23008 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 74 / Tuesday, April 17, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

50 CFR Part 17 

[Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2012–0008; 

4500030114] 

RIN 1018–AX42 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; Designation of Revised 

Critical Habitat for Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion) and Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior (San Jacinto Valley 

crownscale) 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), propose to 

revise critical habitat for Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion) and for Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior (San Jacinto 

Valley crownscale) under the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (Act). In total, approximately 

889 acres (360 hectares) are being 

proposed for designation as critical 

habitat for A. munzii and approximately 

8,020 acres (3,246 hectares) for A. c. var. 

notatior. All of the proposed revised 

critical habitat is located in Riverside 

County, California. 

DATES: We will accept comments 

received or postmarked on or before 

June 18, 2012. Comments submitted 

electronically using the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES

section, below) must be received by 

11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing 

date. We must receive requests for 

public hearings, in writing, at the 

address shown in FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT by June 1, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by one of the following methods: 

(1) Electronically: Go to the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal: http://www.

regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter 

Docket No. FWS–R8–2012–0008, which 

is the docket number for this 

rulemaking. 

(2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail 

or hand-delivery to: Public Comments 

Processing, Attn: FWS–R8–2012–0008; 

Division of Policy and Directives 

Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 

2042–PDM; Arlington, VA 22203. 

We request that you send comments 

only by the methods described above. 

We will post all comments on http://

www.regulations.gov. This generally 

means that we will post any personal 

information you provide us (see the 

Public Comments section below for 

more information). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim 

Bartel, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Fish and 

Wildlife Office, 6010 Hidden Valley 

Road, Suite 101, Carlsbad, CA 92011; 

telephone 760–431–9440; facsimile 

760–431–5901. If you use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD), call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Executive Summary 

Why we need to publish a rule. This 

is a proposed rule to revise the 

designations of critical habitat for two 

endangered plant taxa, Munz’s onion 

(Allium munzii) and San Jacinto Valley 

crownscale (Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior). Under the Endangered Species 

Act, any species that is determined to be 

threatened or endangered shall, to the 

maximum extent prudent and 

determinable, have habitat designated 

that is considered to be critical habitat. 

Designations and revisions of critical 

habitat can only be completed by 

issuing a rule. 

Critical habitat was designated for 

Munz’s onion and San Jacinto Valley 

crownscale in 2005. We agreed to 

reconsider the critical habitat 

designations in a settlement agreement 

in response to a complaint filed in 

court, and are submitting a proposed 

revised critical habitat designation for 

both plants. 

We are proposing changes to the 

designation of critical habitat for Munz’s 

onion and San Jacinto Valley 

crownscale. 

• Our previous final critical habitat 

designation for Munz’s onion in 2005 

identified 176 acres (71 hectares) of U.S. 

Forest Service lands as critical habitat 

after excluding 1,068 acres (432 

hectares) based upon Endangered 

Species Act exclusions. This proposed 

revised designation for Munz’s onion 

includes five units in Riverside County, 

California, totaling 889 acres (360 

hectares). We are considering excluding 

790 acres (320 hectares) of lands from 

designation based on partnerships 

created with the establishment of 

permitted Habitat Conservation Plans or 

other Management Plans. 

• No critical habitat was designated 

in the previous 2005 final designation 

for San Jacinto Valley crownscale after 

15,232 acres (6,164 hectares) were 

excluded. This proposed revised 

designation for San Jacinto Valley 

crownscale includes three units in 

Riverside County, California, totaling 

8,020 acres (3,246 hectares). We are 

considering excluding all 8,020 acres 

(3,246 hectares) of lands from critical 

habitat designation based on 

partnerships created with the 

establishment of a permitted Habitat 

Conservation Plan. 

The basis for our action. Under the 

Endangered Species Act, any species 

that is determined to be threatened or 

endangered shall, to the maximum 

extent prudent and determinable, have 

habitat designated that is considered to 

be critical habitat. Section 4(b)(2) of the 

Endangered Species Act states that the 

Secretary shall designate and make 

revisions to critical habitat on the basis 

of the best available scientific data after 

taking into consideration the economic 

impact, national security impact, and 

any other relevant impact of specifying 

any particular area as critical habitat. 

The Secretary may exclude an area from 

critical habitat if he determines that the 

benefits of such exclusion outweigh the 

benefits of specifying such area as part 

of the critical habitat, unless he 

determines, based on the best scientific 

data available, that the failure to 

designate such area as critical habitat 

will result in the extinction of the 

species. 

We are preparing an economic 

analysis of the proposed revised 

designations of critical habitat. In order 

to consider economic impacts, we are 

preparing a new analysis of the 

economic impacts of the proposed 

revised critical habitat designations and 

related factors. We will announce the 

availability of the draft economic 

analysis as soon as it is completed, at 

which time we will seek additional 

public review and comment. 

We will seek peer review. We are 

seeking the expert opinions of 

appropriate and independent specialists 

regarding this proposed rule to ensure 

that our critical habitat designations are 

based on scientifically sound data, 

assumptions, and analyses. We have 

invited these peer reviewers to comment 

during the proposed rule’s public 

comment period on our specific 

assumptions and conclusions in this 

proposed rule to revise the designations 

of critical habitat. We will consider all 

comments and information received 

during the comment period in our 

preparation of the final determinations. 

Accordingly, the final decisions may 

differ from this proposal. 

Public Comments 

We intend that any final action 

resulting from this proposed rule will be 

based on the best scientific and 

commercial data available and be as 

accurate and as effective as possible. 

Therefore, we request comments or 

information from other concerned 

government agencies, the scientific 

community, industry, or any other 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS3
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 74 / Tuesday, April 17, 2012 / Proposed Rules 23009 

interested party concerning this 

proposed rule. We particularly seek 

comments concerning: 

(1) The reasons why we should or 

should not designate habitat as ‘‘critical 

habitat’’ under section 4 of the Act (16 

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), including whether 

there are threats to the taxon (a group 

of individuals recognized as a formal 

unit at any taxonomic rank (for 

example, a family, genus, species, 

subspecies, or variety; Allium munzii is 

a species, Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior is a variety) from human 

activity, which can be expected to 

increase due to the designation, and 

whether that increase in threat 

outweighs the benefit of designation 

such that the designation of critical 

habitat may not be prudent. 

(2) Specific information on: 

(a) The amount and distribution of 

Allium munzii and Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior habitat, 

(b) Which areas within the 

geographical area occupied at the time 

of listing contain the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of the taxa and should be 

included in the designation and why, 

(c) Special management 

considerations or protection of essential 

physical or biological features that may 

be needed in critical habitat areas we 

are proposing, including managing for 

the potential effects of climate change, 

and 

(d) Which areas outside the 

geographical area occupied at the time 

of listing are essential for the 

conservation of the taxa and why. 

(3) Land use designations and current 

or planned activities in the subject areas 

and their possible impacts on proposed 

critical habitat. 

(4) Information on the projected and 

reasonably likely impacts of climate 

change on Allium munzii and Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior and proposed 

critical habitat. 

(5) Comments or information that may 

assist us in identifying or clarifying the 

primary constituent elements (PCEs) for 

the two taxa. 

(6) How the proposed revised critical 

habitat boundaries could be refined to 

more accurately circumscribe the areas 

meeting the definition of critical habitat. 

(7) Any probable economic, national 

security, or other relevant impacts of 

designating any area that may be 

included in the final designation; in 

particular, any impacts on small 

entities, families, or tribes, and the 

benefits of including or excluding areas 

that exhibit these impacts. 

(8) Which specific lands covered by 

the Western Riverside County Multiple 

Species Habitat Conservation Plan 

(Western Riverside County MSHCP) or 

other permitted HCPs and proposed for 

designation as critical habitat should be 

considered for exclusion under section 

4(b)(2) of the Act and for those specific 

areas, how benefits of exclusion from 

the critical habitat designation would 

outweigh the benefits of inclusion in the 

designation. We are currently 

considering to exclude, under section 

4(b)(2) of the Act, all lands covered by 

the Western Riverside County MSHCP 

or other permitted HCPs and 

Cooperative Agreements described in 

this proposed rule (see Exclusions 

Based on Other Relevant Impacts 

section below). 

(9) Whether we could improve or 

modify our approach to designating 

critical habitat in any way to provide for 

greater public participation and 

understanding, or to better 

accommodate public concerns and 

comments. 

You may submit your comments and 

materials concerning this proposed rule 

by one of the methods listed in the 

ADDRESSES section. We request that you 

send comments only by the methods 

described in the ADDRESSES section. 

We will post your entire comment— 

including your personal identifying 

information—on http://www.

regulations.gov. You may request at the 

top of your document that we withhold 

personal information such as your street 

address, phone number, or email 

address from public review; however, 

we cannot guarantee that we will be 

able to do so. 

Comments and materials we receive, 

as well as supporting documentation we 

used in preparing this proposed rule, 

will be available for public inspection 

on http://www.regulations.gov, or by 

appointment, during normal business 

hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife 

Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT). 

Background 

This is a proposed rule to revise the 

designations of critical habitat for two 

plant taxa, Allium munzii and Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior. The document is 

structured to address the taxa separately 

under each of the sectional headings 

that follow. 

Allium munzii 

It is our intent to discuss only those 

topics directly relevant to the proposed 

revised designation of critical habitat for 

Allium munzii in this section of this 

proposed rule. For more information on 

A. munzii, please refer to the proposed 

listing rule published in the Federal 

Register on December 15, 1994 (59 FR 

64812), and the final listing rule 

published in the Federal Register on 

October 13, 1998 (63 FR 54975). 

Additional information on the biology 

of the species may be found in the first 

rule proposing critical habitat published 

in the Federal Register on June 4, 2004 

(69 FR 31569), the subsequent final 

critical habitat rule published in the 

Federal Register on June 7, 2005 (70 FR 

33015), and the 5-year review for A. 

munzii signed on June 17, 2009. These 

documents are available on our Web site 

at http://www.fws.gov/carlsbad/or 

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/under 

Allium munzii or Munz’s onion. 

When we listed Allium munzii as 

endangered in 1998, the genus Allium 

was included in the large broadly 

defined family Liliaceae (lily family). 

The genus Allium is now segregated in 

the family Alliaceae (onion family), and 

is recognized as such in the recent 

revision of the Jepson Manual of 

Vascular Plants of California (McNeal 

2012, pp. 1289–1292). Upon review of 

available systematic and floristic 

literature and consultation with species 

experts, we are amending part 17, 

subchapter B of chapter I, title 50 of the 

Code of Federal Regulations to reflect 

the transfer of Allium, including A. 

munzii, from Liliaceae to Alliaceae. This 

transfer does not alter the description, 

distribution, or listing status of A. 

munzii. 

Description 

Allium munzii belongs to the A. 

fimbriatum complex, a group of seven 

species found primarily in California 

(McNeal 1992, p. 413). Allium munzii is 

a bulb-forming perennial herb that 

annually produces a single cylindrical 

leaf prior to flowering and, depending 

on rainfall and age of the plant, a 

scapose inflorescence (a leafless flower 

stalk that grows directly from the 

ground) 0.5 to 1.2 feet (ft) (15 to 35 

centimeters (cm)) tall. The inflorescence 

is umbellate (each individual flower 

stalk radiates from the same point of 

attachment), and consists of 10 to 35 

flowers. Each flower has six white or 

white with red midvein perianth 

segments (outer part of flower), 0.2 to 

0.3 inch (in) (6 to 8 millimeters (mm)) 

long, which become red with age. The 

ovary is crested with fine, irregularly 

dentate processes and the fruit is a 

three-lobed capsule (McNeal 1992, p. 

413). 

Biology and Life History 

Native Allium taxa typically require 3 

to 5 years after seeds germinate for 

plants to reach maturity and produce 

flowers (Schmidt 1980, p. 164). Allium 

plants are adapted to survive 


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unfavorable seasons underground, as are 

all bulb-forming and corm-forming 

plants (geophytes) (Pu ̈tz 1992, p. 1433). 

Seedlings achieve the appropriate depth 

in the soil by the action of specialized 

roots that pull the young plants down 

through the soil (Pu ̈tz 1992, p. 1433). 

Allium munzii plants are dormant from 

mid-summer through autumn. The 

flowering period varies from year to 

year, but is generally between March 

and May (California Native Plant 

Society (CNPS) 2001, p. 67). After 

flowering and seed dispersal, the 

aboveground portions of A. munzii 

plants die back to the bulb. Following 

seed germination, at least 3 years are 

required for these bulb-forming plants to 

produce flowers (Wall 2012, pers. 

comm.). 

Allium munzii is adapted to seasonal 

(summer and fall) drought and variable 

annual rainfall. McNeal (1992, p. 413) 

observed that flowering in the A. 

fimbriatum complex appears to be 

correlated with rains in the late fall and 

early winter. As a result, A. munzii may 

occur in various states during a given 

growing season, including: (1) As 

dormant underground bulbs, (2) as 

seedlings and other pre-reproductive 

plants that only produce one leaf, (3) as 

adults with only one leaf that do not 

produce an inflorescence that year, (4) 

as adults that produce one leaf and an 

inflorescence, and (5) as seeds in a soil 

seedbank. When rainfall is heavier, most 

plants flower successfully (McNeal 

1992, p. 413); A. munzii often does not 

flower in very dry years (Boyd 1988, p. 

3), though most plants will sprout 

leaves and sometimes produce flower 

buds. In addition to sexual reproduction 

through seed production, A. munzii 

plants can reproduce asexually through 

vegetative division of the bulbs 

(Ellstrand 1993, p. 5; Ellstrand 1999, p. 

1). We have no definitive information 

regarding pollinators of A. munzii, but 

it is likely that a number of insect 

species serve this function (Boyd 2007, 

pers. comm.). Small beetles of the 

family Anthicidae (ant-like flower 

beetles) were found on about one-third 

of the A. munzii inflorescences of a 

population in Temescal Canyon (The 

Environmental Trust 2002, p. 16); 

however, their role as pollinators was 

not confirmed. 

Habitat and Soil Preferences 

Allium munzii is a narrow endemic 

plant discontinuously distributed along 

the southern edge of the greater 

Riverside-Perris area (Perris Basin) in 

western Riverside County, between the 

elevations of 1,200 to 2,700 ft (366 to 

823 meters (m)) above mean sea level 

(AMSL), from Temescal Canyon 

southeast to the foothills of the San 

Jacinto Mountains (Boyd 1988, p. 2; 

Roberts et al. 2004, pp. 10, 130). Climate 

in this area is characterized by cool, 

moist winters and hot, dry summers 

(Boyd 1988, p. 4). Allium munzii is 

found on level or slightly sloping areas 

or on terrace escarpments (California 

Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) 

2011a) and is strongly associated with 

mesic (wet) clay soils in western 

Riverside County (Boyd 1988, pp. 2, 4). 

Allium munzii occupy microhabitat 

sites created by the complex geology of 

the Perris Basin; these sites receive or 

retain more moisture than nearby or 

surrounding sites due to exposure, slope 

characteristics, hydrological 

characteristics, or topographic features 

(see, for example, the topography and 

geology discussion in Boyd (1983, pp. 

10, 13–14, 18)). 

Many of the clay soil types where 

Allium munzii occurs typically support 

open native or nonnative grasslands. 

Specific designations include southern 

needlegrass grassland, mixed grassland, 

open coastal sage scrub or Riversidean 

sage scrub, or occasionally cismontane 

juniper woodlands (CNPS 2001, p. 67). 

The species is also considered a 

component of a ‘‘clay soil flora’’ that 

includes perennial herbs and a variety 

of annuals (Boyd 1988, p. 4). Plants are 

most frequently found in areas that are 

minimally disturbed and in areas where 

there is little competition and 

overcrowding from nonnative plants. In 

contrast, areas that consistently 

experience ground disturbance activities 

(such as disking for dryland farming) or 

are heavily infested with invasive, 

nonnative plants (particularly annual 

grasses) generally result in a decline in 

habitat quality and therefore declining 

A. munzii populations (Roberts 1998, 

pers. comm.; CNDDB 2011a). 

Known soil associations with Allium 

munzii include, but are not limited to: 

Altamont, Auld, Bosanko, and 

Porterville clays of sedimentary origin. 

These clay soils are scattered in a band 

several miles wide and extend south of 

Corona, California, through Temescal 

Canyon and along the Elsinore Fault 

zone to the southwestern foothills of the 

San Jacinto Mountains (Boyd 1988, p. 

2). Some of these soils are small pockets 

of clay soil (for example Gavilan Hills) 

and are not identified on coarse-scale 

soil maps (Boyd 2011a, pers. comm.). 

Wet clay soils facilitate the formation of 

soil channels for movement of young 

bulbs (Pu ̈tz 1992, p. 1433), which is 

necessary for establishment and 

persistence of A. munzii plants. Allium 

munzii is also found in rocky-sandy 

loam soil within rocky outcrops (such as 

North Domenigoni Hills) (CNDDB 

2011a, Element Occurrence (EO) 10). 

These soils may be of sedimentary or 

igneous origin with a clay subsoil (such 

as Cajalco, Las Posas, or Vallecitos) 

(Knecht 1971, pp. 2–3, 21, 42, 62–64). 

Spatial Distribution, Historical Range, 

and Population Size 

As noted above, Allium munzii is a 

narrow endemic species with a 

naturally discontinuous distribution in 

western Riverside County (Boyd 1988, 

p. 2; Roberts et al. 2004, pp. 10, 130). 

Its historical distribution may have been 

within clay soils scattered throughout 

the entire Perris basin in western 

Riverside County, which exhibits a 

complex physical geography 

characterized by several distinct 

geologic events and subsequent 

erosional processes that have produced 

numerous soil or sediment types on the 

remaining land forms (Dudley 1936, pp. 

358–360, 376). Allium munzii shares its 

range and habitat with a portion of the 

range of the similar-appearing A. 

haematochiton (red-skinned onion). The 

two species can occur within several 

feet of each other, but they do not 

interbreed (CDFG 1989, p. 2). 

In general, the distribution of plant 

taxa may be determined from a variety 

of sources including preserved 

herbarium specimens, survey reports, 

and various databases. Survey records 

typically contain information describing 

locations and numbers of plants, which 

can be called localities or groups of 

individual plants (up to several 

thousand in one location or only a few 

plants), or can be described as the actual 

number of individual plants. The 

precision of the location of survey sites 

varies from general area descriptions to 

road perimeters to more recent Global 

Positioning System (GPS) technology. 

The CNDDB, maintained by the 

California Department of Fish and Game 

(CDFG), is an ongoing effort to include 

herbarium records and survey reports 

for separate Element Occurrences (EOs) 

of all of the taxa tracked by the database. 

To constitute a separate EO, the site 

must be at least one-quarter mile from 

any other such site. Sequential surveys 

are accumulated in the EO report for the 

site. Because contribution to the 

database is not mandatory, some 

herbarium specimens and survey 

reports are not yet included in the 

database. In this proposed rule, our use 

of the term occurrence, often in relation 

to a critical habitat unit, may indicate an 

area that includes one or more point 

localities and EOs. 

Although 6 of the 18 CNDDB-defined 

EOs have been detected since listing, 

the species’ geographic range (greater 

Perris Basin) has remained essentially 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS3
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the same since listing. We identified 13 

populations of Allium munzii in our 

listing rule (63 FR 54975; October 13, 

1998) that were primarily based on sites 

identified as CNDDB EOs and cited in 

the rule (EOs 2, 3, 5, 7–16). Since then, 

six new EOs have been included in the 

CNDDB database (CNDDB 2011a, EOs 

17, 18, 20, 21, 22, and 23), and during 

our 2009 5-year review, we located 

another record (1994) that was unknown 

at the time of listing and that is not yet 

described in the CNDDB database 

(Service 2009, p. 38; proposed EO 24). 

At the time of our 2009 5-year review, 

we assessed the status of six EOs as 

follows: two CNDDB-defined EOs (EOs 

1 and 8) are likely extirpated (locally 

extinct), three (EOs 20, 21, and 22) are 

vague locations or historical and of 

currently unknown condition, and one 

(EO 19) was likely based on a 

misidentified specimen and deleted by 

CNDDB (Service 2009, p. 9). In addition, 

the CNDDB has now combined EO 8 

with EO 3 (CNDDB 2011a, EO3). We 

therefore concluded in our 5-year 

review that there were 18 extant (still in 

existence) EOs (EOs 2–7, 9–18, 23, and 

proposed EO 24) for A. munzii, all 

essentially within the same geographic 

range known at the time of listing. 

Because of the species’ habitat 

requirements, we do not anticipate this 

geographic range will change 

significantly in the future, even if 

additional locations of plants are 

discovered. 

The number of individual plants of 

Allium munzii detected in any one area 

differs from year to year and is not an 

accurate reflection of the actual number 

of individuals present. This is primarily 

due to the variety of life-history phases 

represented in a given area (see 

description in the Biology and Life 

History section above). Some surveyors 

may only sample flowering individuals 

while others may be able to sample 

plants with only the vegetative single 

leaf present. Because of the difficulties 

of obtaining reliable survey results and 

the fact that the number of standing 

individuals is dependent upon adequate 

rainfall, any estimation of individuals at 

a given location may vary by several 

orders of magnitude in any given year. 

In the 1998 final listing rule we 

estimated that there were 20,000 to 

70,000 individuals of Allium munzii (63 

FR 54975; October 13, 1998). The largest 

recorded location of plants was at 

Harford Springs County Park and 

adjacent private lands (EO 2), with over 

50,000 individuals observed in 1995 

(Ellstrand 1996, p. 4). In our 5-year 

review, we found that, prior to listing, 

10 CNDDB-defined EOs have supported 

1,000 or more individuals in at least one 

year (Service 2009, Appendix 1, p. 33), 

while others support fewer individual 

plants (i.e., 500 or fewer plants). 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

It is our intent to discuss only those 

topics directly relevant to the proposed 

revised designation of critical habitat for 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior in this 

section of this proposed rule. For more 

information on A. c. var. notatior, please 

refer to the proposed listing rule 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 15, 1994 (59 FR 64812) and 

the final listing rule published in the 

Federal Register on October 13, 1998 

(63 FR 54975). Additional information 

on the biology of this taxon may be 

found in the rule proposing critical 

habitat published in the Federal 

Register on October 6, 2004 (69 FR 

59844), the subsequent final critical 

habitat designation published in the 

Federal Register on October 13, 2005 

(70 FR 59952), and the 5-year review for 

A. coronata var. notatior signed on 

March 31, 2008. These documents are 

available on our Web site at http:// 

www.fws.gov/carlsbad/ or 

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/ under 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior or San 

Jacinto Valley crownscale. 

Description 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is a 

bushy, erect, annual plant that has 

unisexual flowers on each plant. It is a 

member of the Chenopodiaceae 

(goosefoot family) (Munz 1974, p. 351). 

Plants are from 4 to 12 in (10 to 30.5 cm) 

high and generally appear gray and 

scaly during the growing season, 

becoming glabrous and straw-colored as 

they mature (Taylor and Wilken 1993, p. 

501). The grayish leaves are sessile 

(stalkless and attached directly at the 

base), alternate, 0.3 to 0.8 in (8 to 20 

mm) long, and elliptic to ovatetriangular in outline. The flowers occur 

in mixed clusters (Munz 1974, p. 353; 

Taylor and Wilken 1993, p. 501). The 

female flowers are obscure and develop 

spherical bracts in the fruiting phase. 

These bracts have dense tubercles 

(projections) that are roughly equal in 

number to the marginal teeth on the 

bracts (Munz 1974, p. 353; Taylor and 

Wilken 1993, p. 501). Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior can be distinguished from 

the more northern A. c. var. coronata by 

its erect stature, the spherical shape of 

the bracts together in fruiting stage, and 

the more numerous tubercles and 

marginal teeth on the bracts. The ranges 

of the two taxa do not overlap. Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior may co-occur 

with one or more of six native and one 

introduced Atriplex taxa within its 

range (Bramlet 1993b, p. 7–8) and can 

be distinguished from these taxa by a 

combination of characteristics, 

including life history, shape of the leaf, 

and size and form of the bract (Munz 

1974, pp. 354–355; Taylor and Wilken 

1993, p. 501). 

Biology and Life History 

The persistence of Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior depends upon a hydrologic 

regime that includes seasonal and 

sporadic ponding or flooding in 

combination with slow drainage in 

alkaline soils and habitats. The duration 

and extent of ponding or flooding can be 

extremely variable from one year to the 

next depending on rainfall and local 

runoff conditions. Seasonal flooding is a 

necessary environmental process for A. 

c. var. notatior because it precludes 

invasion from upland plant species, 

restores disturbed alkali habitats, and 

helps to disperse seed. These elements 

form a dynamic physical and biological 

matrix that allows A. c. var. notatior to 

colonize favorable sites and retreat from 

less favorable sites in response to 

disturbance and variations in annual 

rainfall. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

reported to be a prolific seed producer 

(Ogden Environmental and Energy 

Services Corporation (OEESC) 1993, p. 

27). Seed viability is believed to be at 

least 5 years (Bramlet 2004, pers. 

comm.). The number of viable seeds lost 

to seed predators or through dispersal to 

unsuitable habitats is unknown. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior produces 

fruits capable of floating that may be 

dispersed during seasonal flooding 

(Sanders 2004, pers. comm.), 

specifically by slow-moving water flows 

during winter and spring rainfall events. 

Seeds generally germinate in the spring 

as flows recede, flower in April and 

May, and set fruit by May or June 

(Bramlet 1992, pers. comm.). The 

flowering period may extend to August 

in years when the water recedes late in 

the spring season (Munz 1974, p. 355; 

CNPS 2001, p. 93). The number of A. c. 

var. notatior plants in a population 

varies in response to rainfall, extent of 

winter flooding, and temperature 

(Roberts 1993, p. 3). These factors also 

influence the distribution of plants from 

one year to the next (Bramlet 1996, p. 

3). Hydrology, flooding, and 

precipitation all play a role in the 

germination, flowering, fruiting, and 

seed dispersal of A. c. var. notatior. 

Habitat and Soil Preferences 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

reliant on fixed landscape features that 

include: (1) Appropriate hydrology that 

allows for flooding and moist soil 

conditions during the winter and spring 


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months, and (2) alkali soils that drain 

slowly following the winter and spring 

rains. The ponding of water (but not 

prolonged inundation) that A. c. var. 

notatior needs for growth and 

reproduction requires these hydrologic 

conditions and underlying soils. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

found in alkali sink habitat, including 

alkali grassland and scrub (Bramlet 

1996, p. 10). This includes the San 

Jacinto River and Mystic Lake 

floodplains, which represent dominant 

features of the dynamic San Jacinto 

River Watershed (Tetra Tech and 

WRIME 2007, p. 26), and smaller 

floodplains where the taxon resides 

such as Upper Salt Creek and Alberhill 

Creek. The San Jacinto River system is 

ephemeral, characterized by low flows 

except during and following rain events, 

whereas flow in the headwater 

tributaries of the watershed is perennial 

(Tetra Tech and WRIME 2007, p. 26). 

Mystic Lake is a natural sink in the San 

Jacinto Valley; runoff flows into the lake 

from the valley and, during large flow 

events, from the upper San Jacinto River 

(Tetra Tech and WRIME 2007, p. 28). 

The floodplain of the San Jacinto River 

occupied by A. c. var. notatior contains 

native vegetative communities 

including alkali sage scrub and 

Riversidean sage scrub. 

The Upper Salt Creek locations of 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior are 

contained in a natural depression of the 

old Salt Creek tributary within the Salt 

Creek watershed. Habitats occupied by 

A. c. var. notatior in this floodplain 

include alkaline vernal pools, alkaline 

grassland, and alkali sink scrub habitats 

(Regional Environmental Consultants 

(RECON) 1995 pp. 15, 17; CNDDB 

2011b). Major flood control channels, 

local roads and road ditches, and 

agricultural drainage ditches currently 

disrupt historical drainage patterns in 

Upper Salt Creek, reducing the degree 

and duration of ponding during the wet 

season (RECON 1995, p. 18). 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior has 

also been observed in the floodplain of 

Alberhill Creek, which is a part of the 

larger Temescal Wash region of western 

Riverside County. This area drains the 

Gavilan Hills region and the 

northeastern slope of the Santa Ana 

Mountains (Boyd 1983, p. 13). The 

floodplain floods periodically, 

including seasonal overflow from Lake 

Elsinore; this produces scouring and 

ponding in the alkali playa habitat 

occupied by A. c. var. notatior. 

Within these three floodplains, 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

restricted to highly alkaline, silty-clay 

soils in association with the Willows 

soil series and to a lesser extent, the 

Domino, Traver, Waukena, and Chino 

soils series (Knecht 1971, p. 23, Bramlet 

1993a, p. 4). Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior is adapted to grow in slowdraining alkaline-saline clay soils, 

which are usually found in floodplains 

or areas of seasonal ponding (Mitchell 

1990, p. 1; Tierra Madre Consultants 

1990, p. 2) with low permeability and 

low nutrient availability. In dry periods, 

these saline soils exhibit a white 

powdery surface (effloresce) of salts on 

their surface due to the evaporation of 

water (Mitchell 1990, p. 1). Within these 

soil types, A. c. var. notatior occupies 

seasonal and ephemeral wetlands, 

including floodplains and vernal pools 

that are seasonally inundated, and 

within areas dominated by alkali playas, 

alkali scrub, and alkali grassland 

(Bramlet 1992, pers. comm.); plants are 

generally found at the upper margin or 

on mounds within these wetlands 

(Bramlet 2004, pers. comm.). These 

habitats are dependent upon adjacent 

transitional wetlands, marginal 

wetlands, and upland areas within the 

watershed (59 FR 64821; December 15, 

1994). 

Spatial Distribution, Historical Range, 

and Population Size 

At the time of listing, Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior was reported to 

be limited to the San Jacinto, Perris, 

Menifee, and Elsinore Valleys in 

western Riverside County. The listing 

rule identified 11 groupings of 

individual plants associated with the 

San Jacinto River and Old Salt Creek 

tributary drainages with one additional 

small population (185 plants) found to 

the southwest near Lake Elsinore 

(Alberhill Creek) (63 FR 54976; October 

13, 1998). In our 5-year review, using 

data from range-wide surveys of the 

taxon completed from 1996 to 2001, we 

determined that A. c. var. notatior 

occupied the same general geographic 

range described at the time of its listing 

in 1998 (Service 2008, p. 5). Based on 

these survey data and the limited 

comprehensive surveys conducted since 

2001, we currently believe that A. c. var. 

notatior continues to occupy the 

geographical areas described in our 

previous final critical habitat rule as 

occurrence complexes (70 FR 59952; 

October 13, 2005). These areas are 

defined by hydrologic processes (such 

as seasonal flooding) and alkali soil 

associations and include: 

(1) The floodplain of the San Jacinto 

River at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, 

including Mystic Lake; 

(2) The floodplain of the San Jacinto 

River between the Ramona Expressway 

and Railroad Canyon Reservoir; 

(3) The Upper Salt Creek Vernal Pool 

Complex in the western Hemet area; and 

(4) The floodplain of Alberhill Creek 

north of Lake Elsinore (CNDDB 2011b). 

The alkaline-saline soils associated 

with the taxon, primarily the TraverDomino-Willows Association (Knecht 

1971, p. 23), form a U-shaped band 

around the Lakeview Mountains within 

basins and valley floors of the greater 

Perris Valley basin (Tierra Madre 

Consultants 1990, p. 3) and encompass 

the San Jacinto River and Old Salt Creek 

drainages. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

subject to significant natural 

fluctuations in numbers of observed 

individuals in any given year, which 

varies in response to annual rainfall, 

extent and distribution of winter 

flooding, and temperature (Roberts 

1993, p. 3; Bramlet and White 2004, 

Table 2). Differences in survey 

methodologies and proportion of range 

surveyed may also contribute to 

differences in annual counts of 

individuals. In addition, a viable seed 

bank may exist in the soil at a site for 

several years (Bramlet 2004, pers. 

comm.) even if plants are removed or 

fail to germinate for a season or if the 

site is disturbed (OEESC 1993, p. 27). 

A status review and threat assessment 

for Atriplex coronata var. notatior, 

completed in October 1993 (prior to its 

listing in 1998), indicated that 

approximately 78,000 individuals were 

distributed throughout the 

‘‘populations’’ defined by the CNDDB 

EOs (Roberts 1993, p. 3). At the time of 

listing, we estimated about 27,000 A. c. 

var. notatior individuals occupied about 

145 acres (ac) (59 hectares (ha)) of 

habitat (63 FR 54976; October 13, 1998). 

We used population and habitat acreage 

estimates from Bramlet and White 

(2004, Table 2) in our final critical 

habitat rule (70 FR 59955; October 13, 

2005); however, these were combined 

data from the 1990s for the four 

geographical areas listed above. In our 

2008 5-year review, we indicated a 

rangewide population estimate of 

106,000 individuals of Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior based on 

estimates from surveys conducted in the 

spring of 2000 (Glenn Lukos Associates, 

Inc. 2000, p. 15). Approximately 84,000 

of these individuals were found on 

236.5 ac (95.7 ha) along the San Jacinto 

River between the Ramona Expressway 

and the mouth of Railroad Canyon for 

a total of 61 localities (Glenn Lukos 

Associates, Inc. 2000, p. 16). This study 

found that approximately 58,000 of the 

estimated 83,741 individual plants (or 

69 percent) were located within farmed 

or otherwise altered areas impacted by 

regular disking and, in some areas, by 


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additional soil amendments. This report 

also noted that approximately 7,470 

individuals were located within the San 

Jacinto Wildlife Area to the north 

(Glenn Lukos Associates Inc. 2000, p. 

15). 

Additional recent surveys of locations 

or localities (groups of individual 

plants) of Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

have been completed in portions of the 

middle and lower San Jacinto River 

floodplain as well as the Mystic Lake 

area in 2005, 2008, and 2009 (Rancho 

Santa Ana Botanic Garden 2006, 2010; 

White 2009, pers. comm.). Individual 

numbers of plants ranged from 21 to 220 

per site. The Western Riverside Regional 

Conservation Agency (RCA) has also 

conducted limited surveys in a portion 

of the San Jacinto Wildlife Area since 

2006 under the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP Rare Plant Survey 

program, finding fewer than 100 

individuals for all 13 surveyed sites 

(Malisch, 2010, pers. comm.). 

Surveys for sensitive plant species 

were also conducted within the Upper 

Salt Creek area in 2005 and 2006 for a 

proposed highway realignment project 

(CH2M Hill 2010). These surveys 

documented over 100,000 individual 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior plants 

within 555 localities in alkali grassland, 

alkali playa, and vernal pool habitats 

(CH2M Hill 2010, pp. 5–69, Appendix F 

(p. 5), and Figure 5.3–11). The largest 

number of locations of plants (90 

percent) and the largest number of 

individual plants (over 100,000 plants) 

were all found in one general region of 

the Upper Salt Creek area (north of the 

San Jacinto Branch Line, south of 

Devonshire Avenue, east of California 

Avenue, and west of Warren Road) 

(CH2M Hill 2010, p. 5–69). 

The results of these recent surveys 

(2005 through 2009), including some 

conducted during a wet year, indicate a 

more significant population of plants 

within the Upper Salt Creek area than 

was previously believed for the Upper 

Salt Creek location. These surveys do 

not represent a significant change in the 

distribution of Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior since the plant was listed. They 

do provide more precise locations for A. 

c. var. notatior within these two 

floodplains, and therefore an updated 

assessment of the distribution of the 

plant within the geographical area 

occupied at the time of listing. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is also 

found in the Alberhill Creek area. In 

1997, 185 plants were observed on 

Willows soils in this floodplain within 

wetland habitat along Nichols Road, 

near the mouth of Walker Canyon 

(CNDDB 2011b, EO16). A survey in 

2005 recorded 10 plants south of 

Nichols Road in nonnative grassland 

and alkali marsh habitat on Willows 

soil, within one-quarter mile (365 m) of 

the 1997 location (AMEC Earth and 

Environmental Inc., 2006b, p. 29). 

Previous Federal Actions—Allium 

munzii 

Please see the final listing rule for 

Allium munzii for a description of 

previous Federal actions through 

October 13, 1998 (63 FR 54975). At the 

time of listing, we concluded that 

designation of critical habitat for A. 

munzii was not prudent because such 

designation would not benefit the 

species. On June 4, 2004, we published 

a proposed rule to designate 227 ac (92 

ha) of critical habitat for A. munzii on 

Federal land (Cleveland National Forest) 

in western Riverside County, California 

(69 FR 31569). On June 7, 2005, we 

published a final rule designating 176 ac 

(71 ha) of the proposed land as critical 

habitat for A. munzii (70 FR 33015). 

On March 22, 2006, we announced 

the initiation of the 5-year review for 

Allium munzii and opening of a 60-day 

public comment period to receive 

information (71 FR 14538). The A. 

munzii 5-year review was signed on 

June 17, 2009, and found that no change 

was warranted to the endangered status 

of A. munzii. 

On October 2, 2008, a complaint was 

filed against the Department of the 

Interior (DOI) and the Service by the 

Center for Biological Diversity (CBD v. 

Kempthorne, No. 08–CV–01348 (S.D. 

Cal.)) challenging our final critical 

habitat designation for Allium munzii. 

In an order dated March 24, 2009, the 

U.S. District Court for the Central 

District of California, Eastern Division, 

adopted a Stipulated Settlement 

Agreement that was entered into by all 

parties. The agreement stipulates that 

the Service will reconsider critical 

habitat designations for both A. munzii 

and Atriplex coronata var. notatior, and 

shall submit to the Federal Register 

proposed revised critical habitat 

determinations for both plants by 

October 7, 2011. An extension for the 

completion of the new proposed 

determinations was granted on 

September 14, 2011; the new 

submission date to the Federal Register 

is April 6, 2012. Until the effective date 

of the final determinations (to be 

submitted to the Federal Register on or 

before April 6, 2013), the existing final 

critical habitat designations for A. 

munzii and A. c. var. notatior remain in 

place. We are proposing revised critical 

habitat designations for both A. munzii 

and A. c. var. notatior in this combined 

proposed rule. 

Previous Federal Actions—Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior 

Please see the final listing rule for 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior for a 

description of previous Federal actions 

through October 13, 1998 (63 FR 54975), 

including proposed critical habitat in 

1994 (59 FR 64812; December 15, 1994). 

At the time of the final listing rule in 

1998, the Service withdrew the 

proposed critical habitat designation 

based on the taxon’s continued decline 

and determined that designation of 

critical habitat was not prudent, 

indicating that no benefit over that 

provided by listing would result from 

such designation (63 FR 54991; October 

13, 1998). 

On October 6, 2004, we published a 

proposed rule to designate critical 

habitat for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior and identified 15,232 ac (6,164 

ha) of habitat that met the definition of 

critical habitat (69 FR 59844). However, 

we concluded in the 2004 proposed rule 

under section 4(b)(2) of the Act that the 

benefits of excluding lands covered by 

the Western Riverside County MSHCP 

outweighed the benefits of including 

them as critical habitat and no lands 

were proposed for designation as critical 

habitat in the proposed rule. On October 

13, 2005, we published a final critical 

habitat determination for A. c. var. 

notatior (70 FR 59952); there was no 

change from the proposed rule. We 

concluded that all 15,232 ac (6,136 ha) 

of habitat meeting the definition of 

critical habitat were located either 

within our estimate of the areas to be 

conserved and managed by the 

approved Western Riverside County 

MSHCP on existing Public/Quasi-Public 

Lands, or within areas where the 

MSHCP would ensure that future 

projects would not adversely alter 

essential hydrological processes and 

therefore all areas were excluded from 

critical habitat under section 4(b)(2) of 

the Act. 

On March 22, 2006, we announced 

the initiation of the 5-year review for 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior and the 

opening of a 60-day public comment 

period to receive information (71 FR 

14538). The 5-year review was signed 

on March 31, 2008, and found that no 

change was warranted to the 

endangered status of A. c. var. notatior. 

On October 2, 2008, a complaint was 

filed against the DOI and the Service by 

the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD 

v. Kempthorne, No. 08–CV–01348 (S.D. 

Cal.)) challenging our final critical 

habitat determinations for Allium 

munzii and Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior (see Previous Federal Actions— 

Allium Munzii section above for a 


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detailed account of this lawsuit and 

settlement agreement). We are 

proposing revised critical habitat 

designations for both A. munzii and A. 

c. var. notatior in this proposed rule. 

Critical Habitat 

Background 

Critical habitat is defined in section 3 

of the Act as: 

(1) The specific areas within the 

geographical area occupied by the 

species, at the time it is listed in 

accordance with the Act, on which are 

found those physical or biological 

features that are 

(a) Essential to the conservation of the 

species and 

(b) Which may require special 

management considerations or 

protection; and 

(2) Specific areas outside the 

geographical area occupied by the 

species at the time it is listed, upon a 

determination that such areas are 

essential for the conservation of the 

species. 

Conservation, as defined under 

section 3 of the Act, means to use and 

the use of all methods and procedures 

necessary to bring an endangered or 

threatened species to the point at which 

the measures provided pursuant to the 

Act are no longer necessary. Such 

methods and procedures include, but 

are not limited to, all activities 

associated with scientific resource 

management such as research, census, 

law enforcement, habitat acquisition 

and maintenance, propagation, live 

trapping, and transplantation, and, in 

the extraordinary case where population 

pressures within a given ecosystem 

cannot be otherwise relieved, may 

include regulated taking. 

Critical habitat receives protection 

under section 7 of the Act through the 

requirement that Federal agencies 

ensure, in consultation with the Service, 

that any action they authorize, fund, or 

carry out is not likely to result in the 

destruction or adverse modification of 

critical habitat. The designation of 

critical habitat does not affect land 

ownership or establish a refuge, 

wilderness, reserve, preserve, or other 

conservation area. Such designation 

does not allow the government or public 

to access private lands. Such 

designation does not require 

implementation of restoration, recovery, 

or enhancement measures by nonFederal landowners. Where a landowner 

seeks or requests Federal agency 

funding or authorization for an action 

that may affect a listed species or 

critical habitat, the consultation 

requirements of section 7(a)(2) would 

apply, but even in the event of a 

destruction or adverse modification 

finding, the obligation of the Federal 

action agency and the landowner is not 

to restore or recover the species, but to 

implement reasonable and prudent 

alternatives to avoid destruction or 

adverse modification of critical habitat. 

Under section 3(5)(A)(i) of the Act, 

specific areas within the geographical 

area occupied by the species at the time 

it was listed are included in a critical 

habitat designation if they contain the 

physical or biological features (1) which 

are essential to the conservation of the 

species and (2) which may require 

special management considerations or 

protection. For these areas, critical 

habitat designations identify, to the 

extent known using the best scientific 

and commercial data available, those 

physical or biological features that are 

essential to the conservation of the 

species (such as space, food, cover, and 

protected habitat). In identifying those 

physical or biological features within an 

area, we focus on the principal 

biological or physical constituent 

elements (PCEs) (such as roost sites, 

nesting grounds, seasonal wetlands, 

water quality, tide, and soil type) that 

are essential to the conservation of the 

species. 

Under section 3(5)(A)(ii) of the Act, 

specific areas outside the geographical 

area occupied by the species at the time 

it is listed are included in a critical 

habitat designation upon a 

determination that such areas are 

essential for the conservation of the 

species. For example, an area currently 

occupied by the species but that was not 

occupied at the time of listing may be 

essential for the conservation of the 

species and may be included in the 

critical habitat designation. We 

designate critical habitat in areas 

outside the geographical area occupied 

by a species only when a designation 

limited to its range would be inadequate 

to ensure the conservation of the 

species. 

Section 4 of the Act requires that we 

designate critical habitat on the basis of 

the best scientific data available. 

Further, our Policy on Information 

Standards under the Endangered 

Species Act (published in the Federal 

Register on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 34271)), 

the Information Quality Act (section 515 

of the Treasury and General 

Government Appropriations Act for 

Fiscal Year 2001 (Pub. L. 106–554; H.R. 

5658)), and our associated Information 

Quality Guidelines, provide criteria, 

establish procedures, and provide 

guidance to ensure that our decisions 

are based on the best scientific data 

available. They require our biologists, to 

the extent consistent with the Act and 

with the use of the best scientific data 

available, to use primary and original 

sources of information as the basis for 

recommendations to designate critical 

habitat. 

When we are determining which areas 

should be designated as critical habitat, 

our primary source of information is 

generally the information developed 

during the listing process for the 

species. Additional information sources 

may include the recovery plan for the 

species, articles in peer-reviewed 

journals, conservation plans developed 

by States and counties, scientific status 

surveys and studies, biological 

assessments, other unpublished 

materials, or experts’ opinions or 

personal knowledge. 

Habitat is dynamic, and species may 

move from one area to another over 

time. We recognize that critical habitat 

designated at a particular point in time 

may not include all of the habitat areas 

that we may later determine are 

necessary for the recovery of the 

species. For these reasons, a critical 

habitat designation does not signal that 

habitat outside the designated area is 

unimportant or may not be needed for 

recovery of the species. Areas that are 

important to the conservation of the 

species, both inside and outside the 

critical habitat designation, will 

continue to be subject to: (1) 

Conservation actions implemented 

under section 7(a)(1) of the Act, (2) 

regulatory protections afforded by the 

requirement in section 7(a)(2) of the Act 

for Federal agencies to ensure their 

actions are not likely to jeopardize the 

continued existence of any endangered 

or threatened species, and (3) the 

prohibitions of section 9 of the Act if 

actions occurring in these areas may 

affect the species. Federally funded or 

permitted projects affecting listed 

species outside their designated critical 

habitat areas may still result in jeopardy 

findings in some cases. These 

protections and conservation tools will 

continue to contribute to recovery of 

these taxa. Similarly, critical habitat 

designations made on the basis of the 

best available information at the time of 

designation will not control the 

direction and substance of future 

recovery plans, HCPs, or other species 

conservation planning efforts if new 

information available at the time of 

these planning efforts calls for a 

different outcome. 

In particular, we recognize that 

climate change may cause changes in 

the arrangement of occupied habitat and 

will be a particular challenge for 

biodiversity because the interaction of 

additional stressors associated with 


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climate change and current stressors 

may push species beyond their ability to 

survive (Lovejoy 2005, pp. 325–326). 

The synergistic implications of climate 

change and habitat fragmentation are 

the most threatening facet of climate 

change for biodiversity (Hannah and 

Lovejoy 2005, p. 4). Climate models are 

being generated to examine what will 

happen in localized regions such as 

southern California, and many scientists 

believe warmer, wetter winters and 

warmer, drier summers will occur 

within the next century as well as an 

increase in extreme temperature events 

(e.g., Field et al. 1999, pp. 2–3, 20; 

Christensen et al. 2007, p. 891). Climaterelated changes in California have been 

documented (Croke et al. 1998, pp. 

2128, 2130; Breashears et al. 2005, p. 

15144; McMullen and Jabbour 2009, p. 

41; Dominguez et al. 2010, p. 500), and 

predictions for California indicate 

prolonged drought and other climaterelated changes into the future (Field et 

al. 1999, pp. 8–10; Lenihan et al. 2003, 

p. 1667; Hayhoe et al. 2004, p. 12422; 

Breashears et al. 2005, p. 15144; Seager 

et al. 2007, p. 1181; IPCC 2007, p. 9). 

Regional climate change models 

project that the southwestern California 

ecoregion occupied by Allium munzii 

and Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

could experience a mean annual 

temperature increase of 1.7 to 2.2 

°Celsius (C) (3.06 to 3.96 °Fahrenheit 

(F)) by 2070 (Point Reyes Bird 

Observatory (PRBO) Conservation 

Science 2011, p. 40). These models also 

project vegetation changes for 

southwestern California. For example, 

the area of chaparral or coastal scrub is 

projected to decrease by 38 to 44 

percent by 2070, while grassland, which 

currently occupies 3 percent of this 

region, is projected to increase by 345 to 

390 percent (PRBO Conservation 

Science 2011, p. 42). A recent study on 

the effects of climate change to 

grassland assemblages in California, as 

measured by trait differences between 

native and nonnative plant taxa, 

predicted an increase in dominance of 

nonnative taxa in grass assemblages 

with an increase in temperature (Sandel 

and Dangremond 2011, p. 11). 

The information currently available 

on the effects of global climate change 

and increasing temperatures does not 

adequately predict the location and 

magnitude of climate change effects to 

Allium munzii and Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior; therefore, we are unable to 

determine if any additional areas may 

be appropriate to include in this 

proposed revised critical habitat 

designation to address the effects of 

climate change. We specifically request 

information from the public on the 

currently predicted effects of climate 

change on A. munzii and A. c. var. 

notatior and their habitats (see Public 

Comments section above). 

Physical or Biological Features 

In accordance with sections 3(5)(A)(i) 

and 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act and regulations 

at 50 CFR 424.12, in determining which 

areas within the geographical area 

occupied at the time of listing to 

propose as revised critical habitat, we 

consider those physical or biological 

features that are essential to the 

conservation of the species and which 

may require special management 

considerations or protection. These 

include, but are not limited to: 

(1) Space for individual and 

population growth and for normal 

behavior; 

(2) Food, water, air, light, minerals, or 

other nutritional or physiological 

requirements; 

(3) Cover or shelter; 

(4) Sites for breeding, reproduction, or 

rearing (or development) of offspring; 

and 

(5) Habitats that are protected from 

disturbance or are representative of the 

historical, geographical, and ecological 

distributions of a species. 

Allium munzii 

We derive the specific physical or 

biological features for Allium munzii 

from characteristics of the species’ 

habitat, ecology, and life history as 

described in the Background section of 

this proposed rule, the previous critical 

habitat rule (70 FR 33015; June 7, 2005), 

the proposed listing rule (59 FR 64812: 

December 15, 1994), and the final listing 

rule (63 FR 54975; October 13, 1998). 

We have based our determination of the 

physical or biological features for A. 

munzii on the following: 

Space for Individual and Population 

Growth and for Normal Behavior 

Allium munzii is a narrow endemic 

plant that is generally associated with 

mesic clay soils in western Riverside 

County, California, along the southern 

edge of the Perris Basin. Because of the 

physical geology in this part of the 

County, clay soils are scattered in a 

band, several miles wide, extending 40 

miles (mi) (64 kilometers (km)) from 

Gavilan Hills to west of Temescal 

Canyon and Lake Elsinore at the eastern 

foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, 

and along the Elsinore Fault Zone to the 

southwestern foothills of the San Jacinto 

Mountains near Lake Skinner and 

Diamond Valley Lake. These clay soils 

often exist as areas of smaller discrete 

pockets (clay lenses) that are often not 

identified on coarse-scale soil maps. 

Allium munzii is also found within 

other soil types. These include soil 

series of sedimentary or igneous origin 

within a clay subsoil, or rocky-sandy 

loam soils that fall between the finertextured sandy clay loam and the 

coarser-textured loamy sands and have 

sufficient silt or clay components to 

provide coherence (stickiness) to the 

soil (Brown 2003, p. 3). Clay soils must 

be deep enough (at least 3 in (7.6 cm)) 

and remain wet long enough to expand 

during the rainy season in order to pull 

the seedling bulb down into the soil so 

the plant will survive until spring 

(Wallace 2011, pers. comm.). Allium 

munzii most frequently appears within 

intact habitats in which the soils and 

subsoils have been minimally altered or 

unaltered by ground-disturbing 

activities (such as disking, grading, 

excavating, or recontouring) and in 

more open areas where there is little 

competition and overcrowding from 

nonnative plants. 

Allium munzii is commonly restricted 

to locally wetter sites (Boyd 1988, p. 2) 

on level or slightly sloping (10–20 

degrees) areas at elevations from 1,200 

ft (366 m) AMSL (Skunk Hollow) to 

2,700 ft (823 m) AMSL (Estelle 

Mountain) (Boyd 1988, p. 4). It is found 

on both south- and north-facing slopes 

(L&L Environmental Inc. 2003, p. 26; 

CNDDB 2011a). The native perennial 

and annual grassland communities, 

open coastal sage or Riversidean sage 

scrub, and occasionally cismontane 

juniper woodlands found on clay soils 

in Riverside County provide supporting 

habitat for A. munzii. Coupled with 

aspect and elevation, these plant 

communities in western Riverside 

County provide space for individual and 

population growth for A. munzii and are 

identified as a physical or biological 

feature for this species. 

Food, Water, Air, Light, Minerals, or 

Other Nutritional or Physiological 

Requirements 

Clay soil associations for Allium 

munzii include, but are not limited to: 

Altamont, Auld, Bosanko, and 

Porterville clays (70 FR 33022; June 7, 

2005) or soil series of sedimentary or 

igneous origin (rocky-sandy loam) with 

a clay subsoil (such as Cajalco, Las 

Posas, and Vallecitos). Two populations 

of A. munzii are associated with these 

rocky or sandy loam soils on igneous 

rocky outcrops (Greene 1999, pers. 

comm.; CNDDB 2011a, EO 23). Most 

populations are associated with clay 

soils, which have a sticky adobe 

consistency when wet and large cracks 

when dry, and with rounded cobbles 

and boulders embedded within the soil 

(Boyd 1988, p. 4). Clay soils have 


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unique physical and chemical 

properties such as fine grain size, small 

pore space, and an expansive nature 

that often result in a hardpan layer that 

inhibits percolation and root 

penetration (Donahue et al. 1977, p. 50). 

Clay soils are also rich in mineral 

nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, 

and potassium that are held tightly as 

positively charged ions (cations) and are 

absorbed by plant roots through cation 

exchange (Donahue et al. 1977, pp. 10, 

50, 106, 113, 121). 

Allium munzii is adapted to seasonal 

(summer and fall) drought and variable 

annual rainfall. Within areas of suitable 

clay soils or areas of smaller discrete 

pockets of clay within other soil types, 

microhabitats that receive or retain more 

moisture than surrounding areas (due to 

factors such as exposure, slope, and 

subsurface geology) are very important 

in determining where A. munzii is 

found (Boyd 2011b, pers. comm.) and 

are identified as physical or biological 

features for this species. 

Sites for Reproduction 

Sites for Allium munzii reproduction 

are coincident with those for individual 

and population growth. Allium munzii 

is generally restricted to clay soils but 

is also found on rocky loam soils (such 

as North Domenigoni Hills). The sites of 

these soils in western Riverside County 

are identified as a physical or biological 

feature for this species. 

We have little information on 

pollinators or their habitat requirements 

for this taxon other than anecdotal 

observations of beetles on Allium 

munzii inflorescences in one population 

at Temescal Canyon (The 

Environmental Trust 2002, p. 16). Wind 

dispersal is the likely mechanism for 

seed distribution; however, no estimates 

of dispersal distances are available. 

Habitats Protected From Disturbance or 

Representative of the Historical, 

Geographical, and Ecological 

Distributions of the Species 

Allium munzii is found in association 

with several plant communities, 

including southern needlegrass 

grassland, mixed grassland, open coastal 

sage scrub and Riversidean sage scrub, 

or occasionally cismontane juniper 

woodlands (CNPS 2001, p. 67). A 

characteristic clay soil flora, comprised 

of herbaceous annuals and perennials, is 

often associated with the small pockets 

of clay soils (see Habitat and Soil 

Preferences section above for Allium 

munzii) in southwestern Riverside 

County occupied by A. munzii (Boyd 

1988, p. 4). In some instances, the 

observed differences in plant 

communities that occupy clay versus 

nonclay soils can be very different as is 

the case for the terraces in Temescal 

Canyon (Boyd 1988, p. 4). At other 

locations, such as Alberhill Mountain 

and the Gavilan Hills region, the 

grasslands form a mosaic with the 

surrounding scrub-type vegetation 

(Boyd 1988, p. 4); A. munzii is often 

found in open areas within these 

grassland communities. 

Allium munzii is also associated with 

nonnative plants, primarily invasive 

annuals (CDFG 1989, p. 2). However, 

nonnative plants have been identified as 

a threat to several populations of A. 

munzii (CNDDB 2011a, EOs 5, 6, 7, 10, 

12, and 16). Activities that promote the 

spread of invasive weedy grasses, such 

as disking and grading, can suppress the 

inflorescence of A. munzii (Boyd 1988, 

p. 3). These activities can also kill 

plants and destroy hydrological 

characteristics of the site. 

Native and, in some areas, nonnative 

plant communities found along the 

southern edge of the greater RiversidePerris area are identified as a physical 

or biological feature for this taxon. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

We derive the specific physical or 

biological features for Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior from studies of this taxon’s 

habitat, ecology, and life history as 

described in the Background section of 

this proposed rule, the previous critical 

habitat rule (70 FR 59952; October 13, 

2005), and the final listing rule (63 FR 

54975; October 13, 1998). We have 

based our determination of the physical 

or biological features for A. c. var. 

notatior on the following: 

Space for Individual and Population 

Growth and for Normal Behavior 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

occupies seasonal wetlands, including 

vernal pools and floodplains that 

receive seasonal inundation (Bramlet 

1993a, p. 1). The taxon occurs within 

alkali playas, alkali scrub, alkali vernal 

pools, and alkali grasslands, where 

these habitats occur in association with 

slow-draining alkaline soils, particularly 

the Willows soil series, and to a lesser 

extent, the Domino, Traver, Waukena, 

and Chino soil series (Knecht 1971, p. 

23 and accompanying map; Bramlet 

1992 pers. comm.; Bramlet 1993a, p. 1;). 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

therefore found adjacent to and 

dependent on floodplains, transitional 

wetlands, marginal wetlands, and scrub 

habitat within the watershed (59 FR 

64812; December 15, 1994, p. 64821). 

The four general geographical areas 

where Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

known to occur are no longer pristine 

and have been particularly impacted by 

agricultural activities (Service 2008, p. 

8). Dryland or irrigated farming 

activities in the San Jacinto River and 

Old Salt Creek floodplains have been 

occurring over the past 100 years. Most 

populations of plants within these 

locations are on privately owned 

undeveloped land that is disked 

frequently or has undergone intensive 

manure dumping (Roberts 1993, pp. 2– 

3; Roberts and McMillan 1997, pp. 1–5; 

Roberts 2004, pers. comm.; CNDDB 

2011b). Habitats that support A. c. var. 

notatior can recover from disturbance 

from disking or dryland farming if left 

fallow and undisturbed (Roberts 1993, 

pp. 2–3). In the past, disking was 

intermittent, allowing for recovery 

periods for A. c. var. notatior (Roberts 

1999, pers. comm.). Additionally, 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior can 

persist in the seed bank within lands 

that experience short-term disturbances 

and can germinate with the return of 

proper conditions (Roberts 1993, pp. 2– 

3). Thus, in those areas where elements 

of annual communities persist, 

disturbed annual grassland and alkali 

playa habitats can recover with the 

return of hydrological conditions to 

support A. c. var. notatior and therefore 

provide the physical or biological 

features for the taxon. However, once 

the seed bank is removed through 

activities such as laser leveling for 

agriculture development or significant 

alternation of soil chemistry, plants are 

unlikely to reestablish without 

extensive soil restoration (Bramlet 2010, 

pers. comm.). We have determined that 

alkali vernal pools and floodplains that 

receive seasonal inundation, including 

alkali playas, alkali scrub, alkali vernal 

pools, and alkali grasslands habitats, are 

a physical or biological feature for A. c. 

var. notatior. 

Food, Water, Air, Light, Minerals, or 

Other Nutritional or Physiological 

Requirements 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

requires a hydrologic regime that 

includes seasonal and large-scale 

flooding in combination with alkaline 

soils that exhibit low permeability and 

low nutrient availability. The plants 

occur along floodplains defined by 

seasonal ponding or flooding in the San 

Jacinto River and Upper Salt Creek 

drainages and within the Alberhill 

Creek floodplain in soils where mineral 

nutrients are tightly bound to silt and 

clay particles (Roberts 2004, pers. 

comm.). Depending on the amount of 

precipitation, the duration and extent of 

flooding or inundation can be extremely 

variable year to year. Seasonal flooding 

(typically over the winter and early 

spring) is an important process that 


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creates suitable alkali habitat for A. c. 

var. notatior, stimulates germination, 

prevents invasion from flood-intolerant 

plant species, restores disturbed areas, 

and helps disperse seed (Roberts 2004, 

pers. comm.). Additionally, large-scale 

flooding events, such as 10-, 50-, or 100- 

year floods, can restore or reset alkali 

habitat that has been colonized by 

upland species or disturbed by 

agricultural activities (Bramlet 1992, 

pers. comm.). The frequency, duration, 

and extent of seasonal ponding or 

flooding creates a dynamic matrix of 

habitat that allows A. c. var. notatior to 

colonize favorable sites and retreat from 

less favorable sites in response to 

disturbance and variations in annual 

rainfall. Irreversible actions (such as 

paving, redirection of sheet flow, or 

year-round flooding) that alter the 

hydrology of the seasonal wetlands and 

upland watersheds, or infringe upon the 

wetlands, may threaten the survival of 

A. c. var. notatior. 

The presence of Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior in floodplains depends on 

seasonal or large-scale flooding within 

valley drainages, as well as precipitation 

and runoff from the surrounding 

hillsides. The watershed and the upland 

areas that provide water to these 

floodplains are important for retaining 

the flooding regime. While some runoff 

originates from undeveloped hillsides, 

much of the watershed where A. c. var. 

notatior occurs has been developed, and 

the flows traveling to the ponded 

habitats can include urban runoff 

(RECON 1995, pp. 18, 21). Unless 

captured and routed to storm water 

detention (desilting) basins, this runoff 

can transport a variety of pollutants that 

can be detrimental to native plant 

communities, particularly the unique 

soil and vegetation characteristics of 

vernal pool and alkali playa habitats 

and the species that occupy them (Clark 

et al. 1998, p. 251; Cahill et al. 2001, p. 

820; Battaglin et al. 2009, p. 303). 

Therefore, a hydrologic regime that 

includes seasonal and large-scale 

flooding in combination with slow 

drainage in alkaline soils with low 

nutrient loads is identified as a physical 

or biological feature for this taxon. 

Sites for Reproduction 

Flooding or ponding of water during 

the rainy season, as indicated above, is 

important for the reproduction, 

germination, and seed dispersal of 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior. Two 

types of flood events are important for 

A. c. var. notatior, and they occur at two 

distinct scales: local, seasonal flooding 

and large-scale flooding (Roberts 2004, 

pers. comm.). Seasonal flooding 

determines the area of germination and 

affects local distribution of individual 

plants, while large-scale flooding 

(generally 20- to 50-year events) 

disrupts entire habitats with slowmoving water that can be present for 

weeks or months and rework the 

structure of the vegetative communities 

(Roberts 2004, pers. comm.). Together, 

these natural processes prevent invasion 

from upland vegetation, restore 

disturbed alkali habitats, and help 

distribute seed throughout the habitat. 

Natural alkali playa flood events 

therefore promote the colonization of A. 

c. var. notatior colonization within 

favorable sites, as well as the retreat 

from less favorable sites, in response to 

disturbance and variations in annual 

rainfall, thus creating conditions in 

which population abundance shifts 

annually through a mosaic of habitat 

and flooding (Bramlet 1996, p. 2–3). 

Relatedly, A. c. var. notatior is known 

to produce floating seeds that are likely 

dispersed during seasonal flooding by 

slow-moving flows within the 

floodplains and vernal pools where the 

plant occurs (Sanders 2004, pers. 

comm.). Therefore, flooding provides 

the conditions that stimulate the 

germination of A. c. var. notatior and 

controls the distribution of plants in the 

surrounding semi-arid environment 

both year-to-year and over decades. 

These natural floodplain processes are 

integral to the life history of A. c. var. 

notatior and are considered to be a 

physical or biological feature necessary 

to maintain a healthy population. 

Primary Constituent Elements 

Under the Act and its implementing 

regulations, we are required to identify 

the physical or biological features 

essential to the conservation of Allium 

munzii and Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior within the geographical area 

occupied at the time of listing, focusing 

on the features’ primary constituent 

elements (PCEs). We consider PCEs to 

be the elements of physical or biological 

features that provide for a species’ lifehistory processes and, under the 

appropriate conditions, are essential to 

the conservation of the species. 

Allium munzii 

Based on our current knowledge of 

the physical or biological features and 

habitat characteristics required to 

sustain the species’ life-history 

processes, we determine that the PCEs 

specific to Allium munzii are: 

(1) Clay soil series of sedimentary 

origin (for example, Altamont, Auld, 

Bosanko, Porterville), clay lenses 

(pockets of clay soils) of those series 

that may be found as unmapped 

inclusions in other soil series, or soil 

series of sedimentary or igneous origin 

with a clay subsoil (for example, 

Cajalco, Las Posas, Vallecitos): 

(a) Found on level or slightly sloping 

landscapes or terrace escarpments; 

(b) Generally between the elevations 

of 1,200 to 2,700 ft (366 to 823 m) above 

mean sea level; 

(c) Within intact natural surface and 

subsurface structures that have been 

minimally altered or unaltered by 

ground-disturbing activities (for 

example, disked, graded, excavated, or 

recontoured); 

(d) Within microhabitats that receive 

or retain more moisture than 

surrounding areas, due in part to factors 

such as exposure, slope, and subsurface 

geology; and 

(e) Part of open native or nonnative 

grassland plant communities and clay 

soil flora, including southern 

needlegrass grassland, mixed grassland, 

and open coastal sage scrub or 

occasionally in cismontane juniper 

woodlands; or 

(2) Outcrops of igneous rocks 

(pyroxenite) on rocky-sandy loam or 

clay soils within Riversidean sage scrub, 

generally between the elevations of 

1,200 to 2,700 ft (366 to 823 m) above 

mean sea level. 

With this proposed revised 

designation of critical habitat, we intend 

to identify the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

the species. All units and subunits 

proposed to be designated as critical 

habitat are currently occupied by 

Allium munzii and are within the 

geographical areas occupied at the time 

of listing. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

Based on our current knowledge of 

the physical or biological features and 

habitat characteristics required to 

sustain the taxon’s life-history 

processes, we determine that the PCEs 

specific to Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior are: 

(1) Wetland habitat including 

floodplains and vernal pools: 

(a) Associated with native vegetation 

communities, including alkali playa, 

alkali scrub, and alkali grasslands; and 

(b) Characterized by seasonal 

inundation or localized flooding, 

including infrequent large-scale flood 

events with low nutrient loads; and 

(2) Slow-draining alkali soils 

including the Willows, Domino, Traver, 

Waukena, and Chino soil series with: 

(a) Low permeability; 

(b) Low nutrient availability; and 

(c) Seasonal ponding and evaporation. 

With this proposed revised 

designation of critical habitat, we intend 

to identify the physical or biological 


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features essential to the conservation of 

the species. All units and subunits 

proposed to be designated as critical 

habitat are currently occupied by 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior and are 

within the geographical areas occupied 

at the time of listing. 

Special Management Considerations or 

Protection 

When designating critical habitat, we 

assess whether the specific areas within 

the geographical area occupied by the 

species at the time of listing contain 

physical or biological features which are 

essential to the conservation of the 

species and which may require special 

management considerations or 

protection. In all units or subunits, 

special management considerations or 

protection of the essential features may 

be required to provide for the growth, 

reproduction, and sustained function of 

the habitat on which Allium munzii and 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior depend. 

Allium munzii 

A detailed discussion of threats to 

Allium munzii and its habitat can be 

found in the final listing rule (63 FR 

54975; October 13, 1998), the previous 

proposed and final critical habitat 

designations (69 FR 31569, June 4, 2004; 

70 FR 33015, June 7, 2005), and the A. 

munzii 5-year review signed on June 17, 

2009 (Service 2009). Actions and 

development that alter habitat suitable 

for the species or affect the natural 

hydrologic processes upon which the 

species depends could threaten the 

species. 

The physical or biological features 

essential to the conservation of Allium 

munzii all face ongoing threats that may 

require special management 

considerations or protection. Threats 

that may require special management 

considerations or protection of the 

physical or biological features include: 

(1) Loss or degradation of native plant 

communities, such as grassland, open 

coastal sage scrub, and cismontane 

juniper woodlands, due to urban 

development, agricultural activities, and 

clay mining (PCEs 1 and 2); 

(2) Disturbance of clay or other 

occupied soils by activities such as offroad vehicles (ORV) and fire 

management (PCEs 1 and 2); 

(3) Invasion of nonnative plant 

species (PCEs 1 and 2); and 

(4) Long-term threats including 

climatic variations such as extended 

periods of drought (PCE 1) (63 FR 

54982–54986, October 13, 1998; 69 FR 

31571, June 4, 2004; 70 FR 33023, 

October 13, 2005; Service 2009, pp. 10– 

22). 

Further discussion of specific threats 

facing individual proposed revised 

critical habitat units or subunits for 

Allium munzii is provided in the unit 

descriptions under the Proposed 

Revised Critical Habitat Designation 

section below. In these proposed revised 

critical habitat units, special 

management considerations or 

protection may be needed to ensure the 

long-term existence of clay and alluvial 

soil integrity within habitats that 

support the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

A. munzii. 

Special management considerations 

or protection for areas occupied by 

Allium munzii include: 

(1) Protection of habitat from urban 

development or destruction to maintain 

integrity of clay soils; 

(2) Reduction of land conversion to 

agricultural uses and reduction of 

disking or dryland farming to maintain 

native habitats; 

(3) Management and control of 

invasive nonnative plants to provide 

open areas for growth and reproduction; 

and 

(4) Land acquisition or conservation 

easements for occurrences not already 

conserved to protect those populations 

within occupied habitats. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

A detailed discussion of threats to 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior and its 

habitat can be found in the final listing 

rule (63 FR 54975; October 13, 1998), 

the previous proposed and final critical 

habitat designations (69 FR 59844, 

October 6, 2004; 70 FR 59952, October 

13, 2005), and the A. c. var. notatior 5- 

year review signed on March 31, 2008 

(Service 2008). Actions and 

development that alter habitat suitable 

for A. c. var. notatior or affect the 

natural hydrologic processes upon 

which it depends could threaten the 

taxon. The physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

A. c. var. notatior may require special 

management considerations or 

protection to reduce or eliminate the 

following threats: 

(1) Loss of alkali vernal plain habitat 

(i.e., alkali playa, alkali scrub, alkali 

vernal pool, alkali annual grassland) 

and fragmentation as a result of 

activities such as urban development, 

manure dumping, animal grazing, 

agricultural activities, ORV activity, 

weed abatement, and channelization 

(PCEs 1 and 2); 

(2) Indirect loss of habitat from the 

alteration of hydrology and floodplain 

dynamics (diversions, channelization, 

excessive flooding) (PCEs 1 and 2); 

(3) Competition from nonnative plants 

(PCE 1); and 

(4) Long-term threats including water 

pollution, climatic variations, and 

changes in soil chemistry and nutrient 

availability (PCE 1) (63 FR 54983, 

October 13, 1998; 69 FR 59847, October 

6, 2004; 70 FR 59966, October 13, 2005; 

Service 2008, pp. 8–17). 

Further discussion of specific threats 

facing individual units is provided in 

the unit descriptions under the 

Proposed Revised Critical Habitat 

Designation section below. Special 

management considerations or 

protection for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior include: 

(1) Protection of habitat, including 

underlying soils and chemistry, from 

development or destruction; 

(2) Protection of floodplain processes 

to maintain natural, seasonal flooding 

regimes; 

(3) Reduction of land conversion to 

agricultural uses and reduction of 

disking and dryland farming to maintain 

native habitats; 

(4) Land acquisition or conservation 

easements for occurrences not already 

conserved to protect those populations 

within occupied habitats; and 

(5) Implementation of manure and 

sludge dumping ordinances to maintain 

soil chemistry. 

Criteria Used To Identify Critical 

Habitat 

As required by section 4(b)(2) of the 

Act, we use the best scientific data 

available to designate critical habitat. 

We review available information 

pertaining to the habitat requirement of 

the species. In accordance with the Act 

and its implementing regulation at 50 

CFR 424.12(e), we consider whether 

designating additional areas—outside 

those currently occupied as well as 

those occupied at the time of listing— 

are necessary to ensure the conservation 

of the species. We are not currently 

proposing to designate any areas outside 

the geographical areas currently 

occupied by Allium munzii or Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior because we 

consider those areas to be of sufficient 

quality, extent, and distribution to 

provide for the conservation of these 

taxa. We believe that the present quality 

habitat has, by survey, the demonstrated 

capacity to support self-sustaining 

occurrences of these taxa and that these 

areas containing the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of the species are 

dispersed in its range in a manner that 

provides for the survival and recovery of 

these taxa. We are proposing to 

designate as critical habitat some 

specific areas within the geographical 


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range currently occupied by A. munzii, 

but that were not known to be occupied 

at the time of listing. However, based on 

the best available scientific information, 

the life history of the plant (see 

Background section), and the limited 

survey efforts prior to listing, we believe 

that these specific areas are within the 

geographical area occupied by the 

species at the time of listing. 

We reviewed the final critical habitat 

designations for Allium munzii and 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior (70 FR 

33015, June 7, 2005; 70 FR 59952, 

October 13, 2005, respectively), 

information from State, Federal, and 

local government agencies, and from 

academia and private organizations that 

have collected scientific data on the 

species. We also used the information 

provided in the 5-year reviews for A. 

munzii and A. c. var. notatior (Service 

2008; Service 2009). Other information 

we used for this proposed rule includes: 

CNDDB (CNDDB 2011a; CNDDB 2011b); 

reports submitted during consultations 

under section 7 of the Act; analyses for 

individual and regional HCPs where A. 

munzii and A. c. var. notatior are 

covered species; data collected from 

reports submitted by researchers 

holding recovery permits under section 

10(a)(1)(A) of the Act; information 

received from local species experts; 

published and unpublished papers, 

reports, academic theses, or surveys; 

Geographic Information System (GIS) 

data (such as species population and 

location data, soil data, land use, 

topography, aerial imagery, and 

ownership maps); and correspondence 

with the Service from recognized 

experts. We analyzed this information to 

determine the specific areas within the 

geographical area occupied by the taxa 

at the time of listing that contain the 

physical or biological features essential 

to the conservation of A. munzii and A. 

c. var. notatior. 

Allium munzii 

Allium munzii occurs in relatively 

small population sizes, has a narrow 

geographic range (western Riverside 

County), and exhibits high habitat 

specificity, all of which make it 

vulnerable to land use changes. 

According to the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP, A. munzii is 

considered a narrow endemic plant 

species, a plant species that is highly 

restricted by its habitat affinities, 

edaphic requirements, or other 

ecological factors (Dudek and Associates 

2003, pp. Def/Acr-ix and 6–28). Based 

on examination of soil maps for western 

Riverside County, Boyd (1988, p. 2) 

concluded that much of the scattered 

clay soil areas in the Perris Basin were 

heavily disturbed and estimated up to 

an 80 to 90 percent loss of potential A. 

munzii habitat in 1988. 

We conducted a spatial analysis using 

a GIS-based approach to determine the 

percent of mapped clay soils (Altamont, 

Auld, Bosanko, Porterville) that were 

converted or lost to agricultural or urban 

land uses in the Perris Basin (based on 

2007 land use GIS data). This is a 

conservative approach given that 

smaller pockets of clay soils are not 

shown on coarse-scale soil maps and 

may have been lost since the completion 

of the Riverside County soil map in 

1971. We estimated that approximately 

32 percent of these clay soils remain 

within suitable Allium munzii habitats 

(or a 67 percent loss) due to urban and 

agricultural development on plant 

communities associated with A. munzii, 

and includes both known and unknown 

locations of A. munzii populations. 

Based on the narrow endemism of this 

species, its reliance on clay soil types 

that are limited in geographic range in 

western Riverside County, and our 

estimated loss of 67 percent of these 

soils to urban or agricultural 

development, we believe that all of the 

units and subunits (as defined below 

and in the Summary of Changes from 

Previously Designated Critical Habitat 

section of this proposed rule) represent 

the present geographical area containing 

the physical or biological features 

essential to the conservation of this 

species which may require special 

management considerations or 

protection. This designation includes 17 

of the CNDDB’s EOs described in the 

Background section above. 

We are proposing to designate as 

critical habitat specific areas within the 

geographical area occupied by Allium 

munzii at the time of listing in 1998. 

These specific areas include some areas 

within the present range of the species 

that had not yet been identified as 

occupied at the time of listing. We have 

determined that these areas are within 

the geographical area occupied by A. 

munzii at the time of listing based on 

the species life history and habitat 

requirements (see Background section 

above) and the following: (1) Locations 

of plants reported or detected since 

listing in 1998 are in close proximity 

(less than 1 mi (1.5 km)) to previously 

known locations and, (2) of the 10 new 

CNDDB-defined EOs reported since 

early 1980s surveys by Boyd (1988), 6 

are within previous known occupied 

geographic regions of the greater Perris 

Basin (Temescal Canyon-Gavilan Hills/ 

Plateau, Murrieta-Hot Springs areas) and 

the other 4 locations were found after 

surveys in the early 1990s within the 

Elsinore Peak (Santa Ana Mountains) 

and Domenigoni Hills regions. 

Additionally, we believe this currently 

occupied habitat was occupied at the 

time of listing given the species’ 

naturally discontinuous distribution 

and occupation of microhabitats; the 

difficulty of accurately surveying for 

individual plants given the dormant 

(underground) phase of its life cycle 

prior to detection; and its restriction to 

small areas of clay soils in western 

Riverside County within the designated 

units and subunits. 

For defining critical habitat units, we 

looked at elevation (1,200 to 2,700 ft 

(366 to 823 m) AMSL), soil types 

(primarily clay soils), spatial 

distribution of 17 CNDDB-defined EOs 

from CNDDB (CNDDB 2011a), 1 location 

identified by Ellstrand not included in 

the CNDDB database (Ellstrand 1993, 

1994) (proposed EO 24, as mentioned in 

the Spatial Distribution, Historical 

Range, and Population Size section for 

Allium munzii), rare plant monitoring 

survey results from Western Riverside 

County Regional Conservation 

Authority (RCA) (Western Riverside 

County RCA 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 

2010, and 2011), and other surveys. 

To identify several unit and subunit 

boundaries for this proposed revised 

critical habitat, we consulted a species 

expert with considerable field 

experience in surveying for Allium 

munzii. Given the difficulty in 

observing individual plants due to the 

timing of inflorescence, stage of growth, 

and large areal extent (as discussed in 

the Background section), Boyd (2011b, 

pers. comm.) recommended expanding 

the area surrounding an observation of 

a location of plants (either a group or 

just a few individuals) to capture 

additional individual plants that might 

not have been observed. Based on 

extensive field experience 

(approximately 30 years) with A. 

munzii, Boyd (2011b, pers. comm.) 

recommended including a 100-m (328- 

ft) roughly circular area (or 50-m (164- 

ft) radius) to define the unit or subunit 

boundaries. Because A. munzii is 

strongly associated with clay soils 

(which are often found as pockets of 

small scattered (but discrete) clay lenses 

that are typically too small to be 

identified on coarse-soil soil maps (see 

the Habitat and Soil Preferences section 

for A. munzii above)), we used Boyd’s 

recommendation of expanding the 

boundaries of observed plant locations 

to capture unobserved individuals in 

defining critical habitat units and 

subunits. Specifically, we used the Soil 

Conservation Service (now Natural 

Resources Conservation Service) soil 

mapping unit (2.47 ac or 1 ha) to refine 

Boyd’s recommended radius of 164 to 


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183 ft (50 to 56 m). The 183-ft (56-m) 

radial distance translates into a 2.43-ac 

(0.98-ha) area, which is approximately 

equal to the soil mapping unit of 2.47 

ac (1 ha). This methodology accounts for 

both potentially unobserved plants 

associated with CNDDB-defined EOs in 

areas of clay or rocky-sandy loam soils 

as well as encompassing the unmapped 

pockets of clay soil. In conjunction with 

the reported EOs, survey reports, and 

aerial photographs, this approach 

represents the best available information 

regarding areas currently occupied by A. 

munzii and that contain the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of the species and 

therefore accurately defines the unit and 

subunit polygons. 

The following sources were used to 

define microhabitats (i.e., depressional 

areas that retain moisture) for Allium 

munzii, which included using 

underlying geology, slope, and aspect of 

hillsides within open areas of native 

and nonnative plant communities: 

(1) For evaluating microtopography, 

including slope, aspect, and elevation, 

we used: (a) Digital elevation model 

(DEM) data from U.S. Geological 

Survey’s (USGS) EROS Data Center, and 

(b) USGS 1:24,000 digital raster graphics 

(USGS topographic maps). 

(2) For evaluating vegetative 

communities, spatial arrangement of 

these communities, and presence of 

disturbance or development, we used: 

(1) U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) National Agriculture Imagery 

Program (NAIP) aerial photography for 

2010, and (b) ArcGIS online I3 Imagery 

Prime World 2D), validating 

conclusions made from examining these 

two satellite imagery data layers using 

high resolution Google Earth imagery. 

(3) For subsurface geology, we used 

the USGS GIS layer of the Preliminary 

Digital Geologic Map of the Santa Ana, 

1:100,000 quadrangle (USGS 2004). 

We acknowledge that the extent of the 

geographic areas surveyed and the 

survey methodologies may differ within 

and among the recorded plant locations 

from year to year (see discussion 

regarding the detectability of this 

species in the Background section 

above). Based on our GIS analysis, the 

5 units, further divided into 13 

subunits, we propose as critical habitat 

are as follows: (1) Gavilan Hills (6 

subunits), (2) Temescal Valley (4 

subunits), (3) Elsinore Peak, (4) South 

Perris-Bachelor Mountain (3 subunits), 

and (5) North Domenigoni Hills. All 

units and subunits are within the 

present geographical range of the 

species and are currently occupied. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

endemic to the San Jacinto, Perris, 

Menifee, and Elsinore Valleys of 

western lowland Riverside County, and 

is restricted to highly alkaline, silty-clay 

soils (59 FR 64813; December 15, 1994). 

At the time of listing, 12 populations of 

A. c. var. notatior were known 

(corresponding to the CNDDB EOs at the 

time), 11 of which were associated with 

two general locations (the San Jacinto 

and Old Salt Creek floodplains). We 

have grouped the 12 CNDDB EOs and 

results from other surveys into four 

general locations (described below) and 

developed boundaries for three critical 

habitat units based on the geographic 

locations of observed plants. 

All of the units (as defined below and 

in the Summary of Changes from 

Previously Designated Critical Habitat 

section) are within the geographical area 

occupied by Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior at the time of listing. These 

units contain the physical or biological 

features that are essential to the 

conservation of this taxon and may 

require special management 

considerations or protection. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior is 

known from four general locations in 

western Riverside County, as previously 

identified in the 2004 proposed critical 

habitat rule (69 FR 59844; October 6, 

2004). All three units proposed as 

critical habitat encompass these four 

areas and are within the geographical 

area occupied by the taxon at the time 

of listing. This range includes records of 

15 EOs now recorded in the CNDDB 

database (CNDDB 2011b) and other 

survey data. To define critical habitat 

units, we examined the following 

information: 

(1) Slow-draining alkali soils 

(Willows, Domino, Traver, Waukena, 

and Chino soil series) with low 

permeability. 

(2) Seasonal and large-scale flood 

events (or ponded water) and 

subsequent scouring to create bare soils, 

as illustrated in historical aerial 

photographs. 

(3) Spatial distribution of the EOs 

recorded in the CNDDB database 

(CNDDB 2011b), and 

(4) Plant monitoring survey results 

from Western Riverside County RCA 

(2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011) and 

other surveys. 

We recognize that the geographic 

extent surveyed and survey 

methodologies may differ within and 

among the locations of individual or 

groups of plants from year to year (see 

discussion regarding the detectability of 

this species in Background section 

above). Based on this analysis we 

defined the following three units: (1) 

Floodplain of the San Jacinto River from 

the San Jacinto Wildlife Area (including 

Mystic Lake) to Railroad Canyon 

Reservoir, (2) Upper Salt Creek, and (3) 

Alberhill Creek. All units are within the 

present geographical range of the taxon 

and are currently occupied. 

Other Factors Involved With Delineating 

Critical Habitat 

When determining proposed revised 

critical habitat boundaries, we made 

every effort to avoid including 

developed areas such as lands covered 

by buildings, pavement, and other 

structures because these lands lack 

physical or biological features necessary 

for Allium munzii and Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior. The scale of the maps we 

prepared under the parameters for 

publication within the Code of Federal 

Regulations may not reflect the 

exclusion of such developed lands. Any 

such lands inadvertently left inside 

critical habitat boundaries shown on the 

maps of this proposed rule have been 

excluded by text in the proposed rule 

and are not proposed for designation as 

critical habitat. Therefore, if the critical 

habitat is finalized as proposed, a 

Federal action involving these lands 

would not trigger section 7 consultation 

with respect to critical habitat and the 

requirement of no adverse modification 

unless the specific action may affect the 

adjacent critical habitat. 

We are proposing for designation of 

critical habitat lands that we have 

determined are within the geographical 

areas occupied by these taxa at the time 

of listing and contain sufficient 

elements of physical or biological 

features to support life-history processes 

essential for the conservation of the 

taxa. For Allium munzii, our proposed 

revision includes extant locations of 

plants not known at the time of listing, 

but that are within the geographical area 

occupied at the time of listing. All units 

contain the physical or biological 

features that are essential to the 

conservation of these taxa and may 

require special management 

considerations or protection. 

Summary of Changes From Previously 

Designated Critical Habitat 

Allium munzii 

The areas identified in this proposed 

rule constitute a proposed revision to 

the critical habitat rule for Allium 

munzii published on June 7, 2005 (70 

FR 33015) based on the following 

principles: 

(1) We refined our method identifying 

the locations of Allium munzii and the 


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PCEs within those locations to more 

accurately reflect the physical or 

biological features that are essential to 

the conservation of A. munzii. We 

consolidated the PCEs to identify the 

primary element and then listed the 

related supporting components of that 

element. Specifically, we reviewed the 

CNDDB EO reports and other survey 

reports to define PCEs that reflect the 

physical and ecological characteristics 

found within the range of the CNDDBdefined EOs. This resulted in removing 

the previous PCE listed as alluvial soil 

series and reclassifying the locations of 

plants (with one exception) into their 

appropriate clay soil associations. 

(2) We improved our mapping 

methodology to more accurately define 

the critical habitat boundaries and to 

better represent those areas that possess 

the physical or biological features 

essential to the conservation of Allium 

munzii using soils, elevation, and 

spatial configuration known from the 

most recent occurrence information. In 

this rule, we have grouped locations of 

A. munzii plants into critical habitat 

units and subunits and labeled each 

grouping as an occurrence; this is 

different than the term ‘‘Element 

Occurrence’’ used by CNDDB. As noted 

earlier, not all survey reports are 

included in the CNDDB database, 

particularly recent surveys, nor are the 

boundaries defined by CNDDB precise 

in location (some were recorded prior to 

Global Positioning System (GPS) 

technology or with older and less 

accurate GPS units); thus, for the 

purposes of defining units and subunits 

in this proposed rule, the polygons and 

point locations defined by CNDDB may 

not encompass all of the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of the species. 

The areas identified in this proposed 

rule constitute a proposed revision to 

the critical habitat units designated for 

Allium munzii published on June 7, 

2005 (70 FR 33015). The differences in 

these areas resulted from using the 

following methods: 

(1) We combined the EO data 

recorded in the CNDDB database 

(CNDDB 2011a) with 2005 to 2011 

survey results from the Western 

Riverside County Resource 

Conservation Agency (RCA) (Western 

Riverside County RCA 2005, 2008) and 

Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden 

(Boyd 2011c, pers. comm.). Using the 

183-ft (56-m) radius discussed above, 

we delineated units and subunits. 

(2) We combined one or both of the 

CNDDB EO spatial datasets with GISbased maps of Porterville clay soils or 

other clay soil types to create the units 

and subunits using the 183-ft (56-m) 

boundary, and we incorporated recent 

survey data. 

(3) For a few of the smaller subunits 

defined by point locations of small 

numbers of individual plants, we used 

CNDDB’s previously defined 262-ft (80- 

m) radius polygon to determine the 

subunit boundary (CNDDB 2011a). 

(4) We also identified several areas we 

are considering for exclusion from the 

final revised critical habitat designation 

under section 4(b)(2) of the Act. 

Exclusions in our upcoming final rule 

may differ from the exclusions we made 

in the 2005 final critical habitat 

designation. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

The areas identified in this proposed 

rule constitute a proposed revision to 

the critical habitat designated for 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

published on October 13, 2005 (70 FR 

59952). The differences are as follows: 

(1) We refined the PCEs to more 

accurately describe the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior. We consolidated the PCEs to 

identify the primary element and 

relevant factors to that element based on 

review of the CNDDB database and 

recorded EOs. 

(2) We improved our mapping 

methodology to more accurately define 

the critical habitat boundaries and to 

better represent those areas that possess 

the physical or biological features 

essential to the conservation of Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior using soils, 

elevation, and spatial configuration 

based on updated plant location 

information. We delineated boundaries 

using an intersection of seasonal 

ponding or flooding (and resulting bare 

soils), as observed in historical and 

recent aerial photographs (Riverside 

County Flood Control District photos 

from 1962, 1974, 1978, 1980, and 2010), 

with A. coronata var. notatior soil 

preferences (soil maps from Knecht 

1971). In doing so, we also removed 

areas of urban or otherwise developed 

lands in all these areas. In addition, 

areas identified as ‘‘Right-of-Way’’ in 

the most current parcel database 

available from the Riverside County 

Assessor’s Office were classified as 

either local land or State land 

depending on whether they were 

located adjacent to local roadways or 

Federal highways under State control. 

(3) We identified several areas we are 

considering for exclusion from the final 

revised critical habitat designation 

under section 4(b)(2) of the Act. 

Exclusions in our upcoming final 

revised critical habitat designation may 

differ from the exclusions we made in 

the 2005 final critical habitat 

designation. 

(4) We revised the previous critical 

habitat units based on surveyed 

locations (or localities) of Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior as described 

above. As discussed above, we have 

grouped locations of A. coronata var. 

notatior plants into four general 

geographical areas and delineated these 

as our three critical habitat units. This 

delineation includes the EOs defined by 

CNDDB and locations of individual 

plants reported from other surveys. 

Proposed Revised Critical Habitat 

Designation 

Allium munzii 

We are proposing approximately 889 

ac (360 ha) in 5 units containing 13 

subunits as critical habitat for Allium 

munzii. The areas we describe below 

constitute our current best assessment of 

areas that meet the definition of critical 

habitat for A. munzii. The units and 

subunits we propose as critical habitat 

are: (1) Gavilan Hills (Unit 1; 6 

subunits), (2) Temescal Valley (Unit 2; 

4 subunits), (3) Elsinore Peak (Unit 3), 

(4) South Perris and Bachelor Mountain 

(Unit 4; 3 subunits), and (5) North 

Domenigoni Hills (Unit 5). The 

approximate area of proposed revised 

critical habitat and land ownership 

within the units and subunits is shown 

in Table 1 below. 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 


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BILLING CODE 4310–55–C Unit 1: Gavilan Hills 

Unit 1 consists of 114.7 ac (46.4 ha). 

The Gavilan Hills Unit is located at the 

northwestern edge of the Perris Basin, 

northeast of the Santa Ana Mountains in 

western Riverside County. This unit 


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includes six occupied subunits within 

upland areas west of State Highway 74, 

south of Cajalco Road, and northeast of 

Interstate 15, all of which are within the 

geographical area occupied at the time 

of listing and which contain the 

physical or biological features essential 

to the conservation of the species. The 

Gavilan Hills region is geologically and 

topographically diverse with many soil 

types. Clay soil series occupied by 

Allium munzii in the Gavilan Hills Unit 

include Bosanko, Altamont, and 

Porterville; however, small pockets of 

clay (less than 2.47 ac (1 ha)) are often 

not indicated on soil maps (Boyd 1983, 

p. 19). The elevational range of the five 

subunits is 1,547 ft (472 m) to 2,632 ft 

(802 m) AMSL. Vegetation of the 

Gavilan Hills region is a complex 

association of scrub, woodland, and 

grass communities, including annual 

grasslands characterized by invasive 

nonnative plants in those areas where 

native communities have been heavily 

disturbed (Boyd 1983, pp. 32–33). 

Threats identified for the Gavilan Hills 

Unit include invasive nonnative plants, 

road construction and urban 

development, grazing, ORV activity, 

illegal dumping, and mowing for fire 

abatement. Therefore, the features 

essential to the conservation of the 

species in this unit may require special 

management considerations or 

protection to minimize impacts 

resulting from these threats (see Special 

Management Considerations or 

Protection section above). 

Within the Gavilan Hills Unit, we are 

considering excluding all subunits 

within the planning area of the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP and the Lake 

Mathews MSHCP under section 4(b)(2) 

of the Act (see Exclusions section). 

Subunit 1A: Estelle Mountain 

The Estelle Mountain subunit (2.8 ac 

(1.1 ha)) is located within native and 

nonnative grassland habitat within the 

Lake Mathews/Estelle Mountain Reserve 

(2.3 ac (0.9 ha)) and on private land 

(0.48 ac (0.2 ha)). The Lake Mathews 

Multiple Species Habitat Conservation 

Plan/Natural Communities Conservation 

Plan (Lake Mathews MSHCP) assisted in 

establishing this multi-jurisdictional 

reserve encompassing over 12,000 ac 

(4,856 ha) and managed for multiple 

species use, including Allium munzii, in 

western Riverside County. The 

combined reserve is composed of a 

Multiple Species Reserve that consists 

of the existing State Ecological Reserve 

and the Lake Mathews HCP Mitigation 

Bank, Lake Mathews/Estelle Mountain 

Core Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat Reserve, 

the Estelle Mountain Ecological Reserve 

owned by CDFG, and land owned by the 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 

located within the Riverside County 

Habitat Conservation Agency’s 

Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat Core Reserve. 

Collectively, these lands comprise the 

existing Lake Mathews/Estelle 

Mountain Existing Core ‘‘C’’ area of the 

Western Riverside County MSHCP 

(Service 2004, p. 65). Management of 

the reserve focuses largely on the 

Stephens’ kangaroo rat (Dipodomys 

stephensi) and coastal California 

gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica 

californica). The reserve is not open to 

the public for recreational use, but is 

subject to grazing, illegal dumping, and 

ORVs. 

This subunit contains clay soils (not 

illustrated on coarse-scale soils map) on 

cobble deposits in a small drainage, 

which creates the space and 

microhabitat (PCE 1) that meets the 

habitat needs for Allium munzii and 

comprises the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

the species. 

Subunit 1B: Dawson Canyon 

The Dawson Canyon subunit (4.8 ac 

(1.9 ha)) is located on private land to the 

east of Estelle Mountain. This 

occurrence, with a significant number of 

plants (more than 1,000) seen in 1986, 

has been described as scattered stands 

of Allium munzii within grassy flats and 

slopes containing clay soils on cobble 

deposits (CNDDB 2011a, EO 5). This 

subunit contains clay soils, sloping 

topography, and subsurface geology 

(PCE 1) that provide substrate and 

conditions suitable for the persistence of 

A. munzii and comprise the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of the species. This 

subunit is subject to threats related to 

road development and invasive, 

nonnative plants (CNDDB 2011a). 

Subunit 1C: Gavilan Plateau 

The Gavilan Plateau subunit (42.2 ac 

(17 ha)), bisected by a road, is located 

within Harford Springs County Park 

(north of Ida-Leona Road) and on 

private land (south of Ida-Leona Road) 

in grassy openings on clay soils. 

Populations of Allium munzii exceeded 

5,000 plants at both locations in the 

early 1990s (CNDDB 2011a, EO 2). The 

private land portion of this subunit has 

been disked in the past and is 

threatened by urban development 

(CNDDB 2011a). Several locations of A. 

munzii, with small numbers of 

individual plants, were found on clay 

soils within the County Park in surveys 

conducted by Western Riverside County 

RCA in 2005 and 2008 (Drennen 2011, 

pers. comm.). The southern portion of 

this subunit has not been surveyed since 

1998 (CNDDB 2011a). Mineral-rich clay 

soils within grassland and other native 

vegetative communities (PCE 1) in this 

subunit provide the physical or 

biological features that are essential to 

the conservation of this species. 

Subunit 1D: Ida-Leona 

The Ida-Leona subunit (4.5 acres (1.8 

ha)) is located about 0.5 mi (0.8 km) east 

of the Ida-Leona mine on land occupied 

by a private residence. In 1999, one year 

after listing, a total of 12 plants were 

recorded from 2 locations at an 

elevation of 2,223 ft (677 m) within a 

coastal sage scrub-nonnative grass plant 

association (Greene 1999, pers. comm.). 

Although this subunit was not known to 

be occupied at the time of listing in 

1998, we believe it was occupied in 

1998 because, as discussed in 

Background section, it takes at least 3 

years after seed germination for this 

bulb-forming plant to produce flowers 

(Wall 2012, pers. comm.). This location 

was surveyed specifically for A. munzii 

by a qualified botanist in April 1999, 

less than 1 year after listing; 12 

flowering plants were found in 2 

locations (Greene 1999, pers. comm.); 

thus, based on its biology (growth 

timeframe) as described above, plants 

would have been present in 1998. 

Additionally, as discussed in the 

Background section, Allium munzii is 

often difficult to observe in the field 

(e.g., plants are dormant from midsummer through autumn) and is easily 

overlooked without site-specific surveys 

during ideal conditions for its life 

history. 

The populations of A. munzii at this 

location are on the north-facing slope of 

a hillside, range in elevation between 

1,200 to 2,700 ft (366 to 823 m) AMSL, 

and in a small drainage (mesic 

microhabitat) within native (sage scrub) 

and nonnative (grasses) habitat. The 

surveyed population was reported to be 

approximately 600 ft (183 m) from the 

nearest residence. Although the owners 

at the time of the survey indicated that 

they did not intend to develop the 

drainage where the species was located 

(Greene 1999, pers. comm.), potential 

threats for this subunit include 

nonnative grasses and mowing for fire 

abatement. The location is mapped as 

Lodo rocky loam, a weathered, mediumtextured soil, at 8 to 25 percent slope, 

consisting of a relatively even mixture 

of sand, silt, and clay, with rock 

outcrops (PCE 2) (Knecht 1971, p. 43). 

This subunit contains the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of this species including 

substrate components and conditions 

suitable for growth. 


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Subunit 1E: Northeast Alberhill 

The Northeast Alberhill subunit (58 

ac (23.5 ha)) is found on open grassland, 

upslope of previously proposed 

developments and clay mining 

operations (CNDDB 2011a, EO 16). 

Several colonies were mapped in 

surveys in 1993 and 2003, with about 

3,000 plants observed in 2003 (CNDDB 

2011a EO 16). This occurrence was 

surveyed again in April 2011 and 25– 

100 plants were found; however, the 

population may have been larger than 

reported as the buds were difficult to 

detect due to the early timing of the 

survey (Drennen 2011, pers. comm.). 

Potential threats to this subunit include 

nonnative grasses and road construction 

(CNDDB 2011a EO 16). The physical 

components of this location (i.e., 

elevation range 1,706 ft to 2,325 ft (520 

to 709 m) AMSL, sloping hillside) 

within spaces of open grassland 

(microhabitat) on clay soils (PCE 1) 

provide the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

Allium munzii. 

Subunit 1F: North Peak 

The North Peak subunit (2.4 ac (1.0 

ha)) is located at the southern end of the 

Gavilan Hills unit within the North Peak 

Conservation Bank. Several thousand 

Allium munzii plants were found in 

coastal sage scrub habitat in 1993 

(CNDDB 2011a, EO 15). In 1995, an 

estimated 6,800 plants were located at 

the base of a north-facing slope above a 

drainage area (Michael Brandman 

Associates 1995, p. 3). A survey 

conducted in the spring of 2008 

recorded an estimated 400 plants 

growing on a north-facing slope, just 

upslope (approximately 328 ft (100 m)) 

from the drainage area (Drennen 2011, 

pers. comm.). These physical or 

biological features, space and substrate 

for growth and local microhabitat (slope 

and location within a drainage area) 

(PCE 2), provide habitat features 

essential to the conservation of A. 

munzii. Nonnative grasses are 

considered a threat to A. munzii at this 

location; individual plants in this 

subunit were found to be more 

abundant in areas with less nonnative 

grasses (Drennen 2011, pers. comm.). 

Unit 2: Temescal Valley 

Unit 2 consists of 481 ac (195 ha) 

located within the geographical area 

occupied at the time of listing and all 

subunits contain the features essential 

to the conservation of the species. The 

Temescal Valley Unit is located along 

Interstate 15 at the base of the Gavilan 

Hills in western Riverside County. The 

Temescal Valley unit contains the 

Temescal Wash, which drains the 

Gavilan Hills region and the 

northeastern slope of the Santa Ana 

Mountains (Boyd 1983, p. 13). This unit 

contains unique physical geographic 

features, including escarpments 

(canyons), found along the Temescal 

Wash. These escarpments are formed 

through erosional processes and the 

progressive elevation of the Santa Ana 

Mountains; thus, they represent one of 

several distinct land forms within the 

Perris Basin, which has a complex 

geological history (reviewed by Dudley 

1936). The so-called Alberhill clays 

where Allium munzii is found in the 

Temescal Valley Unit are considered 

one of the earliest sediments in the 

Perris Basin and are found on sloping 

surfaces of an ancient valley wall 

(Dudley 1936, p. 377). Threats identified 

for the Temescal Valley Unit include 

nonnative plants, urban development 

and related infrastructure, and grazing. 

Therefore, the features essential to the 

conservation of the species in this unit 

may require special management 

considerations or protection to 

minimize impacts resulting from these 

threats (see Special Management 

Considerations or Protection section 

above). 

Within the Temescal Valley Unit, we 

are considering excluding all subunits 

contained within the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP planning area under 

section 4(b)(2) of the Act (see Exclusions 

section). 

Subunit 2A: Sycamore Creek 

The Sycamore Creek Subunit (also 

known as Indian Truck Trail, north and 

south) is 12.3 ac (5 ha) in area, and was 

historically associated with Allium 

munzii populations located on a terrace 

escarpment, within grassland habitat on 

clay soil overlying cobbles (Boyd 1988, 

p. 4; CNDDB 2011a, EO 3). This location 

is believed to have contained the type 

locality collected by Munz in 1922 

(CNDDB 2011a). 

This subunit previously contained 

CNDDB EO 8, which was extirpated 

when Allium munzii bulbs were 

removed from areas proposed for 

development of a residential complex 

(Sycamore Creek Project), and is now 

combined with EO 3 (CNDDB 2011a). A 

portion of the original population of A. 

munzii was preserved onsite and was 

placed within a conservation easement; 

additional clay soils were relocated to 

this easement area and another planning 

area for the purpose of restoring A. 

munzii habitat within Riversidean sage 

scrub habitat (Service 2001a, p. 10; 

Helix Environmental Planning 2010, p. 

2). Allium munzii bulbs removed from 

areas proposed for development were 

later transplanted to three areas that are 

contained within this subunit. 

Transplantations were conducted in 

2004, 2008, and 2009 with over 525 

bulbs installed in the conservation areas 

(Helix Environmental Planning 2010, 

pp. 3–5). In November 2010, 310 

additional bulbs were installed in four 

new plots bringing the transplant total 

to 820 bulbs for this site (Helix 

Environmental Planning 2010, pp. 5, 

13). In the spring of 2011, 678 plants (83 

percent) produced leaves, 533 (65 

percent) produced flowers, and 205 (25 

percent) produced seeds (Helix 

Environmental Planning 2011, p. 13). 

The Army Corps of Engineers Clean 

Water Act section 404 permit conditions 

and conservation measures established 

in the Service’s biological opinion for 

the Sycamore Creek Project (Service 

2001a, p. 10) also require maintenance 

and monitoring of the transplant areas 

and restoration of Riversidean sage 

scrub habitat supporting A. munzii; 

these are included as part of the Habitat 

Mitigation and Monitoring Plan for the 

Sycamore Creek Specific Plan (The 

Planning Associates 2002). Nonnative 

plants represent a threat at this subunit. 

In 2011, invasive plant control 

(weeding, spot spraying) was conducted 

as part of required maintenance 

activities (Helix Environmental 

Planning 2011, p. 10). The subsurface 

geology, clay soils, and native habitat 

(PCE 1) within the onsite conservation 

areas comprise the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of A. munzii. 

Subunit 2B: De Palma Road 

The De Palma Road subunit (12.8 ac 

(5.2 ha)) is located about 1 mi (1.6 km) 

southeast of the Sycamore Creek subunit 

along Temescal Wash. This occurrence 

of Allium munzii is found on Altamont 

clay soils with 15 to 25 percent slopes 

within nonnative grasses and sage scrub 

vegetation (Dudek 2011, p. 2). Grazing, 

displacement by nonnative invasive 

plants, and development pressures have 

been previously described (CNDDB 

2011a, EO 7) as threats to this 

population given its close proximity to 

Interstate 15. As a result of proposed 

grading improvements to De Palma 

Road and a proposed Saddleback Estates 

residential development, a salvage and 

relocation operation was implemented 

in December 2007 for locations of A. 

munzii to be impacted by the grading 

footprint of the project (Dudek 2011, p. 

v). The proposed conservation area 

(containing three separate preserves) 

was designed to encompass most of the 

existing A. munzii plants, while 

individual plants outside the preserve 

areas were translocated onto a portion of 


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the preserve not known to support this 

taxon (Dudek 2011, p. 2). Subsequent to 

translocation, a maintenance and 

monitoring program was initiated. The 

2010 survey found a total of 1,195 

flowering individuals within the 

translocation area, and maintenance 

activities were conducted including 

weed and rodent control (Dudek 2011, 

pp. v–vi). A conservation easement was 

to be placed over the proposed preserve 

areas; however, the proposed 

development did not go forward and 

Riverside County is currently managing 

the area until the disposition of the 

parcel is finalized. 

This subunit includes Altamont clay 

soils within the terrace escarpments on 

the west side of Temescal Wash. This 

physiographic setting containing the 

substrate components (Altamont clay 

soils) and suitable conditions 

(vegetation and microhabitat) (PCE 1) 

for the growth of Allium munzii 

provides the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

this species. 

Subunit 2C: Alberhill Mountain 

The Alberhill Mountain subunit is 

300.5 ac (121.6 ha) of private land. 

Allium munzii occurs on clay soils in 

coastal sage scrub vegetation on the 

south slope directly adjacent to open pit 

clay mines (CNDDB 2011a, EO 6). 

Extensive mining of clay in the early 

1980s resulted in the loss of two 

locations of plants (CNDDB 2011a), and 

Boyd (Boyd 1988, p. 2) speculated that 

the plant population in this area was 

once much larger. Surveys conducted by 

Western Riverside County RCA in 2008 

recorded 9 localities ranging from 10 to 

150 plants (Drennen 2011, pers. comm.). 

Threats to this subunit include a 

planned electrical subtransmission line 

and related infrastructure (power poles, 

equipment, construction impacts) (State 

of California Public Utilities 

Commission 2010). Potential impacts 

will vary depending on the exact route 

selected (AMEC Earth and 

Environmental Inc. 2006a, p. 2). 

This subunit contains Altamont clay 

soils (PCE 1) necessary for the growth of 

Allium munzii. The minerals and 

unique properties of this clay soil 

provide the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

the species. 

Although this subunit was not known 

to be occupied at the time of listing in 

1998, we believe it was occupied in 

1998 because, as discussed in 

Background section, it takes at least 3 

years after seed germination for this 

bulb-forming plant to produce flowers 

(Wall 2012, pers. comm.). This location 

was surveyed specifically for A. munzii 

by a qualified botanist in April 1999, 

less than 1 year after listing; 12 

flowering plants were found in 2 

locations (Greene 1999, pers. comm.); 

thus, based on its biology (growth 

timeframe) as described above, plants 

would have been present in 1998. 

Additionally, as discussed in the 

Background section, Allium munzii is 

often difficult to observe in the field 

(e.g., plants are dormant from midsummer through autumn) and is easily 

overlooked without site-specific surveys 

during ideal conditions for its life 

history. 

Subunit 2D: Alberhill Creek 

The Alberhill Creek (Alberhill Marsh) 

subunit (155.3 ac (62.8 ha)) is located on 

private land in a grassland (native and 

nonnative) community on a low hill 

adjacent to a channel of the Temescal 

Wash (CNDDB 2011a, EO 18). The 

CNDDB EO was discovered on clay soils 

in 2000; however, we believe it was 

occupied at the time of listing given: (1) 

The proximity and identical clay soil 

association with the larger Subunit 2C, 

which is located less than 1 mi (1.6 km) 

to the northwest, and (2) as discussed in 

the Background section, this bulbforming plant requires at least 3 years to 

produce flowers from seed. Thus, for 

flowering plants to be observed 2 years 

after listing, we believe that plants in 

the form of bulbs were present in this 

subunit at the time of listing. In 

addition, all of the lands within this 

subunit are located on the clay soils to 

which this species is restricted in 

western Riverside County. As described 

above (Subunit 2C), a segment of an 

electrical subtransmission line is 

proposed for this location. Other threats 

to this subunit have not been 

documented, but its proximity to 

Interstate 15 and associated 

development indicates some degree of 

threat from urbanization and nonnative 

grasses. 

Subunit 2D is part of the same terrace 

formation as the Alberhill Mountain 

subunit, and contains the mineral-rich 

clay soils, subsurface geology and 

surface hydrology, and topography 

components (PCE 1) that provide the 

physical or biological features essential 

to the conservation of this species. 

Unit 3: Elsinore Peak 

Unit 3 consists of 98.4 ac (39.8 ha). 

This unit location is unchanged from 

our previous proposed critical habitat 

rule (69 FR 31569; June 4, 2004) and 

was occupied at the time of listing; 

however, we have redefined the 

boundary of this unit to better match the 

underlying clay soils and plant 

populations observed since the final 

rule (70 FR 33015; June 7, 2005). About 

two-thirds (63.1 ac (25.5 ha)) of the 

Elsinore Peak unit is contained within 

the Cleveland National Forest, and 35.3 

ac (14.3 ha) is under State of California 

(State Lands Commission) ownership 

within the Western Riverside County 

MSHCP Conservation Area. The unit 

was surveyed by Western Riverside RCA 

in 2005 and 2008 (Drennen 2011, pers. 

comm.) and more comprehensively by 

Boyd in 2010 (Boyd 2011c, pers. 

comm.). 

The Elsinore Peak unit represents the 

southwesternmost extent of the range of 

Allium munzii. Many of the occurrences 

found on the Cleveland National Forest 

within this unit are considered to be the 

least disturbed and the highest recorded 

elevation (3,300 to 3,500 ft (1 to 1.07 

km)) for this species (Boyd and Mistretta 

1991, p. 3). The plant populations 

within this unit are also unusual in that 

they are found on cobble deposits with 

thinner Bosanko clay soils (PCE 2) 

(Boyd and Mistretta 1991, p. 3). In 1991, 

Boyd and Mistretta (1991, p. 2) reported 

three stands of A. munzii at Elsinore 

Peak of more than 1,000 individual 

plants, with the largest an estimated 

5,000 plants. Nine localities were 

observed in a 2008 survey, with 

populations ranging from 5 to 100 

plants (Drennen 2011, pers. comm.). A 

2010 survey at Elsinore Peak was 

conducted by Boyd with approximately 

23 general point localities recorded on 

both U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and 

State lands (Boyd 2011c, pers. comm.). 

The subsurface and surface elements 

that define this subunit, including clay 

soils, sloping hillsides, and 

microhabitats, provide the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of A. munzii. 

Several threats to Allium munzii 

populations within this unit were 

identified at the time of listing, 

including road grading, ORV activity, 

and nonnative annual grasses; 

recreational activity and invasive 

species were identified as the two main 

threats to occurrences on USFS land in 

the 2005 Final Environmental Impact 

Statement prepared for the Cleveland 

National Forest Land Management Plan 

(USFS 2005, p. 160). A species 

management guide for A. munzii was 

prepared in 1992 that identified a 

number of management actions to help 

alleviate these threats, including 

construction of fencing and barriers to 

protect populations from ORV activity 

(Winter 1992, p. 10). Fencing, including 

a gate, was installed to protect plant 

populations, and boulders were placed 

along the roadway leading to Elsinore 

Peak to restrict ORV activity and other 

traffic (hikers and mountain bikers) in 


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sensitive areas. This has reduced the 

level of impact from these threats to the 

population of A. munzii plants located 

on USFS land in this unit (Thomas 

2011, pers. comm.). 

Unit 4: South Perris and Bachelor 

Mountain 

Unit 4 consists of 186.8 ac (75.6 ha) 

and is defined by occurrences of Allium 

munzii found in the southern end of the 

Perris Basin, including Bachelor 

Mountain north of Lake Skinner. We are 

proposing three subunits within this 

unit based on their general proximity to 

one another in southwestern Riverside 

County. All subunits within this unit 

are within the geographical area 

occupied at the time of listing and 

occupy clay soils at elevations ranging 

from 1,420 to 2,300 ft (432 to 701 m) 

AMSL (Ellstrand 1996, p. 4; CNDDB 

2011a, EOs 4, 11, 12, and 14) and 

contain the physical or biological 

features that are essential to the 

conservation of the species and may 

require special management 

considerations or protection to 

minimize impacts from threats 

described below for each subunit. 

We are considering excluding 

subunits of the South Perris and 

Bachelor Mountain Unit that are within 

the planning areas of the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP, the Rancho 

Bella Vista HCP, or the Southwestern 

Riverside County Multi-species Reserve 

from the final designation of Allium 

munzii critical habitat under section 

4(b)(2) of the Act (see Exclusions 

section). 

Subunit 4A: Scott Road 

The Scott Road subunit (32.6 ac (13.2 

ha)) is in the Paloma Valley of the South 

Perris Basin, between Sun City and 

Murrieta, east of Interstate 215 at an 

elevation of about 1,500 ft (457 m) 

AMSL. The habitat for this occurrence 

was described in 1992 as a low knoll in 

rocky clay soil within native grassland 

and patches of coastal sage scrub 

(CNDDB 2011a, EO 14). This occurrence 

(also called McElhinney-Stimmel) was 

surveyed in 2008 and 2011 by Western 

Riverside RCA with five localities 

reported in 2008 and one in 2011 

(Drennen 2011, pers. comm.). In 2008, 

Allium munzii was observed growing in 

openings of dense stands of invasive 

grass (Avena sp.) alongside native 

grassland and coastal sage scrub 

(Drennen 2011, pers. comm.). Nonnative 

plants are considered a potential threat 

to this subunit. This subunit contains 

the physical or biological features 

essential to the conservation of A. 

munzii including clay soils and open 

patches of native habitat at the 

appropriate elevation range (PCE 1) that 

provide substrate and conditions 

suitable for growth of this species. 

The subunit is currently located 

partially on land purchased by the 

Western Riverside County RCA as a 

result of a conservation measure for a 

subdivision development (Service 2002, 

p. 2) and partially within an off-site 

preservation area resulting from a gas 

pipeline project (Service 2001b, p. 35). 

Subunit 4B: Skunk Hollow 

The Skunk Hollow Subunit is 74.8 ac 

(30.3 ha) and is located east of Murrieta 

Hot Springs at the southern end of the 

Perris Basin, just south of Tucalota 

Creek. This occurrence is located on 

north-facing slopes with clay soils, 

within grassy openings in coastal sage 

scrub (CNDDB 2011a, EO 4) at 

approximately 1,420 ft (433 m) AMSL 

(PCE 1). These substrate conditions, 

suitable for growth and development, 

comprise the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

this species. 

A 1995 survey recorded a population 

of about 250 plants prior to the 

construction of an adjacent residential 

development (McCollum Associates et 

al. 1995, p. 21). The area occupied by 

Allium munzii is currently conserved, 

with long-term management provided 

under the Rancho Bella Vista HCP 

within a conservation area (Service 

2000, pp. 4, 36). 

Subunit 4C: Bachelor Mountain 

The Bachelor Mountain subunit (79.3 

ac (32.1 ha)) consists of three 

occurrences (EOs 11, 12, and proposed 

EO 24) of Allium munzii located north 

of Lake Skinner, which includes two 

occurrences known at the time of listing 

and one occurrence not known at listing 

(and not yet assigned an EO number by 

CNDDB) but described in surveys 

conducted prior to listing that were not 

known to the Service at the time of 

listing (69 plants in 1994 and 835 plants 

in 1995) (Ellstrand 1994, pp. 3–4; 

Ellstrand 1996, pp. 3–4). Therefore, all 

of Subunit 4C is within the geographical 

area occupied at the time of listing. The 

three occurrences are located on clay 

soils ranging in elevation from 1,476 to 

2292 ft (450 to 699 m) AMSL, on sloping 

hills that, collectively, represent one of 

several distinct physio-geographic 

features found in the Perris Basin. 

Surveys in the southern part of this 

subunit were conducted in 2008 and 

2010. Plants were found primarily on 

north-facing slopes in both native and 

nonnative grassland communities 

(Drennen 2011, pers. comm.). Threats to 

this subunit include thatch build-up 

from herbaceous plants including Avena 

spp. and Brassica spp. (CNDDB 2011a 

EO 11). The substrate components and 

mineral-rich soils, conditions suitable 

for the growth of A. munzii (PCE 1), 

comprise the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

this species. 

All three of the CNDDB EOs located 

within this subunit are within the 

Southwestern Riverside County 

Multiple Species Reserve (Reserve), a 

Public/Quasi Public land designation of 

the Western Riverside County MSHCP, 

managed by Riverside County Parks. 

The Reserve encompasses coastal sage 

scrub, chaparral, grassland, oak 

woodland, and riparian forest vegetative 

communities between Lake Skinner and 

Diamond Valley Lake (Monroe et al. 

1992, p. ES–5). 

Unit 5: North Domenigoni Hills 

Unit 5 consists of 8.2 ac (3.3 ha) and 

is occupied by Allium munzii north of 

Diamond Valley Lake, in the 

southeastern corner of the Perris Basin. 

This population is located on rocky 

loam soils on the northeast-facing slope 

of a large prominent peak (2,160 ft (658 

m)) of igneous rocks (CNDDB 2011a, EO 

10). Previously described threats for this 

unit (CNDDB 2011a) include mining 

activities (the 1991 mapped populations 

were located adjacent to an old quarry). 

The most recent survey result for this 

occurrence is from 2008, which 

described the populations of A. munzii 

as ‘‘locally uncommon’’ in openings of 

coastal sage scrub (Drennan 2011, pers. 

comm.). The underlying geology, soils, 

and elevation (PCE 2) provide elements 

suitable for the growth of A. munzii and 

physical or biological features essential 

to the conservation of this species. 

These features may require special 

management considerations or 

protection to minimize impacts 

resulting from potential threats such as 

invasive nonnative species. 

The North Domenigoni Hills Unit 

occurs within the planning area of the 

Southwestern Riverside County Multispecies Reserve and is managed by 

Riverside County Parks. We are 

considering excluding this unit under 

section 4(b)(2) of the Act (see Exclusions 

section). 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

We are proposing three units as 

critical habitat for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior. The areas we describe below 

constitute our current best assessment of 

areas that meet the definition of critical 

habitat for A. c. var. notatior. The units 

we propose as critical habitat are: (1) 

San Jacinto River (Unit 1), (2) Upper 

Salt Creek (Unit 2), and (3) Alberhill 

Creek (Unit 3). The approximate area of 


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proposed revised critical habitat and land ownership within these units is 

shown in Table 2 below. 

Unit 1: San Jacinto River 

Unit 1 includes the locations of 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior within 

the floodplain of the San Jacinto River 

at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area 

(including Mystic Lake) and the 

floodplain of the San Jacinto River 

between the Ramona Expressway and 

Railroad Canyon Reservoir, which total 

7,039 ac (2,849 ha). Of this total, 4,096 

ac (1,658 ha) are privately owned and 

2,396 ac (970 ha) are owned by CDFG 

as part of the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, 

which is managed primarily for the 

purpose of waterfowl conservation. The 

remaining is other State or local land as 

shown in Table 2. 

The hydrological conditions of this 

unit are defined by precipitation events 

resulting from winter storms, summer 

storms, and local thunderstorms, with 

major flood events for the San Jacinto 

River occurring almost exclusively 

during winter storms (Bryant 1975, pp. 

13, 15; Tetra Tech and WRIME 2007, pp. 

30–31; Riverside County Flood Control 

and Water Conservation District History 

2011). Runoff flows into Mystic Lake 

from the valley and, during large flow 

events, from the upper San Jacinto River 

(Tetra Tech and WRIME 2007, p. 28). 

Overland flows across active 

agricultural lands into Mystic Lake can 

transport sediments containing 

nutrients into the lake; this has 

increased in recent years as smaller flow 

events have caused failure of the 

Diversion Channel levees and flooding 

of agricultural lands in the San Jacinto 

Gap region (Tetra Tech and WRIME 

2007, Appendix A, p. 1). During 

extreme rainfall events the storage 

capacity of the lake can be exceeded, 

causing overflow back into the San 

Jacinto River and subsequent transport 

of nutrient-laden water into the 

floodplain of the river (Tetra Tech and 

WRIME 2007, p. 28). Proposed water 

quality projects in this portion of the 

San Jacinto River are being considered 

in an effort to convey water directly to 

Mystic Lake to help reduce the nutrient 

loading during certain storm events 

(Tetra Tech and WRIME 2007, p. F–97) 

into the San Jacinto River and the 

surrounding floodplain habitat where 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior occurs. 

The Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

localities (locations of plants) that 

occupy the northern portion of the San 

Jacinto Unit (San Jacinto Wildlife Area 

including Mystic Lake) are primarily 

found within alkali sink habitat, 

including alkali grassland and scrub 

(Bramlet 1996, p. 10). This native 

habitat is threatened by reduced water 

quality, invasive and weedy plant 

species introduced as food sources for 

waterfowl, and alteration of habitat for 

duck ponds (Roberts and McMillan 

1997, p. 2). This upper portion of the 

unit is within the geographical area 

occupied at the time of listing, and the 

physical or biological features essential 

to the conservation of the taxon may 

require special management 

considerations or protection to 

minimize impacts from the threats listed 

above. The most recent survey results 

for A. c. var. notatior in the northern 

portion of the unit, from 2007 to 2010, 

identified 6 point locations ranging from 

1 to 60 individual plants (Western 

Riverside County RCA 2007, 2008, 2009, 

2011; Malisch 2010, pers. comm.). 

Downstream from Mystic Lake, the 

San Jacinto River forms a wide fluvial 

plain. This floodplain is often dry due 

to groundwater infiltration enhanced by 

low groundwater levels from excessive 

pumping and limited recharge (Tetra 

Tech and WRIME 2007, p. 28), which 

alter the seasonal flooding cycle. The 

lower portion of this unit, the floodplain 

of the San Jacinto River between the 

Ramona Expressway and Railroad 

Canyon Reservoir, is also within the 

geographical area occupied at the time 

of listing. This portion of the San Jacinto 

floodplain (soils and hydrologic 

conditions) provide the features that are 

essential to the conservation of the 

taxon and may require special 

management considerations and 

protection to minimize impacts from 

threats including activities identified at 

the time of listing (invasive weedy plant 


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species and nonagriculture-related 

clearing, agricultural activity) (Bramlet 

1996, p. 14, Roberts and McMillan 1997, 

p. 3–4; White 2009, pers. comm.; 

Roberts 2010b, pers. comm.). Much of 

the area has been converted to 

agriculture or impacted by the addition 

of soil amendments (primarily manure 

dumping), which alters the alkaline 

properties of the soil and creates 

conditions that increase competition 

from other plants, including nonnative 

plants such as Brassica nigra (black 

mustard) and Salsola tragus (Russian 

thistle) (Roberts 2010a, pers. comm.). 

There are also indications that sheep 

grazing has affected A. c. var. notatior 

habitat in the Ramona Expressway to 

Railroad Canyon portion of this unit 

(CNDDB 2011b, EO 7). 

The localities of Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior found within the San 

Jacinto Unit (including the San Jacinto 

Wildlife Area) depend upon the San 

Jacinto River for supporting 

hydrological conditions as described 

above. Seasonal ponding or flooding 

within the floodplain of the river 

inundates the alkali sink habitat, and 

creates a slow-moving flow of water that 

provides appropriate hydrological 

growth and survival conditions and 

allows for seed dispersal (PCE 1 and 2). 

These elements provide the physical or 

biological features that are essential to 

the conservation of A. c. var. notatior. 

Within the San Jacinto River Unit, we 

are considering excluding lands 

contained within the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP planning area under 

section 4(b)(2) of the Act (see Exclusions 

section). 

Unit 2: Upper Salt Creek 

Unit 2 includes the Upper Salt Creek 

localities of Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior and comprises 874 ac (354 ha), 

603 ac (244 ha) of which is privately 

owned and 271 ac (110 ha) is local land. 

This unit is within the geographical area 

occupied at the time of listing and is 

located in a natural depression within 

the old Salt Creek tributary within the 

Salt Creek watershed. Salt Creek, which 

drains westward toward Winchester, 

rejoins the San Jacinto River at Railroad 

Canyon and represents one of the major 

tributaries to Canyon Lake (Tetra Tech 

and WRIME 2007, p. 29). Historically, 

winter storm events created surface 

runoff producing intense peak flow 

events and scouring along the water 

supply channel; this can be seen in 

historical aerial photos (such as April 

1980 following severe flood events in 

February 1980). Currently, rainfall 

collects within pools on slow-drainage 

alkaline soils, which contain remnants 

of an alkali vernal floodplain complex 

with similarly adapted plants and 

wildlife. Much of the area is still subject 

to flooding during modest flood events 

(RECON 1995, p. 34). The Upper Salt 

Creek Unit is bisected north to south by 

the San Diego Aqueduct Canal and 

currently includes open fields and cow 

pastures within the remaining alkaline 

vernal pool, alkaline grassland, and 

alkali sink scrub habitats (RECON 1995, 

pp. 15, 17; CNDDB 2011b, EO 9). 

Additionally, historical drainage 

patterns in the Upper Salt Creek Unit 

are disrupted by local roads, road 

ditches, and agricultural drainage 

ditches that reduce the degree and 

duration of ponding during the wet 

season (RECON 1995, p. 18). 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior habitat 

within the Upper Salt Creek Unit is 

threatened by agricultural activities, 

including dryland farming, sheep 

grazing, invasion of nonnative plant 

species, alteration of hydrology, 

fragmentation, and fire management 

practices (Bramlet 1992, pers. comm.; 

Roberts 2005, pers. comm.; Roberts and 

McMillan 1997, p. 4–5; CH2M Hill 

2010, Appendix B pp. 2–4; CNDDB 

2011b, EOs 9 and 10). A proposed rightof-way for the realignment of State 

Route 79 is located just outside the 

boundaries of this unit (Riverside 

County Transportation Commission 

2011). 

Surveys conducted prior to listing 

include a 1995 report on the 

distribution of wetlands and sensitive 

species within a large (1,400 ac (567 ha)) 

portion of the Upper Salt Creek drainage 

system, which summarized existing 

records, aerial photography, and direct 

observations (RECON 1995). 

Approximately 33 localities of Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior were reported 

ranging from less than 100 to 

approximately 9,000 for a total of 

approximately 31,400 plants (RECON 

1995, p. 25, Figure 6). As an illustration 

of the variability in observed individual 

plants in this location, a final report for 

focused surveys within 45 ac (18.21 ha) 

of mitigation land (Metropolitan Water 

District of Southern California) located 

within the Upper Salt Creek floodplain 

indicated a range of 16,500 individuals 

of A. c. var. notatior in 1996 and an 

estimated 136,948 individuals in 2001, 

with an aerial extent ranging from 9.7 

acres (3.93 ha) to 12.66 ac (5.12 ha) 

during the same time period (AMEC 

Earth and Environmental Inc. 2001, p. 

3). 

Comprehensive sensitive plant 

surveys related to this proposed project 

were also conducted in the Upper Salt 

Creek area in 2005 and 2006 with over 

100,000 individual Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior plants recorded within 555 

localities within this unit (CH2M Hill 

2010, p. 5–59). A less comprehensive 

survey in May 2009 recorded 

approximately 246 individual plants in 

four locations within this unit (Malisch 

2010, pers. comm.). 

This unit contains the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior including Willows-TraverChino soils, alkali grassland and 

alkaline playa habitats, and periodic 

ponding or flooding (PCE 1 and 2), 

which provide substrate and conditions 

suitable for growth of this taxon. These 

physical or biological features may 

require special management 

considerations or protection to 

minimize impacts resulting from the 

threats as defined above. 

Within the Upper Salt Creek Unit, we 

are considering excluding lands 

contained within the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP planning area under 

section 4(b)(2) of the Act (see Exclusions 

section). 

Unit 3: Alberhill Creek 

The Alberhill Creek Unit comprises 

107 ac (43 ha), of which 33 ac (13.5 ha) 

are privately owned and 74 ac (30 ha) 

under local land ownership (see Table 

4). The unit occurs within the 

floodplain of Alberhill Creek within an 

alkali playa that is dependent on the 

creek for its hydrology and seasonal 

flooding. Alberhill Creek is part of the 

larger Temescal Wash region of western 

Riverside County, which drains the 

Gavilan Hills region and the 

northeastern slope of the Santa Ana 

Mountains (Boyd 1983, p. 13). This 

floodplain is subject to periodic 

flooding, which produces ponding and 

scouring (as observed in aerial photos 

from 1980 and 2010), including seasonal 

overflow of water from Lake Elsinore. 

These hydrologic elements, along with 

Willows-Travers-Chino soils and alkali 

floodplain habitat in Alberhill Creek 

(PCE 1 and 2), comprise the physical or 

biological features that are essential to 

the conservation of Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior. 

Two locations of Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior are known to exist in this 

unit (AMEC Earth and Environmental 

2006b, p. 26; CNDDB 2011b, EO16). The 

locality at the Nichols Road wetland 

(near the mouth of Walker Canyon), 

which contains alkali marsh and alkali 

playa habitat on Willows soils, 

consisted of 185 plants in 1987 (CNDDB 

2011b, EO 16). The second locality of A. 

c. var. notatior, also on Willows soils, 

comprises nonnative grassland and 

alkali marsh habitat where 10 plants 

were discovered in 2006 adjacent to 

Baker Road, just south of Nichols Road 


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(AMEC Earth and Environmental Inc. 

2006b, p. 29). The Alberhill Creek Unit 

is located in an increasingly urbanized 

area and is subject to the threat of 

human-caused disturbance, including 

impacts related to a proposed 

subtransmission line associated with a 

recently completed electrical power 

substation (State of California Public 

Utilities Commission 2007; State of 

California Public Utilities Commission 

2010). 

As noted above (see Background 

section—Spatial Distribution, Historical 

Range, and Population Size), there is 

significant natural variability in 

numbers of observed individuals of 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior in 

response to annual rainfall, extent and 

distribution of flooding, and 

temperature. Differences in survey 

methodologies and proportion of range 

surveyed may also contribute to 

differences in annual counts of 

individuals and therefore reporting of 

locations of A. c. var. notatior; however, 

both locations of A. c. var. notatior 

within this subunit are found on the 

Willows soils of the Temescal 

floodplain and are within one-quarter 

mile (365 meters) of each other. All of 

Unit 3 is therefore within the 

geographical area occupied at the time 

of listing, and the unit provides the 

physical or biological features that are 

essential to the conservation of this 

taxon and may require special 

management considerations and 

protection. 

Within the Alberhill Creek Unit, we 

are considering excluding lands 

contained within the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP planning area under 

section 4(b)(2) of the Act (see Exclusions 

section). 

Effects of Critical Habitat Designation 

Section 7 Consultation 

Section 7(a)(2) of the Act requires 

Federal agencies, including the Service, 

to ensure that any action they fund, 

authorize, or carry out is not likely to 

jeopardize the continued existence of 

any endangered species or threatened 

species or result in the destruction or 

adverse modification of designated 

critical habitat of such species. In 

addition, section 7(a)(4) of the Act 

requires Federal agencies to confer with 

the Service on any agency action which 

is likely to jeopardize the continued 

existence of any species proposed to be 

listed under the Act or result in the 

destruction or adverse modification of 

proposed critical habitat. 

Decisions by the 5th and 9th Circuit 

Courts of Appeals have invalidated our 

regulatory definition of ‘‘destruction or 

adverse modification’’ (50 CFR 402.02) 

(see Gifford Pinchot Task Force v. U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, 378 F. 3d 

1059 (9th Cir. 2004) and Sierra Club v. 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service et al., 245 

F.3d 434, 442 (5th Cir. 2001)), and we 

do not rely on this regulatory definition 

when analyzing whether an action is 

likely to destroy or adversely modify 

critical habitat. Under the statutory 

provisions of the Act, we determine 

destruction or adverse modification on 

the basis of whether, with 

implementation of the proposed Federal 

action, the affected critical habitat 

would continue to serve its intended 

conservation role for the species. 

If a Federal action may affect a listed 

species or its critical habitat, the 

responsible Federal agency (action 

agency) must enter into consultation 

with us. Examples of actions that are 

subject to the section 7 consultation 

process are actions on State, Tribal, 

local, or private lands that require a 

Federal permit (such as a permit from 

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under 

section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 

U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) or a permit from the 

Service under section 10 of the Act) or 

that involve some other Federal action 

(such as funding from the Federal 

Highway Administration, Federal 

Aviation Administration, or the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency). 

Federal actions not affecting listed 

species or critical habitat, and actions 

on State, Tribal, local, or private lands 

that are not federally funded or 

authorized, do not require section 7 

consultation. 

As a result of section 7 consultation, 

we document compliance with the 

requirements of section 7(a)(2) through 

our issuance of: 

(1) A concurrence letter for Federal 

actions that may affect, but are not 

likely to adversely affect, listed species 

or critical habitat; or 

(2) A biological opinion for Federal 

actions that may affect, and are likely to 

adversely affect, listed species or critical 

habitat. 

When we issue a biological opinion 

concluding that a project is likely to 

jeopardize the continued existence of a 

listed species and/or destroy or 

adversely modify critical habitat, we 

provide reasonable and prudent 

alternatives to the project, if any are 

identifiable, that would avoid the 

likelihood of jeopardy and/or 

destruction or adverse modification of 

critical habitat. We define ‘‘reasonable 

and prudent alternatives’’ (at 50 CFR 

402.02) as alternative actions identified 

during consultation that: 

(1) Can be implemented in a manner 

consistent with the intended purpose of 

the action, 

(2) Can be implemented consistent 

with the scope of the Federal agency’s 

legal authority and jurisdiction, 

(3) Are economically and 

technologically feasible, and 

(4) Would, in the Director’s opinion, 

avoid the likelihood of jeopardizing the 

continued existence of the listed species 

and/or avoid the likelihood of 

destroying or adversely modifying 

critical habitat. 

Reasonable and prudent alternatives 

can vary from slight project 

modifications to extensive redesign or 

relocation of the project. Costs 

associated with implementing a 

reasonable and prudent alternative are 

similarly variable. 

Regulations at 50 CFR 402.16 require 

Federal agencies to reinitiate 

consultation on previously reviewed 

actions in instances where we have 

listed a new species or subsequently 

designated critical habitat that may be 

affected and the Federal agency has 

retained discretionary involvement or 

control over the action (or the agency’s 

discretionary involvement or control is 

authorized by law). Consequently, 

Federal agencies sometimes may need to 

request reinitiation of consultation with 

us on actions for which formal 

consultation has been completed, if 

those actions with discretionary 

involvement or control may affect 

subsequently listed species or 

designated critical habitat. 

Application of the ‘‘Adverse 

Modification’’ Standard 

The key factor related to the adverse 

modification determination is whether, 

with implementation of the proposed 

Federal action, the affected critical 

habitat would continue to serve its 

intended conservation role for the 

species. Activities that may destroy or 

adversely modify critical habitat are 

those that alter the physical or 

biological features to an extent that 

appreciably reduces the conservation 

value of critical habitat for Allium 

munzii and Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior. As discussed above, the role of 

critical habitat is to support life-history 

needs of these taxa and provide for the 

conservation of these taxa. 

Section 4(b)(8) of the Act requires us 

to briefly evaluate and describe, in any 

proposed or final regulation that 

designates critical habitat, activities 

involving a Federal action that may 

destroy or adversely modify such 

habitat, or that may be affected by such 

designation. 


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Activities that may affect critical 

habitat, when carried out, funded, or 

authorized by a Federal agency, should 

result in consultation for Allium munzii 

and Atriplex coronata var. notatior. 

These activities include, but are not 

limited to, the following for each of the 

taxa: 

Allium munzii 

Actions that alter the physical 

characteristics of mesic clay and rockysandy loamy soils (within rock 

outcrops) and microhabitats of these 

soils, or that create conditions that 

facilitate the spread of invasive 

nonnative plants, especially nonnative 

annual grasses, into these habitats 

would adversely affect the proposed 

critical habitat. Such activities could 

include (but are not limited to): Grading 

or disking for dryland farming, clay 

mining, urban and related infrastructure 

development, ORV activity, animal 

grazing, fire management, and alteration 

of hydrology (such as impoundment or 

channelization). These activities could 

eliminate or reduce the amount of 

habitat necessary to support Allium 

munzii, a narrow endemic taxon 

restricted to clay and rocky-sandy loamy 

soils within localized microhabitats. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

Actions that alter the physical 

characteristics of alkali playa, alkali 

scrub, and alkali grassland habitats or 

fragment these areas, including 

reduction of water quality, alteration of 

the hydrology and floodplain dynamics, 

or an increase in the occurrence of 

nonnative plant species in these habitats 

would adversely affect the proposed 

critical habitat. Such activities could 

include (but are not limited to): urban 

development, manure dumping, animal 

grazing, grading or disking for 

agriculture, ORV activity, alteration of 

hydrology (such as impoundment or 

channelization), and soil chemistry. 

These activities could eliminate or 

fragment habitats that provide essential 

soil and hydrological characteristics to 

support Atriplex coronata var. notatior. 

Exemptions 

Application of Section 4(a)(3)(B) of the 

Act 

The Sikes Act Improvement Act of 

1997 (Sikes Act) (16 U.S.C. 670a) 

required each military installation that 

includes land and water suitable for the 

conservation and management of 

natural resources to complete an 

integrated natural resource management 

plan (INRMP) by November 17, 2001. 

An INRMP integrates implementation of 

the military mission of the installation 

with stewardship of the natural 

resources found on the base. Each 

INRMP includes: 

(1) An assessment of the ecological 

needs on the installation, including the 

need to provide for the conservation of 

listed species; 

(2) A statement of goals and priorities; 

(3) A detailed description of 

management actions to be implemented 

to provide for these ecological needs; 

and 

(4) A monitoring and adaptive 

management plan. 

Among other things, each INRMP 

must, to the extent appropriate and 

applicable, provide for fish and wildlife 

management; fish and wildlife habitat 

enhancement or modification; wetland 

protection, enhancement, and 

restoration where necessary to support 

fish and wildlife; and enforcement of 

applicable natural resource laws. 

The National Defense Authorization 

Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Pub. L. 108– 

136) amended the Act to limit areas 

eligible for designation as critical 

habitat. Specifically, section 4(a)(3)(B)(i) 

of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1533(a)(3)(B)(i)) 

now provides: ‘‘The Secretary shall not 

designate as critical habitat any lands or 

other geographic areas owned or 

controlled by the Department of 

Defense, or designated for its use, that 

are subject to an integrated natural 

resources management plan prepared 

under section 101 of the Sikes Act (16 

U.S.C. 670a), if the Secretary determines 

in writing that such plan provides a 

benefit to the species for which critical 

habitat is proposed for designation.’’ 

There are no Department of Defense 

lands that meet the definition of critical 

habitat for Allium munzii or Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior and, as a result, 

no lands are being exempted under 

section 4(a)(3)(B) of the Act. 

Exclusions 

Application of Section 4(b)(2) of the Act 

Section 4(b)(2) of the Act states that 

the Secretary shall designate and make 

revisions to critical habitat on the basis 

of the best available scientific data after 

taking into consideration the economic 

impact, national security impact, and 

any other relevant impact of specifying 

any particular area as critical habitat. 

The Secretary may exclude an area from 

critical habitat if he determines that the 

benefits of such exclusion outweigh the 

benefits of specifying such area as part 

of the critical habitat, unless he 

determines, based on the best scientific 

data available, that the failure to 

designate such area as critical habitat 

will result in the extinction of the 

species. In making that determination, 

the statute on its face, as well as the 

legislative history are clear that the 

Secretary has broad discretion regarding 

which factor(s) to use and how much 

weight to give to any factor. 

In considering whether to exclude a 

particular area from the designation, we 

identify the benefits of including the 

area in the designation, identify the 

benefits of excluding the area from the 

designation, and evaluate whether the 

benefits of exclusion outweigh the 

benefits of inclusion. If the analysis 

indicates that the benefits of exclusion 

outweigh the benefits of inclusion, the 

Secretary may exercise his discretion to 

exclude the area only if such exclusion 

would not result in the extinction of the 

species. 

When identifying the benefits of 

inclusion for an area, we consider the 

additional regulatory benefits that area 

would receive from the protection from 

adverse modification or destruction as a 

result of actions with a Federal nexus; 

the educational benefits of mapping 

essential habitat for recovery of the 

listed species; and any benefits that may 

result from a designation due to State or 

Federal laws that may apply to critical 

habitat. 

When identifying the benefits of 

exclusion, we consider, among other 

things, whether exclusion of a specific 

area is likely to result in conservation; 

the continuation, strengthening, or 

encouragement of partnerships; or 

implementation of a management plan 

that provides equal or greater 

conservation benefits than a critical 

habitat designation would provide. For 

example, we consider our continued 

ability to seek new partnerships with 

future plan participants, including the 

State, counties, local jurisdictions, 

conservation organizations, and private 

landowners, which together can 

implement conservation actions that we 

would be unable to accomplish 

otherwise. If lands within approved 

management plan areas are designated 

as critical habitat, there would likely be 

a negative effect on our existing 

partnerships and our ability to establish 

new partnerships to develop and 

implement these plans, particularly 

plans that address landscape-level 

conservation of species and habitats. By 

excluding these lands, we preserve our 

current partnerships, promote future 

partnerships, and encourage additional 

conservation actions in the future. 

In the case of Allium munzii and 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior, the 

benefits of critical habitat include 

public awareness of A. munzii and A. c. 

var. notatior presence and the 

importance of habitat protection, and in 

cases where a Federal nexus exists, 


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increased habitat protection for A. 

munzii and A. c. var. notatior due to the 

protection from adverse modification or 

destruction of critical habitat. 

When we evaluate the existence of a 

conservation plan, we consider a variety 

of factors, including, but not limited to, 

whether the plan is finalized, how it 

provides for the conservation of the 

essential physical or biological features, 

whether there is a reasonable 

expectation that the conservation 

management strategies and actions 

contained in a management plan will be 

implemented into the future, whether 

the conservation strategies in the plan 

are likely to be effective, and whether 

the plan contains a monitoring program 

or adaptive management to ensure that 

the conservation measures are effective 

and can be adapted in the future in 

response to new information. 

After identifying the benefits of 

inclusion and the benefits of exclusion, 

we carefully weigh the two sides to 

determine whether the benefits of 

exclusion outweigh those of inclusion. 

If our analysis indicates that the benefits 

of exclusion outweigh the benefits of 

inclusion, we then determine whether 

exclusion would result in extinction. If 

exclusion of an area from critical habitat 

will result in extinction, we will not 

exclude it from the designation. 

Based on the information provided by 

entities seeking exclusion, as well as 

any additional public comments we 

receive, we will evaluate whether 

certain lands in the proposed revised 

critical habitat are appropriate for 

exclusion from the final designation 

pursuant to section 4(b)(2) of the Act. If 

the analysis indicates that the benefits 

of excluding lands from the final 

designation outweigh the benefits of 

designating those lands as critical 

habitat, then the Secretary may exercise 

his discretion to exclude the lands from 

the final designation. 

We specifically solicit comments on 

the inclusion or exclusion of such areas 

(see Public Comments section above). A 

detailed analysis of our consideration to 

exclude these lands under section 

4(b)(2) of the Act is provided below 

under the Exclusions Based on Other 

Relevant Impacts section. 

Allium munzii 

We are currently considering 

excluding the following 790 ac (320 ha) 

from the critical habitat designation for 

Allium munzii under section 4(b)(2) of 

the Act. Table 3 below provides 

approximate areas (ac, ha) of lands that 

meet the definition of critical habitat 

that we intend to exclude under section 

4(b)(2) of the Act from the final critical 

habitat rule. 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 


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Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

We are considering excluding all of 

the following areas from the critical 

habitat designation for Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior under section 

4(b)(2) of the Act. Table 4 below 

provides approximate areas (ac, ha) of 

lands that meet the definition of critical 

habitat that we intend to exclude under 

section 4(b)(2) of the Act from the final 

critical habitat rule. 

Exclusions Based on Economic Impacts 

Under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, we 

consider the economic impacts of 

specifying any particular area as critical 

habitat. In order to consider economic 

impacts, we are preparing an analysis of 

the economic impacts of the proposed 

revised critical habitat designation and 

related factors. 

We prepared and finalized an analysis 

of the economic impacts for the 

previous proposed critical habitat 

designation for Allium munzii 

(Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. 

2005). Only USFS lands at Elsinore Peak 

within the Cleveland National Forest 

were proposed as critical habitat in the 

2004 proposed rule (69 FR 31569; June 

4, 2004). The economic analysis 

determined retrospective costs (costs 

since listing, 1998 to 2004) to the USFS 

of $9,938 and total prospective costs 

(from 2005 to 2025) of $33,849. No 

lands were excluded from critical 

habitat in our final designation based on 

economic impact under section 4(b)(2) 

of the Act (70 FR 33015; June 7, 2005). 

We prepared and finalized an analysis 

of the economic impacts for the 

previous proposed critical habitat 

designation for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior (Northwest Economic 

Associates 2005). Because no lands were 

proposed for designation of critical 

habitat in the previous proposed rule 

(69 FR 59844; October 6, 2004), we 

determined there was no economic 

impact to landowners or agencies (70 FR 

59952; October 13, 2005). 

The prior economic analyses for 

Allium munzii and Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior included costs coextensive 

with the listing of both plants (in other 

words, costs attributable to listing the 

species as well as costs attributable to 

the designation of critical habitat). 

Because the Act directs the Secretary to 

consider the economic impacts of 

specifying any particular area as critical 

habitat, we believe the appropriate 

framework for analysis is to compare the 

costs associated with actions in a world 

with critical habitat to those costs likely 

to be incurred in the absence of critical 

habitat designation. Our new analysis 

will therefore focus on the specific costs 

attributable to designating the areas 

proposed in this rule as critical habitat. 

We will announce the availability of 

a new draft economic analysis on this 

proposed revised designation of critical 

habitat for Allium munzii and Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior as soon as it is 

completed, at which time we will seek 

public review and comment. At that 

time, copies of the draft economic 


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analysis will be available for 

downloading from the Internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov, or by 

contacting the Carlsbad Fish and 

Wildlife Office directly (see FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section). 

During the development of a final 

designation, we will consider economic 

impacts, public comments, and other 

new information, and areas may be 

excluded from the final critical habitat 

designation under section 4(b)(2) of the 

Act and our implementing regulations at 

50 CFR 424.19. 

Exclusions Based on National Security 

Impacts 

Under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, we 

consider whether there are lands owned 

or managed by the Department of 

Defense where a national security 

impact might exist. In preparing this 

proposal, we have determined that the 

lands within the proposed revised 

designation of critical habitat for Allium 

munzii and Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior are not owned or managed by 

the Department of Defense, and, 

therefore, we anticipate no impact on 

national security. Consequently, the 

Secretary is not currently considering 

exercising his discretion to exclude any 

areas from the final designation based 

on impacts on national security. 

Exclusions Based on Other Relevant 

Impacts 

Under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, we 

consider any other relevant impacts in 

addition to economic impacts and 

impacts on national security. We 

consider a number of factors, including 

whether the landowners have developed 

any HCPs or other management plans 

for the area, or whether there are 

conservation partnerships that would be 

encouraged by designation of, or 

exclusion from, critical habitat. In 

addition, we look at any tribal issues, 

and consider the government-togovernment relationship of the United 

States with tribal entities. We also 

consider any social impacts that might 

occur because of the designation. 

Land and Resource Management Plans, 

Conservation Plans, or Agreements 

Based on Conservation Partnerships 

When evaluating a current land 

management or conservation plan (HCPs 

as well as other types of plans) and the 

habitat management or protection it 

provides, we consider a number of 

factors including, but not limited to, the 

following: 

(1) Whether the plan is complete and 

provides an equivalent or higher level of 

protection from adverse modification or 

destruction than that provided through 

a consultation under section 7 of the 

Act; 

(2) Whether there is a reasonable 

expectation that the conservation 

management strategies and actions will 

be implemented into the foreseeable 

future, based on past practices, written 

guidance, or regulations; and 

(3) Whether the plan provides 

conservation strategies and measures 

consistent with currently accepted 

principles of conservation biology. 

Portions of the proposed revised 

critical habitat units for Allium munzii 

and all of the proposed revised critical 

habitat units for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior may warrant exclusion from the 

designation of critical habitat under 

section 4(b)(2) of the Act based on the 

partnerships, management, and 

protection afforded under these 

approved and legally operative HCPs 

that are equal to or more protective than 

the benefits provided by, critical habitat 

designation. 

We believe that the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP, the Lake Mathews 

MSHCP, and the Rancho Bella Vista 

HCP described below fulfill the above 

criteria, and are considering excluding 

non-Federal lands covered by these 

HCPs that provide for the conservation 

of Allium munzii and Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior. All permittee-owned or 

controlled lands that fall within the 

boundaries of the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP or other HCPs described 

herein are being considered for 

exclusion (see Other Habitat 

Conservation Plans section below). 

We believe that the Southwestern 

Riverside County Multi-species Reserve 

Cooperative Management Agreement 

also meets the criteria listed above; thus 

we are considering excluding nonFederal lands proposed as critical 

habitat for Allium munzii that are in the 

Reserve covered by this agreement (see 

discussion below). 

In this proposed revised rule, we are 

seeking input from the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP, other HCP 

stakeholders (Rancho Bella Vista HCP 

and Lake Mathews MSHCP), the parties 

to the Southwestern Riverside County 

Multi-Species Reserve Cooperative 

Management Agreement, and the public 

(see Public Comments section) as to 

reasons supporting whether or not the 

Secretary should exercise his discretion 

to exclude these areas from the final 

critical habitat designation. 

Western Riverside County Multiple 

Species Habitat Conservation Plan 

(Western Riverside County MSHCP) 

The Western Riverside County 

MSHCP is a regional, multijurisdictional HCP encompassing 

approximately 1.26 million ac (510,000 

ha) of land in western Riverside County. 

The Western Riverside County MSHCP 

is a multispecies conservation program 

designed to minimize and mitigate the 

expected loss of habitat and associated 

incidental take of covered species 

resulting from covered development 

activities in the plan area. The Western 

Riverside County MSHCP addresses 146 

listed and unlisted ‘‘covered species,’’ 

including Allium munzii and Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior, which are further 

considered as ‘‘Covered Species 

Adequately Conserved;’’ that is, those 

where the species objectives are met and 

that are provided take authorization 

through the Natural Community 

Conservation Planning (NCCP) Permit 

(Dudek and Associates 2003, Section 9.2 

and Table 9–3). On June 22, 2004, the 

Service issued a single incidental take 

permit under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the 

Act to 22 permittees under the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP to be in effect 

for a period of 75 years (Service 2004). 

The Western Riverside County 

MSHCP, when fully implemented, will 

establish approximately 153,000 ac 

(61,917 ha) of new conservation lands 

(Additional Reserve Lands (ARL)) to 

complement the approximate 347,000 ac 

(140,426 ha) of preexisting natural and 

open space areas (Public/Quasi-Public 

(PQP) lands) in the plan area. These 

PQP lands include those under the 

ownership of public agencies, primarily 

the USFS and BLM, as well as 

permittee-owned or controlled openspace areas managed by the State of 

California and Riverside County. 

Collectively, the ARL and PQP lands 

form the overall Western Riverside 

County MSHCP Conservation Area. The 

configuration of the 153,000 ac (61,916 

ha) of ARL is not mapped or precisely 

delineated (hard-lined) in the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP. Instead, the 

configuration and composition of the 

ARL are described in text within the 

bounds of the approximately 310,000-ac 

(125,453-ha) Criteria Area. The ARL 

lands are being acquired and conserved 

as part of the ongoing implementation of 

the Western Riverside County MSHCP. 

Species-specific conservation 

objectives are included in the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP for Allium 

munzii and Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior and are described in detail 

below. Conservation objectives for A. 

munzii include: 

(1) Conserve at least 21,260 ac (8,603 

ha) of suitable habitat to include at least 

2,070 ac (838 ha) of clay soils; 

(2) Conserve at least 13 localities 

(populations within EOs) within the 

Temescal Valley and the southwestern 

portion of the plan area; and 


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(3) Conduct Narrow Endemic Plan 

Species surveys as discussed below 

(Dudek and Associates 2003, pp. 9–126– 

9–127). 

Conservation objectives identified in 

the Western Riverside County MSHCP 

for Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

include: 

(1) Conserve at least 6,900 ac (2,792 

ha) of suitable habitat including 

grasslands, playas, and vernal pools; 

(2) Conserve the Alberhill Creek 

locality and three core areas located 

along the San Jacinto River and in the 

upper Salt Creek drainage; 

(3) Conduct surveys as discussed 

below; 

(4) Conserve the floodplain along the 

San Jacinto River consistent with 

objective 1, including maintaining 

floodplain processes; and 

(5) Conserve the floodplain along Salt 

Creek, generally in its existing 

condition, including maintaining 

floodplain processes (Dudek and 

Associates 2003, pp. 9–137–9–138). 

Allium munzii 

In our analysis of the effects to Allium 

munzii for the issuance of the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP permit, we 

acknowledged that specific conservation 

objectives would be provided in the 

Western Riverside County MSHCP to 

ensure that suitable habitat and known 

populations of A. munzii would persist 

(Service 2004, p. 326). To this effect, for 

narrow endemic species such as A. 

munzii, the Western Riverside County 

MSHCP states: 

‘‘The MSHCP is a Criteria-based plan, 

focused on preserving individual species 

through Conservation. Conservation is based 

on the particular habitat requirements of each 

species as well as the known distribution 

data for each species. The existing MSHCP 

database does not, however, provide the level 

of detail sufficient to determine the extent of 

the presence or distribution of Narrow 

Endemic Plant Species within the MSHCP 

Plan Area. Since Conservation planning 

decisions for these species will have a 

substantial effect on the status of these 

species, additional information regarding the 

presence of these species must be gathered 

during the long-term implementation of the 

MSHCP to ensure that appropriate 

Conservation of these species occurs’’ (Dudek 

and Associates 2003, p. 6–28). 

The Western Riverside County 

MSHCP defines Allium munzii as a 

Narrow Endemic Plant Species and 

requires surveys for this taxon as part of 

the review process for public and 

private projects in certain areas where 

one or more permittees have 

discretionary authority for project 

approval (Dudek and Associates 2003, 

pp. 6–28–6–29). These surveys are 

required where projects are proposed in 

suitable habitat within defined 

boundaries of the Criteria Area (Dudek 

and Associates 2003, Figure 6–1, p. 6– 

30). Where survey results are positive, 

project proposals with the potential to 

affect a Narrow Endemic Plant Species 

are subject to avoidance, minimization, 

and mitigation strategies (Dudek and 

Associates 2003, p. 6–29). In addition, 

the Western Riverside County MSHCP 

indicates that, for Narrow Endemic 

Plant Species populations identified as 

part of this survey process (including A. 

munzii), impacts to 90 percent of those 

portions of the property that provide for 

long-term conservation value for these 

species will be avoided until it is 

demonstrated that conservation 

objectives (discussed below) are met 

(Dudek and Associates 2003, p. 6–38). 

The information from these surveys is to 

be used to prioritize areas for 

acquisition into the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP (Service 2004, p. 28). 

Surveys conducted from 2005 through 

2011 have confirmed 9 extant 

populations within 13 CNDDB-defined 

EOs (Western Riverside County RCA 

2011, p. 31). 

We stated in our biological opinion 

(analysis of effects) of the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP that: 

(1) All 16 known localities (or 

CNDDB-defined EOs) would be 

included in the Conservation Area; 

(2) We anticipated that occurrences 

determined to be important to the 

overall conservation of the species will 

be considered for inclusion in the 

Additional Reserve Lands; and 

(3) At least some of the avoided areas 

may be maintained as open space 

habitat (Service 2004, p. 327). 

In addition, the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP identified two CNDDBdefined EOs partially within the 

Conservation Area (EOs 2 and 9) and 

two that are currently located outside 

the Conservation Area (EOs 5 and 16) 

that will be added to the Conservation 

Area. Finally, as noted above, the 

Western Riverside County MSHCP 

provides flexibility for criteria 

refinement, such that if an area is 

currently outside the reserve design 

defined by the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP, but is later determined 

to be important for conservation, then it 

could be added to the reserve as 

Additional Reserve Lands or 

Acquisition Lands. 

Atriplex coronata var. notatior 

Surveys are also required for Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior in conjunction 

with the Western Riverside County 

MSHCP implementation in order to 

meet the permit issuance criteria for the 

HCP (Dudek and Associates 2003, p. 6– 

63). For A. c. var. notatior, surveys are 

required within defined boundaries of 

the Criteria Area (Dudek and Associates 

2003, Figure 6–2, p. 6–64). As with 

Narrow Endemic Plant Species, in 

locations with positive survey results, 

90 percent of those portions of the 

property that provide long-term 

conservation value for the identified 

species will be avoided until the 

species-specific conservation objectives 

for these species are met (Dudek and 

Associates 2003, p. 6–65). We stated in 

our analysis of the effects of the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP that it 

provides the flexibility to include those 

locations that contain large numbers of 

individuals or are determined to be 

important to the conservation of A. c. 

var. notatior in the Additional Reserve 

Lands (Dudek and Associates 2003, p. 

6–70; Service 2004, p. 353). 

Under the Western Riverside County 

MSHCP, surveys for Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior are required every 8 years 

to verify occupancy for at least 75 

percent of known locations. If a decline 

in distribution below this threshold is 

observed, management activities are 

triggered, as appropriate, to meet the 

species-specific objectives identified in 

the plan (Dudek and Associates 2003, 

Table 9.2; Service 2004, p. 355). Surveys 

conducted by the Western Riverside 

County RCA from 2006 to 2010 

confirmed 2 of 4 CNDDB-defined EOs 

within the three critical habitat units 

(Units 1, 2, and 3) (Western Riverside 

County RCA 2011, p. 33). 

The Western Riverside County 

MSHCP provides a comprehensive 

habitat-based approach to the protection 

of covered species, including Allium 

munzii and Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior, by focusing on lands essential 

for the long-term conservation of the 

covered species and appropriate 

management of those lands (Western 

Riverside County Regional Conservation 

Authority et al. 2003, p. 51). 

The Secretary is considering 

exercising his discretion to exclude 626 

ac (253 ha) that meet the definition of 

critical habitat for Allium munzii in 

Units 1 through 5, and 8,020 ac (3,246 

ha) that meet the definition of critical 

habitat for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior in Units 1 through 3. The lands 

being considered for exclusion are 

permittee-owned or -controlled lands 

within the Western Riverside County 

MSHCP. 

In the 1998 final listing rule for 

Allium munzii and Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior, the present or threatened 

destruction, modification, or 

curtailment of its habitat or range 

including urban development, 

agriculture, and clay mining for A. 


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munzii, and agriculture, urban 

development, alteration of hydrology for 

A. c var. notatior, were identified as the 

primary threats to these taxa (63 FR 

54982; October 13, 1998). The Western 

Riverside County MSHCP helps to 

address these threats to A. munzii and 

A. c. var. notatior (Service 2008; Service 

2009) through a regional planning effort, 

and outlines species-specific objectives 

and criteria for the conservation of these 

taxa (Dudek and Associates 2003, pp. 9– 

126–9–127; pp. 9–137–9–138). We are 

considering excluding areas covered by 

the Western Riverside County MSHCP 

based on the protections provided 

through our partnerships, to the extent 

consistent with the requirements of 

section 4(b)(2) of the Act. We encourage 

any public comment regarding our 

consideration to exclude these areas in 

the final critical habitat designation (see 

Public Comments section above). 

Other Habitat Conservation Plans 

Some units and subunits proposed as 

critical habitat for Allium munzii are 

within smaller, individual HCPs that 

were approved prior to the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP. These 

include the Lake Mathews MSHCP (part 

of Subunit 1A) and the Rancho Bella 

Vista HCP (Subunit 4B). In addition, 

parts of Subunit 4C and Unit 5 are 

contained within the Southwestern 

Riverside County Multi-species Reserve. 

These lands are within the boundaries 

of the Western Riverside County 

MSHCP but their conservation and 

management actions are authorized 

through separate section 10(a)(1)(B) 

permits or section 7(b)(4) and section 

7(o)(2) of the Act. 

Lake Mathews Multiple Species Habitat 

Conservation Plan (Lake Mathews 

MSHCP) 

The Lake Mathews MSHCP 

established a 2,544-ac (1,029-ha) 

mitigation bank adjacent to the existing 

2,565-ac (1,038-ha) State Ecological 

Reserve (Service 2004, p. 60). These 

lands, encompassing over 12,000 ac 

(4,856 ha), all contribute to the 

establishment of a reserve for multiple 

species, including Allium munzii, in 

western Riverside County. The reserve 

encompasses over 12,000 ac (4,856 ha) 

and consists of the State Ecological 

Reserve and the Lake Mathews HCP 

Mitigation Bank, Lake Mathews/Estelle 

Mountain Core Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat 

Reserve, the Estelle Mountain Ecological 

Reserve owned by CDFG, and land 

owned by BLM within the Riverside 

County Habitat Conservation Agency’s 

Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat Core Reserve 

(Service 2004, p. 60). Collectively, these 

lands comprise the Lake Mathews/ 

Estelle Mountain Existing Core ‘‘C’’ area 

of the Western Riverside County 

MSHCP. We are considering excluding 

2.3 ac (approximately 1 ha) of Subunit 

1A located within the Lake Mathews 

MSHCP. 

The Riverside County Habitat 

Conservation Agency manages the Lake 

Mathews/Estelle Mountain Reserve. The 

Service is an active partner with this 

agency and has developed and is 

implementing Partners for Fish and 

Wildlife Program projects within this 

reserve, primarily to control and manage 

nonnative plants. 

Rancho Bella Vista Habitat Conservation 

Plan (Rancho Bella Vista HCP) 

The Rancho Bella Vista HCP 

boundary occurs within the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP area boundary 

and contains Subunit 4B (74.8 ac (30.3 

ha)). The section 10(a)(1)(B) permit 

associated with the Rancho Bella Vista 

HCP authorized Pacific Bay Properties 

to develop the 798-ac (323-ha) site that 

included 102.3 ac (41.4 ha) of habitat 

(Service 2004, p. 66). The Rancho Bella 

Vista HCP conservation actions relevant 

to Allium munzii habitat include 

preserving 86 ac (35 ha) of Riversidean 

sage scrub and 28.8 ac (11.6 ha) of 

disturbed Riversidean sage scrub, 6.2 ac 

(2.5 ha) of riparian and wetland 

habitats, and 41 ac (16.6 ha) of 

nonnative grassland (Service 2004, p. 

67). 

Long-term management of the Rancho 

Bella Vista HCP conservation lands 

includes the following types of 

activities: 

(1) Control access and, where 

necessary, limit access by people, 

vehicles, and domestic pets to 

conserved habitats and preclude access 

to highly sensitive resources; 

(2) Monitor target species, including 

Allium munzii, and provide species 

management of all covered species; 

(3) Identify and rank, in order of 

priority, opportunities for habitat 

restoration and enhancement within the 

conserved habitats; 

(4) Monitor conserved lands for the 

occurrence of alien invasive plants and 

animals and provide the prompt control 

of such species; 

(5) Map the locations of nonnative 

plant species within and immediately 

adjacent to conserved habitats and 

schedule for removal, monitoring, or 

control as necessary; 

(6) Develop a fire management 

program in consultation with the 

County of Riverside Fire Marshal and 

wildlife agencies to minimize impacts to 

conserved habitats from fire 

management programs and adjacent 

land uses; and 

(7) Develop public information 

materials and programs including: 

(a) A brochure that describes the 

natural resources, areas of special 

interest, and prohibited activities within 

conserved habitats; 

(b) A landscape and fuel break 

planning brochure for homeowners and 

homeowner associations located 

adjacent to conserved habitats; and 

(c) Nature trails along or through 

portions of conserved habitats (provided 

impacts are avoided or mitigated) 

(Service 2000, p. 4–5). 

Southwestern Riverside County Multispecies Reserve 

Subunit 4C (79.3 ac (32.1 ha)) and 

Unit 5 (8.2 ac (3.3 ha)) are contained 

within the Southwestern Riverside 

County Multi-species Reserve (Reserve). 

This Reserve was created in 1992, prior 

to the listing of Allium munzii, as a 

mitigation measure for impacts resulting 

from the Diamond Valley Lake 

Reservoir. The Reserve comprises about 

13,000 ac (5,261 ha), approximately 

9,400 ac (3,804 ha) of which are owned 

by the Metropolitan Water District, 

2,500 ac (1,012 ha) by the Riverside 

County Habitat Conservation Agency, 

360 ac (146 ha) by BLM, and 600 ac (243 

ha) by the Riverside County Parks and 

Open Space District (Service 2004, 

p.61), which manages the reserve. The 

Southwestern Riverside County Multispecies Reserve is largely located within 

the area north of Lake Skinner and 

south of Diamond Valley Lake and 

includes the Domenigoni Mountains 

and South Hills (Service 2004, p. 61). 

The Southwestern Riverside County 

Multi-species Reserve is managed 

through a Cooperative Management 

Agreement; the Service is a party to this 

agreement and a member of the fivemember committee that makes 

management decisions (Monroe et al. 

1992, Appendix B). Management 

strategies defined for the entire Reserve 

include: 

(1) Protection of habitat from human 

disturbance through fencing, 

construction of fire breaks, and patrols 

to prevent unauthorized access; 

(2) Activities to promote the recovery 

of native plant and animal communities 

by managing fire and controlling 

grazing; and 

(3) Management for biodiversity 

including maintaining a mosaic of 

different-aged habitats to meet the needs 

of many species (Monroe 1992, pp. ES– 

5–ES–6). 

The 2008 Multi-species Reserve 

Management Plan (Moen 2008, 

Appendix 10) identifies enhancement 

and monitoring goals, objectives, and 

strategies for Allium munzii. These 


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include: (1) Estimating area occupied by 

A. munzii within the reserve by 

mapping each occupied area annually, 

(2) estimating individual plants within 

the known populations, and (3) 

enhancing habitat suitability within 

occupied areas by annually removing 

thatch and biomass from nonnative 

vegetation and determining the efficacy 

of each treatment (Moen 2008, 

Appendix 10, pp. 1–2). 

Peer Review 

In accordance with our joint policy on 

peer review published in the Federal 

Register on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 34270), 

we will seek the expert opinions of at 

least three appropriate and independent 

specialists regarding this proposed rule. 

The purpose of peer review is to ensure 

that our critical habitat designation is 

based on scientifically sound data, 

assumptions, and analyses. We have 

invited these peer reviewers to comment 

during this public comment period on 

our specific assumptions and 

conclusions in this proposed revised 

designation of critical habitat. 

We will consider all comments and 

information received during this 

comment period on this proposed rule 

during our preparation of a final 

determination. Accordingly, the final 

decision may differ from this proposal. 

Public Hearings 

Section 4(b)(5) of the Act provides for 

one or more public hearings on this 

proposal, if requested. Requests must be 

received within 45 days after the date of 

publication of this proposed rule in the 

Federal Register. Such requests must be 

sent to the address shown in the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. 

We will schedule public hearings on 

this proposal, if any are requested, and 

announce the dates, times, and places of 

those hearings, as well as how to obtain 

reasonable accommodations, in the 

Federal Register and local newspapers 

at least 15 days before the hearing. 

Required Determinations 

Regulatory Planning and Review— 

Executive Order 12866 

The Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) has determined that this rule is 

not significant and has not reviewed 

this proposed rule under Executive 

Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and 

Review). OMB bases its determination 

upon the following four criteria: 

(1) Whether the rule will have an 

annual effect of $100 million or more on 

the economy or adversely affect an 

economic sector, productivity, jobs, the 

environment, or other units of the 

government. 

(2) Whether the rule will create 

inconsistencies with other Federal 

agencies’ actions. 

(3) Whether the rule will materially 

affect entitlements, grants, user fees, 

loan programs, or the rights and 

obligations of their recipients. 

(4) Whether the rule raises novel legal 

or policy issues. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 

et seq.) 

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act 

(RFA; 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) as amended 

by the Small Business Regulatory 

Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) of 

1996 (5 U.S.C 801 et seq.), whenever an 

agency is required to publish a notice of 

rulemaking for any proposed or final 

rule, it must prepare and make available 

for public comment a regulatory 

flexibility analysis that describes the 

effects of the rule on small entities 

(small businesses, small organizations, 

and small government jurisdictions). 

However, no regulatory flexibility 

analysis is required if the head of the 

agency certifies the rule will not have a 

significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. 

The SBREFA amended the RFA to 

require Federal agencies to provide a 

certification statement of the factual 

basis for certifying that the rule will not 

have a significant economic impact on 

a substantial number of small entities. 

At this time, we lack the available 

economic information necessary to 

provide an adequate factual basis for the 

required RFA finding. Therefore, we 

defer the RFA finding until completion 

of the new draft economic analysis 

prepared under section 4(b)(2) of the 

Act and Executive Order 12866. This 

new draft economic analysis will 

provide the required factual basis for the 

RFA finding. Upon completion of the 

new draft economic analysis, we will 

announce availability of the draft 

economic analysis of the proposed 

designation in the Federal Register and 

reopen the public comment period for 

the proposed designation. We will 

include with this announcement, as 

appropriate, an initial regulatory 

flexibility analysis or a certification that 

the rule will not have a significant 

economic impact on a substantial 

number of small entities accompanied 

by the factual basis for that 

determination. 

We have concluded that deferring the 

RFA finding until completion of the 

new draft economic analysis is 

necessary to meet the purposes and 

requirements of the RFA. Deferring the 

RFA finding in this manner will ensure 

that we make a sufficiently informed 

determination based on adequate 

economic information and provide the 

necessary opportunity for public 

comment. 

Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use— 

Executive Order 13211 

Executive Order 13211 (Actions 

Concerning Regulations That 

Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 

Distribution, or Use) requires agencies 

to prepare Statements of Energy Effects 

when undertaking certain actions. The 

construction of an electrical 

subtransmission line and substation 

project (Southern California Edison 

Valley-Ivyglen Subtransmission Line 

and Fogarty Substation) is underway in 

the greater Perris basin (Worthy 2011, 

pers. comm.). However, we do not 

expect the designation of this proposed 

revised critical habitat for Allium 

munzii and Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior to significantly affect this 

project based on the components 

described in the Mitigation and 

Monitoring Plan for this project, which 

include siting permanent project 

elements (i.e., roads and poles) away 

from known locations of special-status 

species and communities, identifying 

environmentally sensitive areas such as 

rare plant populations, monitoring of 

known locations of special-status plant 

populations prior to or during the 

construction period, to include 

monitoring during construction and for 

1 year following construction to assess 

the effectiveness of protection measures, 

and limiting removal of native 

vegetation communities (State of 

California Public Utilities Commission 

2010, pp. 6–2–6–4). The project is being 

constructed by Southern California 

Edison, which is a Participating Special 

Entity (or PSE) under the Western 

Riverside County MSHCP, and which 

has agreed to consult with CDFG, the 

Service, and the Western Riverside 

County RCA and follow the provisions 

set forth in the Western Riverside 

County MSHCP if direct or indirect 

impacts to special-status plants cannot 

be avoided (State of California Public 

Utilities Commission 2010, p. 6–5). 

Therefore, this action is not a significant 

energy action, and no Statement of 

Energy Effects is required. However, we 

will further evaluate this issue as we 

conduct our economic analysis, and 

review and revise this assessment as 

warranted. 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 

U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) 

In accordance with the Unfunded 

Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1501 et 

seq.), we make the following findings: 

(1) This rule will not produce a 

Federal mandate. In general, a Federal 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS3
23038 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 74 / Tuesday, April 17, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

mandate is a provision in legislation, 

statute, or regulation that would impose 

an enforceable duty upon State, local, or 

tribal governments, or the private sector, 

and includes both ‘‘Federal 

intergovernmental mandates’’ and 

‘‘Federal private sector mandates.’’ 

These terms are defined in 2 U.S.C. 

658(5)–(7). ‘‘Federal intergovernmental 

mandate’’ includes a regulation that 

‘‘would impose an enforceable duty 

upon State, local, or tribal governments’’ 

with two exceptions. It excludes ‘‘a 

condition of Federal assistance.’’ It also 

excludes ‘‘a duty arising from 

participation in a voluntary Federal 

program,’’ unless the regulation ‘‘relates 

to a then-existing Federal program 

under which $500,000,000 or more is 

provided annually to State, local, and 

tribal governments under entitlement 

authority,’’ if the provision would 

‘‘increase the stringency of conditions of 

assistance’’ or ‘‘place caps upon, or 

otherwise decrease, the Federal 

government’s responsibility to provide 

funding,’’ and the State, local, or tribal 

governments ‘‘lack authority’’ to adjust 

accordingly. At the time of enactment, 

these entitlement programs were: 

Medicaid; Aid to Families with 

Dependent Children work programs; 

Child Nutrition; Food Stamps; Social 

Services Block Grants; Vocational 

Rehabilitation State Grants; Foster Care, 

Adoption Assistance, and Independent 

Living; Family Support Welfare 

Services; and Child Support 

Enforcement. ‘‘Federal private sector 

mandate’’ includes a regulation that 

‘‘would impose an enforceable duty 

upon the private sector, except (i) a 

condition of Federal assistance or (ii) a 

duty arising from participation in a 

voluntary Federal program.’’ 

The designation of critical habitat 

does not impose a legally binding duty 

on non-Federal Government entities or 

private parties. Under the Act, the only 

regulatory effect is that Federal agencies 

must ensure that their actions do not 

destroy or adversely modify critical 

habitat under section 7. While nonFederal entities that receive Federal 

funding, assistance, or permits, or that 

otherwise require approval or 

authorization from a Federal agency for 

an action, may be indirectly impacted 

by the designation of critical habitat, the 

legally binding duty to avoid 

destruction or adverse modification of 

critical habitat rests squarely on the 

Federal agency. Furthermore, to the 

extent that non-Federal entities are 

indirectly impacted because they 

receive Federal assistance or participate 

in a voluntary Federal aid program, the 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act would 

not apply, nor would critical habitat 

shift the costs of the large entitlement 

programs listed above onto State 

governments. 

(2) We do not believe that this rule 

will significantly or uniquely affect 

small governments. Small governments 

would be affected only to the extent that 

any programs having Federal funds, 

permits, or other authorized activities 

must ensure that their actions would not 

adversely affect the critical habitat. 

Therefore, a Small Government Agency 

Plan is not required. However, we will 

further evaluate this issue as we 

conduct our economic analysis, and 

review and revise this assessment if 

appropriate. 

Takings—Executive Order 12630 

In accordance with Executive Order 

12630 (‘‘Government Actions and 

Interference with Constitutionally 

Protected Private Property Rights’’), this 

rule is not anticipated to have 

significant takings implications. As 

discussed above, the designation of 

critical habitat affects only Federal 

actions. Although private parties that 

receive Federal funding, assistance, or 

require approval or authorization from a 

Federal agency for an action may be 

indirectly impacted by the designation 

of critical habitat, the legally binding 

duty to avoid destruction or adverse 

modification of critical habitat rests 

squarely on the Federal agency. Due to 

current public knowledge of the species’ 

protections under the Act both within 

and outside of the proposed areas, we 

do not anticipate that property values 

will be affected by the critical habitat 

designation. However, we have not yet 

completed the new economic analysis 

for this proposed revised rule. Once the 

economic analysis is available, we will 

review and revise this preliminary 

assessment as warranted, and prepare a 

Takings Implication Assessment. 

Federalism—Executive Order 13132 

In accordance with Executive Order 

13132 (Federalism), this proposed rule 

does not have significant Federalism 

effects. A Federalism summary impact 

statement is not required. In keeping 

with Department of the Interior and 

Department of Commerce policy, we 

requested information from, and 

coordinated development of, this 

proposed critical habitat designation 

with appropriate State resource agencies 

in California. The designation of critical 

habitat in areas currently occupied by 

Allium munzii or Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior may impose nominal additional 

regulatory restrictions to those currently 

in place and, therefore, is likely to have 

little incremental impact on State and 

local governments and their activities. 

The designation may have some benefit 

to these governments because the areas 

that contain the physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

the species are more clearly defined, 

and the elements of the features 

necessary to the conservation of the 

species are specifically identified. This 

information does not alter where and 

what federally sponsored activities may 

occur. However, it may assist local 

governments in long-range planning 

(rather than having them wait for caseby-case section 7 consultations to 

occur). 

Where State and local governments 

require approval or authorization from a 

Federal agency for actions that may 

affect critical habitat, consultation 

under section 7(a)(2) would be required. 

While non-Federal entities that receive 

Federal funding, assistance, or permits, 

or that otherwise require approval or 

authorization from a Federal agency for 

an action, may be indirectly impacted 

by the designation of critical habitat, the 

legally binding duty to avoid 

destruction or adverse modification of 

critical habitat rests squarely on the 

Federal agency. 

Civil Justice Reform—Executive Order 

12988 

In accordance with Executive Order 

12988 (Civil Justice Reform), the Office 

of the Solicitor has determined that the 

rule does not unduly burden the judicial 

system and that it meets the 

requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) 

of the Order. We have proposed 

designating critical habitat in 

accordance with the provisions of the 

Act. This proposed rule uses standard 

property descriptions and identifies the 

elements of physical or biological 

features essential to the conservation of 

Allium munzii and Atriplex coronata 

var. notatior within the designated areas 

to assist the public in understanding the 

habitat needs of these taxa. 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) 

This rule does not contain any new 

collections of information that require 

approval by OMB under the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 

et seq.). This rule will not impose 

recordkeeping or reporting requirements 

on State or local governments, 

individuals, businesses, or 

organizations. An agency may not 

conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 

required to respond to, a collection of 

information unless it displays a 

currently valid OMB control number. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS3
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National Environmental Policy Act (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) 

It is our position that, outside the 

jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals 

for the Tenth Circuit, we do not need to 

prepare environmental analyses 

pursuant to the National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq.) in connection with designating 

critical habitat under the Act. We 

published a notice outlining our reasons 

for this determination in the Federal 

Register on October 25, 1983 (48 FR 

49244). This position was upheld by the 

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth 

Circuit (Douglas County v. Babbitt, 48 

F.3d 1495 (9th Cir. 1995), cert. denied 

516 U.S. 1042 (1996)).] 

Clarity of the Rule 

We are required by Executive Orders 

12866 and 12988 and by the 

Presidential Memorandum of June 1, 

1998, to write all rules in plain 

language. This means that each rule we 

publish must: 

(1) Be logically organized; 

(2) Use the active voice to address 

readers directly; 

(3) Use clear language rather than 

jargon; 

(4) Be divided into short sections and 

sentences; and 

(5) Use lists and tables wherever 

possible. 

If you feel that we have not met these 

requirements, send us comments by one 

of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES

section. To better help us revise the 

rule, your comments should be as 

specific as possible. For example, you 

should tell us the numbers of the 

sections or paragraphs that are unclearly 

written, which sections or sentences are 

too long, the sections where you feel 

lists or tables would be useful, etc. 

Government-to-Government 

Relationship With Tribes 

In accordance with the President’s 

memorandum of April 29, 1994 

(Government-to-Government Relations 

with Native American Tribal 

Governments; 59 FR 22951), Executive 

Order 13175 (Consultation and 

Coordination with Indian Tribal 

Governments), and the Department of 

the Interior’s manual at 512 DM 2, we 

readily acknowledge our responsibility 

to communicate meaningfully with 

recognized Federal Tribes on a 

government-to-government basis. In 

accordance with Secretarial Order 3206 

of June 5, 1997 (American Indian Tribal 

Rights, Federal-Tribal Trust 

Responsibilities, and the Endangered 

Species Act), we readily acknowledge 

our responsibilities to work directly 

with tribes in developing programs for 

healthy ecosystems, to acknowledge that 

tribal lands are not subject to the same 

controls as Federal public lands, to 

remain sensitive to Indian culture, and 

to make information available to Tribes. 

We determined that there are no tribal 

lands within the geographical area 

occupied by Allium munzii or Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior at the time of 

listing that contain the features essential 

to the conservation of these taxa, and no 

tribal lands outside the geographical 

area occupied by A. munzii or A. c. var. 

notatior at the time of listing that are 

essential for the conservation of these 

taxa. Therefore, we are not proposing to 

designate critical habitat for A. munzii 

and A. c. var. notatior on tribal lands. 

References Cited 

A complete list of references cited in 

this rulemaking is available on the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov 

and upon request from the Field 

Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife 

Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT). 

Authors 

The primary authors of this package 

are the staff members of the Carlsbad 

Fish and Wildlife Office. 

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17 

Endangered and threatened species, 

Exports, Imports, Reporting and 

recordkeeping requirements, 

Transportation. 

Proposed Regulation Promulgation 

Accordingly, we propose to amend 

part 17, subchapter B of chapter I, title 

50 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 

as set forth below: 

PART 17—ENDANGERED AND 

THREATENED WILDLIFE AND PLANTS 

1. The authority citation for part 17 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361–1407; 16 U.S.C. 

1531–1544; 16 U.S.C. 4201–4245; Pub. L. 99– 

625, 100 Stat. 3500; unless otherwise noted. 

2. Amend § 17.12(h) by revising the 

entry for ‘‘Allium munzii (Munz’s 

onion)’’ under Flowering Plants on the 

List of Endangered and Threatened 

Plants to read as follows: 

§ 17.12 Endangered and threatened plants. 

* * * * * 

(h) * * * 

Species 

Historic range Family Status When 

listed 

Critical 

habitat 

Special 

rules Scientific name Common name 

FLOWERING PLANTS

* * * * * * * 

Allium munzii ........... Munz’s onion .......... U.S.A. (CA) ............. Alliaceae ................. E 650 NA NA 

* * * * * * * 

2. Amend § 17.96(a) as follows: 

a. Under Family Liliaceae, remove the 

designation of critical habitat for 

‘‘Allium munzii (Munz’s onion)’’; 

b. Under Family Alliaceae, add a 

designation of critical habitat for 

‘‘Allium munzii (Munz’s onion)’’ to read 

as set forth below; and 

c. Under Family Chenopodiaceae, 

revise the designation of critical habitat 

for ‘‘Atriplex coronata var. notiatior 

(San Jacinto Valley crownscale)’’ to read 

as set forth below: 

§ 17.96 Critical habitat—plants. 

(a) Flowering plants. 

* * * * * 

Family Alliaceae: Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion) 

(1) Critical habitat units are depicted 

for Riverside County, California, on the 

maps below. 

(2) Within these areas, the primary 

constituent elements of the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of Allium munzii consist 

of one of the following two components: 

(i) Clay soil series of sedimentary 

origin (e.g., Altamont, Auld, Bosanko, 

Porterville), or clay lenses (pockets of 

clay soils) of such that may be found as 

unmapped inclusions in other soil 

series, or soil series of sedimentary or 


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igneous origin with a clay subsoil (e.g., 

Cajalco, Las Posas, Vallecitos): 

(A) Found on level or slightly sloping 

landscapes or terrace escarpments; 

(B) Generally between the elevations 

of 1,200 to 2,700 ft (366 to 823 m) above 

mean sea level; 

(C) Within intact natural surface and 

subsurface structures that have been 

minimally altered or unaltered by 

ground-disturbing activities (for 

example, disked, graded, excavated, or 

recontoured); 

(D) Within microhabitats that receive 

or retain more moisture than 

surrounding areas, due in part to factors 

such as exposure, slope, and subsurface 

geology; and 

(E) Part of open native or nonnative 

grassland plant communities and clay 

soil flora, including southern 

needlegrass grassland, mixed grassland, 

and open coastal sage scrub or 

occasionally in cismontane juniper 

woodlands. 

(ii) Outcrops of igneous rocks 

(pyroxenite) on rocky-sandy loam or 

clay soils within Riversidean sage scrub, 

generally between the elevations of 

1,200 to 2,700 ft (366 to 823 m) above 

mean sea level. 

(3) Critical habitat does not include 

manmade structures (such as buildings, 

aqueducts, runways, roads, and other 

paved areas) and the land on which they 

are located existing within the legal 

boundaries on the effective date of this 

rule. 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

(4) Note: Index Map for Allium 

munzii follows: 


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(5) Subunit 1A, Estelle Mountain and 

Subunit 1B, Dawson Canyon: Critical 

habitat for Allium munzii (Munz’s 

onion), Riverside County, California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 1A and Subunit 1B.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 1A and 1B 

follows: 


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(6) Subunit 1C, Gavilan Plateau and 

Subunit 1D, Ida-Leona: Critical habitat 

for Allium munzii (Munz’s onion), 

Riverside County, California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 1C and Subunit 1D.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 1C and 1D 

follows: 


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(7) Subunit 1E, Northeast Alberhill: 

Critical habitat for Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 1E.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 1E follows: 


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(8) Subunit 1F, North Peak: Critical 

habitat for Allium munzii (Munz’s 

onion), Riverside County, California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 1F.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 1F follows: 


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(9) Subunit 2A, Sycamore Creek and 

Subunit 2B, De Palma Road: Critical 

habitat for Allium munzii (Munz’s 

onion), Riverside County, California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 2A and Subunit 2B.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 2A and 

Subunit 2B follows: 


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(10) Subunit 2C, Alberhill Mountain: 

Critical habitat for Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 2C.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 2C follows: 


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(11) Subunit 2D, Alberhill Creek: 

Critical habitat for Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 2D.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 2D follows: 


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(12) Unit 3, Elsinore Peak: Critical 

habitat for Allium munzii (Munz’s 

onion), Riverside County, California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Unit 3.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Unit 3 follows: 


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(13) Subunit 4A, Scott Road: Critical 

habitat for Allium munzii (Munz’s 

onion), Riverside County, California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 4A.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 4A follows: 


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(14) Subunit 4B, Skunk Hollow: 

Critical habitat for Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 4B.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 4B follows: 


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(15) Subunit 4C, Bachelor Mountain: 

Critical habitat for Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Subunit 4C.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Subunit 4C follows: 


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(16) Unit 5, North Domenigoni Hills: 

Critical habitat for Allium munzii 

(Munz’s onion), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Unit 5.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Unit 5 follows: 

* * * * * 

Family Chenopodiaceae: Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior (San Jacinto 

Valley crownscale) 

(1) Critical habitat units are depicted 

for Riverside County, California, on the 

maps below. 

(2) Within these areas, the primary 

constituent elements of the physical or 

biological features essential to the 

conservation of Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior consist of two components: 

(i) Wetland habitat including 

floodplains and vernal pools: 

(A) Associated with native vegetation 

communities, including alkali playa, 

alkali scrub, and alkali grasslands, and 

(B) Characterized by seasonal 

inundation or localized flooding, 

including infrequent, large-scale flood 

events, with low pollutant loads; and 

(ii) Slow-draining alkali soils 

including the Willows, Domino, Traver, 

Waukena, and Chino soil series with: 

(A) Low permeability, 

(B) Low nutrient availability, and 

(C) Seasonal ponding and 

evaporation. 

(3) Critical habitat does not include 

manmade structures (such as buildings, 

aqueducts, runways, roads, and other 

paved areas) and the land on which they 

are located existing within the legal 


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boundaries on the effective date of this 

rule. 

(4) Note: Index Map for Atriplex 

coronata var. notatior follows: 


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(5) Unit 1, San Jacinto River: Critical 

habitat for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior (San Jacinto Valley 

crownscale), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Unit 1.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Unit 1 follows: 


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(6) Unit 2, Upper Salt Creek: Critical 

habitat for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior (San Jacinto Valley 

crownscale), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Unit 2.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Unit 2 follows: 


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(7) Unit 3, Alberhill Creek: Critical 

habitat for Atriplex coronata var. 

notatior (San Jacinto Valley 

crownscale), Riverside County, 

California. 

(i) [Reserved for textual description of 

Unit 3.] 

(ii) Note: Map of Unit 3 follows: 

* * * * * Dated: April 3, 2012. 

Eilleen Sobek, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and 

Wildlife and Parks. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8664 Filed 4–16–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–C 


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