Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Designation of Critical Habitat for the Plant Lesquerella thamnophila (Zapata Bladderpod)

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), for the plant Lesquerella thamnophila (Rollins & Shaw) (Zapata bladderpod). Critical habitat includes seven sites on 2,088 hectares (ha) (5,158 acres (ac)) of Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge property in Starr County, Texas, and a privately owned 0.55 ha (1.36 ac) site also located in Starr County, Texas. Section 7 of the Act requires Federal agencies to ensure that actions they authorize, fund, or carry out are not likely to destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat. As required by section 4 of the Act, we considered economic and other relevant impacts prior to making a final decision on what areas to designate as critical habitat.