[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 135 (Monday, July 15, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46450-46451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17745]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AH10


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designations of 
Critical Habitat for Plant Species From the Island of Lanai, HI

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period, and public hearing 
announcement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice of a 
public hearing on the proposed critical habitat designations for 32 
plants from the island of Lanai, Hawaii. In addition, the comment 
period which originally closed on May 3, 2002, will be reopened. The 
new comment period and hearing will allow all interested parties to 
submit oral or written comments on the proposal. We are seeking 
comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned agencies, the 
scientific community, industry, or any other interested parties 
concerning the proposed rule. Comments already submitted on the 
proposed rule need not be resubmitted as they will be fully considered 
in the final determination.

DATES: The comment period for this proposal now closes on August 30, 
2002. Any comments received by the closing date will be considered in 
the final decision on this proposal. The public hearing will be held 
from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 1, 2002, on the island of 
Lanai, Hawaii. Prior to the public hearing, the Service will be 
available from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. to provide information and to answer 
questions. We will also be available for questions after the hearing.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Lanai Public Library 
Meeting Room, Fraser Avenue, Lanai City, Hawaii. Comments and materials 
concerning this proposal should be sent to the Field Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Office, 300 Ala Moana 
Boulevard, Room 3-122, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu, HI 96850. Comments and 
materials received will be available for public inspection, by 
appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Henson, at the above address 
(telephone 808/541-3441; facsimile 808/541-3470).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On March 4, 2002, we published a revised proposed critical habitat 
rule for 32 of the 37 plant species listed under the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), known 
historically from the island of Lanai (67 FR 9806). The original 
comment period closed on May 3, 2002. The comment period now closes on 
August 30, 2002. Written comments should be submitted to us (see 
ADDRESSES section).
    A total of 37 species historically found on Lanai were listed as 
endangered or threatened species under the Act between 1991 and 1999. 
Some of these species may also occur on other Hawaiian islands. 
Previously, we proposed that designation of critical habitat was 
prudent for 32 (Abutilon eremitopetalum, Adenophorus periens, Bidens 
micrantha ssp. kalealaha, Bonamia menziesii, Brighamia rockii, Cenchrus 
agrimonioides, Centaurium sebaeoides, Clermontia oblongifolia ssp. 
mauiensis, Ctenitis squamigera, Cyanea grimesiana ssp. grimesiana, 
Cyanea lobata, Cyanea macrostegia ssp. gibsonii, Cyperus trachysanthos, 
Cyrtandra munroi, Diellia erecta, Diplazium molokaiense, Gahnia 
lanaiensis, Hedyotis mannii, Hesperomannia arborescens, Hibiscus 
brackenridgei, Isodendrion pyrifolium, Mariscus fauriei, Neraudia 
sericea, Portulaca sclerocarpa, Sesbania tomentosa, Silene lanceolata, 
Solanum incompletum, Spermolepis hawaiiensis, Tetramolopium remyi, 
Vigna 
o-wahuensis, Viola lanaiensis, and Zanthoxylum hawaiiense) of the 37 
species reported from the island of Lanai. No change is made to the 32 
proposed prudency determinations in the March 4, 2002, revised proposed 
critical habitat rule for plants from Lanai. We previously proposed 
that designation of critical habitat was not prudent for Phyllostegia 
glabra var. lanaiensis because it had not been seen recently in the 
wild, and no viable genetic material of this species is known to exist 
(65 FR 82086). No change is made to this proposed prudency 
determination in the March 4, 2002, revised proposed critical habitat 
rule (67 FR 9806). In the March 4, 2002, revised proposed critical 
habitat rule, we proposed that designation of critical habitat is 
prudent for Tetramolopium lepidotum ssp. lepidotum, a species for which 
a prudency determination has not been made previously. We determined 
that designation of critical habitat was prudent for Hedyotis 
schlechtendahliana var. remyi, Labordia tinifolia var. lanaiensis, and 
Melicope munroi at the time of their listing in 1999.
    We also propose designation of critical habitat for 32 (Abutilon 
eremitopetalum, Adenophorus periens, Bidens micrantha ssp. kalealaha, 
Bonamia menziesii, Brighamia rockii, Cenchrus agrimonioides, Centaurium 
sebaeoides, Clermontia oblongifolia ssp. mauiensis, Ctenitis 
squamigera, Cyanea grimesiana ssp. grimesiana, Cyanea lobata, Cyanea 
macrostegia ssp. gibsonii, Cyperus trachysanthos, Cyrtandra munroi, 
Diellia erecta,

[[Page 46451]]

Diplazium molokaiense, Gahnia lanaiensis, Hedyotis mannii, Hedyotis 
schlechtendahliana var. remyi, Hesperomannia arborescens, Hibiscus 
brackenridgei, Isodendrion pyrifolium, Labordia tinifolia var. 
lanaiensis, Melicope munroi, Neraudia sericea, Portulaca sclerocarpa, 
Sesbania tomentosa, Solanum incompletum, Spermolepis hawaiiensis, 
Tetramolopium remyi, Vigna 
o-wahuensis, and Viola lanaiensis) plant species. Critical habitat is 
not proposed for four (Mariscus fauriei, Silene lanceolata, 
Tetramolopium lepidotum ssp. lepidotum, and Zanthoxylum hawaiiense) of 
the 37 species which no longer occur on the island of Lanai, and for 
which we are unable to identify any habitat that is essential to their 
conservation on the island of Lanai. Critical habitat is not proposed 
for Phyllostegia glabra var. lanaiensis for the reasons given above. 
Eight critical habitat units, totaling approximately 7,853 hectares 
(19,405 acres), are proposed for designation on the island of Lanai. 
For locations of these proposed units, please consult the proposed rule 
(67 FR 9806).
    Section 4(b)(5)(E) of the Act requires that a public hearing be 
held if it is requested within 45 days of the publication of a proposed 
rule. In response to a request from a government agency of the State of 
Hawaii, we will hold a public hearing on the date and at the address 
described in the DATES and ADDRESSES sections above.
    Anyone wishing to make an oral statement for the record is 
encouraged to provide a written copy of their statement and present it 
to us at the hearing. In the event there is a large attendance, the 
time allotted for oral statements may be limited. Oral and written 
statements receive equal consideration. There are no limits to the 
length of written comments presented at the hearing or mailed to us. 
Legal notices announcing the date, time, and location of the public 
hearing will be published in newspapers concurrently with the Federal 
Register notice.
    Persons needing reasonable accommodations in order to attend and 
participate in the public hearing should contact Patti Carroll at 503/
231-2080 as soon as possible. In order to allow sufficient time to 
process requests, please call no later than 1 week before the hearing 
date.
    Information regarding this proposal is available in alternative 
formats upon request.
    Comments from the public regarding this proposed rule are sought, 
especially regarding:
    (1) The reasons why critical habitat for any of these species is 
prudent or not prudent as provided by section 4 of the Act and 50 CFR 
424.12(a)(1);
    (2) The reasons why any particular area should or should not be 
designated as critical habitat for any of these species, as critical 
habitat is defined by section 3 of the Act;
    (3) Specific information on the amount, distribution, and quality 
of habitat for the 32 species, and what habitat is essential to the 
conservation of the species and why;
    (4) Land use practices and current or planned activities in the 
subject areas, and their possible impacts on proposed critical habitat;
    (5) Any economic or other impacts resulting from the proposed 
designations of critical habitat, including any impacts on small 
entities, energy development, low income households, and local 
governments;
    (6) Economic and other potential values associated with designating 
critical habitat for the above plant species such as those derived from 
non-consumptive uses (e.g., hiking, camping, birding, enhanced 
watershed protection, increased soil retention, ``existence values'', 
and reductions in administrative costs); and
    (7) Information for use, under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, in 
determining if the benefits of excluding an area from critical habitat 
outweigh the benefits of specifying the area as critical habitat.
    Reopening of the comment period will enable us to respond to the 
request for a public hearing on the proposed action. The comment period 
on this proposal now closes on August 30, 2002. Written comments should 
be submitted to the Service office listed in the ADDRESSES section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Christa Russell (see ADDRESSES 
section).


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

    Dated: July 8, 2002.
Craig Manson,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 02-17745 Filed 7-12-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P