The Service is proposing as critical habitat a quarter mile length of highway right-of-way at each of two sites located along Highway 83 in Zapata County. In Starr County, seven areas totaling 5,330 acres in the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge and a 1.36 acre site on private land are being considered for critical habitat designation.
Critical habitat refers to specific geographic areas that are essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and that may require special management considerations. These areas do not necessarily have to be occupied by the species at the time of designation. A critical habitat designation does not set up a preserve or refuge and only applies to situations where Federal funding, Federal authorization or a Federal permit is involved. Even in cases where private lands are designated, it has no impact on private landowners taking actions on their land that do not involve Federal funding, authorization or permits.
"The designation of critical habitat ensures Federal agencies are aware of their responsibilities to consult with the Service and makes the public aware of the habitat needs of a threatened or endangered species," said Nancy Kaufman, the Services regional director for the Southwest Region.
A member of the mustard family, the Zapata bladderpod, Lesquerella thamnophila, is one of the rarest plant species in Texas. It is a silvery-green plant with stems 17 to 34 inches long, and narrow leaves one to 1.5 inches long. Bright yellow flowers appear following significant rainfall throughout most of the year.
Ten populations of Zapata bladderpod have been found since 1959. Of the ten, only four are known to still exist; the rest are believed eradicated. The introduction of nonnative species such as pasture grass, overgrazing, urban development, and oil and gas production activities have all contributed to the plants decline.
An informational meeting starting at 5 p.m., and immediately followed by a public hearing from 7 to 9 p.m., will be held at the Rio Grande City Activities Center (Multipurpose Center) - Fort Ringgold (Highway 83), Rio Grande City, on August 24.
Written comments on the critical habitat designation proposal will be accepted until September 18, 2000, and should be sent to: Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, c/o TAMU-CC, Campus Box 338, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78412. Copies of the proposed designation can be obtained from this address, or by calling (361) 994-9005, or by visiting the website: http://endangered.fws.gov/frpubs/00fedreg.htm.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 520 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
