[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 226 (Friday, November 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-29070]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 25, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AC04

 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 6-Month 
Extension and Reopening of the Public Comment Period on the Proposed 
Rule to List Coccoloba Rugosa as a Threatened Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of 6-month extension and reopening of comment period on 
proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) extends for not 
more than 6 months the time to make a decision on its proposal to list 
the Coccoloba rugosa (ortegon). On September 24, 1993, the Service 
proposed to determine threatened status for Coccoloba rugosa under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Act requires the 
Service to make final determination on such proposals within 12 months, 
but provides for a 6-month extension if there is substantial 
disagreement regarding the sufficiency or accuracy of the available 
data relevant to that determination. The Service finds that there is 
substantial disagreement concerning the sufficiency of the available 
population data and, therefore, extends the deadline with respect to 
the decision to list Coccoloba rugosa.

DATES: The deadline for final action on the proposal is now March 24, 
1995. The public comment period is reopened until January 24, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments and materials should be sent to the Field 
Supervisor, Caribbean Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Box 
491, Boqueron, Puerto Rico 00622.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Susan R. Silander at the Caribbean Field Office (see ADDRESSES 
section) (809/851-7297).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Although there are no records available concerning when Coccoloba 
rugosa was first discovered, it is known that it was widely cultivated 
in European botanical gardens during the nineteenth century (Proctor, 
pers. comm.). The species was named in 1815 and described in 1829 by 
the French botanist Rene Louiche Desfontaines from a cultivated 
specimen at the Botanical Garden of Paris (Little et al. 1974). This 
plant was reported from St. Thomas more than a century ago, but it is a 
doubtful record (Proctor, pers. comm.).
    Coccoloba rugosa is a small evergreen tree 9 meters (30 feet) tall 
with a diameter of approximately 12.5 centimeters (5 inches). The bark 
is brown or gray and fissured, with faint rings at the nodes. The green 
twigs are stout, slightly flattened with longitudinal ridges. The 
alternate stalkless leaves are 22-60 centimeters (9-24 inches) wide, 
very thick, brittle, and hairless. The leaf surface is rugose, with 
veins deeply sunken on the upper side and prominent beneath. At the 
base of each leaf is a large sheath (ocrea) measuring 4-6 centimeters 
(1.5-2.5 inches) long. Inflorescences are terminal, 30-75 centimeters 
(1-2.5 feet) long with numerous small crimson-colored flowers. Male and 
female flowers are borne on different trees (dioecious). The red ovoid 
fruits are about 1 centimeter (.4 inch) long with one brown, pointed, 
3-angled seed that is .5 centimeter (.2 inch) long.
    When the proposed rule was published (September 24, 1993; 58 FR 
49960), the most recent available information indicated that Coccoloba 
rugosa was known from fewer than 1000 individuals at 14 sites in the 
subtropical moist forests of northern and eastern Puerto Rico. A 
population known from the west of the San Jose lagoon was destroyed 
some years ago (Little et al. 1974). The remaining populations are 
variously threatened by urban, industrial and tourist development, 
forest management practices, and the expansion of existing military 
installations.
    All comments received in response to the proposed rule published on 
September 24, 1993, supported the designation of Coccoloba rugosa as 
threatened. Nevertheless, on June 21, 1994, the Service received a 
letter from Vinson & Elkins, attorneys for the Palmas del Mar 
Properties, Inc., that provided additional information on both the 
distribution and abundance of Coccoloba rugosa. The Service is 
currently conducting field verification of this new information, which 
indicates there are at least 19 additional sites containing at least 
4,000 individuals.
    Section 4(b)(6) of the Act requires the Service to take one of 
three alternative actions within 1 year of a listing proposal: (1) 
Publish a final regulation listing the species; (2) Publish a notice 
that the listing proposal is being withdrawn, or (3) Publish a notice 
that the 1-year time period is being extended under section 4(b)(6). 
That section as implemented by regulations at 50 CFR 424.17(a)(1)(iv), 
provides that the Service may extend the 1-year period for up to 6 
months upon finding that ``there is a substantial disagreement among 
scientists knowledgeable about the species concerned'' on whether to 
list the species.
    The Act provides in section 4(b)(1)(A) that a determination to list 
a species shall be made on the best available scientific and commercial 
information. The Act's information standard requires that the best 
available information must support a conclusion that a species meets 
the Act's definition for threatened or endangered status after 
consideration of the five factors discussed in Section 4(a)(1). The 
Service finds there is substantial disagreement with regard to the 
population status of Coccoloba rugosa, and, therefore, extends until 
March 31, 1995, the period within which to make a final listing 
determination on this species. The Service solicits additional data on 
the status of Coccoloba rugosa until January 24, 1995.

References Cited

Little, E.L., R.O. Woodbury, and F.H. Wadsworth. 1974. Trees of Puerto 
Rico and the Virgin Islands. Second volume. U.S. Department of 
Agriculture Handbook No. 449. Washington, D.C. 1024 pp.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Ms. Susan R. Silande (see 
ADDRESSES section), (809/851-7297).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: September 14, 1994.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 94-29070 Filed 11-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M