Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Woundfin and Virgin River Chub

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for the Virgin River chub (Gila seminuda) and the woundfin (Plagopterus argentissimus) in accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Virgin River chub and woundfin are listed as endangered. Both species occur within the area designated as critical habitat. The designation includes portions of the Virgin River in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. We are designating 140.1 kilometers (km) (87.5 miles (mi)) of critical habitat for the woundfin (approximately 12.5 percent of its historical range) and the Virgin River chub (65.3 percent of its historical range). The majority of the land to be designated as critical habitat is under Federal ownership (57.7 percent) or private ownership (39.9 percent). This critical habitat designation includes portions of the mainstem Virgin River and its associated 100-year floodplain. Under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended, Federal agencies are required to ensure that their actions are not likely to destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat. Section 4 of the Act required us to consider economic and other impacts prior to making this final decision on the size and scope of the designation.