March 7, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Karnal bunt regulations by adding certain areas in Maricopa and Pinal Counties, AZ, to the list of regulated areas and by removing certain areas or fields in Maricopa County, AZ, from the list of regulated areas. Those actions were necessary to prevent the spread of Karnal bunt into noninfected areas of the United States and to relieve restrictions on certain areas that were no longer necessary.

This amendment establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and/or Weather Takeoff Minimums for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, addition of new obstacles, or changes in air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

We (the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) announce the availability of the Recovery Plan for Vernal Pool Ecosystems of California and Southern Oregon. This recovery plan covers 33 species, of which 20 are federally listed as threatened or endangered. These species inhabit vernal pool ecosystems in California and southern Oregon. This recovery plan includes recovery criteria and measures for 20 federally listed species. Federally endangered plants include Eryngium constancei (Loch Lomond button-celery), Lasthenia conjugens (Contra Costa goldfields), Limnanthes floccosa ssp. californica (Butte County meadowfoam), Navarretia leucocephala ssp. pauciflora (few- flowered navarretia), Navarretia leucocephala ssp. plieantha (many- flowered navarretia), Orcuttia pilosa (hairy Orcutt grass), Orcuttia viscida (Sacramento Orcutt grass), Parvisedum leiocarpum (Lake County stonecrop), Tuctoria greenei (Greene's tuctoria), and Tuctoria mucronata (Solano grass). Federally threatened plants include Castilleja campestris ssp. succulenta (fleshy owl's clover), Chamaesyce hooveri (Hoover's spurge), Neostapfia colusana (Colusa grass), Orcuttia inaequalis (San Joaquin Valley Orcutt grass), and Orcuttia tenuis (slender Orcutt grass). Federally endangered animals include the Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), and vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi). Federally threatened animals include the vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi) and delta green ground beetle (Elaphrus viridis). The portions of the plan dealing with the delta green ground beetle and Solano grass are a revision of the 1985 Delta Green Ground Beetle and Solano Grass Recovery Plan. The recovery plan addresses conservation of 10 plant species of concern, including Astragalus tener var. ferrisiae (Ferris' milk vetch), Astragalus tener var. tener (alkali milk vetch), Atriplex persistens (persistent-fruited saltscale), Eryngium spinosepalum (spiny-sepaled button-celery), Gratiola heterosepala (Boggs Lake hedge- hyssop), Juncus leiospermus var. ahartii (Ahart's dwarf rush), Legenere limosa (legenere), Myosurus minimus var. apus (little mouse tail), Navarretia myersii ssp. deminuta (pincushion navarretia), and Plagiobothrys hystriculus (bearded popcorn flower). The three animal species of concern addressed in the recovery plan include the mid- valley fairy shrimp (Branchinecta mesovallensis), California fairy shrimp (Linderiella occidentalis), and western spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii).