Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Designation of Critical Habitat for Chlorogalum purpureum, a Plant From the South Coast Ranges of California

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), for two varieties of purple amole: Chlorogalum purpureum var. purpureum (purple amole) and Chlorogalum purpureum var. reductum (Camatta Canyon amole). A total of approximately 2,443 ha (5,910 ac) of land fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. Critical habitat is located in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties, California. Located on Federal, State, and private lands, this critical habitat designation will require consultation by the Service under section 7 of the Act on actions carried out, funded, or authorized by a Federal agency. Section 4 of the Act requires us to consider economic and other relevant impacts when specifying any particular area as critical habitat. We solicited data and comments from the public on all aspects of this proposal, including data on economic and other impacts of the designation. We have revised the proposal to eliminate lands at Camp Roberts under section 3(5)(A), and lands at Ft. Hunter Liggett under section 4(b)(2). It is our policy that if any areas containing the primary constituent elements are currently being managed to address the conservation needs of Chlorogalum purpureum management or protection, these areas would not meet the definition of critical habitat in section 3(5)(A)(i) of the Act and would not be included in this final rule. We have determined that this is the case at Camp Roberts due to their having an approved Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan which addresses the conservation needs of Chlorogalum purpureum. We have also determined that the direct and indirect costs to the Army, including reduction in military readiness, from designation of critical habitat at Ft. Hunter Liggett are such that the benefits of excluding those lands exceed the benefits of their inclusion.