[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-24196]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 30, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
50 CFR Part 17

 

Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Waianae Plant Cluster 
for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability for public review of a draft Waianae Plant Cluster 
Recovery Plan. There are 31 taxa of plants included in this plan. 
Twenty-six taxa are either endemic to, or have their largest or best 
known populations in, the Waianae Mountain Range on the western side of 
the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before November 29, 1994, to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
following locations: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, room 6307, 300 Ala 
Moana Blvd., P.O. Box 50167, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (phone 808/541-
2749); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Regional Office, Ecological 
Services, 911 N.E. 11th Ave., Eastside Federal Complex, Portland, 
Oregon 97232-4181 (phone 503/231-6131). Requests for copies of the 
draft recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this 
plan should be addressed to Brooks Harper, Field Supervisor, at the 
above Honolulu address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen W. Rosa, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above Honolulu address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point 
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their 
ecosystems is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species 
program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to 
prepare recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the 
United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for 
the conservation of the species, establish criteria for the recovery 
levels for downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time and cost 
for implementing the recovery measures needed.
    The Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 
(Act), requires the development of recovery plans for listed species 
unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular 
species. Section 4(f) of the Act as amended in 1988 requires that 
public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment be 
provided during recovery plan development. The Service will consider 
all information presented during the public comment period prior to 
approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. Substantive technical 
comments will result in changes to the plans. Substantive comments 
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in 
changes to the recovery plans, but will be forwarded to appropriate 
Federal or other entities so that they can take these comments into 
account during the course of implementing recovery actions. 
Individualized responses to comments will not be provided.
    The draft Wainae Plant Cluster Recovery Plan addresses 31 plant 
taxa that have been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (Act), in four listing actions between 
September 1991 and June 1994: Abutilon sandwicense, Alsinidendron 
obovatum, Alsinidendron trinerve, Centaurium sebaeoides (`awiwi), 
Chamaesyce celastroides var. Kaenana (`akoko), Chamaesyce kuwaleana 
(`akoko), Cyanea grimesiana ssp. obatae (haha), Cyanea pinnatifida 
(haha), Cyanea superba, Diellia falcata, Diellia unisora, Dubautia 
herbstobatae (na'ena'e), Gouania meyenii, Gouania vitifolia, Hedyotis 
degeneri, Hedyotis parvula, Hesperomannia arbuscula, Lipochaeta lobata 
var. leptophylla (nehe), Lipochaeta tenuifolia (nehe), Lobelia 
niihauensis, Neraudia angulata, Nototrichium humile (kulu'i), 
Phyllostegia mollis, Sanicula mariversa, Schiedea kaalae, Silene 
perlmanii, Stenogyne kanehoana, Tetramolopium filiforme, Tetramolopium 
lepidotum ssp. lepidotum Urera kaalae (opuhe), and Viola chamissoniana 
ssp. chamissoniana (pamakani). Twenty-six taxa are either endemic to, 
or have their largest or best known populations in, the Waianae 
Mountain Range on the western side of the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
    The 31 plant tasa and their habitats have been adversely threatened 
in various degrees by one or more of the following: trampling and 
predation by introduced ungulates (pigs, cattle, goats); habitat 
degradation and competition for space, light, water, and nutrients by 
naturalized, alien vegetation; and habitat loss from fires. A few of 
these taxa may have been subjected to overcollection and are subject to 
trampling by human beings along trails. Because of the small number of 
extant individuals and severely restricted distributions, populations 
of these tasa are subject to an increased likelihood of extinction from 
stochastic events.
    The ultimate objective of this plan is to provide a framework for 
the eventual recovery of these 31 taxa, preferably so that their 
protection by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is no longer necessary. 
Immediate actions necessary for the prevention of extinction of these 
taxa include fencing for exclusion of ungulates, alien plant control, 
protection from fire, population and plant community monitoring and 
management, ex situ propagation, and augmentation of populations, as 
appropriate. Long-term activities necessary for the perpetuation of 
these taxa in their natural habitats additionally include baseline and 
long-term research regarding growth requirements, public education, 
maintenance of fenced areas, long-term monitoring and management of 
populations and communities, and re-establishment of populations within 
the historic ranges of some taxa. Further research regarding current 
range, reproduction and reproductive status, pollinators, life history, 
limiting factors, habitat requirements, and minimum viable population 
sizes is needed to facilitate appropriate management decisions 
regarding the long-term perpetuation of each of these taxa.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan 
described. All comments received by the date specified above will be 
considered prior to approval of these plans.

Authority

    The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered 
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).

    Dated: September 26, 1994.
Michael J. Spear,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 94-24196 Filed 9-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M