Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose designation of critical habitat for the Peninsular bighorn sheep pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposed critical habitat boundary encompasses approximately 354,343 hectares (ha) (875,613 acres (ac)) of Peninsular bighorn sheep habitat in Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial Counties, California. Critical habitat identifies specific areas that have physical and biological features that are essential to the conservation of a listed species, and that may require special management considerations or protection. The primary elements for the bighorn are those habitat components that are essential for the primary biological needs of feeding, sheltering, reproduction, dispersal, and genetic exchange. If this proposed rule is made final, section 7 of the Act would prohibit destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat by any activity funded, authorized, or carried out by any Federal agency. Section 4 of the Act requires us to consider economic and other impacts of specifying any particular area as critical habitat. We solicit data and comments from the public on all aspects of this proposal, including data on economic and other impacts of the designation. We may revise this proposal to incorporate or address new information received during the comment period.