[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]



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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

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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

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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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