Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Prudency Determination for the Designation of Critical Habitat for Trichostema austromontanum ssp. compactum

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have reconsidered whether designating critical habitat for Trichostema austromontanum ssp. compactum, a plant, is prudent. We listed this taxon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), in 1998; at that time, we determined that designation of critical habitat was not prudent, because designation would increase the degree of threat to the taxon and would not benefit the taxon. As a consequence of a settlement agreement, we withdrew our previous not- prudent determination, and agreed to reevaluate the prudency of designating critical habitat. However, based on our review and evaluation of the best scientific and commercial information available, we believe that designation of critical habitat continues to be not prudent for T. a. ssp. compactum.