[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 229 (Monday, November 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65805-65807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31757]
[[Page 65805]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Notice Requesting
Public Comments on our Re-evaluation of Whether Designation of Critical
Habitat Is Prudent for 245 Hawaiian Plants
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: On August 10, 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service) was ordered by U.S. District Court (Civil No. 97-00098ACK
Conservation Council for Hawaii, et al. vs. Bruce Babbitt, et al.) to
publish proposed critical habitat designations or non-designations for
at least 100 federally listed Hawaiian plant species by November 30,
2000, and to publish proposed rules for an additional 145 listed plants
by April 30, 2002. At this time, the Service seeks comments,
suggestions or information from the public, other concerned
governmental agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other
interested party on our re-evaluation of whether designation of
critical habitat is prudent for these 245 species of federally
protected Hawaiian plants.
DATES: Comments from all interested parties must be received by March
1, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments and materials concerning the notice should be sent
to Robert P. Smith, Pacific Islands Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3-122, Box 50088, Honolulu, HI
96850 (telephone: 808/541-2749; facsimile: 808/541-2756).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Rosa, Assistant Field
Supervisor, Ecological Services (see ADDRESSES section) (telephone:
808/541-3441; facsimile: 808/541-3470).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On January 29, 1997, the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund (now
Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund) filed a lawsuit on behalf of the
Conservation Council for Hawaii, the Sierra Club, and the Hawaiian
Botanical Society in U.S. District Court in Honolulu, Hawaii, for the
Service's failure to designate critical habitat for 278 endangered or
threatened Hawaiian plant taxa. Because the statute of limitations had
elapsed for many of the plants, this list of plants was later reduced
to 245 taxa.
Critical habitat is defined in section 3 of the Endangered Species
Act (Act) of 1978, as amended, as: (I) the specific areas within the
geographical area occupied by a species, at the time it is listed in
accordance with the Act, on which are found those physical or
biological features (I) essential to the conservation of the species
and (II) that may require special management consideration or
protection; and (ii) specific areas outside the geographical area
occupied by a species at the time it is listed, upon a determination
that such areas are essential for the conservation of the species.
``Conservation'' means the use of all methods and procedures needed to
bring the species to the point at which listing under the Act is no
longer necessary.
Section 4(a)(3) of the Act, as amended, and implementing
regulations (50 CFR 424.12) require that, to the maximum extent prudent
and determinable, the Secretary propose critical habitat at the time
the species is determined to be endangered or threatened. Service
regulations (50 CFR 424.12(a)(1)) state that designation of critical
habitat is not prudent when one or both of the following situations
exist: (1) The species is threatened by taking or other human activity,
and identification of critical habitat can be expected to increase the
degree of threat to the species, or (2) such designation of critical
habitat would not be beneficial to the species. Additional Service
regulations (50 CFR 424.12(a)(2)) state that designation of critical
habitat is not determinable when one or both of the following
situations exist: (1) Information sufficient to perform required
analyses of the impacts of the designation is lacking, or (2) the
biological needs of the species are not sufficiently well known to
permit identification of an area as critical habitat.
Critical habitat designation, by definition, directly affects only
Federal agency actions through consultation under section 7(a)(2) of
the Act. Section 7(a)(2) of the Act requires Federal agencies, in
consultation with the Service, to ensure that any action authorized,
funded, or carried out by such agency does not jeopardize the continued
existence of a federally listed species, or does not destroy or
adversely modify designated critical habitat. The requirement that
Federal agencies refrain from contributing to the destruction or
adverse modification of critical habitat through any action authorized,
funded or carried out by such agency (agency action) is in addition to
the section 7 prohibition on jeopardizing the continued existence of a
listed species; and, it is the only mandatory, legal consequence of a
critical habitat designation. Any future Federal action that may affect
the species will be subject to section 7 consultation to ensure that
the action does not jeopardize the continued existence of the species.
Implementing regulations (50 CFR part 402) define ``jeopardize the
continuing existence of'' and ``destruction or adverse modification
of'' in very similar terms. To jeopardize the continuing existence of a
species means to engage in an action ``that reasonably would be
expected to reduce appreciably the likelihood of both the survival and
recovery of a listed species.'' Destruction or adverse modification of
habitat means an ``alteration that appreciably diminishes the value of
critical habitat for both the survival and recovery of a listed species
in the wild by reducing the reproduction, numbers, or distribution of
that species.'' Common to both definitions is an appreciable
detrimental effect to both the survival and the recovery of a listed
species. An action that appreciably diminishes habitat for recovery and
survival may also jeopardize the continued existence of the species by
reducing reproduction, numbers, or distribution because negative
impacts to such habitat may reduce population numbers, decrease
reproductive success, or alter species distribution through habitat
fragmentation.
The addition of critical habitat for these species in Hawaii may
have the effect of drawing more Federal actions into formal
consultation--actions that would not be subject to consultation without
designated critical habitat. The reason for this is that critical
habitat often includes large habitat areas that are unoccupied by the
species, but could be occupied in the future. Therefore, it is possible
that formal section 7 consultation may be triggered by Federal actions
that trip the ``may affect'' threshold for consultation solely because
such actions cause changes to unoccupied critical habitat.
The 245 plant species that are the subject of this notice were
listed by 6the Service over a period of several years, between 1990 and
1996, at which time the Service determined that designation of critical
habitat was not prudent for one or more of the following three reasons:
designation of critical habitat would increase the likelihood of
illegal taking or vandalism; designation of critical habitat would not
be beneficial for plant species located on private property; and,
designation of critical habitat for plant species located on Federal
lands provides little or no additional benefit beyond the existing
[[Page 65806]]
precautions the Federal government must take under section 7 of the
Act.
The 245 plant taxa are: Abutilon eremitopetalum, Abutilon
sandwicense, Acaena exigua, Achyranthes mutica, Adenophorus periens,
Alectryon macrococcus, Alsinidendron lychnoides, Alsinidendron
obovatum, Alsinidendron trinerve, Alsinidendron viscosum, Amaranthus
brownii, Argyroxiphium kauense, Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp.
macrocephalum, Asplenium fragile var. insulare, Bidens micrantha ssp.
kalealaha, Bidens wiebkei, Bonamia menziesii, Brighamia insignis,
Brighamia rockii, Canavalia molokaiensis, Cenchrus agrimonioides,
Centaurium sebaeoides, Chamaesyce celastroides var. kaenana,
Chamaesyce depone, Chamaesyce halemanui, Chamaesyce herbstii,
Chamaesyce kuwaleana, Chamaesyce rockii, Clermontia drepanomorpha,
Clermontia lindseyana, Clermontia oblongifolia ssp. brevipes,
Clermontia oblongifolia ssp. mauiensis, Clermontia peleana, Clermontia
pyrularia, Colubrina oppositifolia, Ctenitis squamigera, Cyanea
asarifolia, Cyanea acuminata, Cyanea copelandii ssp. copelandii,
Cyanea dunbarii, Cyanea grimesiana ssp. grimesiana, Cyanea grimesiana
ssp. obatae, Cyanea hamatiflora ssp. carlsonii, Cyanea humboldtiana,
Cyanea koolauensis, Cyanea lobata, Cyanea longiflora, Cyanea
macrostegia ssp. gibsonii, Cyanea mannii, Cyanea mceldowneyi, Cyanea
pinnatifida, Cyanea platyphylla, Cyanea procera, Cyanea recta, Cyanea
remyi, Cyanea st.-johnii, Cyanea shipmanii, Cyanea stictophylla, Cyanea
superba, Cyanea truncata, Cyanea undulata, Cyperus trachysanthos,
Cyrtandra crenata, Cyrtandra cyaneoides, Cyrtandra dentata, Cyrtandra
giffardii, Cyrtandra limahuliensis, Cyrtandra munroi, Cyrtandra
polyantha, Cyrtandra subumbellata, Cyrtandra tintinnabula, Cyrtandra
viridiflora, Delissea rhytidosperma, Delissea rivularis, Delissea
subcordata, Delissea undulata, Diellia erecta, Diellia falcata, Diellia
pallida, Diellia unisora, Diplazium molokaiense, Dubautia herbstobatae,
Dubautia latifolia, Dubautia pauciflorula, Eragrostis fosbergii,
Eugenia koolauensis, Euphorbia haeleeleana, Exocarpos luteolus,
Flueggea neowawraea, Gahnia lanaiensis, Gardenia mannii, Geranium
arboreum, Geranium multiflorum, Gouania meyenii, Gouania vitifolia,
Hedyotis cookiana, Hedyotis coriacea, Hedyotis degeneri, Hedyotis
mannii, Hedyotis parvula, Hedyotis st.-johnii, Hesperomannia
arborescens, Hesperomannia arbuscula, Hesperomannia lydgatei,
Hibiscadelphus giffardianus, Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis,
Hibiscadelphus woodii, Hibiscus arnottianus ssp. immaculatus, Hibiscus
brackenridgei, Hibiscus clayi, Hibiscus waimeae ssp. hannerae,
Huperzia mannii, Ischaemum byrone, Isodendrion hosakae, Isodendrion
laurifolium, Isodendrion longifolium, Isodendrion pyrifolium, Kokia
kauaiensis, Labordia cyrtandrae, Labordia lydgatei, Labordia tinifolia
var. wahiawaensis, Lepidium arbuscula, Lipochaeta fauriei, Lipochaeta
kamolensis, Lipochaeta lobata var. leptophylla, Lipochaeta micrantha,
Lipochaeta tenuifolia, Lipochaeta waimeaensis, Lobelia gaudichaudii
ssp. koolauensis, Lobelia monostachya, Lobelia niihauensis, Lobelia
oahuensis, Lycopodium nutans, Lysimachia filifolia, Lysimachia
lydgatei, Lysimachia maxima, Mariscus fauriei, Mariscus pennatiformis,
Marsilea villosa, Melicope adscendens, Melicope balloui, Melicope
haupuensis, Melicope knudsenii, Melicope lydgatei, Melicope
mucronulata, Melicope ovalis, Melicope pallida, Melicope
quadrangularis, Melicope reflexa, Melicope saint-johnii, Melicope
zahlbruckneri, Munroidendron racemosum, Myrsine juddii, Myrsine
linearifolia, Neraudia angulata, Neraudia ovata, Neraudia sericea,
Nothocestrum breviflorum, Nothocestrum peltatum, Nototrichium humile,
Ocrosia kilauaensis, Panicum niihauense, Peucedanum sandwicense,
Phyllostegia glabra var. lanaiensis, Phyllostegia hirsuta,
Phyllostegia kaalaensis, Phyllostegia knudsenii, Phyllostegia mannii,
Phyllostegia mollis, Phyllostegia parviflora, Phyllostegia racemosa,
Phyllostegia velutina, Phyllostegia warshaueri, Phyllostegia waimeae,
Phyllostegia wawrana, Plantago hawaiensis, Plantago princeps,
Platanthera holochila, Pleomele hawaiiensis, Poa mannii, Poa
sandvicensis, Poa siphonoglossa, Portulaca sclerocarpa, Pritchardia
affinis, Pritchardia aylmer-robinsonii, Pritchardia kaalae, Pritchardia
munroi, Pritchardia napaliensis, Pritchardia remota, Pritchardia
schattaueri, Pritchardia viscosa, Pteralyxia kauaiensis, Pteris
lidgatei, Remya kauaiensis, Remya mauiensis, Remya montgomeryi,
Rollandia crispa, Sanicula mariversa, Sanicula purpurea, Schiedea
apokremnos, Schiedea haleakalensis, Schiedea helleri, Schiedea hookeri,
Schiedea kaalae, Schiedea kauaiensis, Schiedea kealiae, Schiedea
lydgatei, Schiedea membranacea, Schiedea nuttallii, Schiedea
sarmentosa, Schiedea spergulina var. leiopoda, Schiedea spergulina
var. spergulina, Schiedea stellarioides, Schiedea verticillata,
Sesbania tomentosa, Sicyos alba, Silene alexandri, Silene hawaiiensis,
Silene lanceolata, Silene perlmanii, Solanum incompletum, Solanum
sandwicense, Spermolepis hawaiiensis, Stenogyne bifida, Stenogyne
campanulata, Stenogyne kanehoana, Tetramolopium arenarium,
Tetramolopium capillare, Tetramolopium filiforme, Tetramolopium
lepidotum ssp. lepidotum, Tetramolopium remyi, Tetramolopium rockii,
Tetraplasandra gymnocarpa, Trematolobelia singularis, Urera kaalae,
Viola chamissoniana ssp. chamissoniana, Viola helenae,Viola kauaensis
var. wahiawaensis, Viola lanaiensis Viola oahuensis, Wilkesia hobdyi,
Xylosma crenatum, Zanthoxylum dipetalum var. tomentosum, and
Zanthoxylum hawaiiense.
In accordance with the U.S. District Court's August 10, 1998, order
(Civil No. 97-00098ACK Conservation Council for Hawaii, et al. vs.
Bruce Babbitt, et al.), the Service is hereby reconsidering the not
prudent determinations that were made for these 245 plant species and
is seeking any new information that may affect whether the Service
proceeds with a proposal to designate critical habitat for these
species.
Public Comments Solicited
Comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned
governmental agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other
interested party concerning this notice are hereby solicited. Comments
particularly are sought concerning:
(1) Biological, commercial trade, vandalism, or other relevant data
concerning any threat to these species;
(2) The location of any additional populations of these species and
the reasons why any habitat should or should not be determined to be
critical habitat as provided by section 4 of the Act;
(3) Additional information concerning the range, distribution, and
population size of these species;
(4) Current or planned activities in the subject area and their
possible impacts on these species;
(5) Additional information on the principal biological or physical
constituent elements that are essential to the conservation of these
species. These primary constituent elements may include, but are not
limited to, the following: seasonal wetland or dryland, water quality
or quantity, plant
[[Page 65807]]
pollinator, geological formation, vegetation type, and specific soil
types;
(6) Information on existing management for any of these species and
benefits to these species.
The decision on whether to propose critical habitat for any of the
subject species will take into consideration the information received
in response to this request. Proposed designations or non-designations
of critical habitat will also solicit public comments, and any comments
received will be considered before making a final decision.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: November 19, 1998.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 98-31757 Filed 11-27-98; 8:45 am]
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