Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Peppered Chub and Designation of Critical Habitat, 77108-77138 [2020-25257]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 1, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 77108-77138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25257]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2019-0019; FF09E21000 FXES11110900000 212]
RIN 1018-BD29


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species 
Status for the Peppered Chub and Designation of Critical Habitat

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 
12-month finding on a petition to list the peppered chub (Macrhybopsis 
tetranema) as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended (Act). The peppered chub is a freshwater fish 
historically found in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and 
Texas, and is now extirpated in all but approximately 6 percent of its 
historical range. After review of the best available scientific and 
commercial information, we find that listing the peppered chub is 
warranted due to a dramatic reduction in the species' range (a loss of 
all but one population) and the low resiliency level of the remaining 
population. The primary stressors affecting the peppered chub are 
habitat fragmentation and degradation resulting from several sources, 
as discussed in this document and its supporting materials. Because we 
have found the species is at risk of extinction, we propose to list the 
peppered chub as an endangered species under the Act. If we finalize 
this rule as proposed, it would add this species to the List of 
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to 
the species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the 
peppered chub under the Act. The proposed critical habitat designation 
includes approximately 1,068 river miles (1,719 river kilometers) in 
four units in Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. We announce the 
availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed critical 
habitat designation.

DATES: We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before 
February 1, 2021. Comments submitted electronically using the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES, below) must be received by 11:59 
p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. We must receive requests for 
public hearings, in writing, at the address shown in FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT by January 15, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
    (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R2-ES-2019-0019, 
which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then, click on the 
Search button. On the resulting page, in the Search panel on the left 
side of the screen, under the Document Type heading, check the Proposed 
Rule box to locate this document. You may submit a comment by clicking 
on ``Comment Now!''
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail to: Public Comments 
Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2019-0019, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We request that you send comments only by the methods described 
above. We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide 
us (see Public Comments, below, for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debra Bills, Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Arlington Ecological Services Field Office, 
2005 Northeast Green Oaks Boulevard, Suite 140, Arlington, TX 76006; 
telephone 817-277-1100. Persons who use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Executive Summary

    Why we need to publish a rule. Under the Act, if we determine that 
a species may be an endangered or threatened species throughout all or 
a significant portion of its range, we are required to promptly publish 
a proposal in the Federal Register and make a determination on our 
proposal within 1 year. To the maximum extent prudent and determinable, 
we must designate critical habitat for any species that we determine to 
be an endangered or threatened species under the Act. Listing a species 
as an endangered or threatened species and designation of critical 
habitat can only be completed by issuing a rule.
    What this document does. We propose to list the peppered chub as an 
endangered species under the Act, and we propose the designation of 
critical habitat for the species.
    The basis for our action. Under the Act, we may determine that a 
species is

[[Page 77109]]

an endangered or threatened species based on any of five factors: (A) 
The present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of 
its habitat or range; (B) overutilization for commercial, recreational, 
scientific, or educational purposes; (C) disease or predation; (D) the 
inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E) other natural or 
manmade factors affecting its continued existence. We are also required 
to consider any conservation measures made by any State or foreign 
nation regarding the species. We have determined that habitat 
degradation and fragmentation (Factor A), resulting from altered flow 
regimes, impoundments and other stream fragmentation, adversely 
modified geomorphology, decreased water quality, and the introduction 
and proliferation of invasive species (aquatic and vegetative), pose 
the largest risk to the viability of the species. Changes in the 
hydrological regime are primarily related to habitat changes: The loss 
of flowing water, instream habitat fragmentation, disconnection of the 
floodplain, and impairment of water quality. The effects of climate 
change (Factor E) may be exacerbating habitat degradation and 
fragmentation. Although habitat degradation and fragmentation are the 
primary stressor to the peppered chub, Risk Factors for Peppered Chub, 
below, presents a broader discussion of the threats. We have found that 
there are no existing regulatory mechanisms that adequately reduce the 
threats acting on the species to sufficiently reduce the risk of 
extinction (Factor D). We are aware of no other conservation efforts at 
this time that sufficiently reduce the risk of extinction. The Service, 
State, and academic partners are conducting monitoring efforts, and 
plans for captive propagation efforts are underway.
    Section 4(a)(3) of the Act requires the Secretary of the Interior 
(Secretary) to designate critical habitat concurrent with listing to 
the extent prudent and determinable. Section 3(5)(A) of the Act defines 
critical habitat as (i) the specific areas within the geographical area 
occupied by the species, at the time it is listed, on which are found 
those physical or biological features (I) essential to the conservation 
of the species and (II) which may require special management 
considerations or protections; and (ii) specific areas outside the 
geographical area occupied by the species at the time it is listed, 
upon a determination by the Secretary that such areas are essential for 
the conservation of the species. Section 4(b)(2) of the Act states that 
the Secretary will make the designation on the basis of the best 
available scientific data after taking into consideration the economic 
impact, the impact on national security, and any other relevant impacts 
of specifying any particular area as critical habitat.
    Peer Review. In accordance with our joint policy on peer review 
published in the Federal Register on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 34270), and 
our August 22, 2016, memorandum updating and clarifying the role of 
peer review of listing actions under the Act, we sought the expert 
opinions of seven appropriate specialists regarding the species status 
assessment report, which informed this proposed rule. The purpose of 
peer review is to ensure that the science behind our listing and 
critical habitat designations is based on scientifically sound data, 
assumptions, and analyses. Although we made several attempts to obtain 
responses from the peer reviewers, we did not receive a review from any 
of them. We received review from eight experts outside the Service 
(State and academic), who also collaborated with our species status 
assessment team during the species status assessment process, so they 
cannot be considered totally independent peer reviewers. Consequently, 
we are reengaging with the existing peer reviewers, and others as 
needed, to gain additional expert review and will consider any comments 
received, as appropriate, before a final agency determination.
    Because we will consider all comments and information we receive 
during the comment period, our final determinations may differ from 
this proposal. Based on the new information we receive (and any 
comments on that new information), we may conclude that the species is 
threatened instead of endangered, or we may conclude that the species 
does not warrant listing as either an endangered species or a 
threatened species. Such final decisions would be a logical outgrowth 
of this proposal, as long as we: (1) Base the decisions on the best 
scientific and commercial data available after considering all of the 
relevant factors; (2) do not rely on factors Congress has not intended 
us to consider; and (3) articulate a rational connection between the 
facts found and the conclusions made, including why we changed our 
conclusion.

Information Requested

Public Comments

    We intend that any final action resulting from this proposed rule 
will be based on the best scientific and commercial data available and 
be as accurate and as effective as possible. Therefore, we request 
comments or information from other concerned governmental agencies, 
Native American tribes, the scientific community, industry, or any 
other interested parties concerning this proposed rule. We particularly 
seek comments concerning:
    (1) The species' biology, range, and population trends, including:
    (a) Biological or ecological requirements of the species, including 
habitat requirements for feeding, breeding, and sheltering;
    (b) Genetics and taxonomy;
    (c) Historical and current range, including distribution patterns;
    (d) Historical and current population levels, and current and 
projected trends; and
    (e) Past and ongoing conservation measures for the species, its 
habitat, or both.
    (2) Factors that may affect the continued existence of the species, 
which may include habitat modification or destruction, overutilization, 
disease, predation, the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms, 
or other natural or manmade factors.
    (3) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data concerning 
any threats (or lack thereof) to the species and existing regulations 
that may be addressing those threats.
    (4) Additional information concerning the historical and current 
status, range, distribution, and population size of the species, 
including the locations of any additional populations.
    (5) The reasons why we should or should not designate habitat as 
``critical habitat'' under section 4 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.), including information to inform the following factors such that 
a designation of critical habitat may be determined to be not prudent:
    (a) The species is threatened by taking or other human activity and 
identification of critical habitat can be expected to increase the 
degree of such threat to the species;
    (b) The present or threatened destruction, modification, or 
curtailment of a species' habitat or range is not a threat to the 
species, or threats to the species' habitat stem solely from causes 
that cannot be addressed through management actions resulting from 
consultations under section 7(a)(2) of the Act;
    (c) Areas within the jurisdiction of the United States provide no 
more than negligible conservation value, if any, for a species 
occurring primarily outside the jurisdiction of the United States; or

[[Page 77110]]

    (d) No areas meet the definition of critical habitat.
    (6) Specific information on:
    (a) The amount and distribution of peppered chub habitat;
    (b) What areas, that were occupied at the time of listing (i.e., 
are currently occupied) and that contain the physical or biological 
features essential to the conservation of the species, should be 
included in the designation and why;
    (c) Special management considerations or protection that may be 
needed in critical habitat areas we are proposing, including managing 
for the potential effects of climate change; and
    (d) What areas not occupied at the time of listing are essential 
for the conservation of the species. We particularly seek comments 
regarding:
    (i) Regarding whether occupied areas are adequate for the 
conservation of the species; and,
    (ii) Providing specific information regarding whether or not 
unoccupied areas would, with reasonable certainty, contribute to the 
conservation of the species and, contain at least one physical or 
biological feature essential to the conservation of the species.
    (7) Land use designations and current or planned activities in the 
subject areas and their possible impacts on proposed critical habitat.
    (8) Any probable economic, national security, or other relevant 
impacts of designating any area that may be included in the final 
designation, and the benefits of including or excluding areas that may 
be impacted.
    (9) Information on the extent to which the description of probable 
economic impacts in the draft economic analysis is a reasonable 
estimate of the likely economic impacts.
    (10) Information on land ownership within proposed critical habitat 
areas, particularly tribal land ownership (allotments, trust, and/or 
fee) so that the Service may best implement Secretarial Order 3206 
(American Indian Tribal Rights, Federal-Tribal Trust Responsibilities, 
and the Endangered Species Act).
    (11) Whether any specific areas we are proposing for critical 
habitat designation should be considered for exclusion under section 
4(b)(2) of the Act, and whether the benefits of potentially excluding 
any specific area outweigh the benefits of including that area under 
section 4(b)(2) of the Act. Specific information we seek includes:
    (a) The extent to which the existing State critical habitat 
designation in Kansas provides for the conservation of the species and 
its habitat in that State;
    (b) The effectiveness of the management plan for the Arkansas River 
shiner (Notropis girardi) for the Canadian River from U.S. Highway 54 
at Logan, New Mexico, to Lake Meredith, Texas, in providing 
conservation for the peppered chub in Texas; and
    (c) Information on any other conservation plans within the proposed 
designated critical habitat areas that provide conservation for the 
peppered chub and its habitat.
    (12) Whether we could improve or modify our approach to designating 
critical habitat in any way to provide for greater public participation 
and understanding, or to better accommodate public concerns and 
comments.
    (13) Ongoing or proposed conservation efforts which could result in 
direct or indirect ecological benefits to the associated habitat for 
the proposed species; as such those efforts would lend to the recovery 
of the species and therefore areas covered may be considered for 
exclusion from the final critical habitat designation.
    Please include sufficient information with your submission (such as 
scientific journal articles or other publications) to allow us to 
verify any scientific or commercial information you include.
    Please note that submissions merely stating support for, or 
opposition to, the action under consideration without providing 
supporting information, although noted, will not be considered in 
making a determination, as section 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act directs that 
determinations as to whether any species is an endangered or a 
threatened species must be made ``solely on the basis of the best 
scientific and commercial data available.''
    You may submit your comments and materials concerning this proposed 
rule by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We request that you 
send comments only by the methods described in ADDRESSES.
    If you submit information via https://www.regulations.gov, your 
entire submission--including any personal identifying information--will 
be posted on the website. If your submission is made via a hardcopy 
that includes personal identifying information, you may request at the 
top of your document that we withhold this information from public 
review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We 
will post all hardcopy submissions on https://www.regulations.gov.
    Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation we used in preparing this proposed rule, will be 
available for public inspection on https://www.regulations.gov.

Public Hearing

    Section 4(b)(5) of the Act provides for a public hearing on this 
proposal, if requested. Requests must be received by the date specified 
above in DATES. Such requests must be sent to the address shown in FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. We will schedule a public hearing on this 
proposal, if requested, and announce the date, time, and place of the 
hearing, as well as how to obtain reasonable accommodations, in the 
Federal Register and local newspapers at least 15 days before the 
hearing. For the immediate future, we will provide these public 
hearings using webinars that will be announced on the Service's 
website, in addition to the Federal Register. The use of these virtual 
public hearings is consistent with our regulations at 50 CFR 
424.16(c)(3).

Previous Federal Actions

    Forest Guardians (now WildEarth Guardians) petitioned us to list 
Macrhybopsis tetranema in 2007. The Service published a 90-day finding 
on December 16, 2009 (74 FR 66866) determining that the petition 
contained substantial information that listing Macrhybopsis tetranema 
(with a common name in that document of Arkansas River speckled chub) 
may be warranted. This proposed listing rule also constitutes our 12-
month petition finding for the species.

Supporting Documents

    A species status assessment (SSA) team prepared an SSA report for 
the peppered chub. The SSA team was composed of Service biologists, in 
consultation with other species experts. The SSA report represents a 
compilation of the best scientific and commercial data available 
concerning the status of the species, including the impacts of past, 
present, and future factors (both negative and beneficial) affecting 
the species. The Service sent the SSA report to seven independent peer 
reviewers; however, no peer reviewer provided a review of the document. 
The Service also sent the SSA report to 21 partners, including 
scientists with expertise in fish biology, habitat management, and 
stressors (factors negatively affecting the species) to the species, 
for review. We received review from eight (five State and three 
academic) partners.

Availability of Supporting Materials

    For the proposed listing of the peppered chub, the SSA report and 
other materials relating to this proposal can be found on the Arlington 
Ecological Services Field Office website at https://www.fws.gov/
southwest/es/

[[Page 77111]]

ArlingtonTexas/andat https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FWS-
R2-ES-2019-0019.
    For the proposed critical habitat designation, the coordinates or 
plot points or both from which the maps are generated are included in 
the administrative record and are available at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/ArlingtonTexas/ and at https://www.regulations.gov under 
Docket No. Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2019-0019. Any additional tools or 
supporting information that we may develop for the critical habitat 
designation will also be available at the Service website set out 
above, and may also be included in the preamble of this proposal and/or 
at https://www.regulations.gov.

I. Proposed Listing Determination

Background

    The peppered chub is historically known throughout the Arkansas 
River basin in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. 
Peppered chub were typically found in main channels of wide, shallow, 
sandy-bottomed rivers. The species prefers shallow channels where 
currents flow over clean fine sand, and generally, adults avoid calm 
waters and silted stream bottoms. Peppered chub have adapted to 
tolerate the adverse conditions of the drought-prone prairie streams 
that they inhabit. The peppered chub is a small cyprinid minnow with a 
fusiform (tapering at both ends) body shape rapidly tapering to a 
conical head. It has a nearly transparent slender body with dark dots 
scattered on its back. Generally, adult fish reach a maximum length of 
3 inches (in) (77 millimeters (mm)) and do not live beyond 2 years. A 
full description of the species and its habitat can be found in chapter 
2 of the SSA report.
    Gilbert first described the peppered chub in 1886 (pp. 208-209). 
Prior to Eisenhour's 1999 dissertation (published 2004), the peppered 
chub was classified as one of six subspecies within the Macrhybopsis 
aestivalis (commonly: Speckled chub) complex. Eisenhour examined 
morphometrics (measurements of external shape), meristics (counts of 
features of fish), pigmentation, and tuberculation across the range of 
the complex. He concluded that the results supported the recognition of 
five individual species, including Macrhybopsis tetranema, or peppered 
chub. The American Fisheries Society also accepts the species as the 
peppered chub (Page et al. 2013, p. 28).
    Habitat for the peppered chub historically consisted of the main 
channels of wide, shallow, sandy-bottomed rivers and larger streams of 
the Arkansas River basin, with a noted preference for river segments 
nearer the headwaters, as compared to other Macrhybopsis in the 
Arkansas River basin. Adults prefer shallow channels where currents 
flow over clean fine sand, and generally avoid calm waters and silted 
river bottoms. Peppered chub have key adaptations that enable them to 
tolerate the adverse conditions of the drought-prone prairie rivers 
that they inhabit, including a relatively high capacity to endure 
elevated temperatures and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. They 
also appear to be often associated with turbid waters.
    Peppered chub are members of a reproductive guild that broadcast-
spawn semibuoyant eggs, which remain suspended in the water column by 
the current until hatching. This reproductive strategy appears to be an 
adaptation to highly variable environments where stream flows are 
unpredictable and suspended sediment deposition can cover eggs laid in 
nests or crevices. Without continuous stream flow of sufficient 
distance, eggs sink to the bottom where they may be covered with silt 
and suffocate due to the lack of oxygen. In addition to adequate stream 
discharge, an appropriate reach length is also needed to allow the time 
necessary for egg and larval development into a motile, free-swimming 
stage. After hatching, flowing water provides the extended development 
time needed by larval fish. Larval fish may require strong currents to 
keep them suspended in the water column until they are capable of 
horizontal movement and until the fish are strong enough to leave the 
main channel.

Regulatory and Analytical Framework

Regulatory Framework
    Section 4 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1533) and its implementing 
regulations (50 CFR part 424) set forth the procedures for determining 
whether a species is an ``endangered species'' or a ``threatened 
species.'' The Act defines an endangered species as a species that is 
``in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of 
its range,'' and a threatened species as a species that is ``likely to 
become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout 
all or a significant portion of its range.'' The Act requires that we 
determine whether any species is an ``endangered species'' or a 
``threatened species'' because of any of the following factors:
    (A) The present or threatened destruction, modification, or 
curtailment of its habitat or range;
    (B) Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes;
    (C) Disease or predation;
    (D) The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or
    (E) Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued 
existence.
    These factors represent broad categories of natural or human-caused 
actions or conditions that could have an effect on a species' continued 
existence. In evaluating these actions and conditions, we look for 
those that may have a negative effect on individuals of the species, as 
well as other actions or conditions that may ameliorate any negative 
effects or may have positive effects.
    We use the term ``threat'' to refer in general to actions or 
conditions that are known to or are reasonably likely to negatively 
affect individuals of a species. The term ``threat'' includes actions 
or conditions that have a direct impact on individuals (direct 
impacts), as well as those that affect individuals through alteration 
of their habitat or required resources (stressors). The term ``threat'' 
may encompass--either together or separately--the source of the action 
or condition or the action or condition itself.
    However, the mere identification of any threat(s) does not 
necessarily mean that the species meets the statutory definition of an 
``endangered species'' or a ``threatened species.'' In determining 
whether a species meets either definition, we must evaluate all 
identified threats by considering the expected response by the species, 
and the effects of the threats--in light of those actions and 
conditions that will ameliorate the threats--on an individual, 
population, and species level. We evaluate each threat and its expected 
effects on the species, then analyze the cumulative effect of all of 
the threats on the species as a whole. We also consider the cumulative 
effect of the threats in light of those actions and conditions that 
will have positive effects on the species, such as any existing 
regulatory mechanisms or conservation efforts. The Secretary determines 
whether the species meets the definition of an ``endangered species'' 
or a ``threatened species'' only after conducting this cumulative 
analysis and describing the expected effect on the species now and in 
the foreseeable future.
    The Act does not define the term ``foreseeable future,'' which 
appears in the statutory definition of ``threatened species.'' Our 
implementing regulations at 50 CFR 424.11(d) set forth a framework for 
evaluating the foreseeable

[[Page 77112]]

future on a case-by-case basis. The term ``foreseeable future'' extends 
only so far into the future as the Services can reasonably determine 
that both the future threats and the species' responses to those 
threats are likely. In other words, the foreseeable future is the 
period of time in which we can make reliable predictions. ``Reliable'' 
does not mean ``certain''; it means sufficient to provide a reasonable 
degree of confidence in the prediction. Thus, a prediction is reliable 
if it is reasonable to depend on it when making decisions.
    It is not always possible or necessary to define foreseeable future 
as a particular number of years. Analysis of the foreseeable future 
uses the best scientific and commercial data available and should 
consider the timeframes applicable to the relevant threats and to the 
species' likely responses to those threats in view of its life-history 
characteristics. Data that are typically relevant to assessing the 
species' biological response include species-specific factors such as 
lifespan, reproductive rates or productivity, certain behaviors, and 
other demographic factors.
Analytical Framework
    The SSA report documents the results of our comprehensive 
biological review of the best scientific and commercial data regarding 
the status of the species, including an assessment of the potential 
threats to the species. The SSA report does not represent a decision by 
the Service on whether the species should be proposed for listing as an 
endangered or threatened species under the Act. It does, however, 
provide the scientific basis that informs our regulatory decisions, 
which involve the further application of standards within the Act and 
its implementing regulations and policies. The following is a summary 
of the key results and conclusions from the SSA report; the full SSA 
report can be found at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/ArlingtonTexas/ 
and at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2019-0019.
    To assess peppered chub viability, we used the three conservation 
biology principles of resiliency, redundancy, and representation 
(Shaffer and Stein 2000, pp. 306-310). Briefly, resiliency supports the 
ability of the species to withstand environmental and demographic 
stochasticity (for example, wet or dry, warm or cold years), redundancy 
supports the ability of the species to withstand catastrophic events 
(for example, droughts, large pollution events), and representation 
supports the ability of the species to adapt over time to long-term 
changes in the environment (for example, climate changes). In general, 
the more resilient and redundant a species is and the more 
representation it has, the more likely it is to sustain populations 
over time, even under changing environmental conditions. Using these 
principles, we identified the species' ecological requirements for 
survival and reproduction at the individual, population, and species 
levels, and described the beneficial and risk factors influencing the 
species' viability.
    The SSA process can be categorized into three sequential stages. 
During the first stage, we evaluated the individual species' life-
history needs. The next stage involved an assessment of the historical 
and current condition of the species' demographics and habitat 
characteristics, including an explanation of how the species arrived at 
its current condition. The final stage of the SSA involved making 
predictions about the species' responses to positive and negative 
environmental and anthropogenic influences. Throughout all of these 
stages, we used the best available information to characterize 
viability as the ability of a species to sustain populations in the 
wild over time. We use this information to inform our regulatory 
decision.

Summary of Biological Status and Threat

    In this discussion, we review the biological condition of the 
species and its resources, and the threats that influence the species' 
current and future condition, in order to assess the species' overall 
viability and the risks to that viability.
Summary of Analysis
    A full description of our analysis (analytical methods, threats, 
current condition, and future condition for the peppered chub can be 
found in the SSA report (Service 2018); below, we present a summary of 
the results of the SSA.
    To evaluate the current and future viability of the peppered chub, 
we assessed a range of conditions to allow us to consider the species' 
resiliency, representation, and redundancy. The peppered chub 
historically inhabited numerous rivers of the Arkansas River basin, and 
without the presence of dams or other structures, it is likely that 
individuals within populations exhibited some level of genetic exchange 
among these rivers. To analyze population-level resiliency, we divided 
the range of the peppered chub into five ``resiliency units'' or 
populations (we use those terms interchangeably in this document) (see 
figure below; we do not include the Lower Arkansas River in the 
resiliency units for the SSA for the peppered chub because that portion 
of the watershed is not part of the historical range of the species). 
We described population resiliency and assessed representation and 
redundancy among these units. However, to assess conditions within each 
resiliency unit at a somewhat finer scale, we subdivided each 
resiliency unit into multiple subunits. This downscaling allows us to 
compare differences in conditions within a given resiliency unit and to 
understand the drivers affecting current condition (see the SSA report 
for further details).

[[Page 77113]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01DE20.000

    To assess resiliency (within each resiliency unit), we analyzed 
capture ratios, probability of capture trends, and relative abundance 
(demographic factors). We also analyzed habitat factors that were 
determined to have the most influence on the species: Stream fragment 
length, channel narrowing, flood frequency, hydroperiod (changes to the 
annual hydrograph most relevant to the species' lifecycle), and low 
flow conditions (habitat/flow factors). Overall resiliency unit 
condition rankings were determined by combining the three demographic 
factors and five habitat/flow factors. For a more detailed description 
of the conditions categories, see Tables 1 and 2, below, and find full 
descriptions of each factor analysis in the SSA report.

 Table 1--Demographic Factors Used To Create Condition Categories for the Resiliency Assessment of Peppered Chub
                                                      (PC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Probability of capture
        Condition category               Capture ratio                  trend              Relative abundance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Null (0) (factor no longer         No PC captured...........  No PC captured..........  No PC captured.
 measurable).
Poor.............................  0.18 or less.............  Declining...............  Less than 3%.
Fair.............................  0.19 to 0.74.............  N/A.....................  3 to 10%.
Good.............................  0.75 or greater..........  Stable or increasing....  Greater than 11%.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                    Table 2--Habitat factors used to create condition categories for the resiliency assessment of peppered chub (PC)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Flood  frequency                            Low flow  conditions
  Condition  category        Stream fragment length         Channel narrowing \1\         analysis \2\         Hydroperiod \3\              \4\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Null..................  Less than 63 river miles         Greater than 90% loss of    Less than 10%........  Greater than a 90%     .....................
                         (pelagic extirpation).           channel area; less than                            decrease.
                                                          10 acres per mile.
Poor..................  64 to 126 river miles (between   50 to 89% loss of channel   Between 10 and 50%...  Between a 25 and 90%   Increasing pattern or
                         pelagic extirpation and          area; 10 to 49 acres per                           decrease.              high frequency.
                         species threshold).              mile.
Fair..................  127 to 185 river miles (above    25 to 50% loss of channel   Between 50 and 75%...  Between a 10 and 25%   Cyclical pattern.
                         the PC's needs threshold, but    area; 50 to 99 acres per                           decrease.
                         below the combined pelagic       mile.
                         broadcast-spawning threshold).

[[Page 77114]]

 
Good..................  Greater than 185 river miles     24% or less loss of         Greater than 75%.....  From a positive gain   Decreasing pattern or
                         (no extirpation of pelagic       channel area; 100 or more                          to a 10% decrease.     low frequency.
                         broadcast-spawning fishes        acres per mile.
                         anticipated, based on fragment
                         length alone).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Loss of channel area is measured since the 1950s.
\2\ Flood frequency analysis is the weighted sum of the proportional differences for the 2-, 5-, and 10-year events between pre- and post-impoundment.
\3\ Hydroperiod is the percent difference in stream discharge (mean daily, March-November) between pre- and post-impoundment.
\4\ Low flow conditions are measured in the number of days of less than 0.57 cubic meters per second (m\3\/s) (20 cubic feet per second (ft\3\/s)).

    Maintaining representation in the form of genetic or ecological 
diversity is important to maintain the peppered chub's capacity to 
adapt to future environmental changes. The peppered chub must retain 
populations throughout its range to maintain the overall potential 
genetic and life-history attributes that can buffer the species' 
response to environmental changes over time. We define redundancy for 
the peppered chub as multiple, resilient populations (resiliency units) 
distributed throughout the species' historical range. Thus, multiple, 
resilient populations (or resiliency units), coupled with a relatively 
broad distribution, contribute to species-level viability.
Current Condition of Peppered Chub
    Our analysis of current condition of the peppered chub is based on 
numerous scientific publications from species experts who concluded 
that by the year 2000, the peppered chub had significantly declined and 
was isolated to the Ninnescah River in Kansas and the South Canadian 
River between Ute Reservoir in New Mexico and Lake Meredith in the 
Texas panhandle (Luttrell et al. 1999, p. 983; Eisenhour 1999, p. 975; 
Eisenhour 2004; Service 2018, pp. 53-57). More recently, we assessed 
the current condition using survey efforts from 1,826 collections (from 
2013 to 2017) with only 38 of those (2 percent) containing the peppered 
chub. Extensive recent survey efforts show that the peppered chub 
distribution is currently limited to the South Canadian River between 
Ute Reservoir in New Mexico and Lake Meredith in the Texas panhandle, 
which represents 6 percent of its historical range. The ratio of 
positive to negative peppered chub surveys in the Upper South Canadian 
River dropped to 45 percent and peppered chubs were not collected in 
the Ninnescah River during this time.
    Historically, the peppered chub was known from five populations 
found in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Several 
factors were responsible for the extirpation of the peppered chub in 
each of the resiliency units. However, habitat degradation and 
fragmentation has been primarily a result of water diversion and 
impoundments (i.e., dams). Thus, the single remaining population has 
low resiliency (see Table 3, below).
    We consider the peppered chub to have limited representation in the 
form of genetic and ecological diversity because only a single 
functioning population remains. Extirpated populations of peppered chub 
contained genetic and morphological variation that have been lost. As 
described in Osborne (2017, p. 9), the peppered chub has ``considerable 
stocks of genetic diversity'' within this single population; however, 
the species lacks the representation of species with multiple 
populations occurring across varying landscapes. Despite restrictions 
of its range due to impoundments and other habitat alterations, and a 
decline in abundance, it is possible that genetic variation is 
sufficient to allow for survival in the naturally occurring conditions 
of the arid prairie stream environments in which the species evolved. 
However, it is unknown if this species has the genetic variability or 
the time required to adapt to continuing habitat and flow alterations.

                                                                        Table 3--Current Resiliency of the Peppered Chub
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Demographic factors                                                          Habitat factors
                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Current
                                                     Probability of        Relative       Stream  fragment       Channel                                                              resiliency
                                  Capture  ratio     capture trend        abundance            length           narrowing      Flood  frequency     Hydroperiod        Low Flow
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upper Arkansas (includes        [Oslash].........  [Oslash].........  [Oslash].........  Fair.............  Fair to Good.....  Poor & Good.....  Poor & Good.....  Poor & Good.....  [Oslash].
 Ninnescah and Salt Fork).
Cimarron......................  [Oslash].........  [Oslash].........  [Oslash].........  Good.............  Null to Good.....  Null & Fair.....  Poor & Fair.....  Poor & Good.....  [Oslash].
North Canadian................  [Oslash].........  [Oslash].........  [Oslash].........  Fair.............  Null.............  Null to Good....  Poor to Fair....  Poor to Good....  [Oslash].
Lower South Canadian..........  [Oslash].........  [Oslash].........  [Oslash].........  Good.............  Null to Good.....  Poor to Fair....  Poor to Fair....  Fair & Good.....  [Oslash].
Upper South Canadian..........  Fair.............  Good.............  Poor.............  Fair.............  Poor.............  Null to Fair....  Null to Fair....  Poor to Fair....  Low.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: The [Oslash] symbol means null (having or associated with the value zero).

    Because the peppered chub has been extirpated from all but one 
resiliency unit, it has a higher risk of extinction from a catastrophic 
event, due to a lack of redundancy across its range, compared to 
historical conditions.
    See the SSA report for the complete current condition analysis for 
the peppered chub (Service 2018).
Risk Factors for Peppered Chub
    Stressors affecting the viability of the peppered chub include 
altered flow regimes (Factor A), impoundments and other stream 
fragmentation (Factor A), modified geomorphology (Factor A),

[[Page 77115]]

decreased water quality (Factor A) and the introduction of invasive 
species (Factors A and C). The source of many of these stressors is 
related to the construction of dams and their impoundments (a body of 
water confined within an enclosure) which, in most cases, has 
drastically altered the natural flow regime and fragmented habitat. For 
example, a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gage on the Canadian 
River (near Amarillo, Texas) in the Lower South Canadian River 
resiliency unit has had a 69 percent decline in mean hydroperiod from 
pre-impoundment to post-impoundment, and the mean daily discharge 
(post-impoundment) is markedly lower (68% decline) since the completion 
of the reservoir.
Altered Flow Regimes
    Peppered chub need a combination of varying flows (timing, 
duration, and magnitude) to support viable populations and maintain 
suitable habitat. Low flow periods (including isolated pooling) can 
impair or eliminate appropriate habitat for the species, and while 
adult peppered chub are adapted to and can typically survive these 
events for a short time, populations that regularly experience these 
conditions face compromised reproductive success and may not persist. 
Flow regime alterations that we considered during the SSA process 
include dams and their associated impoundments, the effects dams have 
on the natural flow regime, surface and groundwater extraction, and the 
effect of climate change on precipitation and drought.
Stream Fragmentation
    Dams often fragment aquatic habitat and create impassable physical 
barriers to fish movement. Juvenile and adult peppered chub would 
likely be capable of passing downstream through small fish barriers 
such as weirs (low dams built to raise the level of water upstream), 
low-water crossings, and natural or manmade falls. However, no life 
stage of peppered chub is likely capable of successfully passing 
downstream through most reservoirs large enough to act as water supply 
or hydroelectric sources. Likewise, due to the small size and limited 
swimming ability of the peppered chub, upstream movement of adults 
(during spawning) would likely be prohibited by any impoundments 
(regardless of type or function), weirs, falls, pipeline reinforcements 
structures, and some low-water crossings.
    It is unlikely that egg and larval stages of peppered chub are 
capable of passing over a fish barrier. When fish (typically adults 
only) pass downstream of a smaller barrier, they remain isolated below 
the barrier and are unable to return to spawning areas upstream. This 
often results in incremental and progressive extirpation from an 
upstream to downstream direction (Perkin and Gido 2011, p. 374). 
Because of its need for flowing water to reproduce, peppered chub have 
been eliminated from shorter (generally less than 136 mi) reaches and 
typically persist only in river segments that are above a minimum 
threshold (Perkin and Gido 2011, p. 374). In addition, the blocking of 
movement of adult fish limits their ability to seek suitable habitat in 
more perennial, headwater reaches during drought conditions.
Modified Geomorphology
    Decreases in stream flows in the South Canadian River have 
contributed to the decline or loss of wide, shallow sand-bed river 
channels that are characteristic of peppered chub habitat. Impoundments 
often reduce the magnitude and frequency of high flows, leading to bank 
stabilization and channel narrowing; alter streambank riparian 
communities; restrict downstream transport of nutrients that support 
ecosystem development; and alter river substrate (Poff et al. 1997, pp. 
773-777; Mammoliti 2002, pp. 223-224). Impoundments also alter 
streamflow by reducing the availability or timing of water, leading to 
more frequent low-flow conditions, channel drying, pool isolation, and 
vegetative encroachment into the river channel. Reduction in flows 
reduces the peppered chub's reproductive success and decreases 
population resiliency.
    Additional alteration of historical physical habitat occurs when 
dams release sediment-starved water that alters the composition and 
distribution of the bed substrate. River and stream water velocity 
slows rapidly where water enters the standing water of reservoirs, 
resulting in the settlement of suspended sediment within the reservoir 
(Poff et al. 1997, p. 773). The resulting release of low turbidity, 
high-velocity water from dams scour the downstream reaches, causing the 
channel to incise and become further isolated from its natural 
floodplain. Further, such dam releases remove sand and gravel substrate 
preferred by the peppered chub. Decreased turbidity provides a 
competitive advantage to fishes that are not as well adapted to the 
naturally turbid water. When water is released from a main channel 
reservoir, fish species adapted to naturally turbid conditions of the 
South Canadian River, such as the peppered chub, are displaced by fish 
with competitive advantage in less turbid conditions, resulting in a 
reduction in available habitat and increased predation (Bonner and 
Wilde 2002, pp. 1205-1206), thereby negatively influencing species 
distribution and abundance.
Degraded Water Quality
    Suitable water quality is necessary for a healthy aquatic 
community. Water quality may become impaired through direct 
contamination or the alteration of freshwater chemistry. Contaminants 
enter the environment through both point and nonpoint sources including 
spills, industrial pathways, municipal effluents, and agricultural 
runoff. These sources may contribute organic compounds, heavy metals, 
pesticides, herbicides, and a wide variety of newly emerging 
contaminants to the aquatic environment. An additional type of water 
quality impairment is the alteration of water quality parameters such 
as dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity levels. Dissolved oxygen 
levels may be reduced due to increased nutrient levels (i.e., nitrogen 
and phosphorous) from agricultural runoff or wastewater effluent 
(eutrophication). Increased water temperature from more frequent low-
flow/drought conditions and climate change can also exacerbate low 
dissolved oxygen levels, particularly when low-flow conditions strand 
fish in isolated pools. Similarly, fish stranded in isolated pools can 
be subjected to naturally concentrated salinity. Additionally, many 
freshwater systems and shallow aquifers have become increasingly saline 
due to salinized water recharge (Hoagstrom 2009, p. 35). This effect 
largely stems from irrigation return flows that have flushed 
accumulated salts from irrigated lands back into the system.
    Chloride concentrations have been increasing in the upper South 
Canadian River (Service 2018, p. 127). Additionally, arsenic levels in 
many of the rivers within the historical range of the peppered chub are 
above the Environmental Protection Agency's established levels for 
human health for the consumption of organisms but not above levels 
designed to protect freshwater aquatic communities. Arsenic levels have 
increased over time in the Cimarron River to the point that golden 
shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) exhibited avoidance behavior even 
though concentrations were below a toxic level (Hartwell et al. 1989, 
p. 452). It is a reasonable presumption that peppered chub would also 
demonstrate avoidance behavior at similar concentrations of arsenic,

[[Page 77116]]

causing peppered chub distribution and movements to be disrupted, 
possibly further fragmenting or reducing the amount of available stream 
length necessary for all life stages.
Introduction of Invasive Species
    The alteration of the hydrologic regime and geomorphology of rivers 
resulting from impoundments can cause the proliferation of larger, 
piscivorous fish not normally associated with unimpounded prairie 
rivers. This fish community conversion is exacerbated by the transfer 
or stocking of game species in areas that have undergone hydrologic 
regime or geomorphologic alterations. These species may include 
smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), largemouth bass (Micropterus 
salmoides salmoides), Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides 
floridanus), striped bass (Morone saxatilis), and channel catfish 
(Ictalurus punctatus) (Howell and Mauk 2011, pp. 11-12), which may prey 
upon peppered chubs. In a system similar to the Arkansas River Basin, 
eighteen fish species were introduced or immigrated into the Solomon 
River basin following impoundment and increased competition from these 
nonnative species may have contributed to the decline of native fish 
species (Eberle et al. 2002, p. 182, 188). While peppered chub declines 
throughout the species' range cannot be fully attributed to predation 
by invasive fishes, a shifting fish community (to more lentic (still 
water) adapted species) throughout the Lower South Canadian River has 
coincided with the extirpation of the peppered chub throughout this 
lower basin. The Upper South Canadian River (between Ute Reservoir and 
Lake Meredith) is an exception, where the natural fish community is 
still mostly intact (Service 2018, pp. 66-68).
Synergistic Effects
    Many of the above-summarized risk factors may act synergistically 
or additively on the peppered chub. The combined impact of multiple 
stressors is likely more harmful than a single stressor acting alone. 
For example, resiliency of the peppered chub (in the Upper South 
Canadian River resiliency unit) is considered low due to river 
impoundment in combination with other stressors acting synergistically. 
The river is unimpeded for 179 river miles (288 river kilometers), 
which translates to a fair condition (see Table 2, above). However, our 
flood frequency analysis in the Upper South Canadian River resiliency 
unit shows a decline to a level of null to fair, meaning flood events 
have significantly declined compared to historical conditions. As a 
result, the river channel has narrowed dramatically in many areas, 
resulting in unfavorable habitat for the peppered chub and a poor 
condition category for this habitat metric. This condition limits the 
access to and formation of new habitat necessary for egg/larval 
retention and nursery. The hydroperiod (a comparison between pre-
impoundment and post-impoundment discharge) has changed so that 
discharge is in a null (greater than 90 percent decrease in discharge) 
to fair condition for peppered chub. Lastly, the low-flow conditions in 
the stretch are in a poor to fair condition, meaning that low-flow days 
are common or increasing and some areas are vulnerable to drying in 
drought years, which could affect the length of unimpeded river and 
lead to additional channel narrowing. For a full explanation of our 
habitat factor analysis, see chapter 4 of the SSA report.
    We note that, by using the SSA framework to guide our analysis of 
the scientific information documented in the SSA report, we have not 
only analyzed individual effects on the species, but we have also 
analyzed their potential cumulative effects. We incorporate the 
cumulative effects into our SSA analysis when we characterize the 
current and future condition of the species. Our assessment of the 
current and future conditions encompasses and incorporates the threats 
individually and cumulatively. Our current and future condition 
assessment is iterative because it accumulates and evaluates the 
effects of all the factors that may be influencing the species, 
including threats and conservation efforts. Because the SSA framework 
considers not just the presence of the factors, but to what degree they 
collectively influence risk to the entire species, our assessment 
integrates the cumulative effects of the factors and replaces a 
standalone cumulative effects analysis.
Conservation Actions
    Conservation efforts are inadequate to prevent the need for 
listing, at this time. The Service, States (within the historical range 
of the peppered chub), and academic partners are conducting stream 
monitoring (general monitoring of fish community). Approximately 95 
percent of the adjacent land within the historical range of the 
peppered chub is private land, and we are aware of no conservation 
plans or management activities that are in place with private 
landowners that are specific to the peppered chub.
    The Canadian River Municipal Water Authority (in conjunction with 
several other partners) has a management plan in place for the Arkansas 
River shiner, a similar species that shares many of the same life-
history characteristics and habitat requirements as the peppered chub. 
This plan aims to maintain and improve habitat in the South Canadian 
River upstream of Lake Meredith in Texas, to Logan, New Mexico. This 
plan has been in place since 2005 and covers the last remaining 
occupied habitat for the peppered chub. The implementation of the 
management plan has improved riparian health through the removal of 
non-native trees and may have slowed the rate of habitat decline. 
However, this conservation plan, in its current form, is not sufficient 
to address the needs of this last remaining population of peppered 
chub. The plan does not address maintenance of flows required by 
peppered chub, including baseflows that maintain river connectivity 
allowing for fish movement and moderate to high flows that are 
effective in maintaining wide and complex river channels. Even with 
this conservation plan in place, habitat has continued to decline and 
current resiliency of the Upper South Canadian River is in a low 
condition (see Table 3, above).
    This species is listed as endangered in Kansas and protected under 
the authority of the state's Nongame and Endangered Species 
Conservation Act of 1975. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and 
Tourism (KDWPT) finalized a recovery plan for the peppered chub in May 
2005. The recovery plan outlines specific strategies and methods to 
recover and delist the peppered chub in Kansas. The recovery plan also 
includes designated critical habitat (DCH) as required for endangered 
species conservation and recovery. Kansas Administrative Regulations 
(K.A.R.) 115-15-3 provides for review and a permit system for any 
alterations to DCH of which is administered by KDWPT Ecological 
Services Section. Peppered chub DCH overlaps the federally proposed 
critical habitat Unit 3 in Kansas.
    Efforts are underway regarding a captive propagation program at the 
Kansas Aquatic Biodiversity Center and at the Tishomingo National Fish 
Hatchery in Oklahoma. However, there are currently no peppered chub in 
captivity or being propagated for reintroduction efforts.
    Although the above-mentioned efforts are appreciated, they are not 
adequate to protect the species from extirpation.
Future Scenarios
    After considering the information in the SSA report, we determined 
the species is in danger of extinction now.

[[Page 77117]]

For that reason, we are not presenting the future scenarios we 
developed in the SSA; refer to the SSA report for a detailed 
description of the future scenarios that we considered in our analysis 
(Service 2018, pp. 123-141).

Determination of Peppered Chub Status

    Section 4 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1533) and its implementing 
regulations (50 CFR part 424) set forth the procedures for determining 
whether a species meets the definition of ``endangered species'' or 
``threatened species.'' The Act defines an ``endangered species'' as a 
species that is ``in danger of extinction throughout all or a 
significant portion of its range,'' and a ``threatened species'' as a 
species that is ``likely to become an endangered species within the 
foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its 
range.'' The Act requires that we determine whether a species meets the 
definition of ``endangered species'' or ``threatened species'' because 
of any of the following factors: (A) The present or threatened 
destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (B) 
Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes; (C) Disease or predation; (D) The inadequacy of 
existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E) Other natural or manmade factors 
affecting its continued existence.
Status Throughout All of Its Range
    The range of the peppered chub once included Colorado, Kansas, New 
Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, with populations in several streams and 
rivers. The peppered chub is now confined to a single population in the 
upper portion of the South Canadian River in Texas and New Mexico, 
which represents approximately 6 percent of the species' historical 
range. The one remaining population has declined from an average of 
approximately 14 percent relative abundance (a component of 
biodiversity) historically, to a current relative abundance of under 2 
percent, meaning the fish community structure has shifted significantly 
from its baseline condition. Explained in detail in the SSA report and 
below, the fish community in this population is shifting away from its 
historical state and the peppered chub is becoming less common compared 
to other species in the community, meaning the species richness of the 
community is declining (Service 2018, pp. 63-68). This population has a 
low resiliency condition category, meaning that the population has a 
low probability of remaining extant and withstanding periodic or 
stochastic disturbances under its current condition. Representation has 
been reduced, with the loss of populations within its historical 
distribution. Species-level genetic and ecological diversity has been 
lost over time, as populations have become extirpated. Redundancy has 
declined dramatically because the peppered chub remains on the 
landscape in only one population. As such, the peppered chub is at 
greater risk of extinction due to a catastrophic event when compared to 
historical conditions.
    The peppered chub faces threats from altered flow regimes (e.g., 
dams and impoundments, groundwater extraction, and climate change 
effects on precipitation) (Factors A and E), stream fragmentation 
(Factor A), modified geomorphology (Factor A), poor water quality 
(Factor A), and introduction and proliferation of invasive species 
(Factors A and C). Because peppered chub rarely live beyond 2 years, 
the risk of species extinction from 2 (or more) successive years of low 
flow or drought conditions, is high. These threats are currently acting 
on the peppered chub, and we expect them to continue or worsen into the 
future. We found no evidence of population- or species-level impacts 
from overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes (Factor B). In our analysis of the factors 
affecting the peppered chub, we found that there are no existing 
regulatory mechanisms that adequately address threats to the species 
such that when considering those conservation efforts, the species 
would not warrant listing under the Act (Factor D).
    After evaluating threats to the species and assessing the 
cumulative effects of the threats under the section 4(a)(1) factors, we 
find that the species' resiliency, representation, and redundancy are 
at levels that put the species at risk of extinction throughout its 
range. Thus, after assessing the best available information, we 
conclude that the peppered chub meets the definition of an endangered 
species because it is in danger of extinction throughout all of its 
range. We find that a threatened species status is not appropriate for 
the peppered chub because it is currently at risk of extinction.
Status Throughout a Significant Portion of Its Range
    Under the Act and our implementing regulations, a species may 
warrant listing if it is in danger of extinction or likely to become so 
in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of 
its range. We have determined that the peppered chub is in danger of 
extinction throughout all of its range and accordingly did not 
undertake an analysis of any significant portion of its range. Because 
the peppered chub warrants listing as endangered throughout all of its 
range, our determination is consistent with the decision in Center for 
Biological Diversity v. Everson, 2020 WL 437289 (D.D.C. Jan. 28, 2020), 
in which the court vacated the aspect of the 2014 Significant Portion 
of its Range Policy that provided the Services do not undertake an 
analysis of significant portions of a species' range if the species 
warrants listing as threatened throughout all of its range.
Determination of Status
    Our review of the best available scientific and commercial 
information indicates that the peppered chub meets the definition of an 
endangered species. Therefore, we propose to list the peppered chub as 
an endangered species in accordance with sections 3(6) and 4(a)(1) of 
the Act.

Available Conservation Measures

    Conservation measures provided to species listed as endangered or 
threatened species under the Act include recognition, recovery actions, 
requirements for Federal protection, and prohibitions against certain 
practices. Recognition through listing results in public awareness and 
conservation by Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies, as well as 
private organizations and individuals. The Act encourages cooperation 
with the States and other countries, and calls for recovery actions to 
be carried out for listed species. The protection required by Federal 
agencies and the prohibitions against certain activities are discussed, 
in part, below.
    The primary purpose of the Act is the conservation of endangered 
and threatened species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. The 
ultimate goal of such conservation efforts is the recovery of these 
listed species, so that they no longer need the protective measures of 
the Act. Subsection 4(f) of the Act calls for the Service to develop 
and implement recovery plans for the conservation of endangered and 
threatened species. The recovery planning process involves the 
identification of actions that are necessary to halt or reverse the 
species' decline by addressing the threats to its survival and 
recovery. The goal of this process is to restore listed species to a 
point where they are secure, self-sustaining, and functioning 
components of their ecosystems.
    Recovery planning includes the development of a recovery outline

[[Page 77118]]

shortly after a species is listed and preparation of a draft and final 
recovery plan. The recovery outline guides the immediate implementation 
of urgent recovery actions and describes the process to be used to 
develop a recovery plan. Revisions of the plan may be done to address 
continuing or new threats to the species, as new substantive 
information becomes available. The recovery plan also identifies 
recovery criteria to be considered when a species is being reviewed for 
reclassification from endangered to threatened (``downlisting'') or 
removal from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife or Plants 
(``delisting''), and methods for monitoring recovery progress. Recovery 
plans also establish a framework for agencies to coordinate their 
recovery efforts and provide estimates of the cost of implementing 
recovery tasks. Recovery teams (composed of species experts, Federal 
and State agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and stakeholders) 
are often established to develop recovery plans. When completed, the 
recovery outlines, draft recovery plans, and the final recovery plans 
will be available on our website (https://www.fws.gov/endangered), or 
from our Arlington Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT).
    Implementation of recovery actions generally requires the 
participation of a broad range of partners, including other Federal 
agencies, States, Tribes, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, 
and private landowners. Examples of recovery actions include habitat 
restoration (e.g., restoration of native vegetation), research, captive 
propagation and reintroduction, and outreach and education. The 
recovery of many listed species cannot be accomplished solely on 
Federal lands because their range may occur primarily or solely on non-
Federal lands. To achieve recovery of these species requires 
cooperative conservation efforts on private, State, and Tribal lands. 
If this species is listed, funding for recovery actions will be 
available from a variety of sources, including Federal budgets, State 
programs, and cost share grants for non-Federal landowners, the 
academic community, and nongovernmental organizations. In addition, 
pursuant to section 6 of the Act, the States of Colorado, Kansas, New 
Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas would be eligible for Federal funds to 
implement management actions that promote the protection or recovery of 
the peppered chub. Information on our grant programs that are available 
to aid species recovery can be found at https://www.fws.gov/grants.
    Although the peppered chub is only proposed for listing under the 
Act at this time, please let us know if you are interested in 
participating in recovery efforts for the species. Additionally, we 
invite you to submit any new information on this species whenever it 
becomes available and any information you may have for recovery 
planning purposes (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    Section 7(a) of the Act requires Federal agencies to evaluate their 
actions with respect to any species that is proposed or listed as an 
endangered or threatened species and with respect to its critical 
habitat, if any is designated. Regulations implementing this 
interagency cooperation provision of the Act are codified at 50 CFR 
part 402. Section 7(a)(4) of the Act requires Federal agencies to 
confer with the Service on any action that is likely to jeopardize the 
continued existence of a species proposed for listing or result in 
destruction or adverse modification of proposed critical habitat. If a 
species is listed subsequently, section 7(a)(2) of the Act requires 
Federal agencies to ensure that activities they authorize, fund, or 
carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the 
species or destroy or adversely modify its critical habitat. If a 
Federal action may affect a listed species or its critical habitat, the 
responsible Federal agency must enter into consultation with the 
Service.
    Federal agency actions within the species' habitat that may require 
conference or consultation or both as described in the preceding 
paragraph may include, but are not limited to, management and any other 
landscape-altering activities on Federal lands including those 
administered by the Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land 
Management, and National Park Service; issuance of section 404 Clean 
Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) permits by the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers; and construction and maintenance of roads or highways by the 
Federal Highway Administration.
    The Act and its implementing regulations set forth a series of 
general prohibitions and exceptions that apply to endangered wildlife. 
The prohibitions of section 9(a)(1) of the Act, codified at 50 CFR 
17.21, make it illegal for any person subject to the jurisdiction of 
the United States to take (which includes harass, harm, pursue, hunt, 
shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect; or to attempt any of 
these) endangered wildlife within the United States or on the high 
seas. In addition, it is unlawful to import; export; deliver, receive, 
carry, transport, or ship in interstate or foreign commerce in the 
course of commercial activity; or sell or offer for sale in interstate 
or foreign commerce any species listed as an endangered species. It is 
also illegal to possess, sell, deliver, carry, transport, or ship any 
such wildlife that has been taken illegally. Certain exceptions apply 
to employees of the Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, 
other Federal land management agencies, and State conservation 
agencies.
    We may issue permits to carry out otherwise prohibited activities 
involving endangered wildlife under certain circumstances. Regulations 
governing permits are codified at 50 CFR 17.22. With regard to 
endangered wildlife, a permit may be issued for the following purposes: 
For scientific purposes, to enhance the propagation or survival of the 
species, and for incidental take in connection with otherwise lawful 
activities. There are also certain statutory exemptions from the 
prohibitions, which are found in sections 9 and 10 of the Act.
    It is our policy, as published in the Federal Register on July 1, 
1994 (59 FR 34272), to identify to the maximum extent practicable at 
the time a species is listed, those activities that would or would not 
constitute a violation of section 9 of the Act. The intent of this 
policy is to increase public awareness of the effect of a proposed 
listing on proposed and ongoing activities within the range of the 
species proposed for listing. Based on the best available information, 
the following actions are unlikely to result in a violation of section 
9, if these activities are carried out in accordance with existing 
regulations and permit requirements; this list is not comprehensive:
    (1) Authorized taking of peppered chub in accordance with a permit 
issued by us pursuant to section 10 of the Act or with the terms of an 
incidental take statement pursuant to section 7 of the Act, or 
possessing specimens of this species that were collected prior to the 
date of publication in the Federal Register of this final regulation 
adding this species to the list of endangered and threatened species;
    (2) Normal, lawful recreational activities such as hiking, trail 
rides, camping, boating, hunting, and fishing, provided unused bait 
fish are not released back into the water;
    (3) Normal livestock grazing and other standard ranching activities 
within riparian zones that do not destroy or significantly degrade 
peppered chub habitat;

[[Page 77119]]

    (4) Routine implementation and maintenance of agricultural 
conservation practices specifically designed to minimize erosion of 
cropland (e.g., terraces, dikes, grassed waterways, and conservation 
tillage);
    (5) Existing discharges into waters supporting the peppered chub, 
provided these activities are carried out in accordance with existing 
regulations and permit requirements (e.g., activities subject to 
sections 402, 404, and 405 of the Clean Water Act); and
    (6) Improvements to existing irrigation, livestock, and domestic 
well structures, such as renovations, repairs, or replacement.
    Based on the best available information, the following activities 
may potentially result in a violation of section 9 of the Act if they 
are not authorized in accordance with applicable law; this list is not 
comprehensive:
    (1) Take, which includes harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, 
shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting, or 
attempting any of these actions, of peppered chub without a valid 
permit;
    (2) Capture, survey, or collection of peppered chub specimens 
without a permit from the Service under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act;
    (3) Possess, sell, deliver, carry, transport, or ship illegally 
taken peppered chub;
    (4) Introduction of non-native fish species that compete or 
hybridize with, displace, or prey upon peppered chub;
    (5) Unauthorized destruction or alteration of peppered chub habitat 
by dredging, channelization, impoundment, diversion, recreational 
vehicle operation within the stream channel, sand or gravel removal, or 
other activities that result in the destruction or significant 
degradation of channel stability, streamflow/water quantity, substrate 
composition, and water quality used by the species for foraging, cover, 
and spawning;
    (6) Unauthorized discharges (including violation of discharge 
permits), spills, or dumping of toxic chemicals, silt, household waste, 
or other pollutants (e.g., sewage, oil and gasoline, heavy metals) into 
surface or ground waters or their adjoining riparian areas that 
support/sustain peppered chub;
    (7) Applications of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and other 
chemicals, including fertilizers, in violation of label restrictions; 
and
    (8) Withdrawal of surface or ground waters to the point at which 
baseflows in water courses (e.g., creeks, streams, rivers) occupied by 
the peppered chub diminish and habitat becomes unsuitable for the 
species.
    Questions regarding whether specific activities would constitute a 
violation of section 9 of the Act should be directed to the Arlington 
Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

II. Critical Habitat

Background

    Critical habitat is defined in section 3 of the Act as:
    (1) The specific areas within the geographical area occupied by the 
species, at the time it is listed in accordance with the Act, on which 
are found those physical or biological features
    (a) Essential to the conservation of the species, and
    (b) Which may require special management considerations or 
protection; and
    (2) Specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by the 
species at the time it is listed, upon a determination that such areas 
are essential for the conservation of the species.
    Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.02 define the geographical area 
occupied by the species as an area that may generally be delineated 
around species' occurrences, as determined by the Secretary (i.e., 
range). Such areas may include those areas used throughout all or part 
of the species' life cycle, even if not used on a regular basis (e.g., 
migratory corridors, seasonal habitats, and habitats used periodically, 
but not solely by vagrant individuals).
    Conservation, as defined under section 3 of the Act, means to use 
and the use of all methods and procedures that are necessary to bring 
an endangered or threatened species to the point at which the measures 
provided pursuant to the Act are no longer necessary. Such methods and 
procedures include, but are not limited to, all activities associated 
with scientific resources management such as research, census, law 
enforcement, habitat acquisition and maintenance, propagation, live 
trapping, and transplantation, and, in the extraordinary case where 
population pressures within a given ecosystem cannot be otherwise 
relieved, may include regulated taking.
    Critical habitat receives protection under section 7 of the Act 
through the requirement that Federal agencies ensure, in consultation 
with the Service, that any action they authorize, fund, or carry out is 
not likely to result in the destruction or adverse modification of 
critical habitat. The designation of critical habitat does not affect 
land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve, or 
other conservation area. Such designation does not allow the government 
or public to access private lands. Such designation does not require 
implementation of restoration, recovery, or enhancement measures by 
non-Federal landowners. Where a landowner requests Federal agency 
funding or authorization for an action that may affect a listed species 
or critical habitat, the Federal agency would be required to consult 
with the Service under section 7(a)(2) of the Act. However, even if the 
Service were to conclude that the proposed activity would result in 
destruction or adverse modification of the critical habitat, the 
Federal action agency and the landowner are not required to abandon the 
proposed activity, or to restore or recover the species; instead, they 
must implement ``reasonable and prudent alternatives'' to avoid 
destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat.
    Under the first prong of the Act's definition of critical habitat, 
areas within the geographical area occupied by the species at the time 
it was listed are included in a critical habitat designation if they 
contain physical or biological features (1) which are essential to the 
conservation of the species and (2) which may require special 
management considerations or protection. For these areas, critical 
habitat designations identify, to the extent known using the best 
scientific and commercial data available, those physical or biological 
features that are essential to the conservation of the species (such as 
space, food, cover, and protected habitat). In identifying those 
physical or biological features that occur in specific occupied areas, 
we focus on the specific features that are essential to support the 
life-history needs of the species, including, but not limited to, water 
characteristics, soil type, geological features, prey, vegetation, 
symbiotic species, or other features. A feature may be a single habitat 
characteristic, or a more complex combination of habitat 
characteristics. Features may include habitat characteristics that 
support ephemeral or dynamic habitat conditions. Features may also be 
expressed in terms relating to principles of conservation biology, such 
as patch size, distribution distances, and connectivity.
    Under the second prong of the Act's definition of critical habitat, 
we can designate critical habitat in areas outside the geographical 
area occupied by the species at the time it is listed,

[[Page 77120]]

upon a determination that such areas are essential for the conservation 
of the species. When designating critical habitat, the Secretary will 
first evaluate areas occupied by the species. The Secretary will only 
consider unoccupied areas to be essential where a critical habitat 
designation limited to geographical areas occupied by the species would 
be inadequate to ensure the conservation of the species. In addition, 
for an unoccupied area to be considered essential, the Secretary must 
determine that there is a reasonable certainty both that the area will 
contribute to the conservation of the species and that the area 
contains one or more of those physical or biological features essential 
to the conservation of the species.
    Section 4 of the Act requires that we designate critical habitat on 
the basis of the best scientific data available. Further, our Policy on 
Information Standards under the Endangered Species Act (published in 
the Federal Register on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 34271)), the Information 
Quality Act (section 515 of the Treasury and General Government 
Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Pub. L. 106-554; H.R. 5658)), 
and our associated Information Quality Guidelines, provide criteria, 
establish procedures, and provide guidance to ensure that our decisions 
are based on the best scientific data available. They require our 
biologists, to the extent consistent with the Act and with the use of 
the best scientific data available, to use primary and original sources 
of information as the basis for recommendations to designate critical 
habitat.
    When we are determining which areas should be designated as 
critical habitat, our primary source of information is generally the 
information from the SSA report and information developed during the 
listing process for the species. Additional information sources may 
include any generalized conservation strategy, criteria, or outline 
that may have been developed for the species; the recovery plan for the 
species; articles in peer-reviewed journals; conservation plans 
developed by States and counties; scientific status surveys and 
studies; biological assessments; other unpublished materials; or 
experts' opinions or personal knowledge.
    Habitat is dynamic, and species may move from one area to another 
over time. We recognize that critical habitat designated at a 
particular point in time may not include all of the habitat areas that 
we may later determine are necessary for the recovery of the species. 
For these reasons, a critical habitat designation does not signal that 
habitat outside the designated area is unimportant or may not be needed 
for recovery of the species. Areas that are important to the 
conservation of the species, both inside and outside the critical 
habitat designation, will continue to be subject to: (1) Conservation 
actions implemented under section 7(a)(1) of the Act; (2) regulatory 
protections afforded by the requirement in section 7(a)(2) of the Act 
for Federal agencies to ensure their actions are not likely to 
jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened 
species; and (3) the prohibitions found in section 9 of the Act. 
Federally funded or permitted projects affecting listed species outside 
their designated critical habitat areas may still result in jeopardy 
findings in some cases. These protections and conservation tools will 
continue to contribute to recovery of this species. Similarly, critical 
habitat designations made on the basis of the best available 
information at the time of designation will not control the direction 
and substance of future recovery plans, habitat conservation plans 
(HCPs), or other species conservation planning efforts if new 
information available at the time of these planning efforts calls for a 
different outcome.

Prudency Determination

    Section 4(a)(3) of the Act, as amended, and implementing 
regulations (50 CFR 424.12), require that, to the maximum extent 
prudent and determinable, the Secretary shall designate critical 
habitat at the time the species is determined to be an endangered or 
threatened species. Our regulations (50 CFR 424.12(a)(1)) state that 
the Secretary may, but is not required to, determine that a designation 
would not be prudent in the following circumstances:
    (i) The species is threatened by taking or other human activity and 
identification of critical habitat can be expected to increase the 
degree of such threat to the species;
    (ii) The present or threatened destruction, modification, or 
curtailment of a species' habitat or range is not a threat to the 
species, or threats to the species' habitat stem solely from causes 
that cannot be addressed through management actions resulting from 
consultations under section 7(a)(2) of the Act;
    (iii) Areas within the jurisdiction of the United States provide no 
more than negligible conservation value, if any, for a species 
occurring primarily outside the jurisdiction of the United States;
    (iv) No areas meet the definition of critical habitat; or
    (v) The Secretary otherwise determines that designation of critical 
habitat would not be prudent based on the best scientific data 
available.
    As discussed earlier in this document, there is currently no 
imminent threat of collection or vandalism identified under Factor B 
for this species, and identification and mapping of critical habitat is 
not expected to initiate any such threat. In our SSA and proposed 
listing determination for the peppered chub, we determined that the 
present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of 
habitat or range is a threat to the peppered chub and that those 
threats in some way can be addressed by section 7(a)(2) consultation 
measures. The species occurs wholly in the jurisdiction of the United 
States, and we are able to identify areas that meet the definition of 
critical habitat. Therefore, because none of the circumstances 
enumerated in our regulations at 50 CFR 424.12(a)(1) have been met and 
because there are no other circumstances the Secretary has identified 
for which this designation of critical habitat would be not prudent, we 
have determined that the designation of critical habitat is prudent for 
the peppered chub.

Critical Habitat Determinability

    Having determined that designation is prudent, under section 
4(a)(3) of the Act we must find whether critical habitat for the 
species is determinable. Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.12(a)(2) state 
that critical habitat is not determinable when one or both of the 
following situations exist:
    (i) Data sufficient to perform required analyses are lacking, or
    (ii) The biological needs of the species are not sufficiently well 
known to identify any area that meets the definition of ``critical 
habitat.''
    When critical habitat is not determinable, the Act allows the 
Service an additional year to publish a critical habitat designation 
(16 U.S.C. 1533(b)(6)(C)(ii)).
    We reviewed the available information pertaining to the biological 
needs of the species and habitat characteristics where the species is 
located. We find that this information represents the best scientific 
data available and led us to conclude that the designation of critical 
habitat is determinable for the peppered chub.

Physical or Biological Features Essential to the Conservation of the 
Species

    In accordance with section 3(5)(A)(i) of the Act and regulations at 
50 CFR

[[Page 77121]]

424.12(b), in determining which areas we will designate critical 
habitat from within the geographical area occupied by the species at 
the time of listing, we consider the physical or biological features 
that are essential to the conservation of the species and that may 
require special management considerations or protection.
    The regulations at 50 CFR 424.02 define ``physical or biological 
features essential to the conservation of the species'' as the features 
that occur in specific areas and that are essential to support the 
life-history needs of the species, including, but not limited to, water 
characteristics, soil type, geological features, sites, prey, 
vegetation, symbiotic species, or other features. A feature may be a 
single habitat characteristic or a more complex combination of habitat 
characteristics. Features may include habitat characteristics that 
support ephemeral or dynamic habitat conditions. Features may also be 
expressed in terms relating to principles of conservation biology, such 
as patch size, distribution distances, and connectivity. For example, 
physical features essential to the conservation of the species might 
include gravel of a particular size required for spawning, alkali soil 
for seed germination, protective cover for migration, or susceptibility 
to flooding or fire that maintains necessary early-successional habitat 
characteristics. Biological features might include prey species, forage 
grasses, specific kinds or ages of trees for roosting or nesting, 
symbiotic fungi, or a particular level of nonnative species consistent 
with conservation needs of the listed species. The features may also be 
combinations of habitat characteristics and may encompass the 
relationship between characteristics or the necessary amount of a 
characteristic essential to support the life history of the species.
    In considering whether features are essential to the conservation 
of the species, the Service may consider an appropriate quality, 
quantity, and spatial and temporal arrangement of habitat 
characteristics in the context of the life-history needs, condition, 
and status of the species. These characteristics include, but are not 
limited to, space for individual and population growth and for normal 
behavior; food, water, air, light, minerals, or other nutritional or 
physiological requirements; cover or shelter; sites for breeding, 
reproduction, or rearing (or development) of offspring; and habitats 
that are protected from disturbance.
    We derive the specific physical or biological features essential 
for the peppered chub from studies of the species' habitat, ecology, 
and life history. The primary habitat elements that influence 
resiliency of the species include water quality, water quantity, 
substrate, channel complexity, and stream length. A full description of 
the needs of individuals, populations, and the species is available in 
the SSA report.
Summary of Essential Physical or Biological Features
    As we mentioned previously, peppered chub broadcast-spawn 
semibuoyant eggs, which remain suspended in the water column by the 
current until hatching. In addition to adequate stream discharge, an 
appropriate reach length is also needed to allow the time necessary for 
egg and larval development into a motile, free-swimming stage. After 
hatching, flowing water provides the extended development time needed 
by larval fish. Larval fish may require strong currents to keep them 
suspended in the water column until they are capable of horizontal 
movement and until the fish are strong enough to leave the main 
channel. Without continuous stream flow of sufficient distance, eggs 
sink to the bottom where they may be covered with silt and suffocate 
due to the lack of oxygen. We determined that streams from 127 to 185 
river miles is a condition category of fair (Table 2) (chapters 2 and 3 
of the SSA report) and represents the minimum distance necessary for 
peppered chub needs.
    We summarized water quality and quantity habitat conditions that 
are conducive to presence of peppered chub in the SSA report in chapter 
2. Studies cited in the SSA report outline the peppered chub tolerances 
to variations of water quality and quantity. Mortality was observed 
outside these thresholds outlined below, in many cases.
    Native riparian vegetation is another essential component of 
peppered chub habitat, in that it provides bank stabilization, a 
terrestrial prey base, and can slow or reverse stream narrowing in 
areas where significant stream narrowing has occurred. Native riparian 
and floodplain vegetation minimizes impacts from salt cedar 
encroachment and other invasive and opportunistic species such as 
common reed and the newly documented ravenna grass and maintains wider, 
braided channels more suitable for successful reproduction (Service 
2018, p. 37).
    Peppered chub need adequate lengths of unimpounded flowing water 
free from an overabundance of predators, to successfully reproduce and 
maintain populations. Their historical range has been fragmented by 
several impoundments. Reduced water velocities from impoundments 
increase the likelihood of establishment of new species or increased 
abundance of existing species more adapted to the lentic environment 
(Poff et al. 1997, p. 776). Lentic fish species are often top predators 
and can have negative impacts on smaller, riverine species (Poff et al. 
1997, p. 777; Mammoliti 2002, p. 223). The resulting fish community 
often results in a lower relative abundance of peppered chub or in 
extirpation in the population. Thus, the peppered chub needs river 
management that results in conditions that favor the chub over lentic 
fish species.
    We have determined that the following physical or biological 
features are essential to the conservation of the peppered chub:
    (1) Unobstructed river segments greater than 127 river miles (rmi) 
(205 river kilometers (rkm)) in length that are characterized by a 
complex braided channel and substrates of predominantly sand, with some 
patches of silt, gravel, and cobble.
    (2) Flowing water with adequate depths to support all life stages 
and episodes of elevated discharge to facilitate successful 
reproduction, channel and floodplain maintenance, and sediment 
transportation.
    (3) Water of sufficient quality to support survival and 
reproduction, which includes, but is not limited to, the following 
conditions:
    (i) Water temperatures generally less than 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit 
([deg]F) (36.8 degrees Celsius ([deg]C));
    (ii) Dissolved oxygen concentrations generally greater than 3.7 
parts per million (ppm);
    (iii) Conductivity generally less than 16.2 millisiemens per 
centimeter (mS/cm);
    (iv) pH generally ranging from 5.6 to 9.0; and
    (v) Sufficiently low petroleum and other pollutant concentrations 
such that reproduction and/or growth is not impaired.
    (4) Native riparian vegetation capable of maintaining river water 
quality, providing a terrestrial prey base, and maintaining a healthy 
riparian ecosystem.
    (5) A level of predatory or competitive, native or nonnative fish 
present such that peppered chub population's resiliency is not 
affected.

Special Management Considerations or Protection

    When designating critical habitat, we assess whether the specific 
areas within the geographical area occupied by the

[[Page 77122]]

species at the time of listing contain features that are essential to 
the conservation of the species and which may require special 
management considerations or protection. The features essential to the 
conservation of the peppered chub may require special management 
considerations or protections to reduce the following threats: (1) 
Altered flow regimes, including (but not limited to) dams and 
impoundments and groundwater extraction; (2) stream fragmentation; (3) 
modified geomorphology; (4) poor water quality; (5) impacts from 
introduction of invasive species (fish and vegetation) and the 
introduction of native competitors for sport fishing; and (6) other 
stressors including (but not limited to) gravel mining and dredging, 
commercial bait fish harvesting, and off-road vehicle use.
    Management activities that could ameliorate these threats include, 
but are not limited to: Development of groundwater conservation 
strategies; removal of impoundments or creation of fish passage, 
development of water release strategies for reservoirs; minimization of 
in-channel work from utility or road projects; maintenance of bank 
stability and revegetation of impacted areas; incorporation of 
integrated pest management strategies (for saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and 
other invasive plants); and development of best management practices to 
reduce pollutant discharges and to develop water conservation measures 
that reduce the need for water diversions.

Criteria Used To Identify Critical Habitat

    As required by section 4(b)(2) of the Act, we use the best 
scientific data available to designate critical habitat. In accordance 
with the Act and our implementing regulations at 50 CFR 424.12(b), we 
review available information pertaining to the habitat requirements of 
the species and identify specific areas within the geographical area 
occupied by the species at the time of listing and any specific areas 
outside the geographical area occupied by the species to be considered 
for designation as critical habitat.
    The current distribution of the species is much reduced from its 
historical range. We anticipate that recovery will require continued 
protection of the existing population and its habitat, as well as 
reintroduction of peppered chub into historically occupied areas, 
ensuring there are adequate numbers in stable populations and that 
these populations occur over a wide geographic area. This strategy will 
help to ensure that catastrophic events, such as the effects of 
drought, cannot simultaneously affect all known populations. Rangewide 
recovery considerations, such as maintaining existing genetic diversity 
and striving for representation of all major portions of the species' 
current range, were considered in formulating this proposed critical 
habitat.
    Sources of data for this proposed critical habitat designation 
include multiple databases maintained by Arkansas Game and Fish 
Commission; Fishes of Texas; Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department; 
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; New Mexico Department 
of Game and Fish; New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission; Oklahoma 
Department of Environmental Quality; Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department; Oklahoma State University; University of New Mexico Museum 
of Southwestern Biology; and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, as 
well as numerous survey reports on rivers and streams throughout the 
species' range (see SSA report). We have also reviewed available 
information that pertains to the habitat requirements of this species. 
Sources of information on habitat requirements include studies 
conducted at occupied sites and published in peer-reviewed articles and 
agency reports, and data collected during monitoring efforts.
Areas Occupied at the Time of Listing
    Our review of occupied range of the peppered chub is based on 
numerous species experts who concluded that by the year 2000, the 
peppered chub had significantly declined and was isolated to the South 
Fork Ninnescah River in Kansas and the South Canadian River between Ute 
Reservoir in New Mexico and Lake Meredith in the Texas panhandle. Using 
data from over 1,800 fish collections, we define ``currently occupied'' 
as river reaches with positive surveys from 2013 to 2017. By the year 
2013, the peppered chub was no longer being observed in the Ninnescah 
River in Kansas, despite extensive survey efforts. The peppered chub 
continues to be observed in surveys in the South Canadian River between 
the Ute Reservoir and Lake Meredith, and this is the only area we 
considered to be currently occupied. We propose to designate one 
occupied unit as critical habitat for the peppered chub in the upper 
South Canadian River.
    The one remaining population of peppered chub has a low level of 
resiliency (Table 3.) and because of it relatively short life cycle (~2 
years), a series of back-to-back stochastic events could significantly 
reduce or extirpate the remaining population. The peppered chub range 
has been highly restricted (~6 percent remaining); therefore, its 
adaptive capacity (representation) has been dramatically reduced. The 
significantly reduced range reduces peppered chub exposure to 
ecologically diverse habitats and reduces its ability to adapt to 
changing environments over time. A low resiliency single population 
provides little redundancy for the species and a single catastrophic 
event could cause species extinction. Consequently, we have determined 
that occupied area is inadequate to ensure the conservation of the 
species. Therefore, we have also identified, and are proposing for 
designation of critical habitat, unoccupied areas that are essential 
for the conservation of the species.
Areas Outside the Geographic Area Occupied at the Time of Listing
    Because we have determined occupied areas alone are not adequate 
for the conservation of the species, we have evaluated whether any 
unoccupied areas are essential for the conservation of the species. We 
are proposing as critical habitat three units that are currently 
unoccupied. We have determined that each is essential for the 
conservation of the species. All three units have at least one of the 
physical or biological features essential to the conservation of the 
species and we are reasonably certain that each will contribute to the 
conservation of the species. Our specific rationale for each unit can 
be found below in the unit descriptions.
    Peppered chub has been completely extirpated from all but a single 
river reach within its historical range. Additionally, the one 
remaining population was found to be in ``low'' condition in our 
resiliency analysis and protecting it alone would not sufficiently 
conserve the species. Additional healthy populations are needed because 
of the inherent threat from environmental stochasticity (such as a 
multi-year drought) and the possibility that the species could be 
extirpated in a relatively short period time, given a 2-year life 
cycle. Furthermore, a single catastrophic event could extirpate the 
last remaining population, therefore resulting in species extinction.
    As a result, additional healthy populations of the peppered chub 
must be established to increase its viability and to recover the 
species. Having at least two resilient populations in the Canadian 
River and at least one population in each of the Ninnescah River and 
Cimarron River is essential for

[[Page 77123]]

the conservation of the peppered chub. These specific areas encompass 
the minimum area of the species' historical range within the proposed 
critical habitat designation, while still providing ecological 
diversity so that the species has the ability to evolve and adapt over 
time (representation) and ensure that the species has an adequate level 
of redundancy to guard against future catastrophic events. These areas 
also represent the areas within the historical range with the best 
potential for recovery of the species due to their current conditions 
and likely suitability for reintroductions.
    The species' adaptive capacity (and therefore representation) is 
limited by its current range. Due to the species constricted range the 
species as a whole, is present only in a limited scope of its 
historical ecological setting and therefore has little to no 
opportunity to adapt to a changing environment over time. The 
unoccupied units that we have selected to designate for the peppered 
chub represent the smallest number of units that could be designated 
while still capturing the widest range of historical ecological 
settings and increasing redundancy.
    Redundancy has been dramatically reduced and must be improved in 
order to have a viable species in the future. The peppered chub was 
once common among several streams throughout the Arkansas River Basin 
and was highly redundant because it existed in many streams across a 
range. The species now occurs in one river segment on a small portion 
of its historical range. The species needs healthy populations 
distributed across its historical range to guard against catastrophic 
events. The three units that were selected to capture the species 
historical ecological settings are also essential to increasing the 
redundancy of the species.
    Accordingly, we propose to designate one unoccupied unit in the 
Canadian River, one unoccupied unit in the Cimarron River, and one 
unoccupied unit in the South Fork Ninnescah River. A single occupied 
unit is not sufficient to maintain the viability of the species over 
time. The range of the remaining population is dispersed across 
approximately six percent of the species' historical range providing 
significantly reduced ecological diversity (representation), which 
reduces the potential for the species to adapt to a changing 
environment over time. This population provides little to no redundancy 
to guard against a catastrophic event.
    Establishing healthy population in these three currently unoccupied 
units would increase the resiliency, representation and redundancy 
(viability) of the species. If established, each unoccupied unit 
contributes ecological diversity (representation) or guards against 
catastrophic events (redundancy) or both. As described below in the 
individual unit descriptions, each unit contains one or more of the 
PBFs and are reasonably certain to contribute to the conservation of 
the species.
General Information on the Maps of the Proposed Critical Habitat 
Designation
    The proposed critical habitat designation is defined by the map or 
maps, as modified by any accompanying regulatory text, presented at the 
end of this document under Proposed Regulation Promulgation. We include 
more detailed information on the boundaries of the proposed critical 
habitat designation in the discussion of individual units, below. We 
will make the coordinates or plot points or both on which each map is 
based available to the public on https://www.regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2019-0019, and at the Arlington Ecological 
Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, above). 
When determining proposed critical habitat boundaries, we made every 
effort to avoid including developed areas such as lands covered by 
pavement, buildings, and other structures because such lands lack 
physical or biological features necessary for the peppered chub. The 
scale of the maps we prepared under the parameters for publication 
within the Code of Federal Regulations may not reflect the exclusion of 
such developed lands. Any such lands inadvertently left inside critical 
habitat boundaries shown on the maps of this proposed rule have been 
excluded by text in the proposed rule and are not proposed for 
designation as critical habitat. Therefore, if the critical habitat is 
finalized as proposed, a Federal action involving these lands would not 
trigger section 7 consultation under the Act with respect to critical 
habitat and the requirement of no adverse modification unless the 
specific action would affect the physical or biological features in the 
adjacent critical habitat.

Proposed Critical Habitat Designation

    We are proposing to designate approximately 1,068 rmi (1,719 rkm) 
in four units in Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas as critical 
habitat for the peppered chub. One of the units is currently occupied 
by the species and contains those physical or biological features 
essential to the conservation of the species but may require special 
management considerations. Three of the units are currently unoccupied 
by the species but are essential to the conservation of the species. 
All units proposed may require special management considerations or 
protection to address habitat degradation resulting from the cumulative 
impacts of land use change and associated watershed-level effects on 
water quality, water quantity, substrate, channel complexity, 
unimpounded river length, and instream habitat suitability. These 
stressors are primarily related to habitat changes: The loss of flowing 
water, altered flow regimes, modified geomorphology, stream 
fragmentation, and impairment of water quality; these may all be 
exacerbated by climate change. Table 4, below, shows the proposed 
units' names, land ownership of the riparian areas surrounding the 
units, and approximate river miles. Navigable streambeds in the State 
of Texas are owned by the State; therefore, the critical habitat units 
within Texas are on State-owned land. In Kansas, New Mexico, and 
Oklahoma, the landowners of the adjacent land consist of Federal, 
Tribal, State, and private landowners that may own the streambed. All 
proposed units include only the river habitat up to bankfull. The 
bankfull width is the width of the stream or river at bankfull 
discharge. Bankfull discharge is the flow at which water begins to 
leave the active channel and move into the floodplain. It serves to 
identify the point at which the active channel ceases and the 
floodplain begins.

                         Table 4--Proposed Critical Habitat Units for the Peppered Chub
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                  Length of unit
        Critical habitat unit           Occupied at the time of listing     Riparian ownership    in river miles
                                                                                                   (kilometers)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unit 1. Upper South Canadian River...  Yes.............................  Federal; State;               197 (317)
                                                                          Private; Other.
Unit 2. Lower South Canadian River...  No..............................  Federal; Tribal;              400 (644)
                                                                          Private; Other.

[[Page 77124]]

 
Unit 3. Arkansas/Ninnescah River.....  No..............................  Private; Other.........       179 (288)
Unit 4. Cimarron River...............  No..............................  Federal; Tribal; State;       292 (470)
                                                                          Private; Other.
                                                                                                 ---------------
    Total............................  ................................  .......................   1,068 (1,719)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Unit lengths may not sum due to rounding.

Unit 1: Upper South Canadian River, New Mexico and Texas
    Unit 1 consists of approximately 197.16 river miles (rmi) (317.29 
river kilometers (rkm)) comprised of a portion of the South Canadian 
River originating below the Ute Dam west of Logan, New Mexico, and 
extending downstream to the delta of Lake Meredith, Texas; and a 
portion of Revuelto Creek originating at the Interstate Highway 40 
bridge extending downstream to the confluence with the South Canadian 
River, New Mexico. Revuelto Creek is an important source of water and 
sediment for the Upper South Canadian River and is considered occupied. 
Unit 1 occurs largely within private land or ``other.'' Land described 
as ``other'' is land with non-Federal ownership that could not be 
determined, but is likely to be tribal or private. This unit possess 
those characteristics as described by physical or biological feature 1. 
Physical or biological features 2 and 3 are in degraded condition in 
this unit during some times of the year and are dependent upon water 
releases from Ute Reservoir, precipitation and groundwater; but are 
currently sufficient to maintain self-sustaining populations. Water 
management strategies could enhance physical or biological features 2 
and 3 within this unit. Current management to address native riparian 
vegetation is ongoing throughout this unit as it pertains to physical 
or biological feature 4; however, additional efforts to improve 
streamflow and channel morphology/complexity could further benefit this 
species. Predatory and other fish that may compete with peppered chub 
are present in this unit, but any effect to peppered chub resiliency is 
unclear. Thus, management actions to achieve physical or biological 
feature 5 may be necessary if additional information suggests the 
species' resiliency is affected by predation or competition. We are 
requesting public input in an effort to clarify these uncertainties in 
land ownership using the public comment period and addressed in the 
Information Requested section above. Approximately 21.45 rmi (34.52 
rkm) are publicly owned within the Lake Meredith National Recreation 
Area managed by the National Park Service, and approximately 6.14 rmi 
(9.88 rkm) are managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. In addition, 
several small segments of public lands occur at bridge crossings, road 
easements, and the like.
Unit 2: Lower South Canadian River, Texas and Oklahoma
    Because we have determined occupied areas are not adequate for the 
conservation of the species, we have evaluated whether any unoccupied 
areas are essential for the conservation of the species and identified 
this area as essential for the conservation of the species. Unit 2 
comprises approximately 400.01 rmi (643.86 rkm) consisting of the South 
Canadian River originating at the U.S. 83 bridge north of Canadian, 
Texas, and extending downstream to the U.S. 75 bridge northwest of 
Calvin, Oklahoma. Unit 2 occurs almost entirely within land under 
``other'' land ownership, as described above under Unit 1. 
Approximately 13.15 rmi (21.16 rkm) is managed by the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, and approximately 0.75 rmi (1.21 rkm) is held in trust by 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs as Cheyenne-Arapaho Trust Land. In 
addition, several small segments of public land occur at bridge 
crossings, road easements, and the like. Historically, peppered chub 
was observed in the lower portions of the South Canadian River. 
Peppered chub were last reported in the South Canadian River resiliency 
unit in 1999. Currently it supports other pelagic-spawning prairie 
fish, such as the threatened Arkansas River shiner. This unit has at 
least one of the physical or biological features essential to the 
conservation of the species and we are reasonably certain that each 
will contribute to the conservation of the species. Our specific 
rationale for this unit can be found below in this unit description.
    Although it is considered unoccupied, portions of this unit contain 
some or all of the physical or biological features essential for the 
conservation of the species. Unit 2 possesses those characteristics as 
described by physical or biological feature 1 and is the longest 
unfragmented river segment within the historical range of the peppered 
chub. Although we have determined that peppered chub requires 127 rmi 
of unobstructed river characterized by a complex braided channel and 
substrates of predominantly sand, with some patches of silt, gravel, 
and cobble, that is the minimum number of river miles required 
adequately facilitate reproduction and maintain a population assuming 
all of the physical habitat requirements exist throughout the stretch 
of river (Service 2018, pp. 32 & 116). In order to establish 
populations, peppered need a longer river length that will not only 
adequately facilitate reproduction but also population growth (Service 
2018, p. 97). Additionally, the required habitat factors (from physical 
or biological feature 1) do not exist throughout the entire river 
segment and because the peppered chub has an approximate 2-year life 
cycle any additional stream length would guard against extirpation due 
to multi-year droughts.
    Physical or biological feature 2 is degraded in the upper portion 
of unit during some times of the year and is dependent upon 
precipitation and groundwater. Based on available data (OWRB 2017, pg. 
39-43), physical or biological feature 3 is present throughout this 
unit. Current management to address native riparian vegetation is 
ongoing throughout this unit as it pertains to physical or biological 
feature 4; however, these management efforts are not specifically 
directed at benefiting peppered chubs and additional management efforts 
may be necessary. Management actions to control non-native 
phreatophytic vegetation upstream and within the upper portion of this 
unit could also improve physical or biological feature 2 by reducing 
evapotranspiration. Predatory and other fish that may compete with 
peppered chub are present in this unit, but any effect to peppered chub 
resiliency is unclear. Thus, management actions to achieve

[[Page 77125]]

physical or biological feature 5 may be necessary if additional 
information suggests the species' resiliency is affected by predation 
or competition.
    If this unit were established, it would likely be a moderately to 
highly resilient population due to longer stream length compared to 
other units and would increase the species redundancy by one 
population. This unit is essential for the conservation of the species 
because it will provide habitat for range expansion in portions of 
known historical habitat that is necessary to increase viability of the 
species by increasing its resiliency, redundancy, and representation. A 
portion (approximately 238.2 rmi (383.3 rkm)) of listed Arkansas River 
shiner critical habitat is present in Unit 2.
    We are reasonably certain that this unit will contribute to the 
conservation of the species, because the need for conservation efforts 
is recognized and is being discussed by our conservation partners, and 
methods for restoring and reintroducing the species into unoccupied 
habitat are being worked on. The State of Oklahoma has identified the 
peppered chub as a tier III species of greatest conservation need 
(moderate level of conservation need) in the Oklahoma Comprehensive 
Wildlife Conservation Strategy (ODWC 2016, pg. 399). The State strategy 
was developed to articulate the conservation strategies necessary to 
conserve their rare and declining wildlife species and maintain 
Oklahoma's rich biological heritage for present and future generations 
(ODWC 2016, pg. 3). The strategy identifies several general 
conservation actions that would improve physical or biological features 
2, 3, and 4 and benefit the peppered chub, if a population were 
established and if the actions were implemented, such as; providing 
funding to landowners to restore channel morphology, water 
conservation, coordinating further with the Service and public 
education (ODWC 2016, pp. 45-46). State and Federal partners have shown 
interest in propagation and reintroduction efforts for the peppered 
chub in this area. As previously mentioned, efforts are underway 
regarding a captive propagation program for peppered chub at the 
Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in Oklahoma. The State of Kansas, 
Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery and the Oklahoma Fish and Wildlife 
Conservation Office collaborate regularly on conservation actions.
    The State of Texas also recognizes the peppered chub as species of 
greatest conservation need and gives the species a rank of S1 (At very 
high risk of extirpation in the jurisdiction due to very restricted 
range, very few populations or occurrences, very steep declines, severe 
threats, or other factors). Texas is one of only two states where the 
species remains extant. The State has also identified the portion of 
the Canadian River within the boundaries of the State of Texas (where 
the species exists and areas inside this unit) as an ecologically 
significant stream because it has threatened and endangered species/
unique communities present (Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) 2016, 
pg. 8-2). The Canadian River segment in the panhandle of Texas is also 
significant because of the presence of unique, exemplary or unusually 
extensive natural communities that water development projects would 
have significant detrimental effects upon (TWDB 2016, pg. 8-2).
Unit 3: Arkansas/Ninnescah River, Kansas and Oklahoma
    Because we have determined occupied areas are not adequate for the 
conservation of the species, we have evaluated whether any unoccupied 
areas are essential for the conservation of the species and identified 
this area as essential for the conservation of the species. Unit 3 
comprises approximately 178.96 rmi (288.02 rkm) consisting of the South 
Fork Ninnescah River originating at the Highway 54/400 bridge east of 
Pratt, Kansas, and extending downstream to the River Road Bridge east 
of Newkirk, Oklahoma. Unit 3 occurs almost entirely on land under 
``other'' land ownership, as described above under Unit 1. A small 
amount of this unit is publicly owned in the form of bridge crossings, 
road easements, and the like. Peppered chub was observed in the 
Ninnescah River in surveys between the year 2000 and 2013. This unit 
has at least one of the physical or biological features essential to 
the conservation of the species and we are reasonably certain that each 
will contribute to the conservation of the species. Our specific 
rationale for this unit can be found below in this unit description.
    Although it is currently considered unoccupied, this unit contains 
some or all of the physical or biological features necessary for the 
conservation of the species. Physical or biological feature 1 is in 
degraded condition in this unit during some times of the year and is 
dependent on adequate flows. However, if implemented, habitat 
restoration actions as identified in the Kansas Recovery Plan for the 
Peppered Chub and the Kansas Wildlife Action Plan would meet the 
requirements of physical or biological feature 1 (Layer and Brinkman 
2005, pg. 16; Rohweder 2015, pp. 52-55). Based on periodic sampling 
during summer months over a range of three decades, physical or 
biological features 2 and 3 are consistently present in this unit (KS 
DWPT, unpublished data 2019). Water management strategies could further 
enhance physical or biological features 2 and 3. Current management to 
address native riparian vegetation is ongoing throughout this unit as 
it pertains to physical or biological feature 4. Management actions to 
control non-native phreatophytic vegetation upstream and within the 
upper portion of this unit could also improve physical or biological 
feature 2 by reducing evapotranspiration. Predatory and other fish that 
may compete with peppered chub are present in this unit, but any effect 
to peppered chub resiliency is unclear. Thus, management actions to 
achieve physical or biological feature 5 may be necessary if additional 
information suggests the species' resiliency may be affected by 
predation or competition.
    Unit 3 was the most recently occupied of the three unoccupied 
units. If established, the population would increase redundancy (and 
guard against catastrophic events) by not only increasing the number of 
populations but also adding a population that is geographically 
separate from the Upper South Canadian River population. A population 
at the extreme north-eastern portion of the historical range also 
dramatically increases ecological diversity for the peppered chub 
(representation). This unit is essential for the conservation of the 
species because it will provide habitat for range expansion in portions 
of known historical habitat that is necessary to increase viability of 
the species by increasing its resiliency, redundancy, and 
representation.
    We are reasonably certain that this unit will contribute to the 
conservation of the species, because the need for conservation efforts 
has been recognized by our conservation partners, and development of 
methods for restoring habitats and reintroducing the species into 
unoccupied habitat are ongoing. The State of Kansas has identified the 
peppered chub as a tier I species of greatest conservation need in 
their State Wildlife Action Plan (Rohweder 2015, pg. 55). The State 
plan was developed to guide KDWPT and conservation partners in the 
planning and implementation of conservation measures to address 
priority issues and actions, as identified in the plan, which would 
improve physical or biological features 1-5 (Rohweder 2015, pg. ii). 
Both the Service and the State of Kansas

[[Page 77126]]

identified the peppered chub as a species that could significantly 
benefit from propagation efforts (Webb et al., n.d., pg. 7). Habitat 
restoration, such as removal or modification of fish barriers, has been 
identified in the Recovery Plan for the Peppered Chub (Layher and 
Brinkman 2005, pg. 16). As previously mentioned, efforts are underway 
regarding a captive propagation program for peppered chub at the Kansas 
Aquatic Biodiversity Center.
Unit 4: Cimarron River, Kansas and Oklahoma
    Because we have determined occupied areas are not adequate for the 
conservation of the species, we have evaluated whether any unoccupied 
areas are essential for the conservation of the species and identified 
this area as essential for the conservation of the species. Unit 4 
comprises approximately 291.82 rmi (469.63 rkm) consisting of the 
Cimarron River originating at the U.S. 183 bridge east of Englewood, 
Kansas, and extending downstream to the OK 51 bridge northeast of 
Oilton, Oklahoma. Unit 4 occurs almost entirely on land under ``other'' 
land ownership, as described above under Unit 1. Approximately 0.86 rmi 
(1.38 rkm) is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
approximately 0.56 rmi (0.91 rkm) is managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management, and approximately 0.94 rmi (1.51 rkm) is held in trust by 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs as Sac and Fox Nation Trust Land and 
Pawnee Trust Land. In addition, small amounts of the unit are publicly 
owned in the form of bridge crossings, road easements, and the like. 
Historically, peppered chub was observed in the Cimarron River. The 
peppered chub was last observed in the Cimarron River resiliency unit 
in 2011. This unit has at least one of the physical or biological 
features essential to the conservation of the species and we are 
reasonably certain that each will contribute to the conservation of the 
species. Our specific rationale for this unit can be found below in 
this unit description.
    Unit 4 is considered unoccupied; however, portions of this unit 
contain some or all of the physical or biological features necessary 
for the conservation of the species. Physical or biological feature 1 
is present within this unit, as described in the Unit 2 description. 
Physical or biological feature 2 is degraded in upstream portions of 
this unit during some times of the year (absent during elevated drought 
conditions) and is dependent upon precipitation and groundwater. Based 
on available data, physical or biological feature 3 is present 
throughout this unit with the exception of 3(iii) (conductivity 
generally less than 16.2 mS/cm) along an approximate 79 mile portion 
upstream of Waynoka to Ames, Oklahoma. Management actions would likely 
be necessary to reduce conductivity in this area (OWRB 2017, pg. 49-
56). Current management to address native riparian vegetation is 
ongoing throughout this unit as it pertains to physical or biological 
feature 4. Management actions to control non-native phreatophytic 
vegetation upstream and within the upper portion of this unit could 
also improve physical or biological feature 2 and 3 by reducing 
evapotranspiration. Predatory and other fish that may compete with 
peppered chub are present in this unit, but any effect to peppered chub 
resiliency is unclear. Thus, management actions to achieve physical or 
biological feature 5 may be necessary if additional information 
suggests the species' resiliency is affected by predation or 
competition.
    Peppered chub currently has little to no representation and 
redundancy. If established, this population would increase redundancy 
by one population, thereby guarding against catastrophic events, and 
would increase the species' ecological diversity (representation). This 
unit is essential for the conservation of the species because it will 
provide habitat for range expansion in portions of known historical 
habitat that is necessary to increase viability of the species by 
increasing its resiliency, redundancy, and representation. Critical 
habitat for the Arkansas River shiner is present within a portion 
(approximately 201.5 rmi (324.30 rkm)) of Unit 4.
    We are reasonably certain that this unit will contribute to the 
conservation of the species because the need for conservation efforts 
has been recognized and is being discussed by our conservation 
partners, and methods for restoring and reintroducing the species into 
unoccupied habitat are ongoing. The State of Oklahoma has identified 
the peppered chub as a tier III species of greatest conservation need 
in the Oklahoma Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (ODWC 
2016, pg. 399). The State strategy was developed to articulate the 
conservation strategies necessary to conserve their rare and declining 
wildlife species and maintain Oklahoma's rich biological heritage for 
present and future generations (ODWC 2016, pg. 3). The strategy 
identifies several general conservation actions that would improve 
physical or biological features 2, 3, and 4 and benefit the peppered 
chub, if a population were established and if the actions were 
implemented, such as; providing funding to landowners to restore 
channel morphology, water conservation, coordinating further with the 
Service, public education (ODWC 2016, pp. 45-46). State and Federal 
partners have shown interest in propagation and reintroduction efforts 
for the peppered chub. As previously mentioned, efforts are underway 
regarding a captive propagation program for peppered chub at the 
Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in Oklahoma.
    It is possible that significant drought conditions in the late 
1980s and early 1990s led to the peppered chub decline and eventual 
extirpation in the Cimarron River (in Unit 4). The current condition of 
the unit, however, is likely to support populations once again (Service 
2018, pg. 150). The shoal chub (Macrhybobsis hyostoma), a species in 
the same genus as the peppered chub, has re-established populations and 
continues to persist in the Cimarron River after previously 
experiencing significant declines (Lutrell et al. 1999, pp. 984-985).

Effects of Critical Habitat Designation

Section 7 Consultation
    Section 7(a)(2) of the Act requires Federal agencies, including the 
Service, to ensure that any action they fund, authorize, or carry out 
is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered 
species or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse 
modification of designated critical habitat of such species. In 
addition, section 7(a)(4) of the Act requires Federal agencies to 
confer with the Service on any agency action which is likely to 
jeopardize the continued existence of any species proposed to be listed 
under the Act or result in the destruction or adverse modification of 
proposed critical habitat.
    We published a final regulation with a revised definition of 
destruction or adverse modification on August 27, 2019 (84 FR 44976). 
Destruction or adverse modification means a direct or indirect 
alteration that appreciably diminishes the value of critical habitat as 
a whole for the conservation of a listed species.
    If a Federal action may affect a listed species or its critical 
habitat, the responsible Federal agency (action agency) must enter into 
consultation with us. Examples of actions that are subject to the 
section 7 consultation process are actions on State, tribal, local, or 
private lands that require a Federal permit (such as a permit from the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under section 404 of the Clean Water Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) or a permit from the

[[Page 77127]]

Service under section 10 of the Act) or that involve some other Federal 
action (such as funding from the Federal Highway Administration, 
Federal Aviation Administration, or the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency). Federal actions not affecting listed species or critical 
habitat--and actions on State, tribal, local, or private lands that are 
not federally funded, authorized or carried out by a Federal agency--do 
not require section 7 consultation.
    Compliance with the requirements of section 7(a)(2) is documented 
through our issuance of:
    (1) A concurrence letter for Federal actions that may affect, but 
are not likely to adversely affect, listed species or critical habitat; 
or
    (2) A biological opinion for Federal actions that may affect, and 
are likely to adversely affect, listed species or critical habitat.
    When we issue a biological opinion concluding that a project is 
likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species and/or 
destroy or adversely modify critical habitat, we provide reasonable and 
prudent alternatives to the project, if any are identifiable, that 
would avoid the likelihood of jeopardy and/or destruction or adverse 
modification of critical habitat. We define ``reasonable and prudent 
alternatives'' (at 50 CFR 402.02) as alternative actions identified 
during consultation that:
    (1) Can be implemented in a manner consistent with the intended 
purpose of the action,
    (2) Can be implemented consistent with the scope of the Federal 
agency's legal authority and jurisdiction,
    (3) Are economically and technologically feasible, and
    (4) Would, in the Service Director's opinion, avoid the likelihood 
of jeopardizing the continued existence of the listed species and/or 
avoid the likelihood of destroying or adversely modifying critical 
habitat.
    Reasonable and prudent alternatives can vary from slight project 
modifications to extensive redesign or relocation of the project. Costs 
associated with implementing a reasonable and prudent alternative are 
similarly variable.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 402.16 require Federal agencies to reinitiate 
formal consultation on previously reviewed actions. These requirements 
apply when the Federal agency has retained discretionary involvement or 
control over the action (or the agency's discretionary involvement or 
control is authorized by law) and, subsequent to the previous 
consultation, we have listed a new species or designated critical 
habitat that may be affected by the Federal action, or the action has 
been modified in a manner that affects the species or critical habitat 
in a way not considered in the previous consultation. In such 
situations, Federal agencies sometimes may need to request reinitiation 
of consultation with us, but the regulations also specify some 
exceptions to the requirement to reinitiate consultation on specific 
land management plans after subsequently listing a new species or 
designating new critical habitat. See the regulations for a description 
of those exceptions.
Application of the ``Adverse Modification'' Standard
    The key factor related to the destruction or adverse modification 
determination is whether implementation of the proposed Federal action 
directly or indirectly alters the designated critical habitat in a way 
that appreciably diminishes the value of the critical habitat as a 
whole for the conservation of the listed species. As discussed above, 
the role of critical habitat is to support physical or biological 
features essential to the conservation of a listed species and provide 
for the conservation of the species.
    Section 4(b)(8) of the Act requires us to briefly evaluate and 
describe, in any proposed or final regulation that designates critical 
habitat, activities involving a Federal action that may violate 7(a)(2) 
of the Act by destroying or adversely modifying such designation.
    Activities that the Services may, during a consultation under 
section 7(a)(2) of the Act, find are likely to destroy or adversely 
modify critical habitat include, but are not limited to:
    (1) Replacement and maintenance of river crossings and bridges;
    (2) Construction, replacement, maintenance, or removal of 
pipelines, or abandonment of pipelines or electrical lines crossing 
streams;
    (3) Park maintenance and authorization of recreational activities 
by the U.S. National Park Service (e.g., permitting recreational off-
road vehicle use at Lake Meredith Recreational Area);
    (4) Operation and maintenance of salinity control programs;
    (5) Dam maintenance, water releases from dams, and flow management 
via dams;
    (6) Water withdrawals and groundwater withdrawals from reservoirs;
    (7) Water development projects (such as new impoundments, 
diversions, or reservoir projects);
    (8) Watershed restoration activities;
    (9) Stream restoration and habitat improvement;
    (10) Stocking of nonnative fish or native fish that compete with 
the peppered chub;
    (11) Oil and gas exploration and extraction; and
    (12) New or expanded development of municipal or agricultural water 
supplies.

Exemptions

Application of Section 4(a)(3) of the Act
    Section 4(a)(3)(B)(i) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1533(a)(3)(B)(i)) 
provides that: ``The Secretary shall not designate as critical habitat 
any lands or other geographical areas owned or controlled by the 
Department of Defense, or designated for its use, that are subject to 
an integrated natural resources management plan [INRMP] prepared under 
section 101 of the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670a), if the Secretary 
determines in writing that such plan provides a benefit to the species 
for which critical habitat is proposed for designation.'' There are no 
Department of Defense (DoD) lands with a completed INRMP within the 
proposed critical habitat designation.

Consideration of Impacts Under Section 4(b)(2) of the Act

    Section 4(b)(2) of the Act states that the Secretary shall 
designate and make revisions to critical habitat on the basis of the 
best available scientific data after taking into consideration the 
economic impact, national security impact, and any other relevant 
impact of specifying any particular area as critical habitat. The 
Secretary may exclude an area from critical habitat if he determines 
that the benefits of such exclusion outweigh the benefits of specifying 
such area as part of the critical habitat, unless he determines, based 
on the best scientific data available, that the failure to designate 
such area as critical habitat will result in the extinction of the 
species. In making that determination, the statute on its face and the 
legislative history are clear that the Secretary has broad discretion 
regarding which factor(s) to use and how much weight to give to any 
factor.
    The first sentence in section 4(b)(2) of the Act requires that we 
take into consideration the economic, national security, or other 
relevant impacts of designating any particular area as critical 
habitat. We describe below the process that we undertook for taking 
into consideration each category of impacts and our analyses of the 
relevant impacts.
    Tribal areas are included in this critical habit designation. We 
are

[[Page 77128]]

considering these areas for exclusion from critical habitat (see 
Exclusions, below). However, the final decision on whether to exclude 
any areas will be based on the best scientific data available at the 
time of the final designation, including information we obtain during 
the comment period and information about the economic impacts of the 
designation. Accordingly, we have prepared a draft economic analysis 
(DEA) concerning the proposed critical habitat designation, which is 
available for review and comment (see ADDRESSES, above).
Consideration of Economic Impacts
    Section 4(b)(2) of the Act and its implementing regulations require 
that we consider the economic impact that may result from a designation 
of critical habitat. To assess the probable economic impacts of a 
designation, we must first evaluate specific land uses or activities 
and projects that may occur in the area of the critical habitat. We 
then must evaluate the impacts that a specific critical habitat 
designation may have on restricting or modifying specific land uses or 
activities for the benefit of the species and its habitat within the 
areas proposed. We then identify which conservation efforts may be the 
result of the species being listed under the Act versus those 
attributed solely to the designation of critical habitat for this 
particular species. The probable economic impact of a proposed critical 
habitat designation is analyzed by comparing scenarios both ``with 
critical habitat'' and ``without critical habitat.''
    The ``without critical habitat'' scenario represents the baseline 
for the analysis, which includes the regulatory and socio-economic 
burden imposed on landowners, managers, or other resource users 
potentially affected by the designation of critical habitat (e.g., 
under the Federal listing and other Federal, State, and local 
regulations). The baseline, therefore, represents the costs of all 
efforts attributable to the listing of the species under the Act (i.e., 
conservation of the species and its habitat incurred regardless of 
whether critical habitat is designated). The ``with critical habitat'' 
scenario describes the incremental impacts associated specifically with 
the designation of critical habitat for the species. The incremental 
conservation efforts and associated impacts would not be expected 
without the designation of critical habitat for the species. In other 
words, the incremental costs are those attributable solely to the 
designation of critical habitat, above and beyond the baseline costs. 
These are the costs we use when evaluating the benefits of inclusion 
and exclusion of particular areas from the final designation of 
critical habitat should we choose to conduct a discretionary section 
4(b)(2) exclusion analysis.
    For this particular designation, we developed an incremental 
effects memorandum (IEM) considering the probable incremental economic 
impacts that may result from this proposed designation of critical 
habitat. The information contained in our IEM was then used to develop 
a screening analysis of the probable effects of the designation of 
critical habitat for the peppered chub (Industrial Economics, 
Incorporated (IEc) 2018). We began by conducting a screening analysis 
of the proposed designation of critical habitat in order to focus our 
analysis on the key factors that are likely to result in incremental 
economic impacts. The purpose of the screening analysis is to filter 
out the geographic areas in which the critical habitat designation is 
unlikely to result in probable incremental economic impacts. In 
particular, the screening analysis considers baseline costs (i.e., 
absent critical habitat designation) and includes probable economic 
impacts where land and water use may be subject to conservation plans, 
land management plans, best management practices, or regulations that 
protect the habitat area as a result of the Federal listing status of 
the species. The screening analysis filters out particular areas of 
critical habitat that are already subject to such protections and are, 
therefore, unlikely to incur incremental economic impacts. Ultimately, 
the screening analysis allows us to focus our analysis on evaluating 
the specific areas or sectors that may incur probable incremental 
economic impacts as a result of the designation. If there are any 
unoccupied units in the proposed critical habitat designation, the 
screening analysis assesses whether any additional management or 
conservation efforts may incur incremental economic impacts. This 
screening analysis, combined with the information contained in our IEM, 
is what we consider our draft economic analysis of the proposed 
critical habitat designation for the peppered chub and is summarized in 
the narrative below.
    Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 direct Federal agencies to 
assess the costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives in 
quantitative (to the extent feasible) and qualitative terms. Consistent 
with the E.O. regulatory analysis requirements, our effects analysis 
under the Act may take into consideration impacts to both directly and 
indirectly affected entities, where practicable and reasonable. If 
sufficient data are available, we assess to the extent practicable the 
probable impacts to both directly and indirectly affected entities. As 
part of our screening analysis, we considered the types of economic 
activities that are likely to occur within the areas likely affected by 
the critical habitat designation. In our evaluation of the probable 
incremental economic impacts that may result from the proposed 
designation of critical habitat for the peppered chub, first we 
identified, in the IEM dated November 2018, probable incremental 
economic impacts associated with the following categories of 
activities: (1) Replacement and maintenance of river crossings and 
bridges (Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)); (2) construction, 
replacement, maintenance, or removal of pipelines, or abandonment of 
pipelines or electrical lines crossing streams (Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (FERC) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)); 
(3) park maintenance and authorization of recreational activities (U.S. 
National Park Service (NPS)); (4) operation and maintenance of salinity 
control programs (Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)); (5) helium collection 
or storage (Bureau of Land Management (BLM)); (6) dam maintenance and 
water releases (USACE); (7) flow maintenance and water withdrawals 
(USACE); (8) watershed restoration activities (Natural Resources 
Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 
and USACE); (9) stream restoration and habitat improvement (NRCS, USFS, 
the Service, USACE, EPA, and FEMA); (10) pesticide use (USFS, FERC, and 
FHWA); (11) fish surveys (Service, USFS, and NPS); (12) emergency 
response activities (FEMA); (13) oil and gas exploration and extraction 
(USACE); and (14) future reintroduction efforts (Service, NPS, or 
USFS). We considered each industry or category individually. 
Additionally, we considered whether their activities have any Federal 
involvement. Critical habitat designation generally will not affect 
activities that do not have any Federal involvement; under the Act, 
designation of critical habitat affects only activities conducted, 
funded, permitted, or authorized by Federal agencies. If we list the 
species, in areas where the peppered chub is present, Federal agencies 
would be required to consult with the Service under section 7 of the 
Act on activities they fund, permit, or implement that may affect the

[[Page 77129]]

species. If, when we list the species, we also finalize this proposed 
critical habitat designation, consultations to avoid the destruction or 
adverse modification of critical habitat would be incorporated into the 
consultation process.
    In our IEM, we attempted to clarify the distinction between the 
effects that would result from the species being listed and those 
attributable to the critical habitat designation (i.e., difference 
between the jeopardy and adverse modification standards). The following 
specific circumstances help to inform our evaluation: (1) The essential 
physical or biological features identified for critical habitat are the 
same features essential for the life requisites of the species, and (2) 
any actions that would result in sufficient harm to constitute jeopardy 
to the peppered chub would also likely adversely affect the essential 
physical or biological features of critical habitat. The IEM outlines 
our rationale concerning this limited distinction between baseline 
conservation efforts and incremental impacts of the designation of 
critical habitat for this species.
    We have identified and delineated four proposed critical habitat 
units, totaling approximately 1,068 rmi (1,719 rkm), one of which is 
currently occupied by the peppered chub and three that are unoccupied 
but essential to the conservation of the species. The occupied unit 
(Unit 1) is considered occupied year-round for the purposes of 
consultation based on current survey data. In the occupied area, any 
actions that may affect the species or its habitat would also affect 
designated critical habitat, and it is unlikely that any additional 
conservation efforts would be recommended to address the adverse 
modification standard over and above those recommended as necessary to 
avoid jeopardizing the continued existence of the peppered chub. While 
this additional analysis in the occupied critical habitat would require 
time and resources by both the Federal action agency and the Service, 
it is believed that, in most circumstances, these costs would 
predominantly be administrative in nature and would not be significant.
    Three of the proposed critical habitat units (Units 2, 3, and 4) 
are unoccupied. We anticipate the incremental impacts of the critical 
habitat designation to be higher in the unoccupied areas because there 
are no baseline conservation efforts to consider in those areas where 
the species is not present. However, large portions of Unit 2 
(approximately 238.2 rmi (383.3 rkm)) and Unit 4 (approximately 201.5 
rmi (324.30 rkm)) overlap with the designation of critical habitat of a 
similar species (Arkansas River shiner), and, thus, section 7 
consultation would already be triggered in segments of these units.
    Federal agencies are the entities most likely to incur incremental 
costs associated with designating critical habitat, due to section 7 
requirements. We do not anticipate any costs to State or local 
agencies, or impacts on property values related to the public's 
perception of additional regulation, because we do not expect the 
designation of critical habitat for the peppered chub to result in 
changes to Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, or Texas local regulations 
(IEc 2018, p. 16).
    No more than 153 peppered chub consultations (148 informal and 5 
formal) are anticipated in any given year (IEc 2018, p. 16). Proposed 
Unit 3 (Arkansas/Ninnescah River) has the highest potential costs, due 
in part to the fact that there is no overlapping critical habitat 
designation with the Arkansas River shiner in this unit. However, the 
estimated incremental costs of the total critical habitat designation 
for the peppered chub in the first year are unlikely to exceed $900,000 
(2018 dollars) (IEc 2018, p. 16). Thus, the annual administrative 
burden would not reach $100 million.
    As we stated earlier, we are soliciting data and comments from the 
public on the DEA and all aspects of the proposed rule and our required 
determinations. We may revise the proposed rule or supporting documents 
to incorporate or address information we receive during the public 
comment period. In particular, we may exclude an area from critical 
habitat if we determine that the benefits of excluding the area 
outweigh the benefits of including the area, provided the exclusion 
will not result in the extinction of this species. During the 
development of a final designation, we will consider any additional 
economic impact information we receive through the public comment 
period, and, as such, areas may be excluded from the final critical 
habitat designation under section 4(b)(2) of the Act and our 
implementing regulations at 50 CFR 424.19.
Consideration of National Security Impacts or Homeland Security Impacts
    Under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, we consider whether there are 
lands where a national security impact might exist. In preparing this 
proposal, we have determined that the lands adjacent to the proposed 
designation of critical habitat for peppered chub are not owned or 
managed by the Department of Defense or Department of Homeland 
Security. We anticipate no impact on national security. However, during 
the development of a final designation we will consider any additional 
information received through the public comment period on the impacts 
of the proposed designation on national security or homeland security 
to determine whether any specific areas should be excluded from the 
final critical habitat designation under authority of section 4(b)(2) 
and our implementing regulations at 50 CFR 424.19.
Consideration of Other Relevant Impacts
    Under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, we consider any other relevant 
impacts, in addition to economic impacts and impacts on national 
security. We consider a number of factors including whether there are 
permitted conservation plans covering the species in the area such as 
HCPs, safe harbor agreements, or candidate conservation agreements with 
assurances, or whether there are nonpermitted conservation agreements 
and partnerships that would be encouraged by designation of, or 
exclusion from, critical habitat. In addition, we look at the existence 
of tribal conservation plans and partnerships and consider the 
government-to-government relationship of the United States with tribal 
entities. We also consider any social impacts that might occur because 
of the designation.
    Although we have determined that there are currently no active 
HCPs, CCAAs, SHAs or other management plans for the peppered chub, we 
are aware of management plans within the peppered chub's range such as 
the Arkansas River Shiner (Notropis girardi) Management Plan for the 
Canadian River From U.S. Highway 54 at Logan, New Mexico, to Lake 
Meredith, Texas (Canadian River Municipal Water Authority, June 2005) 
and the Recovery Plan for the Peppered Chub (Macrhybopsis tetranema) 
Gilbert, IN, Kansas (Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, May 
2005). We anticipate no impact on current partnerships or permitted 
conservation plans from this proposed critical habitat designation.
Tribal Lands
    Several Executive Orders, Secretarial Orders, and policies concern 
working with Tribes. These guidance documents generally confirm our 
trust responsibilities to Tribes, recognize that Tribes have sovereign 
authority to control tribal lands, emphasize the importance of 
developing partnerships with tribal governments, and direct the Service 
to consult with Tribes on a government-to-government basis.

[[Page 77130]]

    A joint Secretarial Order that applies to both the Service and the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Secretarial Order 3206, 
American Indian Tribal Rights, Federal-Tribal Trust Responsibilities, 
and the Endangered Species Act (June 5, 1997) (S.O. 3206), is the most 
comprehensive of the various guidance documents related to tribal 
relationships and Act implementation, and it provides the most detail 
directly relevant to the designation of critical habitat. In addition 
to the general direction discussed above, S.O. 3206 explicitly 
recognizes the right of Tribes to participate fully in the listing 
process, including designation of critical habitat. The Order also 
states: ``Critical habitat shall not be designated in such areas unless 
it is determined essential to conserve a listed species. In designating 
critical habitat, the Services shall evaluate and document the extent 
to which the conservation needs of the listed species can be achieved 
by limiting the designation to other lands.'' In light of this 
instruction, when we undertake a discretionary section 4(b)(2) 
exclusion analysis, we will always consider exclusions of tribal lands 
under section 4(b)(2) of the Act prior to finalizing a designation of 
critical habitat, and will give great weight to tribal concerns in 
analyzing the benefits of exclusion.
    However, S.O. 3206 does not preclude us from designating tribal 
lands or waters as critical habitat, nor does it state that tribal 
lands or waters cannot meet the Act's definition of ``critical 
habitat.'' We are directed by the Act to identify areas that meet the 
definition of ``critical habitat'' (i.e., areas occupied at the time of 
listing that contain the essential physical or biological features that 
may require special management or protection and unoccupied areas that 
are essential to the conservation of a species), without regard to 
landownership. While S.O. 3206 provides important direction, it 
expressly states that it does not modify the Secretaries' statutory 
authority.
    Less than 2 miles of tribal lands are included in the proposed 
designation of critical habitat for the peppered chub. We will consider 
these areas for exclusion from the final critical habitat designation 
to the extent consistent with the requirements of section 4(b)(2) of 
the Act. The Sac and Fox Nation, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, and the 
Pawnee are the main tribes that may be affected by this proposed rule. 
We sent notification letters and asked for feedback in November 2018 to 
the Sac and Fox Nation, the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Tribes, the Southern 
Plains Regional Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the 
Southwest Regional Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. We received 
a response from the Sac and Fox Nation in a letter dated November 20, 
2018, and they provided us with negative survey data and a discussion 
of future activities in the area that may or may not be performed under 
Federal permits. We will continue to coordinate with the Sac and Fox 
Nation, as well as any other tribal entity who wishes to provide 
information to the Service regarding this proposed listing and critical 
habitat designation. A final determination on whether the Secretary 
will exercise his discretion to exclude any of these areas from 
critical habitat for the peppered chub will be made when we publish the 
final rule designating critical habitat. We will take into account 
public comments and carefully weigh the benefits of exclusion versus 
inclusion of these areas. We may also consider areas not identified 
above for exclusion from the final critical habitat designation based 
on information we receive during the preparation of the final rule 
(e.g., management plans for additional areas).
    Voluntary conservation approaches or plans that could be 
implemented by private landowners and others with a vested interest as 
such that the engagement in conservation actions, such as removal of 
barriers, retaining quality riparian areas or water conservation 
activities, would result in direct and indirect benefits to the 
associated habitat for the proposed species. The conservation 
approaches and plans could include a variety of partners, including 
state and federal natural resource agencies, non-governmental 
organizations with emphasis on landscape management, local conservation 
groups with a strategic conservation focus and academia applied 
research. We may consider areas covered by any conservation actions or 
conservation plans (such as the Arkansas River Shiner (Notropis 
girardi) Management Plan for the Canadian River From U.S. Highway 54 at 
Logan, New Mexico to Lake Merideth, Texas or the Recovery Plan for the 
Peppered Chub, Macrhybopsis tetranema Gilbert, IN Kansas) for potential 
exclusion from the final critical habitat designation.

Required Determinations

Clarity of the Rule
    We are required by Executive Orders 12866 and 12988 and by the 
Presidential Memorandum of June 1, 1998, to write all rules in plain 
language. This means that each rule we publish must:
    (1) Be logically organized;
    (2) Use the active voice to address readers directly;
    (3) Use clear language rather than jargon;
    (4) Be divided into short sections and sentences; and
    (5) Use lists and tables wherever possible.
    If you feel that we have not met these requirements, send us 
comments by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. To better help us 
revise the rule, your comments should be as specific as possible. For 
example, you should tell us the numbers of the sections or paragraphs 
that are unclearly written, which sections or sentences are too long, 
the sections where you feel lists or tables would be useful, etc.
Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Orders 12866 and 13563)
    Executive Order 12866 provides that the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the Office of Management and Budget will 
review all significant rules. The Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs has waived their review regarding their significance 
determination of this proposed rule.
    Executive Order 13563 reaffirms the principles of E.O. 12866 while 
calling for improvements in the nation's regulatory system to promote 
predictability, to reduce uncertainty, and to use the best, most 
innovative, and least burdensome tools for achieving regulatory ends. 
The executive order directs agencies to consider regulatory approaches 
that reduce burdens and maintain flexibility and freedom of choice for 
the public where these approaches are relevant, feasible, and 
consistent with regulatory objectives. E.O. 13563 emphasizes further 
that regulations must be based on the best available science and that 
the rulemaking process must allow for public participation and an open 
exchange of ideas. We have developed this rule in a manner consistent 
with these requirements.
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA; 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), 
as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 
1996 (SBREFA; 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), whenever an agency is required to 
publish a notice of rulemaking for any proposed or final rule, it must 
prepare and make available for public comment a regulatory flexibility 
analysis that

[[Page 77131]]

describes the effects of the rule on small entities (i.e., small 
businesses, small organizations, and small government jurisdictions). 
However, no regulatory flexibility analysis is required if the head of 
the agency certifies the rule will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. The SBREFA amended 
the RFA to require Federal agencies to provide a certification 
statement of the factual basis for certifying that the rule will not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.
    According to the Small Business Administration, small entities 
include small organizations such as independent nonprofit 
organizations; small governmental jurisdictions, including school 
boards and city and town governments that serve fewer than 50,000 
residents; and small businesses (13 CFR 121.201). Small businesses 
include manufacturing and mining concerns with fewer than 500 
employees, wholesale trade entities with fewer than 100 employees, 
retail and service businesses with less than $5 million in annual 
sales, general and heavy construction businesses with less than $27.5 
million in annual business, special trade contractors doing less than 
$11.5 million in annual business, and agricultural businesses with 
annual sales less than $750,000. To determine if potential economic 
impacts to these small entities are significant, we considered the 
types of activities that might trigger regulatory impacts under this 
designation as well as types of project modifications that may result. 
In general, the term ``significant economic impact'' is meant to apply 
to a typical small business firm's business operations.
    Under the RFA, as amended, and as understood in the light of recent 
court decisions, Federal agencies are required to evaluate the 
potential incremental impacts of rulemaking on those entities directly 
regulated by the rulemaking itself; in other words, the RFA does not 
require agencies to evaluate the potential impacts to indirectly 
regulated entities. The regulatory mechanism through which critical 
habitat protections are realized is section 7 of the Act, which 
requires Federal agencies, in consultation with the Service, to ensure 
that any action authorized, funded, or carried out by the agency is not 
likely to destroy or adversely modify critical habitat. Therefore, 
under section 7, only Federal action agencies are directly subject to 
the specific regulatory requirement (avoiding destruction and adverse 
modification) imposed by critical habitat designation. Consequently, it 
is our position that only Federal action agencies would be directly 
regulated if we adopt the proposed critical habitat designation. There 
is no requirement under the RFA to evaluate the potential impacts to 
entities not directly regulated. Moreover, Federal agencies are not 
small entities. Therefore, because no small entities would be directly 
regulated by this rulemaking, the Service certifies that, if made final 
as proposed, the proposed critical habitat designation will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    In summary, we have considered whether the proposed designation 
would result in a significant economic impact on a substantial number 
of small entities. For the above reasons and based on currently 
available information, we certify that, if made final, the proposed 
critical habitat designation will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small business entities. Therefore, 
an initial regulatory flexibility analysis is not required.
Executive Order 13771
    We do not believe this proposed rule is an E.O. 13771 (``Reducing 
Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs'') (82 FR 9339, February 3, 
2017) regulatory action because we believe this rule is not significant 
under E.O. 12866; however, the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs has waived their review regarding their E.O. 12866 significance 
determination of this proposed rule.
Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use--Executive Order 13211
    Executive Order 13211 (Actions Concerning Regulations That 
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use) requires 
agencies to prepare Statements of Energy Effects when undertaking 
certain actions. In our draft economic analysis, we did not find that 
the designation of this proposed critical habitat would significantly 
affect energy supplies, distribution, or use. Therefore, this action is 
not a significant energy action, and no Statement of Energy Effects is 
required.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.)
    In accordance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1501 
et seq.), we make the following finding:
    (1) This proposed rule would not produce a Federal mandate. In 
general, a Federal mandate is a provision in legislation, statute, or 
regulation that would impose an enforceable duty upon State, local, or 
tribal governments, or the private sector, and includes both ``Federal 
intergovernmental mandates'' and ``Federal private sector mandates.'' 
These terms are defined in 2 U.S.C. 658(5)-(7). ``Federal 
intergovernmental mandate'' includes a regulation that ``would impose 
an enforceable duty upon State, local, or tribal governments'' with two 
exceptions. It excludes ``a condition of Federal assistance.'' It also 
excludes ``a duty arising from participation in a voluntary Federal 
program,'' unless the regulation ``relates to a then-existing Federal 
program under which $500,000,000 or more is provided annually to State, 
local, and tribal governments under entitlement authority,'' if the 
provision would ``increase the stringency of conditions of assistance'' 
or ``place caps upon, or otherwise decrease, the Federal Government's 
responsibility to provide funding,'' and the State, local, or tribal 
governments ``lack authority'' to adjust accordingly. At the time of 
enactment, these entitlement programs were: Medicaid; Aid to Families 
with Dependent Children work programs; Child Nutrition; Food Stamps; 
Social Services Block Grants; Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants; 
Foster Care, Adoption Assistance, and Independent Living; Family 
Support Welfare Services; and Child Support Enforcement. ``Federal 
private sector mandate'' includes a regulation that ``would impose an 
enforceable duty upon the private sector, except (i) a condition of 
Federal assistance or (ii) a duty arising from participation in a 
voluntary Federal program.''
    The designation of critical habitat does not impose a legally 
binding duty on non-Federal Government entities or private parties. 
Under the Act, the only regulatory effect is that Federal agencies must 
ensure that their actions do not destroy or adversely modify critical 
habitat under section 7. While non-Federal entities that receive 
Federal funding, assistance, or permits, or that otherwise require 
approval or authorization from a Federal agency for an action, may be 
indirectly impacted by the designation of critical habitat, the legally 
binding duty to avoid destruction or adverse modification of critical 
habitat rests squarely on the Federal agency. Furthermore, to the 
extent that non-Federal entities are indirectly impacted because they 
receive Federal assistance or participate in a voluntary Federal aid 
program, the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act would not apply, nor would 
critical habitat shift the costs of the large entitlement

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programs listed above onto State governments.
    (2) We do not believe that this rule would significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments because it will not produce a Federal 
mandate of $100 million or greater in any year; that is, it is not a 
``significant regulatory action'' under the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act. The designation of critical habitat imposes no obligations on 
State or local governments. By definition, Federal agencies are not 
considered small entities, although the activities they fund or permit 
may be proposed or carried out by small entities. Consequently, we do 
not believe that the proposed critical habitat designation would 
significantly or uniquely affect small government entities. As such, a 
Small Government Agency Plan is not required.
Takings--Executive Order 12630
    In accordance with E.O. 12630 (Government Actions and Interference 
with Constitutionally Protected Private Property Rights), we have 
analyzed the potential takings implications of designating critical 
habitat for peppered chub in a takings implications assessment. The Act 
does not authorize the Service to regulate private actions on private 
lands or confiscate private property as a result of critical habitat 
designation. Designation of critical habitat does not affect land 
ownership, or establish any closures or restrictions on use of or 
access to the designated areas. Furthermore, the designation of 
critical habitat does not affect landowner actions that do not require 
Federal funding or permits, nor does it preclude development of habitat 
conservation programs or issuance of incidental take permits to permit 
actions that do require Federal funding or permits to go forward. 
However, Federal agencies are prohibited from carrying out, funding, or 
authorizing actions that would destroy or adversely modify critical 
habitat. A takings implications assessment has been completed for the 
proposed designation of critical habitat for the peppered chub, and it 
concludes that, if adopted, this designation of critical habitat does 
not pose significant takings implications for lands within or affected 
by the designation.
Federalism--Executive Order 13132
    In accordance with E.O. 13132 (Federalism), this proposed rule does 
not have significant Federalism effects. A federalism summary impact 
statement is not required. In keeping with Department of the Interior 
and Department of Commerce policy, we requested information from, and 
coordinated development of this proposed critical habitat designation 
with, appropriate State resource agencies. From a federalism 
perspective, the designation of critical habitat directly affects only 
the responsibilities of Federal agencies. The Act imposes no other 
duties with respect to critical habitat, either for States and local 
governments, or for anyone else. As a result, the proposed rule does 
not have substantial direct effects either on the States, or on the 
relationship between the national government and the States, or on the 
distribution of powers and responsibilities among the various levels of 
government. The proposed designation may have some benefit to these 
governments because the areas that contain the features essential to 
the conservation of the species are more clearly defined, and the 
physical or biological features of the habitat necessary for the 
conservation of the species are specifically identified. This 
information does not alter where and what federally sponsored 
activities may occur. However, it may assist State and local 
governments in long-range planning because they no longer have to wait 
for case-by-case section 7 consultations to occur.
    Where State and local governments require approval or authorization 
from a Federal agency for actions that may affect critical habitat, 
consultation under section 7(a)(2) of the Act would be required. While 
non-Federal entities that receive Federal funding, assistance, or 
permits, or that otherwise require approval or authorization from a 
Federal agency for an action, may be indirectly impacted by the 
designation of critical habitat, the legally binding duty to avoid 
destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat rests squarely 
on the Federal agency.
Civil Justice Reform--Executive Order 12988
    In accordance with Executive Order 12988 (Civil Justice Reform), 
the Office of the Solicitor has determined that the rule does not 
unduly burden the judicial system and that it meets the requirements of 
sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of the Order. We have proposed designating 
critical habitat in accordance with the provisions of the Act. To 
assist the public in understanding the habitat needs of the species, 
this proposed rule identifies the elements of physical or biological 
features essential to the conservation of the species. The proposed 
areas of designated critical habitat are presented on maps, and the 
proposed rule provides several options for the interested public to 
obtain more detailed location information, if desired.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
    This rule does not contain information collection requirements, and 
a submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) is not 
required. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.
National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)
    It is our position that, outside the jurisdiction of the U.S. Court 
of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, we do not need to prepare 
environmental analyses pursuant to the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) in connection with designating 
critical habitat under the Act. We published a notice outlining our 
reasons for this determination in the Federal Register on October 25, 
1983 (48 FR 49244). This position was upheld by the U.S. Court of 
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Douglas County v. Babbitt, 48 F.3d 1495 
(9th Cir. 1995), cert. denied 516 U.S. 1042 (1996)). However, when the 
range of the species includes States within the Tenth Circuit, such as 
that of the peppered chub, under the Tenth Circuit ruling in Catron 
County Board of Commissioners v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 75 
F.3d 1429 (10th Cir. 1996), we undertake a NEPA analysis for critical 
habitat designation. We invite the public to comment on the extent to 
which this proposed regulation may have a significant impact on the 
human environment, or fall within one of the categorical exclusions for 
actions that have no individual or cumulative effect on the quality of 
the human environment. We will complete our analysis, in compliance 
with NEPA, before finalizing this proposed rule.
Government-to-Government Relationship With Tribes
    In accordance with the President's memorandum of April 29, 1994 
(Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal 
Governments; 59 FR 22951), Executive Order 13175 (Consultation and 
Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments), and the Department of the 
Interior's manual at 512 DM 2, we readily acknowledge our 
responsibility to communicate meaningfully with recognized Federal 
Tribes on a government-to-government basis. In

[[Page 77133]]

accordance with Secretarial Order 3206 of June 5, 1997 (American Indian 
Tribal Rights, Federal-Tribal Trust Responsibilities, and the 
Endangered Species Act), we readily acknowledge our responsibilities to 
work directly with tribes in developing programs for healthy 
ecosystems, to acknowledge that tribal lands are not subject to the 
same controls as Federal public lands, to remain sensitive to Indian 
culture, and to make information available to tribes. In a letter dated 
September 7, 2017, we informed the Tribal leadership of nine (Pueblo of 
Cochiti, Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Tesuque, Pueblo 
of Zuni, Hopi Tribe, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Mescalero Apache Tribe, 
and the Navajo Nation) Tribal nations near or within the range of the 
peppered chub in the State of New Mexico, of our intent to conduct a 
status assessment for the peppered chub. In a letter sent October 18, 
2017, we informed all Tribal entities in the State of Oklahoma of our 
intent to conduct a status assessment. In a letter dated November 6, 
2018, we sought the input of the Sac and Fox Nation and the Cheyenne 
and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma for their input on the potential 
economic impact of designating critical habitat for the peppered chub. 
We received a response from the Sac and Fox Nation providing input for 
a potential critical habit designation. We will continue to work with 
Tribal entities during the development of a final rule for the 
designation of critical habitat for the peppered chub.

References Cited

    A complete list of references cited in this proposed rule is 
available on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov and upon 
request from the Arlington Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Authors

    The primary authors of this proposed rule are the staff members of 
the Fish and Wildlife Service's Species Assessment Team and the 
Arlington Ecological Services Field Office.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

    Endangered and threatened species, Exports, Imports, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.

Proposed Regulation Promulgation

    Accordingly, we propose to amend part 17, subchapter B of chapter 
I, title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as set forth below:

PART 17--ENDANGERED AND THREATENED WILDLIFE AND PLANTS

0
1. The authority citation for part 17 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407; 1531-1544; and 4201-4245, unless 
otherwise noted.

0
2. Amend Sec.  17.11(h), the List of Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife, by adding an entry for ``Chub, peppered'' in alphabetical 
order under FISHES to read as follows:


Sec.  17.11  Endangered and threatened wildlife.

* * * * *
    (h) * * *

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Listing citations and
           Common name              Scientific name       Where listed        Status         applicable rules
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
             Fishes
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
Chub, peppered..................  Macrhybopsis         Wherever found....            E   [Federal Register
                                   tetranema.                                             citation when
                                                                                          published as a final
                                                                                          rule]; 50 CFR
                                                                                          17.95(e)\CH\.
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

0
3. Amend Sec.  17.95(e) by adding an entry for ``Peppered Chub 
(Macrhybopsis tetranema)'' in the same alphabetical order as the 
species appears in the table in Sec.  17.11(h), to read as follows:


Sec.  17.95  Critical habitat--fish and wildlife.

* * * * *
    (e) Fishes.
* * * * *
Peppered Chub (Macrhybopsis tetranema)

    (1) Critical habitat units are depicted for Quay County, New 
Mexico; Hemphill, Moore, Oldham, and Potter Counties, Texas; Clark, 
Comanche, Cowley, Kingman, Pratt, Sedgwick, and Sumner Counties, 
Kansas; and Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland, Creek, Custer, Dewey, 
Ellis, Grady, Harper, Hughes, Kay, Kingfisher, Logan, Major, McClain, 
Payne, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Roger Mills, Seminole, Woods, and 
Woodward Counties, Oklahoma, on the maps in this entry.
    (2) Within these areas, the physical or biological features 
essential to the conservation of peppered chub consist of the following 
components:
    (i) Unobstructed river segments greater than 127 river miles (205 
river kilometers) in length that are characterized by a complex braided 
channel and substrates of predominantly sand, with some patches of 
silt, gravel, and cobble.
    (ii) Flowing water with adequate depths to support all life stages 
and episodes of elevated discharge to facilitate successful 
reproduction, channel and floodplain maintenance, and sediment 
transportation.
    (iii) Water of sufficient quality to support survival and 
reproduction, which includes, but is not limited to, the following 
conditions:
    (A) Water temperatures generally less than 98.2 [deg]F (36.8 
[deg]C);
    (B) Dissolved oxygen concentrations generally greater than 3.7 
parts per million (ppm);
    (C) Conductivity generally less than 16.2 microsiemens per 
centimeter (mS/cm);
    (D) pH generally ranging from 5.6 to 9.0; and
    (E) Sufficiently low petroleum and other pollutant concentrations 
such that reproduction and/or growth is not impaired.
    (iv) Native riparian vegetation capable of maintaining river water 
quality, providing a terrestrial prey base, and maintaining a healthy 
riparian ecosystem.
    (v) A level of predatory or competitive, native or nonnative fish 
present such that peppered chub population's resiliency is not 
affected.
    (3) Critical habitat does not include manmade structures (such as 
buildings, aqueducts, runways, roads, and other paved areas) and the 
land on which they

[[Page 77134]]

are located existing within the legal boundaries on the effective date 
of the final rule.
    (4) Critical habitat map units. Data layers defining map units were 
created using fish distribution data provided by State agencies and 
sourced on the FishNet2 online database. Hydrologic data for stream 
reaches were sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey online database. 
The maps in this entry, as modified by any accompanying regulatory 
text, establish the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. The 
coordinates or plot points or both on which each map is based are 
available to the public at the Service's internet site at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/ArlingtonTexas/ and at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2019-0019 and 
at the field office responsible for this designation. You may obtain 
field office location information by contacting one of the Service 
regional offices, the addresses of which are listed at 50 CFR 2.2.
    (5) Note: Index map follows:
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01DE20.001


[[Page 77135]]


    (6) Unit 1: Upper South Canadian River, New Mexico and Texas.
    (i) This unit consists of approximately 197.16 river miles (317.29 
river kilometers) of occupied habitat in the South Canadian River from 
Revuelto Creek at Interstate 40 in New Mexico downstream to the 
inundated portion of Lake Meredith in Texas. Unit 1 includes river 
habitat up to bank full height.
    (ii) Map of Unit 1 follows:
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01DE20.002
    

[[Page 77136]]


    (7) Unit 2: Lower South Canadian River, Texas and Oklahoma.
    (i) This unit consists of approximately 400.01 river miles (643.86 
river kilometers) of unoccupied habitat in the lower portion of the 
South Canadian River from the U.S. 83 bridge north of Canadian, Texas, 
downstream to the U.S. 75 bridge northwest of Calvin, Oklahoma. Unit 2 
includes river habitat up to bank full height.
    (ii) Map of Unit 2 follows:
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01DE20.003
    

[[Page 77137]]


    (8) Unit 3: Arkansas/Ninnescah River, Kansas and Oklahoma.
    (i) Unit 3 consists of approximately 178.96 river miles (288.02 
river kilometers) of unoccupied habitat in portions of the Ninnescah 
River and the Arkansas River, originating at U.S. 400 bridge east of 
Pratt, Kansas, and extending downstream to River Road Bridge east of 
Newkirk, Oklahoma. Unit 3 includes river habitat up to bank full 
height,
    (ii) Map of Unit 3 follows:
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01DE20.004
    

[[Page 77138]]


    (9) Unit 4: Cimarron River, Kansas and Oklahoma.
    (i) This unit consists of approximately 291.82 river miles (469.63 
river kilometers) of unoccupied habitat from the U.S. 183 bridge east 
of Englewood, Kansas, downstream to the OK 51 bridge northeast of 
Oilton, Oklahoma. Unit 4 includes river habitat up to bank full height.
    (ii) Map of Unit 4 follows:
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01DE20.005
    
* * * * *

Aurelia Skipwith,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-25257 Filed 11-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-C