Critical habitat proposed for 
two western pea plants    

WASHINGTON (04/05/06) -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a rule to designate approximately 8,896 acres of critical habitat for two federally endangered plants, Shivwits milk-vetch (Astragalus ampullariodes) and the Holmgren milk-vetch (Astragalus holmgreniorum).  Areas proposed as critical habitat include portions of Mohave County in Arizona and Washington County in Utah.

For the Shivwits milk-vetch, the proposal identifies five units of proposed critical habitat totaling 2,421 acres. Approximately 84 percent of the proposed habitat occurs on Federal lands with over 50 percent (1,201 acres) on National Park Service lands and the remaining (819 acres) on land owned by the Bureau of Land Management.

For the Holmgren milk-vetch, approximately 6, 475 acres are being proposed as critical habitat. Federal lands make up 42 percent of the proposed habitat and occur on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Utah and Arizona. In addition, State owned lands in Arizona (1,499 acres) and Utah (1,902 acres) and 272 acres of privately owned land make up the remainder of the proposed critical habitat.

Comments on the Service's proposal should be sent to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2369 West Orton Circle, Suite 50, West Valley City, UT  84119 or electronically mailed to hsmilkvetch@fws.gov using "Attn:  Shivwits or Holmgren milk-vetch" in the subject line of your email by close of business on May 30, 2006.  Comments may also be faxed to 801-975-3331.

Both the Shivwits milk-vetch and the Holmgren milk-vetch are members of the pea family.  The Shivwits milk-vetch, often associated with purple hued patch of soft clay soil, is found only in southern Washington County, Utah, and numbers less than 2,000 plants. The Holmgren milk-vetch is most frequently found on the skirt edges of hill and plateau formations, slightly above or on the edge of drainage areas in both Washington County, Utah, and Mohave County, Arizona.  The population consists of approximately 500 to 10,000 plants depending on yearly conditions.  Both species grow on state and private land, as well as land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Rapid urban expansion and population growth in the plants' habitat, which includes construction of new roads, power lines and other development and the spread of noxious weeds, has caused both plants to decline rapidly.

A copy of the proposed rule and other information about Shivwits and Holmgreen milk-vetches is available online.
or by contacting the Service's Utah Field Office at 801-975-3330.

The Service is preparing a draft economic analysis of the critical habitat proposal that will be released for public review and comment at a later date.