9126 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 33 / Thursday, February 19, 2015 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Executive Summary definition of an endangered or This document contains: (1) A final threatened species under the Act. This Fish and Wildlife Service rule to remove the Oregon chub from final rule removes the Oregon chub from the Federal List of Endangered and the Federal List of Endangered and 50 CFR Part 17 Threatened Wildlife, and (2) a notice of Threatened Wildlife. This rule also availability of a final post-delisting removes the currently designated [Docket No. FWS–R1–ES–2014–0002; critical habitat for the Oregon chub FXES11130900000C6–156–FF09E42000] monitoring plan. Species addressed—The Oregon chub throughout its range. Basis for the Regulatory Action— RIN 1018–BA28 (Oregonichthys crameri) is endemic to Under the Act, a species may be the Willamette River drainage of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife determined to be an endangered species western Oregon. Extensive human and Plants; Removing the Oregon or threatened species because of any of activities in the Willamette River Basin Chub From the Federal List of five factors: (A) The present or (e.g., dams, levees, and other human Endangered and Threatened Wildlife threatened destruction, modification, or development within the floodplain) curtailment of its habitat or range; (B) have substantially reduced the amount AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, overutilization for commercial, and suitability of habitat for this Interior. recreational, scientific, or educational species. Improved floodplain ACTION: Final rule. purposes; (C) disease or predation; (D) management and floodplain restoration the inadequacy of existing regulatory SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and by multiple conservation partners has mechanisms; or (E) other natural or Wildlife Service (Service), are removing reduced and mitigated adverse human- manmade factors affecting its continued the Oregon chub (Oregonichthys related impacts and resulted in existence. We must consider the same crameri) from the Federal List of significant improvements to habitat factors in delisting a species. We may Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. quality and quantity. As a result, threats delist a species if the best scientific and This determination is based on a to the Oregon chub have been largely commercial data indicate the species is thorough review of the best available ameliorated. neither endangered nor threatened for scientific and commercial information, The status of the species has one or more of the following reasons: (1) which indicates that the Oregon chub improved dramatically due to the The species is extinct; (2) the species has recovered and no longer meets the discovery of many new populations and has recovered and is no longer definition of an endangered species or a successful reintroductions within the threatened or endangered; or (3) the threatened species under the species’ historical range. At the time of original scientific data used at the time Endangered Species Act of 1973, as listing in 1993 (58 FR 53800, October the species was classified were in error. amended (Act). Our review of the status 18, 1993), only nine known populations Threats to the Oregon chub at the time of this species shows that the threats to of Oregon chub existed, and few of listing in 1993, included loss of this species have been eliminated or estimates existed of the number of habitat, water quality, and competition reduced and populations are stable so individuals within each population. The with and predation by nonnative fishes. that the species is not currently, and is locations of these populations We reviewed all available scientific and not likely to again become, a threatened represented a small fraction (estimated commercial information pertaining to species within the foreseeable future in as 2 percent based on stream miles) of the five threat factors in our status all or a significant portion of its range. the species’ formerly extensive review of the Oregon chub, and the This rule also removes the currently distribution within the Willamette River results are summarized below. designated critical habitat for the drainage. In 2013, 77 populations were • We consider the Oregon chub to be Oregon chub throughout its range. known to exist throughout the ‘‘recovered’’ because all substantial DATES: This rule is effective on March Willamette River drainage. The risk of threats to this fish have been 23, 2015. extinction is substantially reduced as ameliorated and the species is now threats have been ameliorated and new abundant and well-distributed ADDRESSES: This final rule and the post- populations have been discovered or throughout much of its presumed delisting monitoring plan are available established. on the Internet at http:// historical range. Purpose of the Regulatory Action— • All remaining potential threats to www.regulations.gov at Docket Number Under the Endangered Species Act of the species and its habitat, with the FWS–R1–ES–2014–0002. Comments 1973, we may be petitioned to list, exception of effects related to climate and materials received, as well as delist, or reclassify a species. In 2010, change, have been ameliorated, and supporting documentation used in the we reclassified the Oregon chub from many populations exist on public lands preparation of this rule, will be endangered to threatened (75 FR 21179, managed for fish and wildlife available for public inspection, by April 23, 2010), based on defined conservation. appointment, during normal business criteria in the species recovery plan. In • We do not consider effects related hours, at the Service’s Oregon Fish and 2014, we proposed to remove the to climate change to be a substantial Wildlife Office, 2600 SE 98th Avenue, Oregon chub from the Federal List of threat to the species at this time, and we Portland, OR 97266. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife do not expect climate change effects to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul (79 FR 7136, February 6, 2014), based rise to the magnitude or severity such Henson, State Supervisor, Oregon Fish on delisting criteria in the recovery plan that the species will be likely to become and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES); and a five factor threats analysis. an endangered species within the telephone 503–231–6179; or facsimile Threats to this species have been largely foreseeable future. While we recognize (fax) 503–231–6195. Persons who use a ameliorated, with the exception of the that climate change effects such as telecommunications device for the deaf effects of climate change, and we do not rising air temperatures, reduced (TDD) may call the Federal Information consider such effects to be a substantial snowpack, and increased drought may Relay Services (FIRS) at 800–877–8339 threat to the species at this time. have potential effects to the Oregon for assistance. Therefore, we have determined that the chub and its habitat, the best available SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Oregon chub no longer meets the information does not indicate that such VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:51 Feb 18, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\19FER3.SGM 19FER3 asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 33 / Thursday, February 19, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 9127 effects will significantly impact the (Castor canadensis) ponds, oxbows, side Extensive human activities in the Oregon chub or its habitat. We expect channels, backwater sloughs, low- Willamette River Basin have that the Oregon chub’s susceptibility to gradient tributaries, and flooded substantially reduced the floodplain climate change effects is low given the marshes. These habitats usually have habitats and altered water temperatures, wide range of temperature tolerances of little or no water flow, are dominated by as well as the timing, duration, and Oregon chub, the range and diversity of silty and organic substrate, and contain magnitude of floods in the basin. In the habitats occupied by the species, and considerable aquatic vegetation 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. Army Corps because effects of climate change will be providing cover for hiding and of Engineers (USACE) constructed 13 ameliorated by multiple storage dams in spawning (Pearsons 1989, p. 27; Markle large dams on many of the tributaries of the Willamette River Basin. et al. 1991, p. 289; Scheerer and • the Willamette River, with the primary We find that delisting the Oregon McDonald 2000, p. 1). The average purpose of flood risk reduction. Though chub is warranted and thus we are depth of habitat used by the Oregon the Willamette River mainstem and removing this taxon from the Federal chub is less than 1.8 meters (m) (6 feet some tributaries remain undammed, List of Endangered and Threatened (ft)), and summer water temperatures miles of levees have also been Wildlife. typically exceed 16 degrees Celsius (61 • We prepared a final post-delisting constructed to further increase degrees Fahrenheit). Adult Oregon chub agricultural and urban use of these monitoring plan to monitor the Oregon seek dense vegetation for cover and former floodplain areas. chub after delisting to verify that the frequently travel in the mid-water species remains secure. column in beaver channels or along the At the time of listing in 1993 (58 FR 53800, October 18, 1993), only nine Previous Federal Actions margins of aquatic plant beds. Larval Oregon chub congregate in shallow known populations of Oregon chub Please refer to the proposed rule to near-shore areas in the upper layers of existed, and few estimates existed of the remove the Oregon chub from the the water column, whereas juveniles number of individuals within each Federal List of Endangered and venture farther from shore into deeper population. The locations of these Threatened Wildlife (79 FR 7136, areas of the water column (Pearsons populations represented a small fraction February 6, 2014) for a detailed 1989, p. 16). In the winter months, (estimated as 2 percent based on stream description of previous Federal actions Oregon chub are found buried in the miles) of the species’ formerly extensive concerning this species.