Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover

Resumen

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the Pacific coast distinct population segment of the western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In developing this proposal, we evaluated those lands determined to contain habitat features essential to the conservation of the Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover to ascertain if any specific areas are appropriate for exclusion from critical habitat pursuant to section 4(b)(2) of the Act. Section 4(b)(2) requires us to take into account economic and other impacts resulting from designation, and allows us to exclude areas with essential habitat features if the benefits of exclusion outweigh those of designation. Additionally, the newly amended section 4(a)(3) requires exclusion of military lands subject to an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) that benefits the species. We have excluded several units based on these provisions. Additionally, we have considered, but are not proposing, several areas that were either unoccupied at the time of listing (1993) or are unoccupied now. We inclu