News Release

class=Level1; TEXT-ALIGN: left " align=left>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to designate approximately 3,553 acres of critical habitat for two federally endangered plants ? the San Bernardino bluegrass (Poa atropurpurea) and California taraxacum (Taraxacum californicum). The areas proposed for critical habitat are located in portions of the San Bernardino, Laguna and Palomar Mountains.

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class=Level1; TEXT-ALIGN: left " align=left>Of the 3,553 total acres being proposed for critical habitat, 1,389 acres are occupied by both the San Bernardino bluegrass and Califronia taraxacum. An additional 1,624 acres is proposed for San Bernardino bluegrass and 540 acres for California taraxacum.

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class=Level1; TEXT-ALIGN: left " align=left>Critical habitat is a term used in the Endangered Species Act to identify geographic areas that contain features essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and may require special management considerations or protection.

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class=Level1; TEXT-ALIGN: left " align=left>Almost all the lands (2,712 acres) proposed as critical habitat for the San Bernardino bluegrass and the California taraxacum are federally managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Approximately 98 acres of the proposed critical habitat are state owned, and 743 acres are privately owned.