Revision of designated critical habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica)

January 3, 2008

In Reply Refer To:
6840 (CA930)P 

EMS TRANSMISSION: 1/3/08
Information Bulletin No. CA-2008-007

To:           District Manager, California Desert
                 Field Manager, Palm Springs-South Coast

From:      State Director

Subject:   Revision of designated critical habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica)

On December 19, 2007, the Fish and Wildlife Service published a final rule (Federal Register 72:72010-72213) revising critical habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica). (See Attachment 1.) BLM administered land overlaps with designated critical habitat in 5 of the 13 critical habitat units (Units 1, 3, 5, 10, and 13).  The amount of critical habitat designated by the 2007 final rule is significantly less than the amount designated by the October 2000 final rule (Federal Register 65: 63680-63743). The 2007 final rule, which supersedes the 2000 critical habitat designation, designated 197,303 acres as coastal California gnatcatcher critical habitat, compared to 513,650 acres in the initial rule.  The BLM parcels that overlap with revised critical habitat are located in San Diego, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties.  (See Maps 2, 4, 5, 10, and 12 in Attachment 1.)

Publication of this final rule imposes the substantive and procedural requirements of Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act with respect to all discretionary BLM actions that “may affect” designated critical habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher. Effective January 18, 2008, we must comply with the interagency consultation procedures in 50 CFR 402.14 to ensure not only that any actions we authorize, fund, and carry out do not jeopardize the continued existence of the species, but also that they do not destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat. Ongoing or recently completed consultations on projects or land use plans that overlap with designated critical habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher should be reviewed, and updated if appropriate, to ensure that critical habitat has been addressed.

Questions regarding this IB may be directed to Ed Lorentzen at (916) 978-4646.

Signed by:                                                                                          
James Wesley Abbott                                                                        
Associate State Director                                                                    

Authenticated by:
Richard A. Erickson
Records Management

Attachment
  1 -   Final rule revising designated critical habitat for coastal California gnatcatcher (204 pp.)

Distribution
WO-230 (Attn:  Steve Lydick)
CA-610 (Attn:  Larry LaPre)
CA-660 (Attn:  Joyce Schlachter)