Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for Puccinellia Parishii (Parish's Alkali Grass)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AC21

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of

Comment Period on Proposed Endangered Status for Puccinellia Parishii

(Parish's Alkali Grass)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of reopening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service provides notice that the public

comment period is reopened for the proposal to list Puccinellia

parishii (Parish's alkali grass) as an endangered species pursuant to

the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. This small annual grass

occurs near desert springs, seeps, and seasonally wet areas in Apache,

Coconino, and Yavapai counties, Arizona; San Bernardino County,

California; and Catron, Cibola, Grant, Hidalgo, McKinley, Sandoval, and

San Juan counties, New Mexico.

DATES: This comment period closes on August 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and materials should be sent to the Field

Supervisor, New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, 2105 Osuna Road, NE., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113.

Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection

during normal business hours, by appointment, at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlie McDonald at the above address

or telephone (505) 346-2525.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Puccinellia parishii (Parish's alkali grass) was proposed for

designation as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act

of 1973, as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) on March 28, 1994

(59 FR 14378). A 60-day public comment period was provided on the

proposal. All interested parties were requested to submit factual

reports or information that might contribute to the accuracy and

effectiveness of any final action resulting from the proposal. The U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) received one request for a public

hearing, and a notice announcing the public hearing and reopening the

comment period was published in the Federal Register on August 30, 1994

(59 FR 44700). The public hearing was held on September 15, 1994, in

Tuba City, Arizona.

Following the initial and reopened comment periods and public

hearing, the Service received additional information on the

distribution, abundance, habitat requirements, and threats for Parish's

alkali grass. This new information is summarized in the following

paragraphs.

Parish's alkali grass is now known from 29 sites as opposed to the

10 sites reported in the proposed rule. The known sites in New Mexico

have increased to 16 from the 1 that was reported in the proposed rule.

The new sites for New Mexico are in Catron (1), Cibola (1), Hidalgo

(1), McKinley (6), Sandoval (4), and San Juan (2) counties. The 1 site

reported in the proposed rule is in Grant County. The known sites in

Arizona have increased to 11 from the 7 that were reported in the

proposed rule. The new sites for Arizona are in Apache (3) and Yavapai

(1) Counties. The 7 sites reported in the proposed rule are in Coconino

County.

The known sites in California have decreased to 1 from the 2 that

were reported in the proposed rule. Dr. Andrew Sanders of the

University of California, Riverside identified the

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plants from Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County as Puccinellia

simplex rather than P. parishii (C. Rutherford, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, in litt. 1995). The other California site reported in the

proposed rule is in San Bernardino County.

Some of the newly discovered sites extend the overall range of the

species. In particular, discoveries in northwestern New Mexico extend

the species' range about 300 km (200 mi) eastward from previously known

sites in Arizona, and the discovery in west-central Arizona extends the

species' range about 240 km (150 mi) southwestward in that state. Many

of the new sites fill gaps in the known distribution making populations

much less disjunct from one another than previously believed.

Some newly discovered sites for Parish's alkali grass indicate the

species occupies a broader range of habitats than previously supposed.

In addition to sites near desert springs and seeps, some newly

discovered sites are in areas where the soils are subirrigated and wet

only during the winter and spring months. These sites are generally not

identified as springs on maps and are only noticeable because their

greener vegetation contrasts with the surrounding brown vegetation

during the spring months. One newly discovered site occurs at 2,240 m

(7,350 ft) in elevation, which is 410 m (1,350 ft) higher than any of

the sites in the proposed rule. These discoveries greatly increase the

number of potential sites where Parish's alkali grass might be found.

Some of the newly discovered sites indicate Parish's alkali grass

may withstand disturbance better than previously suspected. At several

sites, cattle have closely cropped the vegetation and severely trampled

the area. However, Parish's alkali grass persists at the sites. In one

instance, a highway right-of-way fence protects part of the site from

grazing. The protected area has a dense stand of sweet clover

(Melilotus sp.) and no Parish's alkali grass, but the grass is abundant

in the grazed area only a few meters away. Some disturbance likely

reduces competition and creates microsites for seedling establishment

for Parish's alkali grass, which is a short-statured annual plant.

No final decision has been made on whether to give Parish's alkali

grass protection under the Act or to withdraw the listing proposal. In

consideration of the length of time since the initial proposal and the

new information about the species, the Service is reopening the comment

period and seeking comments or suggestions from the public, other

concerned governmental agencies, the scientific community, industry, or

any other interested party concerning the proposed rule. The Service is

seeking any other new information that may have been developed since

the proposal was published, and that may expand the current knowledge

of the status, distribution, or threats for Parish's alkali grass. The

new comment period closes on August 19, 1998. Any comments should be

sent to the Field Supervisor, New Mexico Ecological Services Field

Office (see ADDRESSES section).

Reference Cited

Sivinski, R. 1995. Parish's alkali grass, progress report. New

Mexico Forestry and Resources Conservation Division Section 6

Performance Report, Project E9, Segment 9. U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Author: The primary author of this document is Charlie McDonald

(see ADDRESSES section).

Authority

The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act (16

U.S.C. 1532 et seq.).

Dated: July 9, 1998.

Frank Shoemaker,

Regional Director, Region 2.

[FR Doc. 98-19208 Filed 7-17-98; 8:45 am]

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