18 ILLINOIS AUDUBON BULLETIN 
areas. The agencies simply con- 
sider them on a case-by-case basis 
as they arise. Nevertheless, | 
should emphasize that there are 
many types of existing land uses 
that are compatible with the con- 
tinued survival of species and 
maintenance of the quality of their 
habitats. In addition the Service is 
prepared to provide assistance and 
consultation on the biological im- 
pacts of proposed activities when- 
ever such consultation is needed. 
However, the final decisions will 
be made by the appropriate Fed- 
eral agencies. 
In short, the determination of 
critical habitat is a means of help- 
ing all Federal agencies meet their 
responsibilities under the Endan- 
gered Species Act of 1973. It is a 
tool to help save and restore spe- 
cies, not a weapon to hinder eco- 
nomic or social progress. 
Rulemaking Actions September 1976 
California Condor 
A final Critical Habitat determi- 
nation for the California condor 
(Gymnogyps californianus) pub- 
lished recently (F.R. 9/24/76) ad- 
heres to the same boundaries set 
forth in the original proposal (F.R. 
12/16/75). The final rulemaking 
becomes effective on October 22, 
1976. 
Five conservation groups regis- 
tered concern that the western 
boundary of the Sespe-Piru nesting 
area of Los Padres National Forest 
may have been drawn to exclude 
land involved in a phosphate min- 
ing lease application. However, 
this boundary was drawn to follow 
a section line without reference to 
the presence or absence of the 
phosphate lease, and the Service 
found no biological justification for 
extending the Critical Habitat zone 
into an area with virtually no rec- 
ord of past condor use. 
Under section 7 of the Endan- 
gered Species Act of 1973, deci- 
sions about possible disruption of 
the Critical Habitat by mining ac- 
tivities will be the responsibility of 
the Bureau of Land Management, 
which issues mining permits. 
The ruling recognizes nine sepa- 
rate parts of the condor’s range in 
California as critical. The Sespe- 
Piru area of 250 square miles is the 
largest, and it provides most of the 
nesting sites for the 40-50 Califor- 
nia condors remaining in exis- 
tence. Six other parcels in the Los 
Padres National Forest totalling 
135 square miles also are listed as 
critical for nesting and roosting. 
The Tejon Ranch, which is sched- 
uled to be acquired by the Service 
as a condor refuge, and rangelands 
in Kern and Tulare counties total- 
ling 540 square miles are listed as 
critical for feeding. 
Indiana Bat 
Specifications for Critical Habi- 
tat for the Indiana bat (Myotis so- 
dalis) in the final rulemaking (F.R. 
