14248 FederalRegister / Vol. 58, No. 49 I Tuesday, March 16, 1993 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OFThE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17RIN 1018-AB 56

Endangered and Threatened Wildlifeand Plants; Final Rule To Ust theMexican SpottedOwl as aThreatenedSpecies

AGENCY: Fish andWildlife Service,Interior.ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The U.S.Fish andWildlifeService(Service) determines theMexicanspottedowl (Strix occidentalislucida) to be a threatenedspeciesunderthe authority of theEndangeredSpeciesAct of 1973,as amended(Act). Thismedium-sizedbird is found from partsof centralColoradoand UtahsouththroughArizona, NewMexico, andwestern Texas,then souththroughnorthwestern Mexico to the StateofMichoacan.It commonlyinhabitsmountainsand canyonscontainingdense,multi-storied forestswith closedcanopies.TheMexican spottedowl isthreatened by destruction andmodificationof habitat causedby timberharvest and fires, increasedpredation.associ*edwith habitat fragmentation,andlackof adequateprotectiveregulations.Thisrule implementstheprotection andrecoveryprovisioneaffordedby the Act for thissubspecies.Designationof critical habitat isprudent, but is not determinableat thistime.EFFECTIVE DATE: April 15, 1993.ADDRESSES: The completefile for thisrule is available for Inspection,byappointment,during normal businesshoursat theU.S. FishandWt1dU~.Service,EcologicalServicesFieldOffice, 3530PanAmericanHigirwayNE.• suiteD,A)buquezqu~New~x~o87107.

FOR FURTHERSIFORMATIONCONTACTField Supervisor at the aboveaddress(505/883—7877).

SUPPLEMENTARY*4FOAMAT1OI~Background

The Mexicanspottedowl Isoneofthree spotted owl subspeciesrecognizedby theAmericanOrnithologists’ Union(AOU) (1975:285;1983:xffl). It wasdescribedfrom a specimencollectedatMount Tancitaro,Michoacan,Mexico.andnamedSyrniumoccidentaielucidum (Nelson1903).The spottedowlwas later assignedto thegenusSt.rix(Ridgway 1914).Specificandsubspecificnameswerechangedto

conform to taxonomicstandardsandbecameStthcoccidentaislucida.Monson andPhillips (1981)regardspotted owls in Arizona asStrixoccidentalishauchucae,noting theyarepaler than S. o. lucida from Mexico;however,this taxonornic treatment isnot followed by the AOU (1983).

TheMexican spottedowl (S. o.lucida) is distinguishedfrom theCalifornia (S. o. occidentolis)andnorthern (S. o. caurina) subspecieschiefly by geographic distributionandplumage. Generally, the backgroundcoloration of the Mexicanspotted owl isa darker brown thanthe California andnorthern subspecies.The plumRgA Spotsare larger, more numerousand whiterinS. o. lucida, giving it a lighterappearanceoverall.

Using starch-gel electrophoresistoexaminegeneticvariability amongthethreespottedowl subspecies,Barrowclough andGutierrez (1990)found S. o. lucida to be distinguishablefrom the two other subspeciesby asignificant differencein allelicfrequency at one locus.They concludedthat this geneticvariation, whichsuggestspr6longed geographicIsolationof theMexicansubspecies,Indicatesthat the Mexicanspotted owl mayrepresentsspeciesdistinct fromtheCaliforniaandnorthernspottedowls.

The Mexicanspotted owl hasthelargestgeographicrange of thethreespottedowl subspecies.Itsextendsfrom thesouthernMountainsIn Colorado andtheColoradoPlateauin southernUtah,southwardthroughArizonaandNewMexico and,discontinuously,throu~ithe SierraMaclieOccidentalanáOrientalto themountainsat thesouthernen~of theMexicanPlateau.Thesemenoestimatesof the owl’shistoric population size.Its historl~rangeandpi~t distributionme-thr~flc~thi~r, Unleuatharwl~noted,,thetermsspottedowl, owl. aw~and owletin this documentr.ier to theMexicanspottedowL

Utah—Theearliestspottedowlin UtahwasfromZion Natlona1~(ZNP) inJune1928(Hayward~dJ1976).The mostnortherly owloccurrenceIn theSouthwestwasrecorded September6, 1958.In the BookCliffs of northeastern Utah(BabI.1S31)~wherethereweretwoaddltiona~unconfirmedreportsIn 1992 (SIii’~i~Service,pers.comm.,1992).The mastsignificantpopulationofspot~dowl, InUtahoccursin WP.~Surveysc’~”~.between1987 and1990recorded~pibs.and3 singlebirds(Gutlerrezant.Rinkevlch1991).

Spottedowlsappearto be hxgelyabsentfrom higherelevationsIn Utah.

Recordsinclude a 1958sightingin anaspengrove (Behie1981), a 1990callingresponseat 10,000feetelevationontheManti-LaSal National Forest (U.S. ForestService(ForestService),in Iitt., 1990),anda radio-taggedjuvenile thatmovedfrom its natal territory in ZNPto mixedconifer in the Dixie National Forest 12—15 miles to the northeast(S. Linner,pers.comm.,1992).

Currentspottedowl records(i.e.,thoserecordedsince1988)for Utah total26 pairsand19 singlebirds (S. Linner,in Iitt., 1992).

Colorado—Twenty historic records ofspottedowlsexist for Colorado(Reynolds1989); 13 have beenacceptedas valid by the Colorado Rare BirdsCommittee.Theserecords were from theSan JuanMountains In southwesternColorado andfrom theFront Rangeasfar north asthe vicinity of Denver.

Current spotted owl recordsforColorado total 2 pairsand 10 singlebirds.

Arizona—Few early spottedowlrecordsexist for Arizona.Theearliestrecord isof a pai’ nestingIn acottonwoodtreenorthwest of Tucson In1872.A pairwasfound In the foothillsof the HuachucaMountainsin 1890(Bendire1892).

The historicandcurrent distributionof spottedowlsIn Arizona coincide,exceptfor the current absenceof owlsfrom lowerelevationriparianforests.Bendim(1892)found a pairof spottedowlsnestingincottonwoodsnorthwestof Tucson in 1872,and Willit foundthem in lowland riparianareasIn thevicinity of RooseveltLake(SaltRiver) inthe l9lOs (Phillipset ol. 1964).Theserecordssuggestspottedowlsmay haveformerly occurredin low elevationriparlanhabitats.

Spottedowlsareknownfrom theColorado Plateau In northernArizona,the basinandrange mo~nta1nsof thesoutheasternpartof thestate,and therugged transitionzonebetweentheseprovincesIn centralandeastcentralArizona.Thelargestconcentrationofspottedowlsin ArizonaoccursIn thecentralandeastcentralforestsalongthe!~i&ngnflnnRim, In the White Mountains,andea thevolcanicpeaksnearFlagstaff.ThisregiontakesIn all or partof fivenationalforestsandtwo Indianreservations.Thenumberof owlsreported-byvariousagenciesat theendof 1990from the Mogollon Rim, theWhite MountainsandthevolcanicpeasnearFlagstafftotaled124 paIrsanê77 singlebirds.

Cumentspottedowl recordsfor~z~a total153 paIr,end108 single

NewMexico—Thesearenumerousearlyspottedowl recordsforNew

4-

FederalRegister I VoL 58, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 16, 1993 / Rules and Regulations 14249

Mexico. Prior to 1928,spottedowlswere known from most of the majorNewMexico mountain rangesincludingthe SangredeCristo, Jemez,Manzano,Sacramento,Mogollon, Tularosa,SanFrancisco, San Mateo, and Black Range.Many records from southwestNewMexicowere the result of the work ofiS. Ligon, who collectedthroughoutNewMexico from about 1910 through1930.Ligon observedspottedowlsoveran extensiverange in NewMexico andArizona, but found them mostfrequently in southcentral andsouthwestNewMexico andat similarlatitudes in Arizona(Ligon 1926).Recenthistoric recordsdocumentedspottedowlsfrom mostothermountainrangesin NewMexico (Llgon 1961,Hubbard 1978).

Current spottedowl records for NewMexico total 129 pairsand 85 singlebirds.

Texas—AllTexasspotted owl recordsare from theGuadalupeMountainsnearthe NewMexicoborder.An owl wasfirst reportedin 1901 (Bailey 1928).Apairof owlswasobservedin theGuadalupe Mountains In 1988(NationalParkService(NPS),in litt., 1990).

Currentspottedowl recordsfor Texastotal 1 ~iairof birds.

Mexico—Information on spottedowloccurrenceIn Mexico issomewhatlimited. Nevertheless,specimenandsightrecordsobtainedover the past 120yearsprovidea fairunderstandingof theowl’s generaldistributionandat leastanIndirectassessmentof relativeabundance. -

A surveyof major museumcollectionsfoundspottedowl specimensfromMexicocollectedfrom about1870through1961,which represented14 -

locationsIn 7 states,asfollows: Sonora,4 specimensfrom 4 sItes;ChIhuahua,13from 5 sites;Jalisco,2 from I slte~Michoacan~1 from I site;GUanajUito,1from I site;San Luis Potosi.2 fronrlsite;andNuevoLeon,1 from 1 sIte.Sight recordsexistforanadditIonal4localitiesIn Sonora.3 localItiesInChihuahua,and1 locatIoneachfromDurangoandCoahuil&.Nospecimen,..werecollectedIn thelattes2 states.Atotalof 23 owl locstlo~sInMexicowereknownin 1991 (Servic*1991a).Thegreatmajorityof specimensendsightrecordswereconcentratedneartheU.S.borderin northeasternSonoraandnorthwesternChihuahua,with largegapsin theknown distributionand veryfew recordssouthandeastof there.Field notesfrom severaltrips to varIousmountainrangesIn Mexico duringtheperiod1952—1954and 19830. Marshall,SmithsonianInstitution, in litt., 1992)included observationsof owlsIn 7.mountain rangesIn Sonora,one

mountain rangein Chihuahua,and atonesite eachIn Jalisco,NuevoLeon,andCoahuila.The NewMexicoDepartmentof GameandFish (NMDGF)is currently fundingan owl study in theSanJuanito-Creelareaof west-centralChihuahua. Onepair andfoursinglebirds have been found sofar in thatstudy. Although accuratenumbersofowls in Mexico are not known,theavailable evidencesuggeststhe specieshasalwaysbeen uncommonin thatcountry.

Currentspottedowl recordsforMexico total 1 pair and 4 additionalsinglebirds locatedin theNMDGFStudy (R. Valdez, NewMexico StateUniversity,pets.comm., 1992),and1additional pair (J.A. Olivo-Martlnez,Secretariade AgricultureYRecursosHidraulicos,SubdelegacionForestal,inlitt., 1990).

From 1988to 1990,spottedowlrecords for thesouthwesternUnitedStatesandMexico totaled294pairsand214 singles(802birds).During 1991,120additional managementterritorieswereestablishedon national forestsInNewMexico andArizona (ForestService,in iitt., 1992).

An estimateofthe totalspottedowlpopulation in the southwesternUnitedStateswasderived primarily from datasuppliedby the Forest Service(Fletcher1990)anddataavailableIn otherForestServicedocuments.DataconsideredInthe calculationsincluded totalestimatedtimberlandwithin nationalforestsIn Arizona and NewMexico,total estimatedtimberlandoutsidenationalforestsIn ArizonaandNewMexico, estimatedsuitablespottedowlhabitatonnationalforestsIn ArizonaandNewMexico, spottedowl sightingson national forestsIn ArizonaandNewMexico, acressearchedfor spottedowlsonnational forestsIn ArizonaandNewMexico,site pair occupancyratesreported from formal monitoring onthreenationalforestsIn Arizonaand - -

NewMexico,andrecordsof owl -

occurrencesIn Utahand Colorado.Thesedataallowedthe Servicetoestimatea 1990population of Mexicanspotted owlsIn thesouthwesternUnitedStatesof 808 paIrsand548 sIngles.The -

total estimatedpopulation was2,160owls (Service1991a).DatasuppliedInresponseto the proposedrule were too--Incompleteto producea revisedestimateof thetotalMexicanspottedowl population In the southwesternUnited Stat~~.Dataare insufficienttomake an estimateof the totalMe~dcenspottedowl population In Mexico~.-

The Mexicanspottedowl occupies.varietyof vegetativehabitats but these-usually contain certain commoncharacteristics(Caneyeta). 1988,Gartey

andBalda 1989b,Fletcher1990).Thesecharacteristicsinclude high canopyclosure,highstand density, and amultilayeredcanopyresultingfrom anuneven-agedstand.Othercharacteristicsincludedowned logs,snags,andmistletoeinfection that are Indicativeofan old groveandabsenceof activemanagement.Much of the owl habitat ischaracterizedby steepslopesandcanyonswith rockycliffs.

The vegetativecommunitiesoccupiedby the Mexicanspottedowl consistprimarily of warn-temperateandcold-temperateforests,and,to a lesserextent,woodlandsandriparlan deciduousforest. Themixed-conifercommunityappearsto bemost frequentlyused.

Mixed-coniferforestscontainseveralspeciesof overstory trees. Themostcommon arewhite fir (Abiesconcolor),Douglasfir (Pseudotsugamenziesii),andponderosapine (Pinusponderosa).Lesscommonspeciesaresouthwesternwhitepine(P. strobiformis),limber pine (P.Flexiiis), aspen(Populustremuloides),andcorkbarkfir (Abieslasiocarpavax.arizonica)-

Theunderstoryof mixed-coniferprovidesImportantroostingsitesforMexicanspottedowls.The understoryusuallycontainsthesameconiferspeciesfoundIn the overstoryplusGambel’s oak-(Querousgo.znbeliI).maples(Acergrandidentatumand A.glabrum),andNewMexico locust(Robinianeomexkana).Montaneripariancanyonbottomsusedby owlsin the mixed-coniferzonemaycontainbox elder(Acernegundo),narrowleafcottonwood(Populusanqustifolia),maples(Acerspp.)jrandalders (Alnusspp.).

Thevegetativecommunitiesusedbythe owl varyacrossIts range.InsoutheasternArizona,habitatuseisapproximatelyequallyspiii betweenmixed-coniferandMadreenEvergreenForestandWoodland(Caneyand Balda198gb);whichoccursbelow the mixed-coniferzone.Therearetwo seriesofMadreen EvergreenWoodland: theupperoak-pineo~reat 5,500to 7,200feet,andthelowerevergreeuoak(encinal)occursat 5,000to 6,500feet.Within thesevegetativ,zones,andparticularlyit lower elevations,Mexicanspottedowlsareusually foundin steep,forestedcanyonswith rockycliffe~

At the northernedgeof their range innortheasternArizona,southwesternColorado,andUtah,Mexicanspottedowlsmayoccuryear-roundat 4.400to6,800feet within thepinon-junlperzone(PinuaedidhsandJunip.rusosteosperma)belowmixed-coniferforests.Thesehabitatsoften Includenarrow,shady,cool canyonsIn

14250 FederalRegister1 VoL 58, No. 49 / Tuesday,March 16, 1993 / Rulesand Regulaticen

sandston.slickrock(GutierreaandRinkevich1990;NPS,in lift.. 1990).Althoughno studieshavebeencompleted,most of theowl’s activitiesduring thebreedingseasonarebelievedto occurwithin the canyons.Owlsroostin riparian vegetationof canyonbottoms, on ledges,or cavitiesin theslickrockcanyonwalls (D.W. Willey,NPS, in litt., 1990, Gutierrez andRinkevich,1991). Resultsof the firstseasonsof an ongoing telemetry study incanyon habitats in southernUtah andColorado showedthat during fall andwinter 46 percent of owl locationsoccurred on mesa-tops,benchesandwarm slopesabovethe canyons.Movement out of thecanyonsindicatesa shift during winter from summer-useareas insidethe canyonsandoncoolslopes,to warmerareas(Wiley 1992).

The habitat characteristicsof highcanopyclosure,highstanddensity,amulti-layeredcanopy,uneven-agedstands,numeroussnags,anddownedwoody matterarebestexpressedinold-growthmixed-coniferforests(usuallymore than200 yearsold). Thesecharacteristicsmay alsodevelopinyoungerstandsthatareunmanagedorminimally managed,especiallywhenthe standscontainremnant largetreesorpatchesof large trees from earlierstands.GaneyandBalda (1988)foundan averageof 995 acresof old-growthforest within the 2,092-acreaveragehome rangefor three pairsof radio-monitoredowls in northern Arizona.Fletcher(1990)reportedanaverageof154acresof old-growthforestwithin themanagementterritories(MTs) of 359spottedowls or owl pairsin ArizonaandNew Mexico. Managementterritoriesaveraged2,055acresandwere establishedaroundowl roostornestsitesbasedonForest Servicebiologist?bestjudgmentof suitablehabitat.

Habitatssuitableforowl nestingappearto be more restricted than thoserequiredfor foragingor ru~t1ng.Azeaswith highcanopyclosureandet leastafewold-çowthtreesareusuallyselectedfornesting~Fletcher(1WJ4-analyzedthecharacteristicsof 22 nestsites in Arizona andNewMex*~Nestingoccurredmostfrequentlyin themixed-conifercommunitytype(181’followedby thepine-oakcommualtytype (3). The remaining three nestsitesoccurredin riparian(2) andwhite fir (1)communities.Themixed-coniferandpine-oakcommunitytypeswereusedsignifIcantlymorethanexpected~.don availability.No nestswerefoundIntheponderosapin.commtnutytypeInthisstudyakhonghIt make.up4Gpercentof ForestServiceestimated-suitablehabitatIn Arizona.andNew-

Mexico. Witche.’-broomandfreestickplatforms werethemostfrequentlyusednestingsubstrates(12); tre.cavities,mostly in Gambel’soak,werealsousedfrequently(8), andtwo nestswereoncliff ledges.Tree speciesusedwereDouglasfir (9). Gambol’soak (6). whitefir (3), andpon4erosapine (1). Exceptfor the one ponderosapine,the treeswereof modeTateto largediameterandheight for their species.Most treeswereon moderateto steepslopesatelevationsrangingfrom 6,000to 8,000feet.Most nest treesoccurredonnorthernor easternfacingslopesindicatingapreferencefor thecoolerportion ofthehabitat.

Limited informationisavailableonthereproductivebiologyof the Mexicanspottedowl.Owls mostcommonlylayeggsin April (Ugon 1926.JohnsonandJohnson 1985,Skaggs1988), but eggshave beenfoundasearlyasMarch2(Skagga1988).Clutchsizevarieifrom1to 3 eggs(rarely4) with mostbroodscontaining1 or 2 owlets(Bendire1892,GaneyandBalda1988).Howeverbroods of 3 occuroccasionallyinsouthern NewMexicowhere Skagge(1988)reported 2 of 13 broodscontained3 owlets.

The Incubationperiodisapproximately30 daysandmosteggshatchby the endofMay. Incubation.iscarriedoutsolelyby the female Malesprovide foodfor the femaleandyounguntil the owletsareabout2 weeksold.The femalethenassistsincapturingfood for the young(JohnsonandJohnson 1985)

Thefemalemoatsat the nestuntil 3.to 6 daysbefore theyoungfledge.MostowletsfledgeinJuns,.34-36daysafleshatching(GaneyandBalda198$)Owletsareunabletofly whentheyfirst -

leavethenest.Owletsbecome.increesinglyproficientatflightthroughouttiw summerandass“semi-independent”by lateAugustorearlySeptemberalthoughjuvenilebeggingcallshavebeesheard aslateasSeptember30 (CaneyandBalda 1988),Young arefully independentby earlyO~

A widerangeof reproductiverateshasbeenobservedbetweenyears.Reproductivesuccesson theCoconilx,Lincoln,andSantaFeNational Forestswasdeterminedby formal monitoring in1989and1990 (Fletcher1990),andduring1991 onthe Gila- and Coconino-NationalForests(Olsenef a).1991).In1989,39monitoredpairshadan.verag.fecundity(femal,offspringperpa~x1of0.67. In 1990,18monitoredpairshadanaveragefecundityof 006 femaleyoungper pair. In 1991,on theCoconinoNationalForóst,the mean fecundityof18 pairedfemaleswas0.75,.andon the

Gila NationalForest.meanfecundityof19 paIredfemaleswas0.74.ThelowreproductiverateIn 1990waslikelyattributableto droughtconditionsaffectingprey availability. Conversely.1991 wasanabnormallywet year whichmay have resultedin exceptionallyfavorable conditionsfor the owls. Thesedisparatedate identify themagnitudeofvariationin productivitythroughtime.GaneyandBalda(1988),in anon-systematicstudyof nestingsuccessinArizona from 1984through1987 founda reproductive rate of 0.32 femaleyoungper pair. SksggsandRaitt (1988)founda reproductiverateof 0.20 femaleyoungper pairduring one nestingseasonontheLincoln NationalForest.No dataareavailableon dispersalendagespecificsurvivalof the MexicanspottedowLDuring 1991.3 of 18 pairedfemalesontheCoconrnoNationalForest,and3 of19 on theGila National Forest weresubadults(OlsonetaJ. 1991).Nootherdemographicdataareavailablefor theMexicanspottedowl

The initial informationon Mexicanspottedowl bornerangecharacteristics,size,anduseresultedfrom atelemetrystudyconductedin northernArizonaon8 radIo-taggedspottedowls(CaseyandBalda 1989a).Home rangesizefor singleowlsvariedfrom 702to2,386acres,with an averagesizeof 1.601 acres.Thecombinedhosa.rax~gmoccupiedbypairsaveraged2,091acres.An averageof 66percentof apau’shomerangewasusedby l~bowls.Theareasof overlapwere the nestarea,.theprimaryroost,and the foraging areas.Within thehomerange~owlsappearto havecoreareasthat are consistentlyused Goreareasofindividuals (i.e., where60percent ofradio responsesoccurred)averaged338acres,andcoreareasfor pairs averaged398 acres.Highuseareastendsdtocorrespondto ~ep slopes(CaseyandBalda 19gg~.Althoi~seasonalmoveae~tsvariedbetweenowls,mostremainedwithin their swemerhomerangesthruighoutt~year.C~itheLincolnNationalFixe*. the menuhomerangesizeof 4 pairswas2,909acresduringwinterandspring1990-1991(Kroel andZwank1991).In Utah,Wiley (1992)talemetered5 maleowlsfrom ZNP,CanyonlandsNationalPark.and Capitol RedNationalMonument.The meanhoinerangesinefor the3owlsfrees~ was598acrescomparedwith 1,544foe theotherl owls.

Thedietof theMexicanspottedowlinclude,a varietyof mae~mals,birds,reptile.1.andInsectswith mammalsmakinguptkabnlkof thedietthroughoutth. owl’s range.Woodrats(Nectoearu~p)arethemostimportantprey,especiallyInrockcanyoncountry(JohnsonandJohn.wn1985,Ganeyand

FederalRegister / Vol. 58, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 16. 1993 / Rules and Regulations 14251

Balda 1988,GutierrezandRinkevich1991,Ganey 1992).

CaseyandBalda (1988)observedthatMexican spottedowls huntedmainly bymoving from tree to tree, spendingfroma few secondsto severalhours watchingand listening for prey. Becausespottedowls launch their attackat relativelyshort distancesfrom theirprey, amultistoried forest with manypotentialperchesis advantageousto owls seekingfood.

Spottedowls have plumage similar toboreal-zoneowls, apparently as anadaptation for periods of wintertemperatures.They are Ineffident atdissipatingbody heat.Apparently tocompensatefor this Inefficiency,theyroost and nest In areasof matureforestwith a densemultilayered canopy,oftenon a north siope,nestwater, or In acanyonthatreceivescold air drainage.Suchsitesare I to 6 degreesCelsIuscoolerthanothernearbyhabitat(BarrowsandBarrows1978, Barrows1981).

Hawksandgreathornedowls (Bubovirgintanus) preyon Mexicanspottedowls. Greathornedowlswerethesuspectedpredatorsof 3 r.&o-ta~edMexicanspotted owls(CaseyandBalda1988,Skagga1990).Thereissomehabitatoverlapbetweenthe2 species,but great hornedowlsoccur most oftenin areasof low relief In selectivelyloggedforestoralongmeadowedges,whereasspottedowlsoccur mainly onsteepslopescontainingdenseforest.Johnson andJohnson(1985,1990)andPhillips et a). (1964)reportedcircumstantialevidenceIndicatingthatMexicanspottedowlsabandonhabitatinvadedby greathomedowls.

Young Strlxowls sufferfrom avianpredation(Southern1970,Gutierreseta). 1985).Young northernspottedowlsare especiallyvulnerabl,duringdevelopment,following fledging,end.duringearlydispersal(ForemanSt a!.1984,Gutierres eta!. 1985.Mil1& andMeslow 1985).Skaggs(iS$8)ohs.rsedared-tailedhawk(Butaofrwiefcensi,Jalmostsucceedin captuiing.MexicanspottedowLAred-tsiledhawkwe.th.-suspectedpredatorof aMexicanspotted-owl in a radio-monitariz~study(Skegge1990),

Federal,State, Indian, and privet.landscontainhabitatfor theMexicanspotted owl. The ForestService,Dweaiof IndianAffairs (BIA), NPS,and Buree~of Land Msna~nent(BLM) aretheFederallandmR’ieglnga~eadse.E~dsto estimat.suitablehabitatand-surveyfor owlshers veiledbstw.ssegescioswiththemostIntensiv,workbsieg -

dtma by the ForestService.In 1990,theForest Servlc.ss*imated

that It man.g.d4,899,807emesof

suitableowl habitat (Fletcher 1990;Forest Service,PikeandSanIsabelNational Forest, in lilt., 1990; ForestService,Intermountain Region, in litt.,1990)on 18 national forests.Along withpresentlysuitable habitat, the ForestServiceestimated another1,040,000acresof Arizonaand NewMexiconational forest landswere capableofbecoming suitable in thenext10 to 100years(Fletcher1990).Theselandsweresuitable in the pastbut becameunsuitabledue to timberharvestornaturalcauses.Timber harvestaccountedfor the lossof816,000aaesandnaturalcausesaccountedfor thelossof 221,000acres.The Forest Serviceestimated79 percentof theselandswillrequire50+yearsto returnto suitableowl habitat.

The Forest ServicebeganMexicanspottedowl Inventories in NewMexicoandArizona in 1988.Inventories InColorado and Utah beganIn 1990.As of1990,Just over2,000,000acreshad beeninventoried (Fletcher 1990;ForestService,PikeandSanIsabelNationalForest, in lift., 1990 ForestServIce,IntermountainRegion,in lift.. 1990).Approximately70 percentof thesurveyswereon landsavailable fortimber harvest.

Forest Serviceinventories through1990resultedin theestablishmentof517 owl MTs In ArizonaandNewMexico witheachMT representingtheoccurrenceof eithera singleowl or pairof owls. Approximately halltheMTswereestablishedfrom confirmednestorroost localities,theotherhalf wereestablishedonly from nightcallingresponses.On landsunavailablefortimber harvest, only 30 percent of theMTa wereestablishedfrom confirmednestorroostlocalities.Therewere318MTs (61 percent)onlandsavailable fortimber harvestand199MTs (39 percent)on landsnotavailablefor timberharvest.AmongtheMTs on landSnotavailablefor timberharvest,102 wereon landsunsuitablefor timberharvest39 wereon landswithdrawnfromtimberharvest,and58 woreon )andIsuchaswildernessareas(Fletcher1990).TheForestServicereported626MTs forArizonaandNewMexico -

nationalforestsas-of199Z,butprovidedno new informatinnshouttheare.Inventerfedor distribution of owl MThby typesdland use.

Thereat.potentiallyup to 978,000 -

emsaof spottedowl habitatonIn’Itanreservations.How,ver,theectualamountof habitatI. likely inus* lowerbecsss.s.estjaats,suppliedby the~AForestryDivisonweredevelopedmostlyfrom timber-typemapscontaininglittleinknmaticn.bontunderatoryconditionsor slope. Also, habitat

estimatesfor theMescaleroApache.Jicarllla,Apathe,SouthernUt., andZuni reservationsrepresentthe totalcommercial forest Land for thosereservations;no potential habitatestimateswere supplied.

Formalowl surveyswere conductedon 71,200acreson fourIndianreservationsin 1990and15 owls warelocated. In 1990a total of 5 pairs and22 singleowlswere known to occuronIndianreservations.(BIA. AlbuquerqueArea Office, in litt., 1990;BIA, NavajoAreaOffice, in lilt., 1990~,BIA, PhoenixAreaOffice, in )itt,, 1990).

A total of 734,000acresof potentialowl habitat occurs on BLM landsinColorado,Utah,Arizona,andNewMexico (BLM, ColoradoStateOffice, inlilt,, 1990; ELM, UtahStateOffice, inlilt., 1990; ELM, NewMexico StateOffice, in lilt., 1990;TedCoi~dery,ArizonaELM, pars. comm.,1992).

In 1992,a total of 1 pair and5 singleowlswere knownfrom BLM landsinColorado,Utah,Arizona,andNewMexico. Therewere6 pairs and 4singlesin Utah,I pair and3 singlesinColorado, and no owlsIn NewMexicoor Arizona.

Most owl habitat ennational parksandmonumentsconsistsof steepshadedcanyonsin thenorthern partofthe owl’s range.It isdifficult to estimateacreagefor this typeof habitatThe NPSestimatedthat 23 parks and monumentsin theSouthwestcontainedbetween238,000and438,000acresof owlhabitat (NPS,Southwe,tRegion,in lilt.,1990;NPS,Rocky MountainRegion,inlift., 1990;J. Ray,NPS,GrandCanyonNationalPerk,pare.comm.,1990).

In 1999,atotalafapairsand16singleowlswereknown from NPSlands(NPS,SouthwestR.~on,in liU., 1990;NPS,RockyMountain~egio*, in EU.,1990tJ; Ray.NFS.psis.-coma.,1990),

Between177,400and202,400acresofNewMexicoStatelandscontainforestsandcanyonsthatcould besuitableowlhabitat.Howevse~noowl survey,hadbeencnn~hwtm4asof 1902 (GregFifth.NewMexiceForestryDivision.pars.comm.,1992).In Arizona,no suitableowl habitatis knowntoo~ron Statelandsumtrelledbydie ArizonaGenieandFishDepertesent(AGFD).NopresentorkisttalcowllocalitiesareknowsfrmaStatslassieIs NewMexicoor Arl~s.No1~~stIuiwasobtainedensuitableowl habitatonStateMedalsUtabandColorado.However’. I paw.. recordedon Utahstateland,~ 1912.

Cans~endBald.(198$)surveyedthroughoistArIa~knspottedowlsfrom 1194th,ou4s19$7.Th.yreported3of 148 owl site,wes’ onprivet. Lands.but providedno locationsor’ habitat

14252 FederalRegister / Vol. 58, Mo. 49 / Tuesday, March 16, 1993 / Rulesand Regulations

information. Skagge(1988) reported that7 owl recordsfrom southernNewMexicoduring theperIod 1900 to 1987werefrom privatelands.Theserecordsfrom HidalgoCountyin southwestNewMexico werefrom theAnimasMountains,whichare on private land.Spottedowls arereportedcurrentlypresentin theAnimasMountains(P.Meihop,NatureConservancy,pers.comm., 1992).

Suitablespottedowl habitat reportedby FederalandStateagenciesIn 1990totalled about 8,815,557 acres.TheForest Servicereported4,698,807acres(69 percent),BIA 878,000acres(13percent), BLM 711,000acres(10percent), NPSbetween238,100and437,600acres(about5 percent), and theStateof NewMexicobetween177,400and202,400acres(about 3 percent). Anestimateof 5,000acresof suitable owlhabitat on private landsIs much lessthan1 percent of the total.

The proportion of total habitat foreachagencyIsprobably fairly accurate.However,the total acreageof suitablehabitat Is likely overestimated.The errorisa consequenceof Inadequateinformation on landstatus anddisagreementabout the typesofcommunitiesthat provide suitablehabitat For Instance,the Forest Serviceincluded manyacresof the ponderosapinecommunitytype In Its estimateofsuitablehabitat Theseacreswereexcludedfrom the Serviceestimate,Severalagenciesexpresseduncertaintyabout the accuracyof their habitatestimates,

From the dataprovided by variousagencies,It Is Impossible to developan.accurateestimateof total suitableowlhabitat The Service’sbestestimateexcludesmost of the ponderosapinecommunitytypeforNewMexicoandArizonanationalforestsbecausethiscommunitytypewasfoundtobeusedinsignificantlyby nestingandrooMing-owls, However,It mayconstituteimportantwinteringor foraginghab1tat~TheForestServicedoesconsiderponderosapineforesttobesuitablehabitatwhenIt hasthecorrectstructuralattributes(K.W. Fletcher.ForestService,-pets. comm.,1992),butth. foreststand-maps andInventory databasesdonot-separatesuitablefrom-unsuitablestlindsin ponderosapine, Forest-Serviceowl-inventory dataplaceapproximately 50managementterritoriesinponderosapinehabitatwhich would add 100,000acresto the suitablehabitat baseinArizonaandNewMexico(ForestService,in lift.. 1992).AlthoughtheponderosapinecommunitytypemightalsobeexcludedforColoradonationalforestsandIndianreservations,thiswasnot donebecausefigures from those

sourcesdidnot reporthabitatbycommunitytype.TheServiceestimateoftotal suitableMexicanspottedowlhabitatIn the United StatesIs 5,489,734to 5,714,734acres.

Ninety-onepercentof Mexicanspottedowlsknownat theend of 1990occurred on national forests,4 percentoccurredon IndianreservatIons,4percent occurred on nationalparks,and1 percentoccurredon ELM lands.Becausethe Servicehasreceivedonlyincomplete1991and 1992survey data.it is notpossibleto Identify exactpercentagessince1990.

Managementdirection for landswithowl habitatvariesby agency.Amanagementemphasisfor timberproductionis in forceonmuchof ForestServiceand BIA managedland. MuchBLM owl habitat ismanagedprimarilyfor wildlife andrecreationbut Is stillavailablefor naturalresourceextraction,including oil, gas,minerals,andtimber.NPSlandsaremanagedfor recreationandpreservationof naturalvalues.Statelandsin blockslargeenoughto supportowl populationsareusuallygamemanagementareas.Managementofprivate landsprovidingowl habitat isunknown.

Forest Servicemanagementplanscallfor suitabletimberland In theSouthwestto be managedaseven-agedstandsusinga systemcalledshelterwoodmanagementTheshelterwoodmanagementsystembeginsins timber stand100 or more yearsoldwith aseriesof commercialharvestsculminatingIn a regenerationcut. Thiscutremovesmostof thetimberbutleavessometreesto provideshadeandaseedsourcefor thenewlydevelopingstand.After a newstandof youngtreesIsestablishedin10 to40 years,acommercialharvestcalleda removalcutremovestheshelteringoverstorytrees.Youngstandsreceivepro-commercialthinningtomaintain treespacingformaximumgrowth.Whenfreesreachcommercialsize,standsareperiodically -

thinnedwithcommercialharveets~calledIntermediatecuts.Thereareusually1 to 3 intermedIatecutspriortothenextregenerationcut -

About95 percentof theForestServicecommercialtimberIn theSouthwestIsplannedformanagementunderthe -

shelterwoodsystem.Commercialfors~on theNava)oIndian-Reservationassbeingconvertedto shelterwood-management(JamesCarter,BIA, pars.comm.,1990).Othercommercialf~re.tsonIndian landsIn the Southwestassmanagedasuneven-agedstandsby useof selectivelogging.

PreviousServiceActionsOn December22, 1989,the Service

receiveda petition submittedby Dr.Robin D. Silver requestingthe listing oftheMexicanspotted owl asanendangeredor threatenedspeciesunderthe Act. On February27, 1990,theServicefound that the petitionpresentedsubstantialinformationindicating that listing might bewarrantedand Initiated a statusreview.

Section4(b)(3) of the Act requires theSecretaryof the Interiorto reacha finaldecisiononanypetition acceptedforreview within 12 monthsof Its receiptIn conductingits review,theServicepublished a notice In the FederalRegIster(55 FR 11413)onMarch28,1990.requestingpubliccommentsandbiologicaldataon the statusof theMexican spottedowL In addition,astatusreviewteamof 5 ServIcebiologistsand1 bIologisteachfrom theAGFD andtheNewMexicoDepartmentof GameandFish(NMDGF) wasestablished.ThisteamorganizedallcommentsandInformationreceivedinresponseto theMarch28 notIceaswellasotherinformationgatheredor-in theService’,files.

On December6, 1990,the teamcompleteda draft status review reporton theMexican spottedowL OnFebruary20,1991,theServicemadeafinding,basedon thecontentsof thereport,that listing theMexicanspottedowl,pursuantto section4(b)(3)(B)(i) oftheAct; was warranted. Noticeof thisfindingwaspublishedIn the FederalRegisteronApril 11,1991.

Theentire spottedowl species(Strixoccidentolis)waslistedon theService’sAnimal Noticeof Review(54 FR 554;January9,1989)asa Category2 species.ACategoryzspecieslsoneforwhlchlisting maybeappropriatebutadditionalbiological Informationisneede4to supportaproposedruls.TheInformationgatheredin thestatusreviewfortheMexicanspottedowlcontributedtotheInformationneededforadecisionto proposethu subspeciesfor listing. A proposedrule tolist theMexicanspottedowlathreetenedwithout critical habitat waspublishedIn theFederalRegisteronNovember4,1991(56 FR 58344).

SiunmaryOECO’~ andReco~~l.fliaen-

In theNovember4. 1991.proposedrule(56FR56344)andassociatednotifications,all Interestedpartieswererequestedto submitfactualreportsorInformationthatmightbeeronwhethertheowl shouldbe-listed.Th.commentperiodoriginallyclosedonMarch3.1992.butwas.reopen.dfrom May 11,

I

Fsds~RegiaIwI-VoL 58,-Na. 49 1 Tuesday, Merch 16, 1993 / Rules and Regtd.ttams 14253

1992 to September1. 1992(57FR20073; May 11. 1902)10allowsubmissionof additionalcomments.AppropriateStateagencies,countygovernments,Federalagencies,scientific organizations,andotherinterestedpartieswerecontactedandrequestedto comment.NewspapernoticesInvitingpublic comment werepublished In Arizona In the MesaTribune, ScottsdaleProgress,TucsonCitizen,Nava~o-HoplObserver,EasternArizonaCourier,LakePowellChronicle,KingmanBooster-Spirit,SierraVistaDaily Herald Dispatch,CopperCountyNew,,VerdeIndependentBugle, RedRockNews,WilliamsNews,PrescottSun, HolbrookTribuneNews&SnowflakeHerald,Ro~rndValley Paper.Silver Creek Dfspatth, White MountainIndependent,ArizonaDaily Sun,ArizonaRepublic,ArizonaDaily Star.InNewMexico In the AlbuquerqueJournal. Silver Qty Daily Record.SantaFeNewMexican,CarlsbadCurrentArgus.AlamogordoNews,In UtahInThe Daily Spectrum.Reaper,SaltLakeTribune,and in Colorado In theDurangoherald,andRockyMountainNews.The inclusive datesofpublicationwereJanuary 15.1992toFebruary11. 1992for the Initialcommentperiod and hearingsand fromJune17,1992to July1, l992forthdsecondcommentperiod.

Becauseatanticipatedwidespreadpublicinterest,theServiceheld6public hearingswhichwereannouncedin theproposedrule. Interestedpartieswerecenta~dendnotified of thehearings.A noticeatthehearingdatesand locationswaspublishedIn theFederalRegisteronJanuary2, 1992(57FR 35).Apjxwdmately983 peopleattendedtheheeriri~About68 peopleattendedthebestingIn SantaFe,NewMe~dco42In Alamogoidn,NewMexlco 71 in SilverQty,NewM~dmtit60 In Tuoson,Ar~a 543 In ____Arizcmaand97 iuCudarQty,lJtah.-Transalptsof thesehearing.areavailablefor insped~(aes-

A0cI~$Sfl). - --

A total of 1,541wrN~com~tswerereceivedat the&~aglca1ServicesFIeld ~ctin-A~çisrqus1NewMexico 149 ppoeisdtheproposedlistIng; 1,384opposedtb.proposedlisting; and$sftbmL -

commen$,donInformationIn iii.proposedrulebutexpressedneithersupportnor opposition.psovkledadditionalInformationen)y.or werenon-substantiv,or Irrelevanttotheproposedlisting.

Oral orwrltt.~commentswerereceivedfrom142 partle.atthe-

hearings’33 supportedth,proposed

listing,and100 opposedtheproposedlistIng.

In total, oralorwritten Coonnontswerereceivedfrom 12Federaland StateagenciesandoffIcials, 25 local officials,and1,670privateorganizations.companies,endIndividuals.Allcomments,bothoralandwritten,receivedduring thecommentperiodareaddressedin thefollowing summary.Commentsof a similar naturearegroupedintoa numberof generalissues.TheseIssue,andtheService’sresponseto eacharediscussedbelow.

IssueI: TheServicedoesnothaveadequatepopulationtrenddatatosupport theconclusionthattheMexicanspottedowl isthreatenedandshouldbelistedundertheAct.

Response:TheServiceconcludes,asdetailedin the“Summaryof Factors”section,that thee,issufficientevidencethat the statusof theMexicanspottedowl meetsthestandardsrequiredfor itto receiveprotection under theAct. TheServicestudiedthetrendsIn habitatlosstodeterminetheeffactsto thepopulationof theMexicanspottedowLApproxImately20percentofowl habitathasbeenrenderedno longersuitahu..withone-hallof thishabitatlossoccurring-withinthe lastdjw~ada~representinga habitatlossratecloseto1 percentyear.Forestplansfor thenextdecadefoi the11 nationalforestsinNewMexicoandArizonacall forcontinuedconversionof habitattoenon-suitableconditionata rate of 0.4percentperyear.Thehabitatlostundera shelterwoodharvestsystemIspermanentlymaintainedIn a conditionnot suitableasowl habitat. This Icesofhabitatwill, In time, resultIn theendangermentof theowL Forestplansgovern forest practices, and as longtheyar in effect,theServicecannotignoretheircontent.

Issue2: Thehabitatrequirementsa-fthe owl assnetadequatelyunderstoodto justify the S.vicscontentionthatshelterwoodtimbermanagementmakeshabitat wuasltabls for owl use, OwltoccurIn avarietyof habitattypesaansaa broadelevations)range.Owls requireopenstandsendseccmd-growth,’endarenotold-growthdependent

ResporrserTh.owl usesavarietyofforesttypesrangingfrom deciduousriparlanwoodlands,throughpinon.juniper.pine-ask,mixed ‘~ sodsprucefir. EIsvstlonsuesdn~IIy-rang.from 6,500to9,500lust.Mostsurveyshavebeenassociatedwith timbersales,andwhenevaluatedwith surveysInwildernessareas,otherreservedlandg,and non-ForestServicetend,theypresentadequatedatato characterizehabitat. Thereare commoncharacteristicsof almostall occupied

forestedhabitat(GeneyandBalda1988,GaneyandBalda196~,Caneyandbalda 196gb,KroelandZwank1991).ThecharacteristicsIncludea significantcomponentof maturefrees,highcanopyclosure,multiple storied foreststructure,andabundantdeadanddownwoodymaterial.Single-storied,even-agedstandsproducedunder -

shelterwoodmanagementdo notretainthe habitat characteristics found Inoccupiedowl habitat.SurveyshavenotdeterminedoccupancyIn habitatfollowing significantstandmodifyingtimber harvest.Favorableroostandnestsitesareseldomfoundin significantlyaltered stands.

Issue3: HabItatdefinitionis biasedbecausesurveysaredrivenby timbersales.Conversely,old-growthhasnotbeensurveyed.-

Response:Owl surveyeffortshavebeenprioritized to proposedactivitysitesprirnartlyto determineabsenc,orpresenceof owlsand “clear” thoseareas. However,a significantandincreasingamountof survey effort isdirectedat reservedlandssuchaswilderness,standsallocatedf-orold-growthmanagement,endnon-activityareasincludingsteepslopes,canyonenvironmentsand other areasminimallyor not suited for timber harvest.Surveyshave examinedmatureandold-growthhabitat onall of the nationalforestsInthe SouthwestRegion.

Issue4: Ponderorapineforestsareutilizedashabitat,andshouldbeadequatelyprotected.Conversely.ponderosapineforestsassnotowlhabitat,andneednotbeprotected.

Response:TheForestServiceestimatesthepondarosspinecommunitytypeprovides40percentofhabitathiArizonaandNewMexiconationalforests.0(22nestsite,forwhichsu~flcIentdatawereavailabletoanalyse,nonearmu~.dIn theponderosapinetype.Of83 dayroostsite,withsufficientdaistoeual~e,onlyoneoccurredIn theponderoeapinetype(Fletcher1990kThepine-oakcommunitytype,which providesonly 8percentof lb. estimatedowl habitathad18 psrc~oftheneatsitesand19percentof thero~trees.Therefore,thepurepondsvoeapinetypsappearstoprovideonlymarginel~dltlons fornestandroostsites.However,wherethishabitatlnth.,.W.l.swith otherhabitatssuchasrnlxsdi~nnii.~’~canyons,It maybeusedfor foraging.Additionally,thehabitatmaybelinpostantksseasonaleleestionalmovementsandwinierhabitat

Issue5Dataateinadsquat.todeterminehowtheMexicanspottedowluseshabitatIn southernUtah.

14254 Federallegleter I -Vol. 58, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 16, 1993 I~Rulestand Regulations ‘4

Southwestern Coloradodoes notincludeanyowl habitat.

Response:Studiesin canyonhabitatsin southernUtahhaveprovidedsomeofthe bestdataavailableonhabitat useandmovementsby the Mexicanspottedowl. Gutlorrezand Rinkevlch (1991)andRinkevich (1991a,1991b)examineddistribution, densityandfoodhabitsofMexicanspottedowlsat Zion NationalPark and on surroundingBLM landsduring the period May 1989-August1990.They found owls at ninedifferentlocationswithin Zion NationalPark.Their analysisof habitatcharacteristicsidentified highhumidity,multiplevegetativestrata, narrow canyonsandhigh quantitiesof groundlitter ashabitat correlateswith the presenceofMexicanspottedowls. In contrasttoforestedhabitats,canyonhabitatsfrequently containrelatively little or noforest standsother thau nparianstringers.Mammalscomprised99percentof theowl’s diet,andbushy-

- tailed woodrats(Neotomacinerea)comprised67 percentof theblomassidentified at Zion NationalPark.Thebushy-tailed woodrat andthedesertwoodrat (N. lepida)comprIsed98percent of theblomassIn theowrs dieton NPSand BLM landsin southernUtah. SurveysIn Coloradoindicatethatowlsusecanyonhabitattypessimilar tothosein Utah.Theknown rangeextendsfromMesaVerde andthe San JuanMountains northward alongtheFrontRangeof central Colorado (Reynolds1990,Wiley 1992).

Issue6: Dataon demography,dispersal andother life historycharactersare Inadequatetoallow thedevelopmentof a populationviabilitymodel.The presenceof singlebirdsonterritoriesshouldbeseenasawarningthat the population isin declinebecauseitshowsthatblrdsarenoiebl.to-

acquiremates. - -

Response:Therearenotadequatsdatato developa populationviability- -.

analysis.Demographystudiesandotherstudie.toacquirethedatanece.saqtocompletea populationviability analys1~-requireseveralyears~dapend1ngonthr~-longevityof thespee~~ - - - -

designedto obtainth~detiassbe13~:conauctedon theCtor.iinsrtGilsand -

Lincoln NationalForests.it will be - -

severalyearsbefor,theyproducethenecessarydata.SIngleblrdaasr - -

territoriesmaybeacauseforconcernwhere singletonsresid. aloneon -

territoriesformultIpleyearsastheydoat somesiteeIn northernNewMexicoIn thesouthernmountainranges,.whersowlsaremossalmndant,addltI~lsurveysfrequentlyfind, thatpairsarepresent,or theunmatedbizds.are-subadulta.Thepresenceof-subaduitson

territoriesprobablyIndicatesanexpandingpopulation.Whenpopulation data areavailable,thestability ofthe populationswill beanalyzed.

Issue 7: Data on prey baseor preyhabitat relationshipsarenot available.Spottedowl occurrenceis limited byprey availability, not forest -

environment.Response:The Servicebelievesthat.

aswith other species,owl populationsare limited by prey availability,environment, stochasticevents,andother factors.There have beenseveralprey analysescompletedat this timeincluding studieson the CoconinoNational Forest(Ganey1992),severalnational forests in NewMexico andArizona (Duncan 1992),CapItolReefNational Park (Wagner et. a!. 1982),Zion NationalPark(Kertell 1977.Rinkavich 1991a)and Bureau of LandManagementlandssurroundingZionNational Park(Rinkevich 1991b).Thesestudiesall have shownthatMexicanspottedowlsfeedon mammals,birds,reptilesand Insects.Mammals,woodrats(Neotoinaspp.) in particular,accountfor mostof the biomassconsumed.Another study in progresson~the LincolnNationalForest (PatWard, -

Forest Service,pore.comm.,1992)ha.identifiedPeromyscusmanicuiatusandMicrotus spp.asImportantprey onthatforest.

The spottedowl isdescribedasa“perchenddive”predator.Huntingbehaviorconsistsof movingfromtreetotree,spendinga fewsecondstoseveralhourswatchingandlisteningfor prey(GaneyendBalls 1988).Owlshavebeenobservedtolaunchattacksfromporcheslessthan5 metersIn heigbt~--Becausespottedowlsdiverelativelyshortdistancesto their prey.a multi-storiedforestwith manypotentialperchesisessentialto successfuLforeglng~SpottedowlsInfrequently-

foragein shrub-saplinghabitat.,probablydue todifficulty In hunting:-

effectivelyindensegroundcovenCaliforniaspottedowlsalsoavoidmeadowsor largeopenexpansasidespitepotentiallylargenumber.bf -

preyavailable(Barrow;1960).Theoccurrenceof spottedowlsIn canyon-

habitatwith aminim*l forestcomponentsuggeststhatthe -

topographicalandphysicalstructureofcanyonsmaysubstitutefor themulti.-storied tructuralchaz~teriatica~of:forestedhabitat(Gutisrrezand -

Rinkevich1991.W4118y1992)~ -

Issue8: TheServicedidnotcomidatherangeandpopulationslz*of the,MexicanspottedowlinMexic~ -.- -

Response:Theproposedruledid-consIderth.rangein Mexico,but as

pointedout,thereis very littleInformationabouttheovh In Mexico.SightingsIn Mexicohavebeenrazedespitethefactthatmanyof theobserverswereexplicitly looking forunusualbirds,includingowls, tocollect.Therarity of thesightingssuggestthatthebirdsareuncommonInMexico. TheServiceisalsoconcerned-

aboutthepotentialfor thedevelopmentof large-scaletimberoperationsinMexicanspottedowl habitatIn Mexico.Forexample,a projectproposedby theWorldBankwould extractfour billionboardfeetfrom theBarrancadel Cobraareaof theSierraMadreOccidentalInsouthernChihuahua.In 1992,theServicebegana cooperativeMexicanspottedowl researchprojectwithMexicanbiologistsIn thisarea.

Issue 9: Nodataareavailableonowlpopulationson Indian reservations.

Response:Limited data areavailableon owlsonNativeAmericanlands.Until recently,surveysforowlswereinfrequentontheselands.However,Inmanycases,thatsituationhaschangedandsurveysarebeingconducted.Currently,anestImated13 percentofowl habitat,and5 percentof knownowlsoccuron NativeAmericanlands.ThesefigureswereIncludedin theServiceestimateof thetotalMexicanspottedowl populationthroughoutthesouthwest.

Issue10: Lossof riparianhabitat hasnotimpactedowleathigherelevations.

Response:Ripari~woodlandsIn theSouthwestpriorto thetwentiethcenturymayhavesatisfiedmanyof thestructuralandthermalrequirementsofowl nestandroostsites.Dens.cottonwoodcanopiesandwillow!mesquiteundentodesmayprovidethenecessarymulti-dadsd-*uctureandcoolmicroclimate.W~dl~sltyandabundanc.of preyItemsIn thesehabitatsmayhavemadethemsuitable-

breedingallanLossof ii anhabitathasbee.moat.vs~n~wMlowandmiddle elevations.In th lastcentury.Arizona haslost 90 pu.-~atof-Its lowelevationriparianhabitat(BulmerandThornburg1988).andNewMexicohaslost 33 percentofIts wetlands,Includinglow elevailos.riparisnhabitat(Dali 199~SIMs if Arizona1990).Theimportanceof low andnild-elevatlonripariaawnndl~niiato th.owl isunknown.Lesshl~.i1ivaUort,montaneriparianhabitath~beanlost thanlowerelevationhahMth~withcorrespondinglylowerimp~*stoowls..

Winterusaoflow elevationriparianhabItathe.bàndQcummnMd(Bendire1892,PhIllipssf-al.1964).Itsimportanceassseasonalportionof thehomerangeIs nn~iait.Riparienhabitatalsomayprovidei,~gpIRc~ntdispersal

FederalRegister-/ Vol. 58, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 16, 1993 / Rules and Regulations 14255

corridorsbetweenthe semi-Isolatedmontanahabitat regions.Currentstudiesof dispersalandwinterelevations!movementswill Identify the extent andimportance of riparlan habitat for theowl.

Issue 11: Landscapefragmentation inthe southwesternUnitedStatesisnatural andshould not adverselyaffecta speciesthat hasevolvedin thatenvironment.

Response:Landscapesin thesouthwesternUnited Statesarenaturally heterogenous.The naturalheterogeneityoften leadsto isolation ofsmall populations that are Individuallyat greaterrisk of extinctionthan largerpopulations with similar rates ofimmigration andemigration.Fragmentationof contiguousblocksofhabitat further reduceseffectivepopulation sizeswith attendantincreasesin extinction risk.BecausefragmentationresultsIn smaller localpopulations,evenspeciesthat are -

adapted to fragmented landscapesmaybe jeopardizedby additional man-causedfragmentation.Careyat a).(1992)demonstratedthatnorthernspottedowlsrequired andtraversedsignificantly more terrainIn heavilyfragmented aresthan In lightlyfragmented areas.The consequent-expansionof territories In heavilyfragmented habitat appearedtoadverselyimpact socialstructure,asevidencedby theproportion of adult-subadultpairs,degreeof adultnomadism,andoverlap amonghomerangesof pairs. Gutierrez andPritchard(1992),in a study on the Insular ecologyof the California spottedowl,asubspeciesoccurring In smallpopulationson isolatedmountainranges.alsofound that owlsin isolatedpopulations experiencedlower survivalrates and had a greaterproportionofsubadults.Thereare no studiesontheeffectsof habitat fragmentationontheMexicanspottedowl.

Issue 12: Disjunctsub-populationson“sky islands” (montaneenvironments)-

demonstratethat geneticisolation Isapparently nota limiting factor to theMexicanspottedowl, and suggestsat.leastminimal dispersionbetween-

mountain ranges.-Response:GeneticIsolationmaynot

bea limiting factor, butIts Importanceis not knownat this tIne.Currently, onestudy Is investigatingtheextentofdispersalandthe phylogeneticandpopulation affinities of spottedowls.Additional researchIs neededIn otherportions of the sub-spadesrange.

Issue13: TheService statesthat the-populations of greethornedowlsandred-tailed hawksIn NewMexico and -

Arizona have Increasedby morethan 2

percent annuallyfor the last 22 years.The actual data reported In breedingbirds surveysshowthat greathornedowlshave Increased2.6 percentannually in Arizona anddecreased4.1percentannually in NewMexico. In thelast ten yearsred-tailedhawks hadaninsignificant annual increaseof 0.2percent in Arizona.Furthermore,thereis no evidencethat thesepopulationchangesarerelated to forestfragmentation as suggestedIn theproposedrule.

Response:The trend data reported inthe proposedrulewere from a summaryof BreedingBird Survey (BBS)routesinRegion 2 (New Mexico. Arizona, Texas,Oklahoma) of the Service,notNew -

MexicoandArizona. The figures for the1966—1992BBS summaryareasfollows:in NewMexico, great homedowls(Bubovirginianus)had a statisticallynon-significantdeclineof 2.2percentper year, andred-tailed hawks (ButeoJomoicensis) a significant increaseof 5.6percent peryear; in Arizona, greathornedowls had a non-significantincreaseof 1.1 percent peryear. andred-tailedhawks had a significantincreaseof 4.3 percent.Duringthe ten-yearperiodof 1982-1991• red-tailedhawks in Arizona showeda non-significant 0.6percent annualdecrease.andin NewMexico, a non-significant3.3 percentannualIncrease.During thesameperiod,greathornedowls inArizona showeda non-significantdecreaseof 2.6percentper year.andinNewMexico,a significant annualdecreaseof 11.3percent. Lookingonlyat themountainousphysiographicunitthat includes the upper portion oftheMogollon Rim in Arizona, the MogollonMountainsand SacramentoMountainsin New- Mexico, for the 1982-1991period, greathomed owlsshowedasignificant 4.2 percentannualde~line~andred-tailedhawks increasedsignificantly at a rateof8.6percentannually.A non~significantrate ofchangeIs the sameasno changeat alL

- In fact, breedingbird surveysarenota-good way to estimatepopulationsoflarge hawksandowls,becausetheyinfrequently nestnearroads,andIn thecaseof owls,arenocturnal.

Issue24:The consequencesof humanimpactson the environmentareimpossibleto predict andweshouldnotbetooeagerto Interferewith theevolutionaryprocess. -

Response:There are frequentlyunanticipatedeffectson theenvironmentfrom humanactivities,butunfortunately theyare notoftenbeneficialto raze species.in mostcasetheseeffectsresultin declining -

populations andevenextinctions.In thecaseof the MexicanSpottedowl,

reductionof habitat Ismost likely to beharmfulto the speciesbecauseof directreductions In population sizewithattendant IncreaseIn the probability ofextinction, In promulgating theEndangeredSpeciesAct. Congresssought to prevent extinction asaconsequenceof economicgrowth anddevelopmentuntemperedby adequateconcernandconservation.Suchhumanactivitiesare additive to andbeyondnormal ecologicalprocessesthat mayresult in extinction.

Issue15: Increasedspottedowlroadkills anduseof marginal habitatindicatedabundance.

Response:ThereIs no information ontrends of spottedowl roadkillsasnosystematicsamplingmethodhasbeendevisedfor translatingthe roadkillreportsInto relativeabundance.Thehabitat in question may not provide fornestingandroosting,but may beimportant for foraging andwintering.Researchisunderway to addresstheusesof habitatsconsideredatypical forthe owl.

Issue16: The ServiceneglectedtheMexicanspottedowl studyby DamesandMoore(1990).

Response:The Serviceevaluatedthestudyandfound that It did not containany Information contraryto that in otherowl habitat research.The studywasInconclusiveregardinghabitat selectionbetweencoreandoutside-coreareas.Thesecondconclusionreachedin thestudy, concerningdifferencesbetweenhabitats utilized, supportedtheacceptedview that there is considerablevariation In habitat attributes withinowls’ homeranges.The experimentaldesignsampledonly habitat consideredsuitable andwas Inadequateto showdifferencesbetweensuitableandunsuitableowl habitat.

Issue27: The Servicehasnotconsideredthe habitat reservedin areassuchaswildernessand old growthallocations.

Response:TheServiceevaluated therelative threats to the portionof thepopulationsubjectto pastandfuturehabitat loss,and concludedthathabitatloss-affecteda significant pert (59percent of the totalowl population.

Issue18: The listing proposalwasbasedon Ganeysflawed data.

Response.’Ganeyhasconductedsomeof the mostextensiveresearchon theMexicanspottedowl,andisconsideredan authorityonthe species.Hispublishedstudies,which the Servicehascited, are available forpublic andpeer review. The Servicehasnot foundGaney’s experimentaldesignorconclusion,to be flawed,

Issue19:The Serviceshould submitIts findings to peer review.

14256 - FedereiRegiMes’,’ Vol. 56, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 16, 1993 / Rulesand Regulations

Response-Thedata and Informationthat wereusedto evaluatethe petition,compile the statusreview,anddetermine the threatsdetailedin theproposedrule, areall referencedin thestatus review andproposedrule. Theproposedrule, whichwaspublishedInthe FederalRegisteron November4,1991, is similar to a draftdocument.Theextensivecommentperiodsprovidedopportunities for peerreview by boththe scientificcommunity and theinterestedpublic. The commentsaddressedheresummarizethat review.Whereinformation waspresentedinerror in the proposedrule, or wherenewinformation wasprovided,the commentinformation hasbeenIncorporatedintothis final rule.

Issue20: ServIcebiologistswho wrotethe statusreviewandproposedrule arenot trained in silvicultureor forestry,andthereforehave nobusinessanalyzing silviculturalpractices.

Response:The Servicebiologistswhowrote the statusreviewandproposedrule are primarily trained in ecologyandwildlife biology; however,somedohavetraining in silviculture.Thepurposeofthe review was to evaluatethe effectsofhabitat changeon the Mexicanspottedowl,not to evaluatetheassumptionsofthesilvicult-uretreatmentsandwhetherthe treatmentswould resultIn theforesters’~desiredfutureconditions.TheServiceassumedthat thoseconditionswould be met. A threat to the owl wasidentified basedon the IncompatibIlityof the desiredconditionswith -

maintenanceof owl habitat.Issue22:The Mexican spottedowl is

a subspecies,not aspecies,so-Itcannotbe listed.

ResponseSection3(15Jof theActdefinesspeciestoinclude ‘anysubspeciesof fish or wtldlifo a, plants”.and thecriterionof. tlstshlapopulati.nas“any distinct population e’ge~1aofany speciesof vertebratefish or wikilik-which interbreedswhenmature”.TheMexicansubspeciesof thespottedowldoesnotoverlapther.nge.oteitbereitheothert*o ~BarrowcloughandCtz~5nes(1990)conductedageneticseofysMofth. this.subspeciesandfoundanverlatleebetweenthe coastalsubvpec1e~However,their data doIndicat, that theMexicanspottedowl Is distinctandhasbeengeneticallyIsolatedfromtheothertwo subspeciesforatongperiodof time.That studyprovidedInformationsupportingthedeterminationthat theMexicanspottedowl meetsthe’taxonomiccriteria for listing under theAct. -

Issue22.Currentprotection~uidehnesunderForestServiceInterimDirectiveNo.?are exceulve/edequatef

inadequate.Unoccupiedhabitatisimportant.

Response:The Serviceis concernedthatmanagementof national forests toprotect individual owlsor pairsof owls,by designatingindividual managementterritories, doesnot provide adequateprotection for the species.The Serviceisconcernedthat forestfragmentationbetweenmanagementterritoriesmayincreaserates of predation, reducetheamount of habitat available forrecruitment of owls into newterritories,andreducethe ability of dispersingowlsto moveacrossthe forests.Becausethe sizeof the managementterritoriesisbasedon the meanof a small sampleofhome ranges,adequatehabitat may notbe provided by currentmanagementguidelines.At thistime, it isnotknownto what extent owlsmovefrom theirmanagementtemtoriesduringwinter. Ifhabitatsurroundingmanagementterritoriesis not maintained,andowlsrequireIt, evenseasonally,the birdsmay notsurvive.In telemetrystudiesinArizona andUtah,2 of 5, and I of 5Mexicanspottedowls, respectively,movedoff their territoriesduring winterandreturnedprior to breedingin thespring(Ganeyand Balda 1989b~Wiley1992).Managementfor the northernspottedowl is developederoundlargeblocksof habitat, referred to In thenorthernspottedowl draftrecoveryplanasDesignatedConservationAreas.Themanagementplanfor the Californiaspottedowl calls for managementofhighqualityand low quality habitat ona forest-widebasis(Verner atal. 1992).The Servicebelievesthateitherof thesestrategiesarepreferableto thesingleterritorymanagementunderthecurrentRegion3 (ArizonaandNewMexlco~ForestServiceInterim DirectiveNo. 2.

Issue23:The sizesof managementterritoriesandcoreareasestablishedbytheForestServiceare.acessive/inadequ.te~

RespoaserThe Fbred Service derivedits estimateof managementterritoriesand coresbasedon GaneyandBalda’s(1988)study,whichatthethus,wastheonly study that provided Informationonhomerang.siz.for theMexicanspottedowl, The studysampledmixed coniferforesthabitatuseby radio-monitoredowl pairs. Additional samplinginmixedconiferforesthasbeendonebyKroeland Zwank(1991)wIth similasresults.The ForestServiceuseof theaverageratherthanmaximumsize,a,the meansizeplustwo standarddeviationsfor theestablishment.1-managementterritorysize, resultedInmanagementterritoriesthatmeetsizeandhabitat requirementsforonly sheet50 percentof owl pairsCoreareasize-wasdeterminedby delineatingan

activity aresin whIch80percent ofradio signalsoccurred,andcenteringthe areaaroundtheknownroost,nestordetectionlocations.The useof averagesprobably underestimatesthesizeofactivity areasfor a significant portion ofthe population.

Issue24:Owl habitat on BLM andState land is inadequatelyprotected.

Response:The timberprograms onBLM and State landsin the southwestaresmall andarenotconsidereda threatto lie owl. Mostowl habitaton BLMlandsIs mixed-coniferandhardwoodriparianstringersIn canyons,soit isunlikely to be usedforcommercialtimber production. ProposedactionsonBLM lands follow a dearanceandimpact analysisconductedInaccordancewith theEndangeredSpeciesAct andthe NationalEnvironmental Policy’ Act (BLM, in Iitt.,1992).Any activity that mayaffectalistedspeciestriggers consultationwiththe Service.Additionalpoliciesfor eachstateBLM office furtherlimit activities.However,the policiesaretoogeneraltoensureadequatespottedowl protectionon BLM lands.

TheStateof Arizonalists the Mexicanspottedowl asthreatened(AGFD1988).The Stateof NewMexico isconsideringaddingthe owl to its endangeredspecie.list. However,protectionby bothstatesis limitedtothecapture,handling.transportation.andtak. of theowl asregulatedby gamelawsandspeciallicensesfor live wildlife, andonlyaffectsrecreation,hunting.andscientificInvestigation.Th. owl hasnoendangeredspeciesstatusorspecialprotectionin Colorado,Texas,or Utah.

Issue25: TheEndangeredSpeciesActrequiresmanagementof singlespecies.What happenswhenthere isaconflictwith othersensitiv,or listedspades?For example,northeni goehswkandMexicanspottedowl managementneedsconflict.

Response:The EndangeredSpeciesAct doesnotstipulat.singlespadesmanagement.TheAct statessection2(b): “The purposesof thisactaretoprovidesmeanswherebytheecosystem.upon whichendangeredspeciesaixi threatenedspeciesmaybeconserved* * *‘However, becausethenortherngoshawl(Athpitugerttilis) Isnot a listedspeciesandtheowl will belistedasthreatened.if. r~flir~ arises,theowl~sneedswill takeprecedence.TheServicebelier..thatIf th.nationalforestsaremenagsdasnaturalecosystems,avarietyofhabitatswill bemaintainedthatwili provideforbothoftheseaswell asotherspecies.

Issue28:TheM~y~iuspottedowlshouldhellatedss.r~bingeaed.Emergencylisting I. oaededh

Federal Register /Vol. 58, No. 49 / Tuesday, March16, 1993 / Rules and Regulations 14257

Response:The Act definesanendangeredspeciesasone that is indangerof extinction.A threatenedspeciesis one that Is likely to becomeendangeredin the foreseeablefuture. Atthis time thereis no indication that theowl is presently in danger of extinction.However,becauseof conversion ofhabitat identified In the proposedrule,it is likely to becomeendangeredin theforeseeablefutureunlesshabitatmanagementchangesareimplemented.Thus, the speciesfits the categoryofthreatened,but not endangered.Emergencylisting Is not justified unlessthethreatsto the speciescreateanemergencyposinga significantrisk tothe well-beingof the species,suchaslarge population lossesor extinction.

Issue27:The Serviceillegally delayedtheMexicanspottedowl listing process.

Response:The Serviceregretsthedelayin completingthe listing processfor this species.

Issue28:Critical habitat is mandatedby theEndangeredSpeciesAct, anditshouldbe added in the final rulelistingtheowl.

Response:At the timeof publicationof theproposedrule the Servicebelievedthat the designationof criticalhabitat wasnotprudent becauseitappearedthat consultationunder thejeopardy standardin section7of the Actwould provide the samelevel ofprotection for the speciesaswould bederived from the designationof criticalhabitat. Becauseconsultation wouldapply forest-wide, andwould notbelimited to areaswithin critical habitatboundaries,the Serviceconcludedthatdesignatingcritical habitat would notprovide anyadditional benefit to thespecies.Subsequently.however,theService’sexperienceIn Informalconferenceswith the ForestServiceunder section7(a)(4)hasdemonstratedthis conclusionwasmistakenand thatsection7 consultation underthejeopardy standardIsnotadequateasthesolemeansto protecttheowl and It.habitat. Therefore, this final rulecallsfor designationof critical habitat.However,critical habitat Isnot -

determinableat this time.Issue29: Conferenceson forest

activities shouldbeInitiatedimmediately.

Response:Under section7(aX4)of theAct, the action agency,in this case-theForestService, is responsiblefordetermining whether a proposedactionis likely to jeopardizea specie.proposedfor listing and, If so, forinitiating an Informalconferencewiththe Serviceon the proposedaction. TheForestServicehasdecidedthatnoproposedactionsIn NationalForestsInNewMexico andArizona meetthis

standardandsohasnot requestedconferences.However,now thattheowlis listed, the ForestServiceis required.undersection7(a)(2) to requestformalconsultation on anyactionthat mayaffectthe owl. The Serviceexpectssuchconsultationsto be initiatedin theimmediate future.

Issue30: Economicconsiderationsshould be given more weight whencommunitiesmay be affected.TheServicedid not follow legal proceduresin the listing process.It failed to consultwith county governmentsasrequired byExecutiveOrder12291.

Response:The Act identifies 5 factorswhich areconsidered to determinewhethera speciesshouldbe listed asthreatened or endangered.Theseare: thepresentor threateneddestruction,modificationor curtailmentof itshabitat or range;over-utilizationforcommercial, recreationalscientificoreducational purposes:diseaseorpredation: inadequacyofexistingregulatorymechanisms,andothernaturalor man-made factorsaffectingthe speciescontinued existence.TheAct requiresthat only scientificandcommercial data maybeusedto makethat determination, andprohibits theServicefrom consideringeconomicfactors. As a result, ExecutiveOrder12291doesnotapply to rulemaklngstolist speciesundertheAct. However,becauseeconomicsare consideredInthe designationof critical- habitat, theServicewill comply with ExecutiveOrder 12291 in designatingcriticalhabitat for the owL

Issue31:The Serviceneedsto ensurepublic input beforelisting the Mexicanspottedowl,The Servicei~required tonotify countiesandother affectedpartiesto solicit their Inputprior tolisting a speciesunderthe Act. TheServicefailed to meetthis obligation.

Response:TheServicehas fully metor surpassedthe requirementsof theAdministrativeProcedureAct andtheEndangeredSpeciesAct for publicnotification. On December22,1989,theServicereceiveda petitionto list theMexicanspottedowl asthreatenedorendangeredunder the EndangeredSpeciesAct of 1973,asamended.TheServiceevaluatedthe Information In thepetition andother materials In maklnga finding that the petitionmaybewarranted.An announcementof the 90-day finding waspublishedIn theFederalRegisteronMarch 28, 1990(55FR 11413).That satheannouncementalso statedthat the Servicewasinitiating the status reviewof thespecies.The FederalRegisterIs theinstrument that mustbe usedby allFederalagenciesfor suchnotices.Additionally, the Servicesentnoticesof

the petitionfinding andthe statusreview Initiationon April 9. 1990,tonewspapersIn NewMe,dco,Arizona,UtahandColorado.Followingthecompletionof the statusreviewand the12-month finding by the Servicethat thepetitionedaction was warranted, theServiceprovided public noticein theFederalRegisteron April 11, 1991 (56FR 14678).The Servicepublishedtheproposal to list the owl asthreatened intheFederalRegisteron November4,1991 (56FR 56344)with a 120-daypublic comment period openuntilMarch 3, 1992.Thenoticeof sixproposedpublic hearingswaspublishedin the Federal RegisteronJanuary 2,1992 (57FR 35). Legalnoticesof theproposedpublic hearings wereagainsentto newspapersthroughout thesouthwestand to all agenciesandindividuals who had previouslyexpressedInterestIn the owl at the timeof the proposal to list. In addition to thenotices,regionalnews releasesdatedOctober 21,1991,andJanuary7, 1992,were released.The Serviceheld sixpublic hearingsto solicit Informationfrom the public on the proposalto listthe owl. The hearingswere held InSantaFe. AlamogordoandSilver City,NewMexico, on January21—23, 1992; InTucsonandFlagstaff,Arizona,andCedarCity. Utah,onFebruary4-6,1992,respectively.Noticesof theproposedruleandsolicitationforcommentsweresent to affectedcountiesand governmentagenciesin February.The notice fora secondpublic commentperiodopenfrontMayIi to September1,1992,waspublishedin the FederalRegisteronMay Ii, 1992 (57FR 20073).More than 1,500lettersaddressingthelisting of the owl were receIvedduringthe commentperiods. Thecorrespondenceandcommentsreceivedat the public hearingshavebeenevaluatedIn the decisionwhetherto listtheowl.

Issue32:Thosewho areadvocatinglisting the Mexicanspottedowl asathreatened speciesarea vocalminoritywith an agendato removethe humanspeciesfrom public lands.Mexicanspottedowl protectionunderthe Act isan environmentalist trick to destroylocalruraleconomies.

Response:TheServicecannotspeakfor themotivation of thoseIndividualswho petitionedor whoadvocatelistingtheMexicanspottedowl asa threatenedspeciesunder the EndangeredSpeciesAct. Advocatemotivationwasnotconsideredwhenthe Serviceproposedto list the owl, and isnot consideredwhena final determInatIonis made onwhetheror notto list. As statedabov~,the Serviceconsidersonly scientific ~:v1commercial Informationrelating to u~-~

I

1425~ Fei~r~Regi~eI Vol. 51, ?b.. 49 1 Tuesday M&cb 16, 1993 / Rulesand Reguletloser

five factors for lIsting In m*king Itsdetermination.

Issue33:The covertpurposeof listingtheMexicanspottedowl Is to force theForestServiceto alterits silviculturalpractices.Listing is anexcusefor theServiceto takeovermanagementofpublic landsmanagedby other agencies.

Response:The Serviceha,determinedthat listing of the Mexicanspotted owl is warrantedbasedon theavailable scientific andcommercialinformation relatingto the five factorsfor listing. Even-agedmanagementapplied extensivelyonpublic landshasbeenidentified asthe majorthreat to thespecies.Removalof this threat willentail modification of thesesilviculturapractices.However,the landmanagementagencies—ForestSe~vics,Bureauof LandManagement.BureauofIndian Affairs and National ParkService—will continueto bemanagersof land under their respectivejurisdictions.

Issue34: Habitat lossratesarenegligible.

Response:The Forest Serviceestimates40 percentof thehabitatthathasbeenlost waslost sInce1980(Fletcher 1990).This representsa loss ofhabitat at a rateof 0.98percent per yearover the last decade.TheServiceestimateof habitat lossin the nextdecade,basedon forestplanschedules,is 0.4percentper year.This rateofhabitat lossis of greatconcernbecausecontinued shelterwoodmAnagementwill preventits returnto suitability.

Issue35:Harvestratesaredeclining.and thus,arenota threat to the owL

Response:Timberharvestratesremain a controversial issue.TheServiceisconcernedabout the currentlevel and Intensity of timberharvest.Forestplansonfive nationalforest.sin.Arizona and NewMexico arepresentlybeingreviewedby the ForestServicebecauseofconcernthe allowablesalequantity (ASQ) can notbe sustained.while meetingother faredplanstandardsandguidelinee.Thetimhesvolumesoldgraduallyinoreasedfroa~334 million boardfeet(}.eviBFlLu 1971to 447 MMBF in 1988andslowlydecreasedto 282MMBP in 1991 Thereductions in harvestIn 1991and 1993reflected difficultiesmet In adjustingtonew managementpractice...includingconservationof owl habitM~Thefutureshort-term projectedsalevolumeisabout300 MMBF annuallyEL. Henenii...ForestService,In Lift., 19921.MexIcanspottedowl habitatface.destructionandmodificationata rateck)setothatof the pastder~iw4a,Basedoninformationin forestplaen,theFaees~Servicepredictstimberdemandwillincrease30percentoverthenext50

yearsandthatnationalforestswillattemptto meetthedemand.If thisincreaseIs realized,futureharvestentryandcorrespondingow! habitatlosswillbe greaterthanthe estimatesderivedfrom projectedeven-agetreatmentsandharvestvolume.

Issue36: Forest managementpracticeshave improvedthe quality andincreasedth, acreageofMexicanspottedowl habitat.

Response:In someareas,railroadloggingremovedvastquantifiesoftimber at the beginningof thetwentiethcentury.The quality of thos,sitesforMexican spottedowlsprior to treatmentprobablyvaried,but thepre4reatment.situatksa~Isunclearand subjecttodebate(White1985,Covington andMoore1992).Followingtreatment,mostoftheseareasdid notprovidesuitableconditionsfor Mexicanspottedowlg.On someforests,most notablytheLincoln NationalForestIn NewMexico,someof thesesitesdoprovid, suitablehabitat forowlstoday. In theseinstances,thehabitathasimproved.Thesesiteshav,hadlittle or nomanagementotherthanfiresuppreesionsincetheywererailroad Lagged. Thetreesweremostlytoosmallto har~stuntil recently.Althoughtheseforeststandsprimarily consistof young trees..there aresmallgroups of older treesinmoststandsof owl habitatTheseoldertreesprovideanimportantcomponentof owl habitatbecausemodsummerda~~roostandnestfreesarefoundin sucholder groups.TheServiceisconcernedthat timberharvestprogramswhichfocusanforesthealthusuallytarget.older trees&~removal,despitetheirvaluetowildlife suchastheMexican.spottedowL

Issue37:Thenationalforestsareinahealthyconditionbecauseof soui~forestrypractice.. _____

southwestarege~aliyingoodhealthHowever.,manyold-growth~rw~ havebeenremoved,endmanystand.sowdMe f,emthisc~nttuy.With. then#~Msexceptionof theI~in NstianalForest.thenis$orltyof Medcin spMladowlsarecleeslyassorfatedwith mM~to old-growthstandsof pins’oekci’mixedconifer.Thosestandsamtalnthelargest,oldestandmoatvaluabl,trees’for thetiinl~industry.Theyarealso.ofteninfectedwithdwarfmistletoe1which ls.perceivedasathresttofeossthealth.ThiscombinationhasresultedIngreatpreemi.to removetheoLd~remainingMendsIn thenameof forest.health.However,thee.standsseeextremelyvaluabl,totheMexicanspottedowl andot~wildlife sp~rIa.~andareIn short.upply.TheServicebelievesthat,until therearemoss

mature standsthatprovidehighqualityhabitat, the resnsiinngmature and old-growth standsshouldberetainedIntheir presentcondition.Developmentofmanagementtechniquesto removeseriousinfection foci, to thin, and topreventthe threatof habitat d.stroyingwildflres whileretaining habitatsuitability ispossible.

Issue38:Forest resourcemismanagementhasImpactedecosystemhealth.

Response.~Ecosystemhealthmeansdifferentthingsto differentpeople.Managementduring thepreviouscenturyhashadavarietyof effectsonforestecosystems.Standsof old-growthhave beenremovedandreplacedwithyoungtresswhichaxesometimesofdifferentspecies.Samewildlife speciesnowhay,lesshabitatavailablethanbefore,andtheir populationshavedeclined,while otherspeciesaxemoreabundantFire suppressionduringthepast80 yearshasresultedIn manystandsexhibitinghightreedensityandcompetitionthatsuppressestreegrowth.Fire suppressionhasalsoresultedinextensivetracts of smalltreesat highdensity that arenowdangerouslysusceptibletostanddestroyingwildflr.s. Someof thes,consequence.arebeneficialto theMexicanspottedowl, endothersare,ormaybe.harmful.Giventhepaucityof Informationon theneedsof theMsxlcanspottedowl, theServiceencouragesresearchwhichWillidentify thatwill benefitthe owl and species.

Issue39.~TIml~~n.gsment andfiresuppressionareneededtomaintainforesthealth..

RespcaserAs statedIn thepreviouscomment,fosesthealth meansdifferentthingsto different pimple ForestServicemanagementhasatta.çtadto limit thespreadof psmelt.anddimes.throughsilviceitsealts~eatswithvaryingdegree.of svem~Aea,’dingto theForest Service., leaccordwithepidemlek~calthe:ey..Mendsthathavehig~wrtree assmodsusceptibiet.’~e.~thee...andstanddestroyingwildfire.. Firesuppressionhasbeenw~Lypracticedby theFe.SstSe.vkAr11~I&~1tginasImportantsu~aof p.shleawin foresthealth,timberproductivity.~ fireda~er.Thepr..odu1nd1~mof forestecoayst will, in cee~requiremanagement~prot*nes~ThsServks~retrage.theForestSertd~alocs~nsoresearchanddevelopmei&,( I ~ techniquesthatwIM ~i~Innstem~ fersetecosystemproce~.TheSi~k...li.believesthatnewIdeaandle~heIn~shouldbeteMedfe~expect.dadverseeffectspriorto wheleseieadmpticn.

Fed~,a1~egis~ F Vol 5*, No. 49. t Thesdey,March 16) !993 / Rulesand RngiMth~sa 1425*

Issue 40rTheServkvIneerr~,ctlyinterpretsthathabitatmade “capable-”(temporarily notsuiteb1e~Is losthabitat.

Resporrse’Th. Servic,consider,habitatmade‘capable’Piy even-agetimberharvestmethodstobehabitatlost indefinitely. Theshelterwoodsystemis the even-ageharvestmethodprimarily usedby the ForestServiceinRegion 3. For example,,a regenerating,middle-agedstandof“capable” habitatmight hewithin 5(1 yearsofrecoveringto a conditionsuitableasowl habitatUnder the shelterwoodsystem,thestandwill receiveintermediatecutsbefore then,which wifl preventitsreturnto suitablecondition..Ultimately..thestandwill receiveanotherregenerationcut whereall butafewofthe overstorytrees~ removed.Thus~after the critical attributesofowl habitathave beenlost. shalterwoodacresareheld in even-ageconditionsperpetira!!yunlesssilviculturalmanagementisalteredor deferred.Suitabilityasowlhabitat isneverrecoveredor,atbest.isrecovered only briefly before the forestis re-enteredandreturnedto “capable”status.

!ssue41 ?vkjre than onehalfofshe!terwoomhermanag~iuvzitis in’pc~nderosapinefbrostthat isnotsuitableforMe,dcanspottedowls.Shelterweodmanagem~mtis In declinein Region Y anddoesnotthreatenowlhabitat.

Rlrsponsa~The conversionofcomplexstructuredforeststandsPeeves-agedstandswas identified by the Service(lggla.. i991b~asthe~eatesttIn’e,tfacingthe’ Mexican’spottedowl. Neffofall shelterwoodmanagementisoccurringinunsuitableforestfpPfmarrlypureponderosspfne}habitat.and theotherhalf in abefo~esphebit~t.TheServicehasdeterminedhabitat losstrendsfrom~nir~nt forest planewhichprovidethe-only~ailahleckeentimberharvesttrendstnPethefetme~AnestimatedO’.4 peraeeteI MesiespottedowlPsabitatwiltbe.de.unsuiMh~sethyearin the.flitess.rileceneeP1 berhr,s* wilt. Instandsthatemseririesthemtexfe~PeNer~speltedowl perdstene~1~P~tSSPsfonconsidersthat jme.pe.~es.p.habitatIs seJ bâ~wInsIt banmulti-storiedal1..J~Th~eesw~smanagementin this foresttppsm.y’possethreat to the owl. TheapshiIityofmostpenderesapinestandstwerestowl habitatseedsI.L...J4b~yoesm~standageendpoeyetherflmI4at4ee~suchasfewpreydensitiesand

However,porepo~d~oerpines~dsm.,, ~. ‘~‘-~-e’~whminecemofen

potasP~habitatfos thefotureiSIPeInYWOOdmanaee~~twilt preventpureperderoanpinefromatt~Ingitspotentialasowl habitat.

Issue42: TheMexican spottedowlcanbe found in selectivelyharvestedareas.Uneven-agedthnberharvestmanagementisneededto protect owlhabitat.

Response’Theoverall effectsofselectiveharvestmethodson theowl arecurrentlyunknown.Selectiveharvestmethodsprobablyhavelesserhnpectson habitat thando large-scaleeven-agedtechniques.TheServiceunderstandsthat Indian reservations(with theexceptionof theNavajo Reservation)primarily imseindividualtreeselectionharvestmethods.Owls do occur’ onthee.NativeAmericanlands,butsystematicsurveyshaveonly recentlybeeninitiated.. Historically,theLincolnNationalForesthasbeen harvestedIn amanner that retainedsomeof thestructuralcomponentsof owl habitatandallowedfor a relatively rapid return.to a suitable condition.Selectiveharvesttechniquesandtheir attendanteffectson owL habitat should beexaminedasalternativesto current harvesttechniques.However,thei~selectiveharvestmust heexperimentallylinpiemnentedandcloselymonitored, to determineappropriata Intensitiesof harvestpriorto wholesaleapplIcstk~.

Issue43:TheS.cvbcaovexesi’~’~tad.the ameantofsteepslop.lam~ioglathesouthwest.SteepslopeloggingIslnai~fi~’sntat this time, andbecauseofeconomic~c~msII.~aatiLI~will neverbe

Response:TheServiceuiihzed.forestpleestoidentify th.extantand.bkslyimpact ci steep-alec.legg~n~isow~habitat. At thebeginniagoItbiscsnitismymodof thajodls kçegyaphywasintensively leggedForestsre~d 1t±wornlargelyemslopes~i~à p.u1ih~ymr,.&asrofugInwhite the~n~lafemsta ragmanToday,me~hci tb.hodcielhmh~.L

grui.u~thSmet,o~nsoa~~paispes.Addithnmlty..wlys ofand s~es1sNewk4vk~.i.~5jAri~as~di~steepslopesasspre’~5~)y~nteáby owls insTiedandrood~____

steepslopeswessmiMally l~d. thelargestand~tdiulrLle teasoemmIntheseareas.Forod pleaniSciuiArizonaand.N,wk&aair~nf~—~-.rak~

cableor skyMila~ggingofstesp-b.~,..TheServiceco~dsrs-,

lo~isgtocenstislea.~ns ~ Inthe owL.

4& Feastsshouldber~a~on a langevharved~MInscycha.

Response:Th. ServiceagmanAt thistim.. mostof thetimberproducedInNor, Mexico and Arizona comesfromforeststhataremanagedunderaneven—agedsystemandharvestedwith.rotation cycleof 120yearsor’ lass.Thincycle maymaximezetimberproductionbutwill notprovideenzosghth~forstandsto reachthematoseto old-growthconditionscharacteristicof forestedspottedowl habitat.Regica3 of theForestServicehasrecognizedthat.120-yeascycle istooshort in its.managementguidelineskv thenor~mgoshawk~RaynoIdsatci. 180)). aid, indiscussionswiththeSeivice,hasstatedits iutanthm to adopt longer r~icn.cyclesa~sathe Region.

Issue45:The Serv~statesthatdiminishingyiukis ci po~roaspin.arecausingtheForestServicetoincreenaharvest~s in. mixedconiferin orcheto JnaifltaiTl timberoutp~tatpresentteeth.Nodata or refsi’en~arecitedto support thisaUegation.

Respozms.:TheForestServicehasestimatwi t~ ~oziniately 50 percentofeureat timberyieldscor~ldbeobtained from ~auut in usszzisahleowlhab4t~Therefos~any~nnalvaluersmostcranefrom other foresttypea~nrhu~b.~mixedceiha~whichcorn poseowl habitM..Th. proportionsvaryamongforests.

fares~The Sa~ impliesthattiwb,t yieldsinpoirderoenpaw arediminbàing,Them arenadatatosupport thIsa~.gMhm..Tn Arizonathereis coasideseld.~t In harvestsmaller(inn~, ponda’eerpins.Thishasmadelargev~’~ ci poruheosspineavailabte and reenitadin llnprovements.in foresthealth d rodecedfir, risk.

Resperzser’FheS.suiccrecogniaesthata tremendous ‘ of srelldiameter pin.existsinAriznma d b~14~=.~ForestServicedkvimdlurshstshaveInformedServicebiologiststhat they consideriaaesax~dassitlesolsmallponderrnapinea serioanthsesttoforesthealthas~esIsea ~, hse~.TheyreportthattheyhassLed Icalty finding amarket feethe..resellpeoduds~aridbecaus.meatmifle emacttooled tohand!.small loge,harvestis.concn*aIedonhegss~ss.. ForestSer~*edat.fHsns.st,ieaft., 1992)show’dei~.eajav~hi1llyof largetreesTheeekre~yieldsof pondecoas— emeepsrsedtwd,~

us.f.msdsoiealSdiameter

Issu.V~Th.tk.~ iii~*ry raorietoretool iii miltet. ~ ria~seai.4gec~h~ss.. largetreesin theSo—Ui—~lnear*eeaew.~resource.

______toForest Servicedata,,lb. growing sInt~leisel(GSL) on

t ~ . - - - -

structure,andthe,representimpestent

14260 FederalRegisterI Vol. 58, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 16, 1993 / Rulesand Regulations

nationalforestsinNewMexicoandArizona currentlyexceeds700 MMBFper year,end the planned1992harvestwill be lessthan 300 MMBF. Partof thereason for the differenceis thatmuch ofthe growth occursIn young densestandsthat cannotbe efficientlyharvestedor marketedat this time.Thedecreaseof late successionalforestshasreduced the availability of large trees,andtheGSL is almostentirelyconcentratedin the youngtree sizeclasses.If the timber industrycoulddevelopa market for small trees,atremendousresourcewould beavailable.As more mills are retooledtohandlesmall treesthe needto removelargetreesfrom Mexicanspottedowlhabitat will diminish.The Serviceencouragesthischangein harvestemphasis.

Issue48: The declineof the timberindustryis related/unrelatedto Mexicanspottedowl habitat protection.

Response:TheForest Serviceestimated(Fletcher 1990) 59 percent(1,977,226acres)of owl habitat isavailable for timber harvest.Protectionof occupiedowl territorieshasprecludedthe harvestof someof thissuitabletimber acreage,particularlyinforestswith a high densityof territoriessuchasthe Lincoln National Forest.However,assuggestedbycommunication from the AGFD (in lift.,1990)andForestServicememos(ForestService,in litt., 1989,in lift., 1989,iralift., 1989,in lift., 1990,in lift., 1990),ASQ levelsare notsustainable.TheRegion 3 ForestServiceASQ isbasedonsuitabletimber acreage,ratherthanviable timberacreage.Acceleratedharvest,acceleratedstandreentrles~inappropriate harvestmethods,andaharvestrotationcycleof 120 yearsor-lesspromoted forestecosystemhealthproblemswhich resultedIn jeopardytospeciesdependenton late successional--foresthabitat. -

The timberextractionIndustryIn theSouthwesthasdeclinedandexperiencedreductionsIn jobsoverthelong term.The declineIti~nre1atedtothe Mexican-spottedowlor other -

threatened,endangeredandsensitivespeciesissues.Emp1oyme~tIn-the. -

timber industryIn NewMexlco.andArizonahasdeclinedsincethemid-1950sIn real numbersas-wellasInpercentageof the laborforce. In 1956,timber harvestandsawmillsemployedabout 3,672people.Between-1956and1978employmentroseand fell between2,500and4,000people.In the late1970s,employmentin the timberindustry peakedat 4,281.ThenumbersthendroppedIn the early 1980*asthelumber market fell. Thelevel of -

employmentreacheda low of 2,009

employeesin 1985 (severalyearspriorto the adoptionby the ForestServiceofInterim DirectiveNo. I In 1989and No.2 in 1990).By 1998,the market hadrecovered,andtheNewMexico timberindustrybeganto produce lumberat thesamevolumes it had in the late 1970s,but employmentneverrecovered.By1988,the employmentfigure stoodat2,400people. Restructuringandautomation in the Industryhadpermanentlyeliminated more than1,000jobs (L. Krahl,ForestTrust,SantaFe, NewMexico, in lift., 1991).

Issue49:Listing the owl andprotectingits habitat will limitrecreationalaccess.

Response:The owl is beinglistedprimarily due to the threat of lossofsuitablehabitat asa resultof even-agelimberharvestsystems.Recreationaluseofnational forestsandother publiclandswould notbe limited to anygreatextentasa resultof the listing action.Aswith protection of other sensitivespecies,a small numberof conflictsbetweenneedsof the owl and humanrecreation maybe expected.Theseconflictswould be site-specificandwould not affectanycomprehensiverecreationalprograms.• Issue50:The national forestsshouldbe managedfor multiple-use.Theforestshouldbe managedfor all animals,notsimply a singlespecies

Response:TheServiceagrees.Issue51: Forest ServiceInventories

nowindicate 620 Mexican spottedowlterritories.ThisIs an Increaseof 103overthe 517 IndIcatedIn the listingproposal.TheForest Serviceattribute.the increaseto new Inventoriesconductedprimarily In proposedtimbersaleareas.About 25—30percentof theForest Serviceinventory hasbeendonein wildernessorotherareaswithdrawnfrom timberproduction.

Response:ThisnewInformationIsincorporatedInto the final rule. -

Issue52.-The listing proposalstatedthatthe forestplanmanagementemphasisIs timber production.In factmostanalysisareasIn ForestServiceforestplan.havemanagementemphasesotherthanUmberandnoneareenUzely.~timberorientecLWhencarryingoutprojectswithin agiven managementemphasiLdecisionsresultfrom alt.specificenvironmentalanalysisrequiredfor timber sales.In theee~decisions,hightimberemphasisisalmostneverselectedforimplementation on thearound.

Response:Althoughtimber-productionparsemaynotbethemanagementemphasisfor manyof theForest Service’stimber sales,timberharvestisthe result, and treatments thatresult in even-agedstandsdestroy

habitat for owls regardlessof theemphasis.

Issue53:The ForestServiceforestplansnotmakeirreversibleandirretrievablecommitmentsof resources.

Response:The Serviceunderstandsthis.

Issue54: Forest plansprovideguidelines,not hard rules formanagement.

Response:The Forest Servicehasbeendiscussingalternative silviculturepracticesfor useinMexicanspotted owlhabitat, but, at this time, there is nobinding direction to eliminate even-agedmanagement.Forest Servicetimber salesduring 1992onthe Apaché-Sitgreaves,Carson,andLincoln National Forestsand theEnvironmentalAnalysis for theRegion 3 1992timber programcontinueto call for even-agedmanagementinterms of sheltorwood seedcuts andoverstory removal cuts.The forestscontinue to managefor a 120-yearharvest rotation cycle,ascalled for inforestplans.The forest plansfor theLincoln and SantaFeNational Forestscall forharveston steepslopeswithcable loggingtechniques.All of thesepracticeswereidentifiedby the Service(1991a,ia9ib) aslikely to jeopardizethe continuedexistenceof the MexicanspottedowL Until policy changesaremade formally, the Servicebelievesthatguidanceprovided In forestplans willcontinueto be followed.

Issue55:Forestplanshavea limitedlifetime andcannotbeextrapolated50.to 100yearsinto thefuture.

Response:Forestplanssetthe policyformanagementon the national forestsfor thedurationforwhich theyarewritten, usually10to 15 years.TheForestServiceIi notcommittedtofollowing forestplanguidelinesbeyondthe lifetime of the plan.Conversely,theForestServiceisalsonotobligatedtoreverseitspolicy In subsequentplans.Themanhgementof forestswith averagetreelifetimesIn e-’msesof 200yearsdemandslong-termmanagementplannIng.Suchlongterm planning isimplied in the shelterwoodsliviculturemethodrecommendedIn RegIon3 forestplans.Becauseno-otherdirectionformanagement-Is for thefuture,anduntil f po deschange,theServicebelievesthatIt mustassumethatpracticesrecommendedIn. forestplanswill continue.

Issue56:EstimatesaremadeIn theproposalon thechangingof suitable owlhabitat to capableand the length of timeneededto regain suitability. TheseareIn needof mnod~flcationbasedonwhatthe ForestServicehaslearnedaboutthestandconditionswheremanyof theowls live, analysisof standgrowthpatternsandtherecognitionthatmulti-

Ft~deraIXegiaThr f Vol. 5~,No. 49 F Tuesdey’. M&Ch IL 1993 / Wee esd RagulMã~e t~.

storied,standstructuredoe,notal*aywmeanwide diflbrencesin treesg~Pro jectionsof 100 yearsandupwardforregaining suitabilityofmothfiedowlhabitat appearto be a large partoftherat ionale for the listing proposal.

Response:T~vuaspnL.-t3of the recoveryfrom “capable” to suitablehabitat wereconsideredin the proposedrule-, I’fsheiterwoodmanagementiscontinnecLmanagementwill be directed atretainingthe even-agedstructurethrough pro-commercialandcommercial thmnningandother -

intermediate cuts followedby partialoverstoryandfinal removalcuts.Thesemanagementtreatments wilt resultinmaintaining standsin even-aged,simplestructuredcondition as.long,asmanagementcontüuies.Ttmeisrequiredfor even-agedstandsto attaIn-

thecomplexcanopystructure thatismost usedby Mexicanspottedowls. Iftrees areleft after regenerationcuts~complexstructure will occurmorerapidlythanwithcompleteoverstoryremoval.Iaadditfori.if thosetreesleftaretheoldestandla~st.comple~dZywill be restoredat an. acceleratedrate.

Issue57:Theestimatesof timeofrecovery in the Ebrest Servicedatadtedin the listing proposal(Fletcherigoo~were extremelyconservativeandmadewhenviewstendedtowards a needfoe“old growthconditions”. Ugwever,GaneyandBalda(1988Jfound that,whenawlshadvarious foragirighabitatsav~iahla,only 2 of6 owlsusactotdgrowth momthan.In proportiontoavaUnhility. Additionally, estimatesInthe reportby Fletcherweremadeby a.varietyOf &UdiVICIIIRPI oathsearlausnationalforests.without.rav4s~satexpertsIn. forestgrowth.andsil~irnlfu~~ForestServicetimberstanddataevaluatedsincethereço$byFletchershowsthatmuch.r~m~iiid’suitable,owl hahitAt i& relatively yaneg,.multi-~d~nda,ri~t~fl.dexaminatfrmofstanLdatacintheLinco1~Ni~tiguaJForestshowsawlterritoriescoinpdsedafmanysten~-

thatmeet. r~asi*~ .i&fIaI~’iilltyhabitatbit areinn~ii4,,ttatin

1fro~

theextensivel~’g~ngthattookplaceI~the1920s.and193(~.

TheLincolnNailbus?ForestwasalmostcompletelyloggedaesiIn thefirst 40yearsofthis century. &~ onthe historical recouf~mad ofthis fbrestwould have beenconsideredunsuitabltrfor spottedowls(undertoday’estandazthj-hy-1840,Theharvestwasmade-with cutsoqjrfvafenx~ cfeercntzseedtreecute,orsi~lt wood sdCU~Someloggingbee�withruedeversthceThe recordIsalsoclaarthat thew.putb,&owl wasabundanttothe pointofneersaturationof the forestedaresbytheTate

igeo’a- Althoegh~wedenotbeesrecordsof whenMexicanspattedowls.appearedin number(or for thatmatterthattheyeverwarescarcelIt Iscertainthat suitability wasregainedInsubstantialirlessthan60 yearsfollowing timbercutting that was muchmoreextensive~thanmodernmanagementpredictsfor the future.

Response:Ganeyand Balda (l988~identifiednon-randomuseofold.-growthstandsfor twu pairs- of owls. Theremainingowlshad matureandold-growthstand,available,andtheyusedthosestandsin proportionte-theirabundance-on their terr*toriee. in theUrrcohr,GUs-, Coconirm-,Apache-SitgreavesaridTontoNationalForest,owlsare found mostconsistently-wheremature and aid-growth standsof mixedconiferorpine-oekarepreesnt~Basedon theiuv stoTyflgtireetlrataresummarizedIn. AppendIx8 of the’ForestServIce-comments,signiflcanlnumbersoftreeswereleft aftercuttingon theLincoln National Forest.Appeoc~,e~show,approximately 15 percentofthestanddensityindexhrMexicanspottedow?cores-is-madeup of treesgreeterthan 18Inchdiameteratbreasthe~~I.Evenon the’Lincoln NationalForestwithlts’high siteindezthesetrees-date’fronrprforto 1900.TheassertIonIs’madethatsuitablehabitatherrettrrnedto areasthatwereheavilyharvestedas’late as 194&Mostofthaheavylu~Ing.onthe Lincoln occuzmdearlyIn thecentury.Thus,moststandshavehadmorethan.80 yearsto recovetEightyyearsis aperiodcon~isteutwithFletcher (1990)-and the Servh~(‘199Th,1991b1expectationfor thetimereqpirectfor habitatto recoverto suitablecondition,afterbeingmacin ~

l~sue’58~Theproposallrrrpliewthatallthesteepsl~eson. ~ve national forests-arefully stngftalsestate,that thesesloperhavenotbeenloggedin thepast.Neitheraseer~on.Iscorrect.Theamountof steepsiopelog.-glngftnow limited toa-verysmallfractionofthe’ steep err the national fo~~uh~In quisadun.Furth~~-,thebestpopuIitMnof spottectowlibrowntcisids(occtn.won theLtncolnNatlona!?brestwberwmoststeepsloperwereLg~udualuesteampoweredcabley~ls~-sandcraWinrU~tw~Inthefiret4~yean-&this ~utury. Manytimbered,steepslope,elsewhereis~ Southwestwem~loggedIn the earlypadof this-centuryandtoe mathlesserdegreesincethen.The phoio~re~hfurocord~Indicatethatthe methodsof harveston steep51u1!vuwere mostnearlylike shelterwood’seedcuts,seedtreecuts,andclesnsdi..

RbsponserTh. Service-hasnot~t.L~tthat eli-steepslopes-onfivenationalforestsare ftifl’ysubfect to !oggtoç What

theServicedidaeserl(Serviceis9rb~pp56340~we.”FbrwstpfenikoSotthe ItNewMexicoandArLesnanationalforestsnow contaInprovisionsto allawcableor skylin, loggingon slope.grease.thai,40 percent.TheGitsNationalForestPlan (F~~castService1986a)suggeststotal tinther harvest forthat forestcoukibemU~inndat thepresent3~~14BYperyearA~b~rentering steepslopes,with asmucher5(1 percentofth. forest’stotaltimbervolurnu coming from this habitatIn freedecadee.’flepopulaliorvof owls.on theCloudcroftandMeyhill The*rictsof theLincoln Nations?Forest is hig1~Steepslopesin thesedistrictsjesse-harvestedduringtheearlydecadesofthis centesy,but enoughhabitat probablyremainedon steepslopestosustaintheawhile thetreesenth. gentler s -

grewback. Large’, old treeo that datefrom before’1~’remaintodayon mostsputt~dowl territorieson the LincolnNationalForest.Thepresenceof theselaz~oldtreeshed.to theconclusionthat theforestweenetharvestedascompletely’as-Isgenerallybelieved(~theCue;Ceconin.,Tboto andApache.SltgreeseeNótloee}ForeststhegreatestMexican.~pultvdowl concentrationsOCC~in L..mj~A~iand onsteepslopeswhichhav,experiencedhetensweharveststhantheflattersorrowidingterrain(ForestService,inJilt, 1992,.

IsseeSOt-’The propesalstates.thatMexicanspottedewlhabitat fecesdestrnctiocrat.rateequeltoreexceedingthatehecaetdecadesTheassertion-Is- without merit Th. recordclearlyshow,thatMexicanSpottedowlhabitatIsnet facingdestruction,bet I.Improving with eachpassingye

The cwreat~mtoftimberharvestedandpr~g~medfor-harvestisnotIncreesñrgbetratherIs-comsfdmabl~lsse thatofrecentde~ee~The$mbeyreMbeeech~of the3 years-since~99~weeIme than anyoftheprece~g29’yeme7habarsales-as.projecredto-beaboei3Q~P&~S?whichis less enthe-le,elsofmoanthen400.MMBFh, theTat.I~8~

RespeaserTbs.~ Isnetcence,.JwIth~~’ahasr,es$it is.coecernedth~~tbe’seteofcon~enlonefenitabl,habitatt.a’ cendi$s.thatwi~net~ ManS~spottedowIsEvenaged s~snL IdentiFIedin.R~em3- hesetph~has setybeenin

sinesabsottheimd-1970s,soh........kpefarto that tim. .neten As siatsdbeth.M.~äcesispottedeedstete,~is’vr (Service

andthe- ..~f rule(Service1991W,pest managementwith, the LIft. ...aJsystemIsIdanifflid w-he~g’toincreasedratesof habitatconemeleninto~

14282 Federal Eaglet., / VoL 50, No. 49/ Tuesday,March 16, 1993 / Rules md Raguiatlona

foreseeablefuture. Furthermore,thereIsno documentationof futuredirectionthatobligatesor directstheforeststoreversethattiend.FiguresprovidedbytheForestServiceshowanIncreaseInharvest,region-wide,from 334 MMBFin 1971 to 447 MMBF In 1988,followedby adecreaseto 282MMBF In 1991.The reductionsin harvestin 1991 and1992reflectdifficulties met In adjustingto new managementpractices.

Issue60:Habitat conditionsaremuchimproved overthatrecordedIn earlydescriptionsandsurveys.In the mixedconifertype,they Indicatethat It wasvariously thinnedby fire andlorthat firehad sweptenormousareas,killingnearlyall the treesIn theburnedareas.Many of theseburnssupportedgoodcoverof aspenor youngconifers.Pearsonin 1931notedsomeaspenstandsandprairieswIthin the mixedconiferzonewithout youngconifersandquestionedif they reallywould succeedto mixed conifer. Today, little evidenceof suchconditionsremaindueprimarilyto control of fire lossesand ecologicalsuccession.Enormousareasof aspenstandsno longerexistandyoungconiferstai~dshave matured substantially.ForestServiceforestInventoriesindicatethatmostaspenstandsremainingIn the southwesthave anunderstoryof conifers that willeventuallyreplace them. Meadowconditionspersistwithin the mixedconifer type,but thesetooarebeingreplacedby conifersandnoneremainsoextensivein areathat couldbedescribedasprairies.Almostallmeadowsin the mixed coniferzoneshowevidenceof conifer Invasion attheirmargins.

The listing proposal presentsnoevidenceto showthat there hasbeenarecentdeclinein Mexicanspottedowlhabitat. While It Is truethateveryyearsomesuitablehabitat hasbeenchangedto capable,there Isalsoa substantialregrowth of areasInto suitability.Informationfrom forestInventories-indicatesthat anetgainIn suitablehabitat forMexicanspottedowl isoccurring.It iscertainthat thishasoccurredonthe LincolnNationalForestand the ecologicaldvinge,reflectedin -

forestInventories make-Itclearthatsuchchangeshave occurredthroughouttheRegion.ThetableIn Appendix7 of theForestServiceRegIon3 commimtlettersummariesforestinventory Informationshowinghowrapidly changeisoccurring.ComparingInventoriesfrom1962and 1987—1988,It showsthat inArizonaandNewMexico theacreageofmixed conifer(generallyconsideredsuitablehabitat)hasIncreasedby (notincluded] acresor 81 percent.ThISequatesto approxImately40 thousand

acresperyear.Proportionedat theratio -

of commercialforestlandownership,about24,006acreswould beattributableto ForestServicelandsandexceedstheareaof suitablehabitatannuallyimpactedby ForestServiceUmbersaleprograms.Thisis a strong indicationthat suitable habitat for theMexicanSpottedOwl is increasingrather thandecreasing.

Response:Appendix 7, provided bythe Forest Service,showsan IncreaseInmixed coniferhabitat at theexpenseofaspenandponderosapinestands.However, It doesnot demonstrateincreasesin suitablehabitat.Much ofthe Increase In mixed conifer isaresultof invasion of ponderosapine by youngwhitefir. Thesestandswill nothaveattributesof suitableMexicanspottedowl habitat for manyyears.If firesuppressionis relaxed, many of thesestandswill revertbackto pureponderosapine, or aspen,forest typesthat are notgenerally suitableforMexican spottedowls. Theassertionthat the ServicehasnotpresentedanyevidenceofMexicanspottedowl habitatlossIs In error. In the statusreviewandin the proposedrule (Service1991a,199ib) the ServicecitesForest Servicedata whichshowa loseof 10 percentofsuitableMexicanspottedowl habitatbetween1980and1990. -

Issue61:Forest Serylceinventorycomparisonsshowan Increaseof1.920,000acres(210percent) in forestedareaclassifiedaswildernessor otherareaspermanently reservedfrom timbercuttingon thenational forests inArizona andNewMexico. These•forestedareasarenot subjectto logging.In a more specificexample,a recentcomparisonof inventory Infonnatlon ontheApache-SltgieavesNational Forestfor a inld-t970’s inventoryanda 1988.inventory showsthe followingInformation. Timber landsincreasedfrom 812,000acresto 823,000acres(+1percent).Total live stemsperacreincreasedfrom 650 to 854-(31.percent)andcubicfootvolume Increasedfrom800 million cubIc feettQ 1.3 bIllioncubicfeet (04 percent).~In contrast,the-

description of this forest in 1904containedthe following “throughoutthe areain whichyellow pinepredominatedthe amountof litterandunderbrushIsvery small,theforestfloor being veryclean,with-ascanty~-coveringof humus”.

Response:The Servicerecognizedthewithdrawal of timberlandsIn Itsanalysisof impacts tp the owl. Theincreasein stemdensity, mentionedabove,doesnot Identify anIncreaseInsuitable habitat. It indicatesan Increasein the acreagein seedling/saplingsizetreeson the forest, whichresultfrom

removalof mature andold-growthoverstory.Contraryto theImplicationthat thisIncreesed~densityisIndicativeofimproved conditions,It Indicatesthatsuitablehabitatis beingconvertedtounsuitable.

Issue62:LIke themixed conIferforests, ponderosapine forestweremuch lessdenseIn the pastthan theyare today.

Response:This commentIs difficultto respondto becauseno evidencehasbeenpresentedto Indicatethatmatureand old-growth mixed coniferstandsaremore densetoday than theywerepreviousto Umber management.AsIndicated in the precedingcomment,theIncreaseIn averagestemdensityisaresultof replacingold standswith -

regeneratingstandsof seedlingsandsaplings.Youngstandscomposedofsmall treescansustain considerablyhigherdensitiesthan standscomposedof largeold trees.

Issue63:Early descriptionscharacterizeponderosapineforestsasopenforests.SuchdOscriptionsindicatethe averagecondition had alwaysbeenunsuitableasowl habitatandlessdensethanthe ponderosapin, forestwehavetoday. This Is additional evidencethatthe modern, denserponds-rosapineforestsoncapablehabitatare -

progressingtowards suitable habitatrather than awayfrom It.

Response:The assertionthat forestswereopenhasbeensupportedforponderosapine,not mixed conifer.Openstands ofpurepondeiosapine donot havethe attributesof suitableMexicanspottedowl habitat,anddenseeven-agedstandsof ponderosapineusually lackthosecharacteristics.

Issue64:The loflg historyof partialcutting,extensiveareasof forestsreservedfrom cuffing and successfulfirecontrolIn Region3 hasallowedecologicalsucce..lonto Increasetheconifercover.It haiIncreasedtheproportionof mt~èdconiferspeciessuchaswhit.ftr attheexpenseofsuccessionaltreespeciessuchasaspenandponds-rosapine.TheexperienceIsIn accordancewith ixpectationsdevelopedfromecologicalstudieswhere mixed conifersand aspenoccur.Neither aspennor ponderos.pine arewell suited to regeneratingundershadedconditions.Ponderosapine inthe SouthwesthastendedtoIncreaseinextent anddensityat Its ecótonewithgrasslandsandoakduatograzingandfire. Both of thesetrendscontinuetoincreasethe potentialsuitability for owlhabitat In part becausethe currentandprojectedUmbersaleprogramIs toosmallin amountand the disturbancesassociated~with thetimberharvestsarenot severeenoughto mimic the wild

P.d~alIegls~/ VoL 58; NO. 49 / Tuesday,March 16~1993 1 Rulesand Regulations 142I~

firesthathadhlstortc&Uy maintainedth. earlysuccessionalcovertypesin thesouthwesternforestecosystems.

Response:TheServiceagreeswith theForestServicethatwidespreadfiresuppressionhascausedmanychangesIn forestcommunitytypes.TheServicealsoIs In generalagreementwith theForestServiceeffortsto identifymanagementpracticeswhichemulateand will return the forests to naturalecologicalprocesses.Pureaspenandpureponderosapine standsmayhavebeenmorewidespreadIn thepastthantheyaretodaybecauseof thefactorsidentifiedabove.However,mIxedconIferandpineoakarealsocommunitytypesthatoccurnaturally.usuallyon wettersitesthanthoseoccupiedby pureponderosapine.Becausemixedconiferandpineoakoccuron wettersitestheyexperiencedlessfrequentfli~es,withresultanthigherdensitystand..As notedaboveIn theForestServicecomments,whenfliesoccurrednaturallyin mixedconifertheywereoftenstanddestroyingandsucceededby aspen.Currentandhistoricalfire suppressionefforts arelargelyresponsiblefor th. demiseofaspenIn southwesternforestsbutmaybeof little importanceIn-controllingtreedensitypersein mixedcon1fer~

issue65:The listing proposalfails toconsiderthatthenatannualgrowthof.sawtlmber(grossgrowthminusmortalityanddefect)on nationalforestsin Region3 Ii 701 million boardfeet.ThisgrowthdoesnotIncludewoodproductssuchaspostsandcordwood.However,thetimbersaleprogramdoesincludesuchconvertibleproducts.ThetotalsaleprogramIsprojectedtobe310miffion boardlestIn 1993andtoremainat thislow leveluntil theneedsof~sensitiv,specie,suchastheMe.dcau-spottedowl jndit.t, otherw4~Itinclude.about80milhinn bosEdfeatequivalentof otherwoodproducts,- -

mostly pinyon-juniper firewoodándpostscut from non-uult.bl.owlhabitat-andpulpwoodlessthea9 Inthe.1*’.~dl*m#.rsoldby thecord,Th.curriesannual-IncreesS1*~sebstVOlUmeInth.forestsIsappr dastalythediffasenc.betweenthe70t~lH~boardfeetofgrowth~Insawtfmbsuadtheash oL~about 250(310~*ua 00otherwood.products)m~lI4~bo~feetofsawtimber.This‘di~sac.Isth.excessoverandabovedepletSosifrom loggln~fire, andpathogensandhasproduced.net Incrias.Involum.In th. forest~eachorthelastfive decaa~s.-Becausethe timber sal.program hasbeen.significantlyrsdu~beg4nnii’igbitwesa(datenot provided)e~199~1%increessIn InveniceyIssacp.d.d.tobeby evengreatermarginsIn thefuture.

Theexcessof timbergrowthcanonlymanifestItselfasanIncreaseIn freesize,anIncreaseIn standdensityorboth,all of which favorsspottedowlhabitatAbout halfoftheaawtlmbersoldIs expectedtocomefrompotentiallysuitableowl habitatandabouthalfof thegrowthaswelL If so.theneteffectinsuitableowl habitatwillbeimprovementnotworsenedhabitatforMexicanspottedowls.

Response:TheServicedossnotdisagreewith theForestServicethatthereistimberavailableon nationalforestsforharvest.Theconcernfor theowl Is that the ForestServiceharvestsarefocused,noton smallsawtlmberthatis foundIn standsof unsuitablehabitat,but ratheron theoldeststandsthataremost Importantto th. owL In addition,theharvesttechniquesproposedInsuitable Mexican spottedowl habitat bythe Forest ServicearenotbenIgn to theowL Theyhaveessentiallythesameeffectasstanddestroyingfires.Theyconvertmature,complexly structuredforestsinto youngstandswith simple

- structurethatare nolonger suitable forMexican spottedowls.Theacreageofmature and old-growth forestsonsuitable timberlands were not presentedin this commentletter, but in theService’sreviewsof the 1992 timber saleprograms onthe Apache-Sltgreaves,Carson,SantaFe; Lincoln and TontoNationalForest.It wasclear thatsuchstandsare under-representedacrossthelandscape.Th.ServiceencouragestheForestServiceto Increase Its standallocationsto maintain old-growth andmature forests.

issue66:Thelistingproposalcitedestimatesof timberofferedandsoldInthe report by Fletcher (1990).ThIsreport did not Includ, thesubstantialreduction.In salesofferedandsoldthatwere subsequentlymodifiedtoelimInM* cutting that wouldadverselyaffectowlsor goshawks.Whenowlsorgoshawksarefound,theForestServicecontinuesto cancelportionsof timbersalesthatwereIncludedIn paststatlaticaofofferedor soldtimber..Based.onInterpretationof forestplans,thelisting proposalprojects.anannualrateof lossof suitablehabitatof 0.4However,theproposalIgnore.recordof actualpracticewhichhasbeenandwill continueto besubstantiallylessthantheupperHilts setforth In theforestplans.Theproposaldwellsexclusivelyon erroneouslyprojectedpotentialhablt4tlossesandIguore.therecordof growthandecologicalchangeswhich,,asshownabove,Indicatesa nStimprovement In spottedowl habitatIsoccurringratherthandestructionor anIncreasedrateof loss.

Response:TheServic,acknowledge.that theForestServicehaseliminated,reduced,or modifiedmanytimbersaleactivitiesIn RegIon3, particularLyIn1992.However,theEnvironmentalAssessmentfor theRegion3 1992Umberprogram(ForestService,in Iitt.,1992)still containsactivities that willconvert suitablehabitat to even-age,andthatwill maintaineven-ageconditionsin standsthat were formerly convertedfrom suitablehabitatFInalenvironmentalImpactstatementsonIndividual timbersaleson theCarsonandLincoln NationalForests(ForestService1992a,1992b)alsoretainevenagetreatment.In suitablehabItats.Furthermore,theForestServicedoesnothaveanyformalpublishedpolicydirectionthatwill preventIt fromcontinuingor resumingthesepracticesIn thefuture.

Issue67: Theproposalstatesthatallowablesalequantities(ASQ) werenotscientificallyderived.Theallowablesalequantitie.werebasedon modelsoftimbergrowthderivedfrom scientificstudies(Ediflinster1978).Theprojectionsin,i~,4texperiencedgrowthand growth on researchplotsmuch.morecloselythancouldreasonablybeattributedtod~,inr~,AsnotedIn thebackgrounddiscussion,thevariancewith planningcriteria Is related toevolving standardsand criteria that canchangerapidly In today’sworld.Standardsfor spottedowlsandgoshawksaretwo recentexamplesthatcontinueto develop.Further, ASQfunctionsa.an upper limit on timbersalesnotas~minimum tobeachieved.The record indicatesthatRegion 3 hasoperatedIts timberprogramat a levelsubstantiallylessthantheallowablesalequantityandwill continueto do so.

Response:WhethertheASQamountswerescientificallyderivedornot, theyweresufficientlyIncorrecton fiveforeststo require review andmodification(D. Jolly,ForestService,inlilt, 1990)by theForestService.Furthermore,at a meetingwith theForestServIce(August14,1992),theServlce-wastoldthatRegion3 of theForestServicehasa goalfor 1993andbeyondof 3OO~lB?peryear.

The..ASQlevelsareprimarily fromgrowthestimatesonsuitabletimberland.Theydo not accountfor theextent of acreagesetasid.for suchallocationsasold-growthmanagementor threatened.endangeredor sensitivespecieshabitatprotection.ForestServicedatsindicatetheremainingsuitabletimberland(viabletimberland)is currentlyestimatedtobe about two-thirdsof thefigureusedtocalculateASQ.Th.viablelimbergrowthIsestimatedaslessthanone-halfthe

14~1~.•F~ - . ~ 1”Vo&~5L~. -.*~an.de~lit 1093’-! Iule* ~~ti~~y-

— usedto caL!1.i.S.the~id~it~~4In ~ ~. Inot~wenls,theQ~.t A~QlevelIsallowing~vssts attwiosthevi.bMlevel,andthusIsb~cJngfraUyn’~indandunmi.taI~ia.In additta.~negativeImpactsto lb. awl fran i’veo-agedmanag~nast.theSsivk~~-1dmatheexcessiveASQlevelstoconstitutsaseriousthreatto 4naiiflily of owlhabitat.

Issue68: Theproposaispeculatesthatdemandprojethon. showan increaseInfuturedecade.andt~~s futurehabItatlore at evengreater ratesthan theproposalprojects.Add.fromth. datathat Indicatedthat hahWatombeexpectedtolnaeassrathert~decree.s,anmama.In timburdanianddoesnotmoonentea. I. supplyfrom thenational~iests. There~clearly Indicate,awillingnessof lb.ForestSorvliu,tolimit ~ availabIlityoftimbersupplyfromIts landIn the~aofhigh dnand font. ~i~r.ç4ofsmaltivespecie.enddmlo~sdofguidaHiiasto meattheIrneedswarsuntisted by mannaoflb. fo~planspriceto petitionsfor listing to11wFIshandWilàlth SarvIca Thee~dsofldeatify1~.osdtiv..p~e.Inforestplans~ applyingmanagn4guidelines iii-~ah.edIn theFar~ -

Servicemanualwaso’arlook.dIn theway theHatingproposalp~’im,~dlb.contentand próbeble~~r1s of theforestplan guidance. ______— TheSviceunderstandsthat forestplansprovide~guidanceto the~reete.Servlosinterpretationsof forestplansIshosedupontheir ~ netanhowtbey-~maybe. datw.ietiea,lnthsfuture.

Issue69:Fra~nntatlcmwasstatedes -~

a problem batapp~to be. dedemdonewIth~adewstaismeratof reasonsof howtheproposed.ctlvltiaswould d.this.Projectiouwofpenalved~sh.l~wo~dcethagmashy da~1--~to have this ~c*. The~i~thatthisbanindeedoc~.4andow~view Isthat thefolntc ofthe-whole - - -

forestislargelyInt~.~uj~~areopening.in lb. ks~~apy.theyare notdoml~ ~ - .ltaUyow’-ofscnlswlthth.la~d ~.,

probably less ~ b.&lbe -

eraof firs oanfroL Thep~.’l~r.p~-recordof earlydaya~esk~theL1n~Infl~4amajForest and~ -

In lb. Southwestlad1~.th1atobe~u.(Clover 1104,Glaver1100,GInewand -

Hereford 199$.Thesmall anwentofandt1m4ngca~zoloft4~h.harvsststhat likely to.comwt*nctreenitinhabitat fr.—--isati,.,

Respe Whentesse-.’nmawv.dfrom a knest.thecanopyIsop~du~

Thissmulie1* $AI~9

.~~1

.tL._1iyIn ~removed,thehshi~maye~aøgesot~It become,suitabl.far speciesthatwould notot~wlpihave occurredthere.Thesenewsped..meybepha~s.animals,fungi.prom.,or procaryome..Whenchange.In habitatresultIn newconditionswhichallow Invasionbyspeciesthat would notnormally ocairthere, the formerly homogeneoushabitatIs fragmented.Whenth.forestreceivesa sheltarwoodregenerationcutor afinalremovalcut theoverstaychange,In amannerthatIsvisibleto humans.Thor.arealsocorrelatedr~hanga.in the immafrom whichbiologist.may Infer that ahabitatttha~g.has~un.d. ThisIsaform of fragmentation.Whenlargeareasofmatweaadoldgrowth,oryoung.densefaut ~‘~st, lik. thatwhichIs -

IdentifiedassuitableontheLincolnNationalForest. afragmant~,theIncidenceof redtailedhawkssodgreethornedowla msyIncrease,and both ofthosespeciesare 1n~pl¼z1edpreda~~~reofMexican spottedowls..Fragmantatlonmayalsoismoveacreagethatcanbeusedby th. owls,r~i1tiugIn lowerdensity.Thisha.beandemonstratedfothenorthernspottedowl (Careyat of.1992).

Issue70:Thelisting proposalmake.someassumptionsshoutpreaentandfutureconditionsIn Maxico.FaradServiceexperienceIndicatesthelistingproposalmierepresentsthesltuatlou -

there.Muchofthe forestIs Inaccessible,Isolatedeconomically,andlikely toremainso.Therearemanysteepcanyonsandthepeopletheredonothav,readyaccessto technoingyneededtoconductsteepslopslo~Ing,Thelandswenot suitableforegr4ciltur,andnotsubject-toc~i~..~iiIonto otheruses.Whoreli~reetryisprsc*,sd,most

1.donewkhboresandmule. -

partialcuttingmethod.end~regenerationIs sbendsnt.Them is~ttl.wasto.lire oantx~lbeelmpso~.LThey-alaow.It,rtheir ouna~ndeathigherstandden~tissthen4.the~lpracticeIn theUntiedStates.Wide.’spreaddefor..tatlenIsnot ereasaiab~.e:pect~cn.-Th.listing propeaalessentiallywritesofftheMeekawspoltedowlsndftshabltatlaMexfcoonthebasisof asesaptlesis.thatem— Insdequatslysuppoitedbydata,ormaselerepessantath.of the-siteatlosthu~Th.li.t~.mlsrepru._t..bothth.spsed.Idiaag.andperhap.thedirectkInIn windslb.habitatI. ~igta~P~pce~The~ervlcereviewed

avallabi.l1~aato.andnote.t.k~bybIoIo~taonMeclom~“4$ediswIsin’Mexico,andsolicitedInfomadmifromtheMexicanGovernmant-Tb.avdlald~

lnfor,~aM1ndfr~1thsttheMaTtg~~— swi Is rawthrougbes~Its rangeinMexico. hr aiLlttlon. otherspecieswhichemdapsaidsutasthesamekindsof foresthabItat,lb.Imperialwoodpecker,th. thick-billedparrotandth. maroon-frontedparrotareeitherextinct a in decline, largelybecauseof habitatalterationandpresewesfrom Increasedhumanpopulations.Tb.Ssaetartad.DesarrolloUrbsa~.y Ecologla,MexicostatedthatthespeciesIsconsideredriteandimperilledby theM~iiwogovernmeutK~adaladeIa GermGarcia,Secretadadel~uorrolIoUrbawy Ecologlain lilt., 19901

Issue71:AsnotedIn thelistingproposal,underlb. t~atcstesaayofover-utiH~4anfo cmamdaLrecreational,edentikorpurporse,tb,major~ct ap~rstabesclsathficaawdi.R.se~,notconthictedby theForestService,Ispermittedbyepd.I mapsava4h.4~nedbyhenadonaLinnet.Inwblthtb.research~~wra-F~ Service~mttscoveranystandd4th~~h~11~vltiss,campWee,a -~ s,u~. usesofnationalforestr~~’—”y Incon~4t~bigtheresearth.kaddlt~permitsfromstateandfodmalwtldllimagendmeyberequireddependinganhowthework ~ctp thebtad.themselves.WehavenotnotedmajorchangesIn .~ISamal ci recreationalusesof th, spoiledewlaitho* It mayoccurin lb. futma.Wesasaworsof twopairsof owlsandth*~dgMngsthathay,beensubjectto.ony-”sbowme”tripsthmegkoutlbs1010breedIngseasonand-appeartohavesu~.dnoIll slects.Yeung~s~lani.&.~Uyraissdby bothpeissthisysse.

Respas~TheSsnk*dss.natdisagrsswIth~scommadThaiserreIsof minor a~—--r- ‘- ~.dw Mavi.

1spottedowland~dadi~maci thelistingdaliun. -.

IssnsThTh.panpmaldiesup~.~dgreathamadowl ~ bond.overthelast23ysem.a~Forad 3ervI~sh~the--—-—.sharipeda1L~~~ * diss,,,~withtheproposalwindsflatly d~l_~~t~thisIsevidma.t~thestand.weopeningup..This I. c’’}seI—iu~adevidenci.Theavisienosbaeedenrecordsandma~- of thubarstandsthemselves~wie, thoppasiteto be~ne (~then and-MocwslQS*T -

- P~.p~C~svin endMoore’sworkweeIn p”~—s..s~i andtheService~‘ee~ that~s ~tyInponicb.eimptissi~lasnss.sdas.resultof Or.r.,p—’as TheInavasedcloe within advedo~Mstandsisa resultafIre.gru~thd Is notin

FederalRegister/ VoL 58, No. 49 / Tuesday,March 18, 1993 I Rules andRegulationt 14MW

Issue.TheServiceconcernisthatImpositionof managementwhichmightbe appropriate for pureponderosapinestands,generallynotsuitable habitat,with removal of forestoverstory InsuitableMexicanspottedowl habitatmay exposethe owlsto Increasedratesofpredation by creatingconditionsthatare suitableforgreathornedowlsandred-tailed hawks.TheServiceIsalsoconcernedthattheseopeningsmayincreaseexposureto parasites andordiseases,which theowlswould nototherwiseencounter.SeeServiceresponsesto Issue11 and13 above.

Issue73:ThIrty yearsago thegreathornedowl and hawksIn generalwerecommonlyconsideredasvarmintsandit wasnot uncommonfor huntersandotherruralresIdentsto shootthemateveryopportunity. Both are nowprotectedspecies.Chlorinatedhydrocarbonpesticideswerefoundtohave adverseeffectsonreproduction onbirdsof preyandtheseareno longer Inuse.Suchfactors couldhavea bearingon long term upward populationtrendsfor both the red-tailedhawk andgreathornedowlscitedaspredatorsofspottedowls; EvenIf theydonot, suchassertionsareno morespeculativethanthosecitedIn thelisting proposalandillustratethat therearecertainlymanyfactorsinvolvedIn populations ofpredatorspecies.Th. conclusionsreachedIn theproposalaboutopenstandconditionsareIncorrectandInconsistentwith thehistoricalrecord.

Response:Th. cause of Increasedpopulationsof red-tailedhawksandgreathornedowlsarenotanIssue.TheServIce’sconcernIs thatwhentheForestServiceopensgapsIn theforestcanopyIn suitableMexicanspottedowlhabitatIt createsopportunitiesforlncre~edcontactbetweenthee.speciesandMexicanspottedowls;Th.resultof -

IncreasedcontactIs likely tobe-Increasedpredationon theMexicanspottedowls.JuvanileMexicanspottedowlsareparticularlyvulnerablet~predationwhentheirexposure~Increase.. -

Issue74:Theliasi~proposalalso-.-takesIssuewith ~ers~Servlc~reglatory th~i&pn~-TheForjst~-:~Servicehaslssueda*&eei1nWntta~prepareanenvironmentallmpaot~- -

statementanddt4~whjcKwill- -.

amendforest-plan.tO Includeguidelinesthatwill bedevelopedin aconservationMrate~forth.MexicanspottedowL Thlswlll do., theloopandall of owcontrolnw4iantam.will -

Include-consistent1nfermatlon~-ManagementbeebeenresponsivetoirapidlychangingandgrowingbodyofIntormatico.All ForestS.niceunits~consistentlyapplyingthelatest

guidelines.ThenetresulthasbeenadramaticshiftIn thewaytimbersalesaredesigned.ThisfurthersupportstheForestService’searlierdiscussionaboutwhy dedslonson owl habitatcannotbemadebasedon assumptionsaboutforestplanimplementation.Actualpracticereflectsanextraordinarycommitmenttoowl habItatprotectionthathasbeenresponsivetonewInformationasItdevelops.The regulatorymechanismimplementedwithin theForestServicethroughIts guidelinesanddirectivesassuresthecontinuedexistenceof thespottedowl throughoutIts rangeInRegion3. This iscertainlytruewithinthe relativelyshorttimeneededtodevelopandimplementa conservationstrategy.ThereIsalsoastrongrecordofForestServiceeffort to developnewInformation,sponsorresearchandtospendmillions of dollarson spottedowlInventoriesprior to projectImplementation.The InformationwIllbeusedto furtherdevelopdirectionforthemanagementof the spottedowl andits habItat.This Isavery reasonableapproachIn light of thelongtermecologicald~ngnsthatareImprovingowl habitat,especiallywhencombinedwith theover-estimaion of theamountandnatureof disturbanceto habitatthatwasoutlinedIn thelisting proposal.

Response:TheServicerecognizesandappreciates-theeffortsthnt.theForestServicehastakento reduceth, Impact.of Its managementontheMexicanspottedowl.However,the Servicedoernotbelievethat theForestService’sInterim directivesprovideadequateprotectiontoguaranteethelong-term-existenceof theowl acrossits range.TheForestServicehasnotyetbeenable-

todevelopandadopta conservationstrategythattheServicebelieveswilladequatelyprotecttheowL

Issue75:Theproposalcite,theeffentof forestfiresas.concernin low ofhabitat.TheForestServicesharesthisconcernandacknowledgesthat firecanbe expectedto destroyhabitatfor theMexicanSpottedowl morecompletely,-

In largeares.,for longerperlodsof ti~thando anyofthern.nagesiin~ -

practicesIt propose.toImpl~~*s.~discussedIn precedingsections.UnlIketimbermanagementand othe,activitise,theForestServic,cannotcontrolwh.*:firesoccurandthereforecannotavoid-owl habitator nestingaress.-Wildfire.-andtheactivitiesneededto suppress..- -

themcannotbescheduledtoavoidtbs -

breedingseason~ thebird andalmost”alwaysoccurduringthislIme.OtparticularconcernisthatfiresIsetes~dense,or inulti-stcrl.dstandsolmixet -

speciesaredifficult to fightandtendto~belargeandstandconsuming.ForestServicerecentexperiencewith theDud

fireon theTontoNationalForestcertainlybeersoutthisobservationwiththetotallossof five owl territoriesfortheforeseeablefuture.

Response:TheServIcehasidentifiedwildfire. astheosuseof somelossofsuitablehabitatIn NewMexicoandArizona.TheServicedisagreeswith theForestServiceassertionthat thelosseswill beof longerdurationthantheforestrypracticespromulgatedIn theforestplans.As statedpreviously -

(Service1991., igoib),U longasshelterwoodmanagementIsmaintainedIt will preventhabitatfrom returningtosuitability.Additionally, theForestServicenotedthat221,000aa’es(5percent)of suitablehabitathasbean.convertedto unsuitableconditionbyfires In recentyears(Fletcher1990).If -

recentyearsmeansthepast20 years,then suitablehabitathasbeenconvertedat the rate of 0.25percentperyear.U theperiodwaslongerthan20years(someof theseacre.wereburned50 yearsago),theannualburnwould besmallerandtherotation lengthlonger.A burnrateof 0.25percentperyeartranslatesto a rotationcycleof approximately400yearswhich isclosetomanyestimatesof the ageof virginold-growthmixedconiferstandsin thesouthweat.Thisrate of burningwouldalsore.ultInapproxImately20percentof mixedconiferhabitatbeingIn aspenatanygiventim~

Issue76~In mixed conifer,thepredosnlnsnttreespeciesis white fir.easilykilled by fire, asIswhite pineandbluespruce.Thefire resistanceofDouglas-firIsnothighenoughtosurvivefire In adons.multi-storIedstand.Forestlandsalsohaveexperiencedbrig termlossof siteoccupancyby treesIn shrubfields ontheLincoln Nstir~1Forestandelsewh.u~createdby highIntensityfireIn mixeda~nI~standsthathadshrubsor oakIn thsundersto,y.Eventh. fireresistintpoudsios.pineoftensuffersstanddestroyingfire Intensttle.whengrownIn dine,muIfl~etor1edstands.Expe.1ersc.~rvisftlc InformationalsoIndlceis.th*extensfvetreemortalitydriirtobarkheetle.canbeexpectsaIf.~erddsnsItyIsuncontrolledelAisof significantemou~ofhabftMto barkbeetlessuchasIppe,mountainpinsbeetle,westernpinebeetle,rosinilhiLid pin,beetle,Douglas-firbeetle,andSoolytusbeetlesiscertainandthetsiossesare likely tobeassociatedwithdroughtperiodswhensoilumlatule Isnot adequatetosupportehighaimnsStyoftrees.Numeraisrseserchm~havereportedanIncreasI~rirk ofbaskbeeti.epidemicswith IncreasingStanddensity,Increasingtreedilmeterendhigh

1426S Federal Iagl~r / Vol. 5L ~. 40 / Tuesday,March 18, 1993 I Rulesand Regulations

moisturestress.~ IsalsoexpectedthatdefoliatIonby sprocebudwormwill bea chronIcproblem.This InsectIistrongly associatedwith multi-storiedstandof white fir andDonglas.flrthroughoutthesouthw~.Managementtoward dense,multi-storiedstandconditionsin ponderosapineandDouglas-firhasandwill continuetoincreasetheintensityof dwarf mistletoeinfection.

Thisparasiticplant spreadsbyexpellingseedthat fall on nearbyandunderstcry trees.Thisparasitereduowgrowtheventuallykilling thefreeandpreventingthesmalltreesfrom everreachinglargesinesandgreatlyreducingstanddensity.High levlsof Infectioneventuallyeliminatehighstanddensitiesandlarg,treesand this mak..the stand unsuitable asspultr,d owlhabitat Openstandsof smallinfectedtzee�canbeexpectedto persistindefinitely until replacedby Inasneofa standdestroyingeventnickasfive orclearcutting.If timberandprescribedfire activitiesarecompletelyforegoneInowl habitat, dwarf mistletoe infestationcanbeexpedsdto InMnslfy overtIn~Two region-widenir~eysfor dwarfmistletoeconductedthirty yearsapartindicrtethatthlshhappenadInrecenthistoryasmodernforestshavebecomamoredenseawlhavebeenmanagedthroughharvestmethodsthatemphasizepartial cutting. In 19501surveys,30p~utof thecommercialforest acreswerefoundtobe iTtfart,d.

and in the1~0’sIt was39percent.Thelisting proposalunderestimates

thevulnerabilityof extensiveareas-ofdense,multi-storiedstandsto suddenandcatastrophiclosse,ofhabitatto firs.insectsordisease.LikewiseIt overlooksthebeneficialaffectof athvsraityofstand conditloneand~er typs~’~~--thatareeauuuisito MaW..QisylI~.-

neededby the L.~’spottedowl andotherwildlife species.Thelistingproposalignoresthe me.~pssi uiallowingane~awof t4mi~powth -

overremovaltoper~tind~ei1aiy. -

Short termariduacert~te.p~._—n-

in spottedowl habitatlaheI.gproposedthat eaniresextensive,~~opblc:lossesof habitatIn theblur, teTa..

Response:The SaMe.tmsadMunderestimatedthevoleersbihltyoitb.foresigtofire, ~ta and~ The--Servicersc~Lzsstheliapostanesof-fireecologyIn bestedhairitats.Moreover,theService.p~edate.thatthe fumctkm offires&~s~1rigdifferentforestocenmu.itytypes.TheServiceanalysisoffire In r~it~i~

isthat It will resultInk~erlivedforestswithgsest structuralandspeciesdiversitythenwhatwill beattainedund aan~For~Service

managanentguidelines.Underiujr.ut

guidelines,mixedconiferstandswill bedestroyed3.3 tlmssas frequently(every120 yearsasopposedtoevery400 year.)by regenerationcuts asthey would be Ifnaturalfire is permittedto determinestand longevity.ParasitesanddiseasesarealsoanIntegralpartof forestecosystemsandcontributeto themaintenanceof sped..diversityandstructuraldiversityIn forests.TheincreasesIn parasiteanddiseasesintensityis comparedtoyounger‘t~n’I..not naturallyoccurringold-growthforests.If mixedconiferstandsarecomposedof multiple species,theclosejuxtapositionof manytree specieswillimped,thetran—~i..4anof parasitesanàdiseaseswhicharespecie.specific.TheServicersiMvatee,it IsnotadvocatingthatmanNglunantof forestsandtimberharvestsmuststop.ThereIsa tremendousresource Incrementavailableforharvest,butthatresourosdoesnotresideIn thealreadyover-harvestedmatureandold-growthstandsthatareneededby theM,,riranspottedowl. It is In theyoungforeststandsoften identifiedasvegetationstructuralstag.thres.If theForestServiceadaptedits isleprogram to h&vestsmallsew.timberwhichIsover-abundant,andtoretainmatureandold-growthstand.until theyareadequatelyrepr~*adacrossthelatnd~pe,~signIficantthreatto owl habitatwould be removed.

Issue77: Thepreiin~ntn.ntreasonforproposinglisting ofthe Mexican spottedowl by theServicewastheperceivedcurrentendprojectedfuturelossofsuitablehabitat.TheForestServicehasshowndearlythar(a)Changesfromsuitabl.tocapablehabitathaveb~ml nimi~edwith a netgain In suitablehabitatbeingmuckmere piQbeblethana net lossof habl*at (b)therelsnopmo.M orpeejectedoveretilizaticsofthebird ~i ~ e~4~m$flcored~enaiporp”-~(c} ForestService__hew netbedand will r~uetohave nom ..nr..ki. e~donandpredationof theowls(d)Raçdatory~ areIn placeSoassurethatkablt~iw theowl will heprotected;(.1aesphesison shorttentgaIns1* h.1~tthwill assuresubstantialandunangrolledfutiss losseeofspottedowl habM~

Respon~TheServicedoe,notegre.that suitableImbitat Isbeinggainedfasterthanlost. ServiceanalysisofForestServicedata IndiceS, that theforestIncreunugIsocriorlagmostly Instandst~ arenetyet suitabl.for owlsandthstharvestlseimodattheverylimited matweendold-growth an~When‘~“.d with svem~sModmanagansrstwedio.. Idsuiti~edin theforsatpleos,thmoIsastesdylo, of

suitablehabitatintotheforeseeablefuture.

Summary ofFactorsAffecting theSpecies

After a thoroughreview andconsiderationof all informationavailable,the Servicehasdeterminedthat the Mexican spottedowl shouldbedassifledasa threatened species.Proceduresfoundat section4(aXi) ofthe EndangeredSpecie.Act (18U.S.C1531at seq.),andregulatIons(50 CFRPart424) promulgatedtoImplementthelisting provisionsof theAct werefollowed.A speciesmaybe determinedto be an endangeredor threatenedspeciesdueto 1 or moreof the5 factorsdescribedIn section4(a)(i). ThesefactorsandtheirapplicationtotheMexicanspottedowl (StrIxoccidentalizlucida) areasloilowsA. ThePresentor ThreatenedDestruction,Modification,orCurtailmentofhaKabitatorRange

RecentsurveyshaveshownMexicanspottedowlsoccutmost frequentlyInforestswith dinHnct “mature forest”characteristics.Owls areusually -

associatedwith forestedmountains andcanyonscontainingden..uneven-agedstands-withaclosedcanopy,asIstypically founditt themixed-conifercommunitytype.Althoughthesecharacteristicsmumostly foundinmIxed-coniferfomess,~pondsrceapine!Gambol’soak forest.arealsousedifthey areoldenoughtoexhibita highincidenceof largecavity treee,brokentops,nun~ous‘~g,jandaheavyaccumuistie.ofdo~dwoodymateriaL

SIgn4&~itpoitleol ).‘.‘clc.nspottedowl habitatbasebowlost ormodified.Several~ars arerespoumibi.andrepresent~tiuualiy increasingpressuresfrom loc~sad—humanpopuistiens.Ci&oni1~41veIy,theyhave~reducedspokedowl habitat

of spottedowl habitatIcesonForestServicelandsin Ax~ andNewMexico. expressingits. h.J~~4~tHni.decapable.”H. ~flnmd “c*~alUiihabitat”ashabitatthat~ow” * * sulwhleatsoinetime in thepastand~unsuitabledu,toii~l orruss-causedevents~•beca~igsuitable—~--•~ spottedowlhabiteMacmetlmsIn thefigure.’ Anestlrn~I1.037,(~)amesof owl habitathavebow ~,er1arI frau. mried~l.tocapable.Of this, 811.000acres(78.7percent)~te dueto bowersactivities(priruwily timberbarir.4)s.d221,000acres(21.3pen~t)~. duetonaturalcauses(primely firoli

I# Vb4. 5~)~. 49 ~ Tuesday,Mirth 16, 1993 / Rules ..d Rsguletic.. 1~

Fletcher(i990~a~preWdedenanalyst.of thelengthof timerou~eiredfor capablehabitit top urn tosuitableHow.ver recoveryperiodsfm thehabitat“madecapeble~duetotimberharvest(78.7percent)areb-relevantbecauseanyacreageplacedundertheeven-agedaheltarweodmanagementsystemusedon Forest Servi~timberlandsIn theSouthWestmustbeconsideredindefinitelyunsuitableasspottedowl habitatFore~mple,aregt~nureil~,middle-agedstandof“capable”habitatmight bewithin 50yearsof returningtosuitablestatus.Underth,sheiterwoodsystem,thestand will receiveintermediatecats-beforethen,whichsetsbeckthetimutoreturntosuitableconditions.U~imstely,the standwill here-enteredwithanotherregenerationcutwherea~buta few freesareremoved.Thus,afterthecriticalattributesof owl habitathas.beenlost, shelterwoodacresmuheldperpetuallyas‘capablehabitat”unleessilviculterulmenagemc.itis altered.Suitability asewlhabitat isneverrecoveredor,at best,is cuv~I~donlybriefly beforetheforestIs re-enteredendreturned“capoble’ Mates.Thc,z,,fuuw..aThpastandpr’o~ectedacreeofowl habitatplacedundersheiterwoodmanagementareconsideredlost Indeffnite)yasowlhabitat.Accordingtocurrentforeetplane,andaemmilogthatpreenitmanagomentdirectioncontinues,abed95 percentofForestServicecommercialtimberlandIn theSouthwestisprojectedformanagementusingtheshelterwoedsystem.Cornmerthltimber-londontheNavajoIndianReservationisbeingconvertedtoshelterwoodmanagement.Commercialthnberlendon otherIndianreserva~ensin the Southwestis managedpredo1ntn~LaIythrou~selective1o~ghrg-to produceueoves-~dthqi~ia(SHaglund, BIA, pore. comm.,1992),.

Fletcher(1990)reported3,365,000acresof currently3u1t.~.hJJ,ILJLdetin NewMexicoandArias..rut onat~forests.Con~sione~L~7,MSerrwfrom ~abls to~~,i~es~W:23.5percent iese~~tu~blebftaterei-air unspecified,bat ~years.FortyPI,II.UUJO1t~~es ~since1900 (Fletcher10I~~~i~ir

representsa ratseb~t leerel-approximately10p&~.entIn thelaet~decadeenArisen.andPfewMexiconational foi.,a.,. -

Dataareaetaveihbbenowllossfrom~4soth*a, Arises.andNewM.~dceesihenalfo,u,lw. Natfonslforestsin Ad.u~ endNewMisdeeaccount~apprs1l&.~I~rg0pa.,...J ofknownowl locations.

Thereassaom im~CaI~that~spottedsuethldem’lca*ysengedMI.

middles.dlow si.~.Iiuu.sIndevelopedrip~rlonweodiandcommunities.Bendast,(1802) )or*tie,for nestingowlsnorthwest ofTucsonwashr th. extensivehistoricalnpaslangallery forests0fthe SanteCrusRiver-andits major trlb~ies.ili. sightingnearthe confluenceoftheSantaCrueRiver, Rl}hto Creek, and Canadadel Orewasalsoat the beseofthe SantaCatalinaMountainswhichcontaintypical conifer foresthabitatcurrentlyoccupiedby owls.

Riparisnwoodlandsin theSouthwestpriortothetwentiethcenturymayhavesatisfiedmanyof thestructural andthermalre~iremerrtcofowl nestandroostsites.Densecottonwoodcanopiesandwillow/meequiteVOdeZs&JULZe.couldhareprovided.multistosieds~ucte.sandcoalakrochats.Thebiatoricalpresenceof s.nbcewaterbelowthese’gallery fm~siaprobablyamelioratedlb.surroundingdesertthermalregras.Thehighdiversity and abundanceofpotentialprayitemsmayh.v madethesemiddleand low elevationrfpar4en~habitatssiritab). breedlnglocatlon..

Duncasti900ldocumerged~breedingensueowl locationenaeloratienriporfew ere,alseinsoutheasternArisen..Sing).owlshe,.beenebssrv.dIn winter-inmid.-elevationripsuien areasIn cenkeArizona(~Comy,Nether ArisonaUnhmauty~pers.comm.,1~T. Lisle,,Al~D~peru comse.,190$ Wte~locationesilowe~MlOiuhaveshebeesrecoidsdin NewM,doe(Ski~,NewMenleeStateUniversity,pe~comm.,1989g.Thesecnntsiups....yrecordses~etripesianindeedhas.provided suitabl.ow4habitatlmth.pe* ___

Senthwest~runotional~primarilyveethesbeit.rwoodhar~techniqe~whichms.agesis,svon.egedstands.Thus,the uneven-aged,multiet~.dedstands~owl roostendnutsitiewi* ~

standswithreducedim~1eldi~.~if maiu~iedptoctkerromafuuncku~

Forestph.. for 5 efth.11 lt~

now~AI.utuIn~ tos&. taI~or sky~etc~ on slopesgr.atevthem40 percent.TheCileNetiensiForestPlan (I”Sout Service1818., ~ststotalWmL borrestbe msMIaM.datthe,_..t 30~*~’peryserhSQbyauderiageteepdep.s,~

for~sistotal tImbsrve~.cemMgfrom ~ep slop.b.bltataheSdsrdas.TheLinceiwMaMmal FossetP~ -

(ForestServIce19Mb)speciJe.5,004acresof steep-slopeloggingduring-the

10 yeerl coveredby theplan, end lb.SanteFeMallen.) Forest Plan (ForestService1987)cellsfor harvestof LSMJ~Farurenily by skyline lo~ng.TheApeche-Sitgre.v..endTonto NationalForestsdo not identity specificplan. forcable logging,butthepracticeis notprecluded in the forestplans.

Most steepslopeshave notbeenharvestedteenysigeificantdegreeinthe Southwestin th. past. Steepsiopestypically provid, superior spottedowlhabitat by virtue of theowl’s preferencefor the topogsspby,reck outcrop.endJor cliffs, and the generallycoolermicrochinstesoflenseppertingmultilayeredmixed-coniJe,iciest.Steepslopesmaybepsrticalorlyimportantinmaintainingowl populationswhet,they Occur-at th. lowerelsivationallimits of the owt’I mege.Sleepslopesanddeepceurysussedenprovid.pocket.ofmixed-conifer within wider massdominatedbyvagetationconsideredinferior an spottedowl habitat (eg.pond.,...pine or pinyen-j~miper).Thus,hur,’~1of steepslope,couldimpacthabitatthatI. verybruiSedandcriticalto maintainingspottedowlsinanarea.

~sturingsteepsislop..will rens~isa largurproportionof karv.din mixed-conifer, theprimer-yowl habitat.Historical)~,Umberk. ,~ in theSouthwestweseoncen~deden the highvalueeaslyaoc.edponderosapineforestsoerelethelyflat or rollingterrainenplater..ormesatope.Withcontinuedtimberdomeadsanddecreased.va4l~lMy.f that resourceinlargeteessiaes~harvestisnewmovingincreasinglyInto .cemiiferaridsteepterrain-.

Accordingtocems. forestplan., intb.1~yeu~pk~~p.sioefrom 1987~uu~ 1I~ Ariseen mdNewMexiconational forestsmm.der?~4$p.u.wlofham.t..1.1taLlol~withrege— .*u.~~(thMistbaarta the

~uweed ~ systemthatremovesthelargestvolumeof woodper

and ~_. Psgensustiousof anewstand~ke.endJegeji At this~ rsts,~InlOS yemu74Jpercentof hanssi..eitablu’.asewill beplacedundertheesemaged.hsllsswoodsystemendomipsf*sssacreswillreceive~±~esd Intomediet.cutsIcthinth.~dsfe,mniss~’v,ofmaximumthaberproductivity.Of the~ leansibabiteonAsiaosr~andMow b~-¼.aM~lforests,59 perceutPL$W’,OOSeaes)isavailabl,f~harvestWhither1900~.Aniage~ss1~M.. acrossfotePly.ps~~ permnuifof this figurereprese~u44-psacudhe..f totalsuitable awlL±~?l,4SS~267of3,353,008sass)eta~ forestlands

14268 FederalRegister / VoL 58, No. 49 / Tuesday,March 16, 1993 1 Rulesand Regulations

in Arizona andNewMexico. Basedoninformation In forestplans,theForestServicepredictsforesttimber demandwill increase30 percentin 50 years.Ifthis increaseI. realized, future harvestentryand correspondingowl habitatlosswill be considerablygreater thanthesefigures indicate.

Timber harvestratesremaincontrover5ia~~i southwesternforests.While theFc~restService(Fletcher1990)reported yearly decreasesin totalnumbersof acresentered from 1980through1990 in NewMexicoandArizonanational forests,averageboardfeetharvestedperacrehasincreased~eachyearfrom approxImately 2,750boardfeetperacreto almost 4,000boardfeetperarce.Forestplansarebeingreviewedby. the ForestServiceonSnational forests In ArizonaandNewMexico becauseof concernthe ASQ cannot be maintainedwhilemeetingotherforest planstandardsand guidelines.TheCoconino,Apache-Sitgreaves,andKaibeb National Forestsreducedthevolumeof timberoffered for salebyabout 15percentwhileconductingthesereviewsU). Jolly, in litt., 1990).It isunknownhow forest managementrecommendationsfrom the reviewswillaffectrates of spottedowl habitat lose.

The Service (1991a,1991b)and theAGFD haverepeatedlyexpressedconcernthatcurrentASQsarenotbiologicallyrealisticfigure., ashaveForest ServiceDistrict Rangersandothers (ForestService,in litt., 1989a,1989b, 1989c,1990a,1990b).Theconcernsarethat biological diversity,timberyield andothervaluesarenotbeing sustainedasrequired by theNational Forest ManagementAct. IfharvestsaretooIntensivein owl habitat,thehabitat will be openedtoomuchandbecomedegraded.At a meetingwith theForest ServiceonAugust14, 1992,theServicewastold that theForest Serviceintends to meetaregion-wide timberharvestof 300 MMBF In 19938nd futureyears.

Forestplansindicaterecreationaluseof mostnational forest.will Increaeesignificantly in futur, decodes.Thisn.ewill increasevarious activitiesthatoftenoccurIn owl habitat.Theseverityofimpactwill varywith thstypeof~activity (e.g.roadandtrail buildIng~camping, picnicking,shooting,hiking,hunting, skiing, and ORV-rldlngj.Cumulatively, theseactivitiesmayaffectlocal owl populationsandtheir habitatnearpublic accessareas.

SpecificdataonhabitatlossInMexico arenotavailable.Thefew owlsrecordedwere,asIn theUnitedStates,closelyassociatedwith relativelyundisturbed,forestedmountainsandcanyons.Theprotectiononceafforded

the speciesinMexicoby the remoterugged habitatisdisappearingdueto arapidly growinghumanpopulation,expanding roadsystem,and increasedmechanizationof harvesttechniques.

An estImated2,191,000acresofhabitat, or 39 percentof the totalcurrentlysuitable Mexican spottedowlhabitat in the United States,is notavailable for timber harvest. However,theselandsareoften scatteredsmallunitsincapableby themselvesofsupporting a viable spottedowlpopulation. Within Forest ServicelandsIn Arizona andNewMexico, Fletcher(1990)reported1,378,000acresofsuitableowl habitat Isnotavailable forharvest.Fifty-three percentof this landison 2 forests(Gila National Forest,453,000acres;SantaFeNational Forest,288,000acre.).Thereare about550,000acresof spottedowl habitat In nationalforestwildernessareasin New.MoxlcoandArizona. No information isavailable regardingthe amountof owlhabitat In wilderness areasin UtahandColorado..

Exceptfor ForestServicewildernessareas,NPS landsaretheonly othercontiguousunitsof habitat excludedfrom timber harvest. The NPSreportedthat anestimated238,000to 438,000acresof spottedowl habitat Is managedto preservenaturalvalues.The widerangein the estimatereflects NPSuncertainty aboutwhich habitatsareactuallysuitablefor owls.This Is partlybecauseknown NPSowl habitatispredominAntly in canyonlands,whichare often atthenorthernlImits of theMexican spottedowl’s range whereowloccurrenceis moredifficult topredict.

Bureau of LandManagementlandshavebeenharvestedminimally, if at all,in thepast.PressuretoharvesttimberonBLM landscouldIncreaseifavailabletimberin nationalforestsdecreases.

Habitatfragmentationisoftentheresult of conversionof foresthabitatfrom largecontiguoustractsInto emallerparcelsthroughthecreationofopenings.FragmentationmayIsolatestandsfromoneanother.MostForest.Servicetimberharvestin theSouthwestIsdonein relativelysmallcuttingunitsusingeven-agedmanagementundertheshelterwoodsystem(Fletcher1990).Thespottedowl isaninterior forestbird.largely dependenton uneven-agedforests.Bymodifyingandfragmentinguneven-agedforests,timber harvestascurrently practicedin the Southwestwill likely decreasehabitatsuitabilityfor supportingself-Sustainingandwelldistributed populations of the spottedowl (Green1988,HarrIs1984,HarrIsat.a!. 1982,Meslowat ci. 1981,Thonru atci. 1988).

At a largescale,fragmentationmayisolatelargercontiguouspopulationsinto increasinglysmallerandmoreisolatedclustersof breedingpairs byreducing the overall quality of availablesuitable nesting, roosting, and foraginghabitat. In addition to reducing total ow1numbers, thisisolation may creategeneticproblems that resultfrominbreeding aswell asdispersalproblems.A portionof the overallMexicanspottedowl populationalreadyexistsin relatively isolatedclustersofbirds In theColorado Plateaucanyonlandsof the north andthebasin-and-rangemountainsof the south.Thesesectionsof the owl’s range falloutsidethe relativelycontiguousandmoredenselypopulatedhabitatofsouth-centralArizonaandNewMexico.Habitat fragmentationfor thiscorepopulation In centralArizona and NewMexico couldhaveseriousImplicationsfor the stability of the spottedowlpopulation asa whole.

Small-scalefragmentationwill erodethequalityof homerangehabitatforin&vidual owli (Careyata!. 1992).Fragmentationon a cutting-unitlevelcandegradehabitatforspottedowlsbyaffectingprey availability, interferingwith the owl’s primaryhuntingtechnique,and destroyingthecrucialmIcroclimateattributesof thenest/roostsites.Simultaneously,this leveloffragmentationwill likely enhancehabitatqualityforspottedowl predatorssuchasgreathornedowlsand red-tailedhawks. Increasedpredationmaycombinewithdecreasednestingsuccess(dueto habitat degradationend reducedpreyavailability,especiallyIn the firstweeksafterowletshavehatched)toseverelyimpact theMexican spottedowl.B. Overutilizatlonfri’ Commercici,Recreotionoi,Sci.niiflc~orEducationalPurposes

The gre.testpMentlalfroverutilizathmof theMexicanspottedowl is through scientific activitiesthatwill likely Increasewith Increasinginterestandfundsavailablefor o~lstudies.In oneIustancs,th.NMDGF (inlift. 1990)wlthth,w apermitto captureandradio-tagseveralowlsbecausesimultaneousForestServicsowlsurvey.documentedtheirscarcity.ThepermitwasrevokedafterIt becameapparent thatth.owl populationwastoo small to supportth. researchactivities. Thesesituationsmaybecomemorecommonfor th.spottedowl,whichsometimesexistsIn smallpopulationson Isolatedmountainranges.

Recreational(bird watching),educational(classroomfield trips), and

leglatur I V~.5$, No. 49 / T~sday~Merch 18, 1993 / Rt~esath Regulation. 1438

public relatices(~ecy“s~ mWtripsforpublicandpreu* activ~arealso likely to increaseasthis owlbecome.betterknown.Th.owl Larelativelyeasytoobeervefromclosedistances.Nu~c*imauthorshavenotedthebird~samnityforssclvdsdold-growthhabitatinfrequsetlyvisitedbyman.Exceptfor afew individuals,theowls’ toleranceof freqeanthumandisturbanceis unki~n(JohnsonandJohnson1990).

C. DiseaseorPtedationGreathornedowlsareasuspected

majorcauseof mortalityinMexicanspottedosvis(GaneyandBalda19&8~Skagga19901.Thetwo speciesaresympatric,buthabitatusehas~probablyseparatedthemecologically.However,presentforestn’~-~ij”~2 Ischangingtraditionalspottedowl habitattoresembinthe“open” foresttypicallyusedby greathomedowls.Suchrhanagomeatusuallyresultsin patchesdistributedth ~hout theforest(fragmentationl.which createsedge(ecotonalsultableto thi greathornedowl and Increasesthe lika~Thoorjofcontactbetw~thetwo spades..Spottedowh appear in avoidar~ usedby greet homedowls(JohnsonandJohnson1985,19901D. The inadequacyofExistingRegukth.117Mechardsms

UndertheMigratoryBirdTreatyAct(MBTA) It is unIonth~te pursue,hunt,take,captureor kilL In anyni~~ anym~ratorybird.AMboughtheMexicanspottedowl remainsin ita ~~errang.thiovghoiA theyear~lUsIncludedon the llstofbiitadendtb.MBTA.A~lntsmg.ocyagreementwlth the

purposeof enanringp.pulAMonvishililyof the spottedowl (S~I~ocd.ataLIs~..including theMssdcaaapo*ed.wl, ~si~ed.hytheService,~LM~NPSI aed-ForestServ&aon Augis~~LZ.198&tU.&.Depertinsiaof IIte~ 19881.Underthisagreemest.each~S~Ymane~ite laedte~ ~ui~toiw~’en~a1as~term trends.and~activ1tieaiffi’~~~4ep-.-l~.-~‘~s&~asstons ~I&~K~agreementhse~’ ~ ~varind ~amongagen~e—~’—~hasbe~’

Only theSateof Mwa.recegdess.theowl saath ~-± aS(AC~D19881.‘~f!~ har~SLtransporteMs~,wA~.ftbe.w~ap.regulatedby~ lew*s*d ~licensesfarhvsw4~4tIIe~

onlyrego1ateshai~ting,recreation,.seAscientificiave.tl&th~.NewMxlwls.consideringpL~r4ngthe owl on its list ofendangeredspecie,at this time.

MostFederalagencieshave policiestoprotect statethreatenedor endangeredspeciesandsomeagenciesalsoprotectspeciesthatarecandidatesfor Federallisting. The National Park ServiceOrganicAct prqtactseli wildlife onnational parksandmonuments.However,thes,generalpoliciesLackstandardsand guidelinesthat canbeusedto measurepolicy success.UntilagenciesdevelopspecificprotectIonguidelines,evaluatethemforadequacy,andtestthorn throughimplementation.it isuncertaiji.whetheranygenera!agencypolicieswill adequatelyprotecttheMexicanspottedowl.

Specificmanagementpolideeforthespottedowl bOrebeendevelopedbyBLM In ColoradoandNewMexico.Thepolicy In Coloradostatee, A A ln~areaswith a confirmednestorroostsIte,surfacemanagementactivitieswill belimitedandwl~bedeterreinedes,.caseby carebasistoallow mucfrflexibi~tyaspossibleentsi~eftbec,eaarea.”Managementpo&.,-~NowMexicostatesthatheb~ areasendterritoriesof appropriatesies will beesfabDshedand~ whewowlsare found.Thesepolicie.aseteogeneralPeensurethespottedoseI.wlltheadequnlefrprotectedon ~M lends

Spo*s~e’urlprelsctlcsgddelleesrhavebeendevelo~~yoi~yone____

nation.Th.gulde forth.Msscel~ApacheIsesevesto..smah~sba72-erasbuffersenewoundowl roast essites.N. msnsgent~.45iesowowx withinth bO~ss ~ng the.

~ thereprodnctie~.r..r~i.the1~.uff~1*rethe~dtee%Z&~~st~ (5~~arou~&d~p~~t~ $a~a~fost‘a~t~~s.I *ai~_d~ Iiiunclearthee.guidelinesprovidesIgnIfir~antprotectionfoespotte&owlpairs.which have an averagehorn.

Z~$$Detailed~j~siin~

5fa~

managon~hevebesedseel.psdbptheForestSselaeSoeihe*M~Theg~á4H.’swaesfral~des~Mexiow— owl Interim~No.1 (~lMe I) injunsi1&S~,a.dreimead~$~iil spattedowl’Directin.Ne2VDMe.~}InJe,1$Qai~1dd~ser~ruhe,2~.ig~i,.heath,F~S.vir,is.continu1ng~temeJtpgeil.d~su~i~a,Th.JMapplpes~pte~ ~sie4Now ~ Mim~N.~owl rnç— ~sàe~sshav.bsu.~devul.~ferr~a tb~lw~. Th.I~r.i,*e ~a MexicanSpot~~vi ~

Ten~ory(MT1 aroundeachspottedowlnestor roostsite.EachMT (exceptthose.ontheGilaandUnr~nTnNationalForests)hasa.coreareaof 450acre,andanoreraflsizeof 2.000acres.Activitieswithin thecoreareaare limited to roadconstruction.Within theMT. activities,includingtimberharvest.arelimited toamaximum of 775acres.Theintentoftheguideline.is toretainat least1.000acresof suitablehabitatwithin theMl’after proposed managementactivitiesareidentified and located.ForestService~imatA5 Indicate suitablehabitat within hiTscorrectlyaverages

acres.TheMT sizeand entry limitAlinns

warebasedon averagehomerangevaluesfoundby Ganeyand Balda (1988)for radi -monitoredbirds.GaneyandBalda’swork wastheonlystudyof itstypefor theM~anspottedowl whenID No.2 wasadopted.TheForestServiceusesavera~ratherthanmaximumvaluesfarMT size,therebyestahli.eb~ngMTsthskareexpectedtomeatsizeandhabitatreçwementsforonly about50perc~of spottedowls.

AppI4ra1{nnoftheU~hasnotbeenuniformon all fore~.Ci~id~~Mnetontwo for.stsweremnd1A~tIDNo. treducedthecoreareaaimto 300 acme.for theLin,~ntn~Jxiinri~l Forest. ID Me.2 ~ a~ ~ of 450acresfosa~~rsstsbutred~dtheoverallterritorysizeto 1,500acmeforthe Lincoln andQUa NationalForests.BaIk fo ave~lg~iflcantowLpopulalianswhichhaveresultedinseverec~lcti with plannedtimberharvestvoloaw~.,Th.U)..pmvideno

foeuo~r’iipl—Isuitable owl

~ Other?ktriru! orMaemedeFactoiwAffeting-theOwl’,ConffimedExistence

Forestfimehav~dastmyedapproximAtely221.8ffiacresof ~utAhI*spatted neth~Idi in NowM~coandArlzoe.nA~j~n~ ye.~(Fletcher198(* Thls~eegeapr~.atsa I fsp~eaimeIaLySpementof the4,Afl~Jkyla~rh(399Q1conaidowilspettedowl habitat.andapproxiowlely21~p~~r~of theowl1..I~t cantlpm.d. rm.auitsbl.Fletcher~ thaL~9percentof thelost acreswould requiremorethen50yearsto returntosuitablehabitat.ThefutureIncidenceof fir. ow beenpactedtoremainfolIycae.~*,.

M~elseaeedwoidsetelbermtossmwl.Inkes~bes.

- a .. —— — S ~ I U -

havebe ~wrdlsAit~.i. endNo.Mexico,p~priu1actiegincrsa*~hi ~~te.le suithabItat. N.repors~—~”thsatMgar.l-nown..N~~~isowl. huesoat

14270 FederalRegister/ Vol. 58~-No. 49 / Tuesday,March 16, IO~a/ Rules and RegulationsI

beendocumented.However,asconflictsover spottedowls andforestmanagementIncrease,andthemethodsfor locatingowlsbecomewidely known.the potential for maliciousharmwillincrease.

The barred owl hasundergonerapidrange expansionover thepast20 yearsinto the range of thenorthernspottedowl (Harner 1988) andhasreplacedthenorthern spottedowl in someareas(Foremaneta!. 1984).The barred owlhas takenadvantageof habitatmodifications, suchasthoseresultingfrom presentforest management(fragmentation), to expand its rangeintoareaswhere It may competewith thespottedowl. Thereare norecords ofbarred owlsin the U.S. range of theMexican spottedowl,but therangeandnumerical expansionof the great hornedowl andred-tailedhawk in theSouthwestsuggestthat thebarredowlcould do the same.The Mexicansubspeciesof thebarred owl (Strfx variasartorfi) Isknown from much of theMexicanspottedowl’s historic range incentral Mexico (AOU 1983);theecologicalrelationship betweenthe twothere is unknown.Thepotential forinterbreeding betweenMexicanspottedowlsandbarred owls merits concernandmonitoring where the two speciesoverlap. Such interbreedingis reportedwith the northern spottedowl (IC.Fletcher, Forest Service,pen. comm.,1990).

The Servicehascarefullyassessedthebest scientific information availableregardingthe past, present,and futurethreatsfacedby thisspeciesindetermining to make this rule final.Basedon thisevaluation,the preferredaction Is to list the Mexicanspottedowl(Strix occidentoilslucida) asthreatenedthroughout its range. Suitable habitat forthis subspecieshasbeenreducedbytimberharvestand fires. Habitatfragmentation asa consequenceof forestmanagementpracticesincreasesthethreat of predation andInhibitsdispersal.An estimated2,180MexIcanspottedowlsexist.Endangeredstatuswould nobe appropriate becausethe.availabledata donotIndicatethatextinction throughout altar asignificantportion of the rangeIran imminent-

possibility.Critical Habitat

Section 4(a)(3)of the Act, asamended,require, thatthe Secretary ofInteriordesignatecritical habitatat the.time a speciesIsdeterminedto beendangeredor threatened,to themaximumextentprudentanddeterminable In theproposedrule forthis listing, theServicestatedthatdesignatingcriticalhabitat for the

Mexicanspottedowl wasnot prudent.Thisdecisionwasbasedon theconclusionthatbecaus.habitatdestructionwasthe principalthreattothe owl, the jeopardy standardfor thespeciesundersection7 of the Actwould be asstringentastheadversemodificationof critical habitat would beif critical habitat were designated.TheServicethusfound It would notbeprudent to designatecritical habitat,becausethiswould providenoadditional conservationbenefit to thespecies.The Servicehassinceconcludedthat designationof criticalhabitat for the Mexicanspottedowl willindeedprovidebenefits to the speciesgreater than thoseprovidedby listingalone.Primarily, the designationofcriticalhabitatwill facilitatemanagementand recoveryplanningbythe Forest Serviceand other agenciesina way thatcould notbeaccomplishedsolelythroughlisting.

Although the Servicehasconcludedthat designationof critical habitatisprudent, It alsofinds that critical habitatis notpresentlydeterminable.TheService’sregulations(50 CFR424.12(a)(2))statethatcritical habitatisnotdeterminable If informationsufficient to performrequiredanalysesof the impacts of the designationislacking or if thebiological needsof thespeciesarenotsufficiently well knownto permit identification of the areaascritical habitat. Although considerableknowledgeofMexican spottedowlhabitat needshasbeengatheredInrecentyears,maps In sufficient detail toaccuratelydelineatethe..areason thegroundarenotpresentlyavailable.TheServicehasInitiatedthestudiesneededto ascertaincriticalhabitatareasandwill publish, in the FederalRegister,afinal rule to designatecriticalhabitatfoetheMexican spottedowl by November4, 1993.

Available Cm,.mry~ f~faagu~Conservationmeasuresprovided to

specie.listedasendangeredor-threatenedundertheEndangeredSpeciesAct Includerecognition,recoveryactions,requirementsfovFederalprotection,andprohibitionsagainstcertainpractice..Recognitionthroughlisting encouragesandresultsin conservationactionsby Federal,state,andprivateagenda.,groups,andindividuals.TheEndangeredSpeciesAct providesfor poujblelandacquisitionandcooperationwith theStatesandauthorizesrecoveryplansforall listedspecie..Theprotectionrequiredof Federalagenciesand theprohibitionsagainsttakingandharmarediscussed,in part,below.

Section7(a) of the Act, asamended,requiresFederalagenciesto evaluatetheir actionswith respectto any speciesthetis proposedor listedasendangeredor threatenedandwith respectto Itscritical habitat, if anyIsbeingdesignated.RegulationsImplementingthis interagencycooperationprovisionof the Act arecodified at 50 CFR Part402. Section7(a)(2) requires Federalagenciesto ensurethatactivitiestheyauthorize, fund, or carry out are notlikely to jeopardizethe continuedexistenceof a listedspecie.or destroyor adverselymodify its critical habitat.Ifs Federalaction may adverselyaffecta listedspecie.or Its critical habitat, theresponsibleFederalagencymust enterinto formalconsultationwith theService.

The U.S.ForestServiceandsomeIndian nationshave activetimber saleprogramsIn the Southwest.The BLMalsoparticipate.In Umbersaleprogramsto a lesserdegree.Becausehabitat louand modification resulting from timberharvestingactivitiesrepresentprimarythreatsto theMexican spottedowl,mostUmbersalesadmInisteredby Federalagencieswill besubjectto section7consultation.Otheractionsthatmayaffect theMexicanspattedowl suchasroadbuilding,trail building, pipelineconstruction.powerlineconstruction,mining, or construction of recreationfacilities Will likely require section7consultationbetweenthe Serviceandthe appropriate Federalagency.

TheAct and implementingregulationsfound at 50 CFR 17.21 and17.31set forth a seriesof generalprohibitions andexceptionsthatapplyto all threatenedwildlife, Theseprohibitions, in part,makeIt illegal foranypersonsubjectto the jurisdictionofthe United Statesto take (includesharass,harm, pursue,hunt, shoot,wound,kill, trap,or collect;or toattempt any of thee.),Importor export,shipIn InterstatecommerceIn thecourseofcommercialactivity, or selloroffer forsalein interstateor foreigncommerceanylisted species.It alsoisillegal to possess,sell,deliver,carry.transport, or .hlp any suchwildlife thathasbeentakenillegally. Certainexceptionsapplytoagentsof theServiceandStateconservationagencies.

Permitsmay be Issuedto carry outotherwis,prohibitedactivitiesinvolving threatened wildlife speciesundercertaincircumstances.Regulationsgoverningpermitsare at 50CFR 17.22,17.23,and 17.32, Suchpermitsareavailabl,for scientificpurposes,to enh*nc, thepropagationorsurvivalof the species,and/or forincidentaltakeIn connectionwithotherwiselawful activities.For

Fed..~*a~Msr/ VoL 58, No.; 49 / Tuesday,March 16, 19Q3’ I Rule. and Regnl.&~ 1.4~

threatenedspecies,therearealsopermits for zoologicalexhibition.educationalpurpose.,or specialpurposesconsistentwith the Intent oftheAct

OnJune 28, 1979,theorderStrigiformes,which includesall owls,wasInduded in appendixII of theConventionon International Trade inEndangeredSpeciesof Wild Fauna andFlora (CITES). The effectof this listingis that exportpermits are generallyrequired beforeinternationalshipmentmayoccur. Suchshipment Isstrictlyregulatedby CITES party nations toprevent effectsthatmaybedetrimentalto the species’survival.Generally,theexportcannotbeallowedif It isprimarily for commercialpurposes.

National Envlronmental Policy Act

The FishandWildlife ServicehasdeterminedthatanEnvironmentalAssessment,asdefinedundertheauthority of the National EnvironmentalPolicy Act of 1969~neednotbe

preparedIn connectionwith regulationsadoptedpursuantto section4(a) of theEndangeredSpeciesAct of 1973,asamended.A notice outlining theService’sreasonsfor thisdeterminationwaspublishedIn the FederalRegIsteronOctober25, 1983 (48FR 49244),ReferencesCited

A completelist of all referencescitedherein is availableupon requestfromthe FieldSupervisor,NewMexicoEcologicalServicesField Office, (seeADORESSESsection).Author.

Theprimaryauthorsof this final ruleareDr. JackGully (seeADDRESSESsection)andDr. William Austin, U.S.FishandWildlife Servici,EcologicalServicesField Office, 3616WestThomasRoad,suite6,Phoenix,Arizona58019(602/379—4720).Lid ofSubjects1.50CER Part- 17

Endangeredandthreatenedspecies,Exports.Imports,Reportingand -

recordkeeplngrequirements,and

Transportation

ProposedRegulationPromulgation

PART17—(AMENDEDJ

Accordingly,part 17,subchapterB ofchapter1, tItle 50of theCodeof FederalRegulations,Is amendedasset forthbelow:

1. The authority citationfor part 17continuesto readasfollows:

Autbedty 16U.S.C.1361-1407;16U.S.C1531—1544;16 U.S.C.4201-4245;Pub.L. 99—625, 100Stat.3500 unlessotherwisenoted.

2. Amend§ 17.11(h)by addingthefollowing. In alphabeticalorderunder“Birds”, totheList of EndangeredandThreatenedWildllfe

•17.11 En~ngsredandthrsatsned’w~1~a a a a a

Dated:January6, 1993.JobsF.Turaur,Director,Fl,!, andWildlifeService.IFR Doc. 93—5782Filed 3-43—93;8:45 amj

coos - -

Sped..

H~odc~e

-

Vsdsbr~s

~dangersdorthre~

SlUm

~

- -

~ ed

-

~habltU~-~

n.Ms-

Coim’nonname Sclsntl6cname

B~os - -

S S S S . S S

Meiidcanspottedowl .... StnxoecldanteSskicida U.S.A. (NM, AZ, TX,cO,UT), Me3dco.

NA 1-

494 NA NA

S S . S S • S