[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51129-51130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25847]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of a Draft Big Island II: Addendum to the 
Recovery Plan for the Big Island Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability 
for public review of a draft Big Island II: Addendum to the Recovery 
Plan for the Big Island Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996). There are 13 taxa 
of plants included in this plan, all are listed as endangered. All 13 
are known only from the island of Hawaii (Big Island).

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by December 29, 
1997 will be considered 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, Pacific Islands 
Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, room 3108, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu, 
Hawaii 96850 (phone 808/541-3441); Kailua-Kona Public Library 75-138 
Hualalai Rd., Kailua-Kona, HI 96740; Hilo Public Library, 300 
Waianuenue Ave., Hilo, HI 96720. Requests for copies of the draft 
recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan 
should be addressed to, Field Supervisor, Ecological Services, at the 
above Honolulu address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen ``Kitti'' Jensen, 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.
    This addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Big Island Plant Cluster 
covers 13 plant taxa, all are listed as endangered. All of these taxa 
are endemic to the island of Hawaii (Big Island), Hawaiian Islands. The 
plants included in the plan are: Clermontia drepanomorpha (oha wai), 
Cyanea platyphylla (haha), Hibiscadelphus giffardianus (hau kuahiwi), 
Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis (hau kuahiwi), Melicope zahlbruckneri 
(alani), Neraudia ovata (no common name (NCN)), Phyllostegia racemosa 
(kiponapona), Phyllostegia velutina (NCN), Phyllostegia warshaueri 
(NCN), Pleomele hawaiiensis (hala pepe), Pritchardia schattaueri 
(loulu), Sicyos alba (anunu), and Zanthoxylum dipetalum var. tomentosum 
(ae).
    The 13 taxa included in this addendum grow in a variety of 
vegetation communities (shrublands, forests, and mixed communities), 
elevational zones (lowland to montane), and moisture regimes (dry to 
wet). These taxa and their habitats have been variously affected or are 
currently threatened by one or more of the following: competition for 
space, light, water, and nutrients by introduced vegetation; habitat 
degradation by feral or domestic animals (goats, pigs, sheep and 
cattle); agricultural and recreational activities; habitat loss and 
damage to plants from fires; predation by rats and insects; and natural 
disasters such as volcanic activity. In addition, due to the small 
number of existing individuals and their very narrow distributions, 
these taxa are subject to an increased likelihood of extinction and/or 
reduced reproductive vigor from stochastic events.
    The objective of the Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Big 
Island Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996) is to provide a framework for the 
recovery of these 13 taxa so that their protection by the Endangered 
Species Act (ESA) is no longer necessary. The interim objective is to 
stabilize all existing populations of the Big Island II taxa. To be 
considered stable, each taxon must be managed to control threats (e.g., 
fenced) and be represented in an ex situ (such as a nursery or 
arboretum) collection. In addition, a minimum total of three 
populations of each taxon should be documented on the Big Island, where 
they now occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must 
be naturally reproducing and increasing in number, with a minimum of 25 
mature individuals per population for long-lived perennials 
(Hibiscadelphus giffardianus, Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis, Melicope 
zahlbreuckneri, Pritchardia schattaueri, and Zanthoxylum tomentosum 
var. dipetalum and a minimum of 50 mature individuals per population 
for short-lived perennials (Clermontia drepanomorpha, Cyanea 
platyphylla, Neraudia ovata, Pleomele hawaiiensis, Phyllostegia 
racemosa, Phyllostegia velutina, and Phyllostegia warshaueri) and a 
minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for the annual taxon 
Sicyos alba. For downlisting, a total of five to seven populations of 
each taxon should be documented on the Big Island where they now occur 
or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be naturally 
reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from

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threats, with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for 
long-lived perennials, a minimum of 300 mature individuals per 
population for short-lived perennials, a minimum of 500 mature 
individuals per population for the annual taxon. Each population should 
persist at this level for a minimum of 5 consecutive years before 
downlisting is considered. For delisting, a total of 8 to 10 
populations of each taxon should be documented on Kauai where they now 
occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be 
naturally reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from 
threats, with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for 
long-lived perennials, a minimum of 300 mature individuals per 
population for short-lived perennials, and a minimum of 500 mature 
individuals per population for the annual taxon. Each population should 
persist at this level for a minimum of 5 consecutive years.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the Addendum to the 
Recovery Plan described. All comments received by the date specified 
above will be considered prior to approval of this addendum.

Authority

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

    Dated: September 24, 1997.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Portland, 
Oregon.
[FR Doc. 97-25847 Filed 9-29-97; 8:45 am]
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