[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 189 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 50643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24241]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Koolau Mountain 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 the Technical/Agency Draft Recovery 
Plan for the Koolau Mountain Plant Cluster. There are 11 taxa of plants 
included in this plan. All 11 taxa are known to be extant on the island 
of Oahu, Hawaii; one species also is found on the islands of Molokai 
and Maui, Hawaii.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or 
before November 28, 1995.

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, Pacific Islands 
Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, room 6307, 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); the 
Molokai Public Library, 15 Ala Malama Street, Kaunakakai, Hawaii 96748 
(phone 808/553-5483); and, the Wailuku Public Library, 251 High Street, 
Wailuku, Maui (phone 808/244-3945). Requests for copies of the draft 
recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan 
should be addressed to Brooks Harper, Field Supervisor, Ecological 
Services, at the above Honolulu address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Scott M. Johnston, 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 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 11 taxa being considered in this recovery plan are: Chamaesyce 
deppeana ('akoko), Cyanea crispa (no common name (NCN)), Cyanea 
truncata (haha), Cyrtandra crenata (ha'iwale), Cyrtandra polyantha 
(ha'iwale), Eugenia koolauensis (nioi), Hesperomannia arborescens 
(NCN), Lobelia oahuensis (NCN), Melicope lydgatei (alani), 
Phlegmariurus nutans (wawae'iole), Tetraplasandra gymnocarpa 
('ohe'ohe).
    All 11 species covered in this plan are listed as endangered. Ten 
of the 11 taxa are known to be extant only on the island of Oahu, 
Hawaii; one species, Hesperomannia arborescens, also is found on the 
islands of Molokai and Maui. The 11 plant taxa and their habitats have 
been variously affected and are threatened by one or more of the 
following: Habitat degradation and/or predation by feral ungulates 
(goats, pigs, sheep, and cattle); competition for space, light, water, 
and nutrients by naturalized, alien vegetation; habitat loss from 
fires; predation by rats; human recreational activities; and military 
training exercises. Because of the depauperate number of extant 
individuals and their severely restricted distributions, populations of 
these taxa are subject to an increased likelihood of extinction from 
stochastic events.
    All 11 of these taxa are known from the Koolau Mountains on the 
eastern portion of Oahu. The 11 taxa included in this plan grow in 
lowland and mesic forests, and in dry and wet moisture regimes.
    The objective of this plan is to provide a framework for the 
recovery of these 11 taxa 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 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 25, 1995.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific 
Region.
[FR Doc. 95-24241 Filed 9-28-95; 8:45 am]
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