Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status with Section 4(d) Rule for Sand Dune Placelia and Designation of Critical Habitat

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the sand dune phacelia (Phacelia argentea), a plant species from coastal southern Oregon and northern California, as a threatened species and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12- month finding on a petition to list the sand dune phacelia. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the sand dune phacelia as a threatened species with a rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act (``4(d) rule''). If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Plants and extend the Act's protections to the species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the sand dune phacelia under the Act. In total, approximately 252 acres (102 hectares) in Coos and Curry Counties in Oregon, and Del Norte County in California, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for sand dune phacelia.