Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Designation of Critical Habitat for Cirsium loncholepis (La Graciosa thistle)

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), for Cirsium loncholepis (La Graciosa thistle). Approximately 41,089 acres (ac) (16,628 hectares (ha)) are within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. The designated critical habitat is in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, California. Critical habitat identifies specific areas, both occupied and unoccupied, that are essential to the conservation of a listed species and that may require special management considerations or protection. Section 7(a)(2) of the Act requires that each Federal agency, in consultation with and with the assistance of the Service, ensure that any action authorized, funded, or carried out by such agency is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of an endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. Section 4 of the Act requires us to consider economic and other relevant impacts of designating any particular area as critical habitat. We solicited data and comments from the public on all aspects of this designation, including data on economic and other impacts of the designation.