Looking for a U.s. Fish & Wildlife Service Forms And Templates? Download it for free!

Federal WQgister / Vol. 45. No. 171 / Tuesday,

September

2, 1980 / Proposed Rules

58169

habitat and endanger8 the existence of

the species. The proposed determination

that Phacelia formosula is an

Endangered species, if finalized, would

extend to this plant the protection

provided by the Endangered Species Act

of 1973, as amended. The Service seeks

comment on thie species.

DATES:

Comment8 from the public must

be received by November 3,198O.

Comments from the Governor of

Colorado must be received by December

1,1900.

ADDRESSES:

Comments and material8

concerning this proposal, preferably in

triplicate, should be sent to the Director

(FWS/OES), U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Department of the Interior,

Washington, DC. 20240. Comment8 and

materials received will be available for

public inspection by appointment during

normal business hours at the Service’s

Office of Endangered Species,

1000

North Glebe Road, Fifth Floor,

Arlington, Virginia.

FOR FURTHER

INFORMAllON

CONTACT:

Mr. John L Spinks, Jr., Chief, Office of

Endangered Species, Department of the

Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Washington, D.C. 2924Q,7Q3+?36277l.

SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION:

Phacelia

formusufa was discovered in lQl8 and

described the following year. It is an

annual, herbaceous plant in the

waterleaf family (Hydrophyllaceae),

having a much-branched habit

glandular leaves, and attaining a height

of 1.5-2.2 dm. The violet flower8 are

borne in clusters measuring up to five

centimeters in length (Atwood, 1975).

Phacelia formosuia is known from only

one population in North Park, Jackson

County, Colorado, localized on a semi-

arid sandstone bluff open to direct

sunlight and winds. The area is sparsely

vegetated The continued existence of

this plant and its habitat are being

threatened by excessive motorcycle

traffic (Wiley, 1979). This de propose8

to determine Phacelia formosula to be

Endangered, which, if finalized, would

implement the protection provided by

the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended. The following paragraphs

further discuss the action8 to date

involving this plant, the threats to the

plant, and the effects of the proposed

action.

Background Section 12 of the

Endangered Species Act of 1973 directed

the Secretary of the Smithsonian

Institution to prepare a report on those

plants considered to be endangered,

threatened, or extinct. This report,

designated as House Document No. 94-

51, was presented to Congress on

January 9,1975. On July 1.1975, the

Director published a notice in the

Federal Register (40 FR 27823-27924) of

his acceptance of thia report as a

petition within the context of Section

4(c][2) of the Act, and of his intention

thereby to review the status of the plant

taxa named within. On June l&1978, the

Service published a proposed rule in the

Federal Register (41 FR 24523-24572) to

determine approximately 1,700 vascular

plant taxa to be Endangered species.

This list was assembled on the basis of

comment8 and data received by the .

Smithsonian Institution and the Service

in response to House Document No. Q4-

51 and the July 1,1975, Federal Register

publication. Phacelia formosula was

included in the July 1,1975, notice and

the June l&1976, proposal. General

comment8 on the 1976 proposal are

summarized in an April 26,1978, Federal

17916.)

The Endangered Species Act

Amendment8 of 1978 (P.L 95-632)

required that all proposals over two-

years old be withdrawn. On December

10.1979, the Service published a notice

of the withdrawal of the June 16.1976,

proposal along with other proposals

which had expired (44 FR 70796-70797).

At this time, the Service has sufficient

new information to warrant reproposing

Phacelia formosula.

The Service has fuIly evaluated a

comprehensive status report on the

species. The Service has also consulted

a number of biologist8 with expertise in

this plant and knowledge of its habitat

and received very recent information on

its status.- On July 25,1930, Susan Tabar.

a professor of botany at The Colorado

College and employed this summer by

the Bureau of Land Management,

conducted a field survey of the plant’s

habitat. Despite the fact that conditions

were excellent for the plant this growing

season, she found only

117 mature

specimens and 3 seedlings in four small

patches.

This

information indicate8 that

Phacelia formosula is in danger of

extinction.

The Department has determined that

this is not a significant rule and does not

require the preparation of a regulatory

analysis under Executive Order 12044

and 43 CFR Part 14.

Summarv of Factor8 Affectins the

Species: Sibsection 4(a) of the -

Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531

et seq.) states that the Secretary of the

Interior shall determine whether any

species is an Endangered specie8 or a

Threatened species due to one or more

of the five factor8 described in that

subsection. These factors and their

application to Phacelia formosula

Osterhout are as follows:

1. Present or threatened destruction,

modification, or curtailment of its

habitat or mnge-Phacelia

formosuia

has been known from only one location

near Walden in Jackson County,

Colorado, since its discovery in 1918. At

one time, the species was thought to

occur also in Grand County, but that

specimen is now considered a

misidentification. The location of

Phacelia formosula is a sandstone bluff

above the Michigan River. The

population occupies about Y4 mile of the

bluff. In

1979

there were about ten adult

plants and a few dozen seedlings; in

1980, in response to a particularly wet

spring, there were 117 mature plants and

three seedlings clustered in about four

patches. Botanist8 have searched for

other suitable habitat without success.

Ownership of this habitat is shared by

Jackson County and the Brownlee Cattle

Company. Dr. N. Duane Atwood, a

botanist with the U.S. Forest Service,

noted that in 1969 there were 30 to 40

mature individuals of Phacefia

formosula in this area and a possible

location of a second population nearby.

Plants at this second location are now

totally absent. The area at that time also

suffered from motorcycle activity.

The limited habitat of this species is

being destroyed through heavy use by

off-road motorcyclists on the county-

owned land. Local motorcycle trails,

which are restricted to the bluff. run

through the population. This activity is

continuing at present. This sparsely

vegetated hillside offers no obstacle to

motorcyclists. Plants can be dislodged

or crushed and the fragile habitat is

subject to erosion from continual

disturbance. Once disturbed, these

fragile plant communities take many

years to recover.

2. Overutilization for commerical,

sporting, scientific, or educational

purposes. Not applicable to this species.

3. Disease orpredation (including

grazing)--Grazing has occurred on the

species’ habitat. This grazing does not

appear to threaten the species.

4. The inadequacy of existing

regulatory mechanisms-There

currently exist no State or Federal laws

protecting this specie8 or its habitat. The

Endangered Species Act offers

possibilities for protection of this

species.

5. Other natumi or man-made factors

affecting its continued existence-Any

human pressure on this species may

exaggerate the possibility of small

population8 going extinct through

natural population fluctuations.

Reproductive success of the present

population is reported as very poor, with

low vigor. Vandalism, facilitated by

expanding loca1 awareness of the plant

and its habitat, could destroy the

species.

Federal Register - 50 Cfr Part 17 Endangered And Threatened Wildlife And Plants - U.s. Fisn And Wildlife Service - 1980 Page 2

Related Articles

Related forms

Related Categories