications) to 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA (Factor A); and proliferation of allow us to verify any scientific or 22041–3803. nonnative invasive species, natural commercial information you include. We request that you send comments stochastic events including hurricanes Please note that submissions merely only by the methods described above. and tropical storms, and impacts from stating support for or opposition to the We will post all comments on http:// climate change including temperature action under consideration without www.regulations.gov. This generally shifts and sea level rise (Factor E). providing supporting information, means that we will post any personal We will seek peer review. We will seek although noted, will not be considered information you provide us (see comments from independent specialists in making a determination, as section VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:10 Oct 08, 2014 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\09OCP2.SGM 09OCP2 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 196 / Thursday, October 9, 2014 / Proposed Rules 61137 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et Previous Federal Actions Background seq.) directs that determinations as to It is our intent to discuss below only whether any species is an endangered or Trichomanes punctatum ssp. floridanum was first recognized as a those topics directly relevant to the threatened species must be made listing of Trichomanes punctatum ssp. ‘‘solely on the basis of the best scientific candidate for possible future listing on November 9, 2009 (74 FR 57804), and floridanum as an endangered species in and commercial data available.’’ this proposed rule. You may submit your comments and we assigned the subspecies a listing materials concerning this proposed rule priority number (LPN) of 3. Candidate Species Description by one of the methods listed in the species are assigned LPNs based on Trichomanes punctatum ssp. ADDRESSES section. We request that you immediacy and magnitude of threats, as floridanum, commonly referred to as the send comments only by the methods well as taxonomic status. The lower the Florida bristle fern, is mat-forming, has described in the ADDRESSES section. LPN, the higher priority that species is no roots, and contains trichomes If you submit information via http:// for us to determine appropriate action (hairlike/bristlelike outgrowths) on the www.regulations.gov, your entire using our available resources tip of the fern (Wunderlin and Hansen submission—including any personal (September 21, 1983; 48 FR 43098). An identifying information—will be posted 2000, pp. 153–154). This subspecies is LPN of 3 is the lowest LPN appropriate very small in size and superficially on the Web site. If your submission is for a subspecies such as this fern, made via a hardcopy that includes resembles other bryophytes, such as indicating that it is a high priority for mosses and liverworts, making it personal identifying information, you the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may request at the top of your document difficult to observe in its natural habitat. (Service) to determine appropriate T. p. ssp. floridanum has thin veinlets that we withhold this information from action. T. p. ssp. floridanum has public review. However, we cannot (small veins) that are not enlarged remained on the candidate list with an towards the margin while veins are guarantee that we will be able to do so. LPN of 3 since 2009 (see 78 FR 70104, We will post all hardcopy submissions uniform in width to their apices (tips) November 22, 2013; 77 FR 69994, on http://www.regulations.gov. (Nauman 1986, p. 179); fronds (leaves of Comments and materials we receive, November 21, 2012; 76 FR 66370, ferns) are considered simple (Morton as well as supporting documentation we October 26, 2011; 75 FR 69222, 1963, p. 89). used in preparing this proposed rule, November 10, 2010; 74 FR 57804, Wunderlin and Hansen (2000, pp.