Public comment on the proposal will be accepted
until " w:stonJanuary 3, 2006
" w:ston
; The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed to designate critical habitat for three Oregon species native to the prairies of the Willamette Valley: the endangered Fenders blue butterfly (Icaricia icarioides fenderi), the threatened Kincaids lupine (Lupinus sulphureus kincaidii) and the endangered Willamette daisy (Erigeron decumbens decumbens). All three species are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.class=MsoCommentReference>"DISPLAY: none; mso-hide: all"mso-special-character: comment
The Fenders blue butterfly, Kincaids lupine and Willamette daisy inhabit wet and upland prairies and oak/savanna habitats, mostly in Oregons populous Willamette Valley. These habitats are considered to be among the rarest in western Oregon. They are threatened by fragmentation, agriculture and urban growth. Most proposed designation sites are small and privately owned, and a few of the sites are in protective ownership.
; Approximately 3,901 total acres of land are within the proposed critical habitat. class=MsoCommentReference>The proposal is being made at this time to comply with the settlement of a lawsuit. ; ; The Service is proposing to designate acres in 13 units for the Fenders blue butterfly, 724 class=MsoCommentReference>"mso-special-character: comment acres in 16 units for Kincaids lupine and acres in 9 units for the Willamette daisy. Because much of the proposed critical habitat for the three species overlaps, the total area proposed as critical habitat amounts to acres. For example, approximately percent of the area proposed for Kincaids lupine occurs within a Fenders blue butterfly unit. About 2 percent of the total area proposed is owned by city, county or state government; 37 percent is federal land; and 61 percent is private land. ;The majority of the critical habitat units are located in Oregons Willamette Valley. However, three units are in Douglas County, Oregon, and one is in Lewis County, Washington.
Public comments on the proposed rule will be accepted until " w:stonJanuary 3, 2006. Written comments on the proposal should be submitted to the Field Supervisor at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 SE 98th Ave., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97266. Comments may also be sent by facsimile to 503-231-6195, or electronic mail to fw1willamettech@fws.gov.
Critical habitat is a term in the Endangered Species Act. It identifies geographic areas that contain features beneficial to the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and may require special management considerations. The designation of critical habitat does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve, or other conservation area. It does not allow government or public access to private lands. Federal agencies that undertake, fund or permit activities that may affect critical habitat are required to consult with the Service to ensure such actions do not adversely modify or destroy critical habitat.
Fenders blue butterfly, which was listed as endangered in January 2000, is a small butterfly with a wingspan of approximately 2.5 cm (1 in). The upper wings of the males are brilliant blue with a blackish wing margin and white fringe of scales. The distribution of the butterfly is restricted to the Willamette Valley, Oregon, where it currently occupies 32 sites in Yamhill, Polk, Benton and Lane Counties. Fenders blue butterfly is endangered because native prairie habitat has been converted to agriculture, subjected to fire suppression, invaded by non-native plants or otherwise developed.
Kincaids lupine, federally listed as threatened in 2000, is a perennial species in the pea or legume family and is the host plant to the Fender's blue butterfly. The lupine's aromatic flowers have a distinctly ruffled banner and are yellowish-cream colored, often showing shades of blue on the keel. The leaflets are deep green with a smooth upper surface. Kincaids lupine is found mainly in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, where it occupies native grassland habitats.
The Willamette daisy, listed as endangered in 2000, is a perennial herb in the composite family. The flowers are daisy-like, with yellow centers and 25-50 pinkish to blue rays, often fading to white with age. Flowering typically occurs during June and early July. The Willamette Daisy grows only in Oregons Willamette Valley and was historically likely widespread throughout the Valley. Currently, the daisy is distributed over an area between Grand Ronde and Goshen, Oregon.
A copy of the proposed rule and other information on these species are available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/EndSpp/ESA-actions/CritHabWillametteValley-05.htm or by contacting Kemper McMaster, Field Supervisor at 503-231-6179.
; The Service is preparing a draft economic analysis of the proposed critical habitat that will be completed and released for public comment at a later date before a final critical habitat designation is made. ; ; The Service submitted the proposal in response to a lawsuit filed in April 2003 by several organizations for failure to designate critical habitat for the three species. A settlement agreement requires the Service to submit the critical habitat proposal to the Federal Register by October 2005. A final critical habitat determination will be published in October 2006. ;In 30 years of implementing the Endangered Species Act, the Service has found that the designation of critical habitat provides little additional protection to most listed species, while preventing the Service from using scarce conservation resources for activities with greater conservation benefits.
In almost all cases, recovery of listed species will come through voluntary cooperative partnerships, not regulatory measures such as critical habitat. Habitat is also protected through cooperative measures under the Endangered Species Act including Habitat Conservation Plans, Safe Harbor Agreements, Candidate Conservation Agreements and state programs. In addition, voluntary partnership programs such as the Services Private Stewardship Grants and Partners for Fish and Wildlife program also restore habitat. Habitat for endangered species is provided on many national wildlife refuges, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife management areas.
