[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54607-54609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21626]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AH08


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

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

[[Page 54608]]


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 46 
plants from the island of Molokai, Hawaii. In addition, the comment 
period which originally closed on June 4, 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 September 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 Monday, September 9, 2002, on the island of 
Molokai, 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. The Service will also be available for questions after the 
hearing.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Mitchell Pauole 
Center Hall, 90 Ainoa Street, Kaunakakai, 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, PO 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 April 5, 2002, we published a revised proposed critical habitat 
rule for 46 of the 51 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 Molokai (67 FR 16492). The original 
comment period closed on June 4, 2002. The comment period now closes on 
September 30, 2002. Written comments should be submitted to us (see 
ADDRESSES section).
    A total of 51 species historically found on Molokai 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 47 (Adenophorus periens, Alectryon macrococcus, Bidens 
wiebkei, Bonamia menziesii, Brighamia rockii, Canavalia molokaiensis, 
Centaurium sebaeoides, Clermontia oblongifolia ssp. brevipes, Ctenitis 
squamigera, Cyanea dunbarii, Cyanea grimesiana ssp. grimesiana, Cyanea 
mannii, Cyanea procera, Cyperus trachysanthos, Diellia erecta, 
Diplazium molokaiense, Flueggea neowawraea, Hedyotis mannii, 
Hesperomannia arborescens, Hibiscus arnottianus ssp. immaculatus, 
Hibiscus brackenridgei, Ischaemum byrone, Isodendrion pyrifolium, 
Labordia triflora, Lysimachia maxima, Mariscus fauriei, Marsilea 
villosa, Melicope mucronulata, Melicope reflexa, Neraudia sericea, 
Peucedanum sandwicense, Phyllostegia mannii, Phyllostegia mollis, 
Plantago princeps, Platanthera holochila, Pteris lidgatei, Schiedea 
lydgatei, Schiedea nuttallii, Schiedea sarmentosa, Sesbania tomentosa, 
Silene alexandri, Silene lanceolata, Spermolepis hawaiiensis, Stenogyne 
bifida, Tetramolopium rockii, Vigna o-wahuensis, and Zanthoxylum 
hawaiiense) of the 51 species reported from the island of Molokai. No 
change is made to the 47 proposed prudency determinations in the April 
5, 2002, revised proposed critical habitat rule for plants from 
Molokai. We previously proposed that designation of critical habitat 
was not prudent for Pritchardia munroi because it would likely increase 
the threats from vandalism or collection of this species on Molokai, 
and we did not propose critical habitat for this species (65 FR 83158). 
No change is made to this proposed prudency determination in the April 
5, 2002, revised proposed critical habitat rule (67 FR 16492). In the 
April 5, 2002, revised proposed critical habitat rule, we proposed that 
designation of critical habitat is prudent for Eugenia koolauensis, a 
species for which a prudency determination has not been made 
previously. We determined that designation of critical habitat was 
prudent for Labordia triflora and Melicope munroi at the time of their 
listing in 1999.
    We also propose designation of critical habitat for 46 (Adenophorus 
periens, Alectryon macrococcus, Bidens wiebkei, Brighamia rockii, 
Canavalia molokaiensis, Centaurium sebaeoides, Clermontia oblongifolia 
ssp. brevipes, Ctenitis squamigera, Cyanea dunbarii, Cyanea grimesiana 
ssp. grimesiana, Cyanea mannii, Cyanea procera, Diellia erecta, 
Diplazium molokaiense, Eugenia koolauensis, Flueggea neowawraea, 
Hedyotis mannii, Hesperomannia arborescens, Hibiscus arnottianus ssp. 
immaculatus, Hibiscus brackenridgei, Ischaemum byrone, Isodendrion 
pyrifolium, Labordia triflora, Lysimachia maxima, Mariscus fauriei, 
Marsilea villosa, Melicope mucronulata, Melicope reflexa, Neraudia 
sericea, Peucedanum sandwicense, Phyllostegia mannii, Phyllostegia 
mollis, Plantago princeps, Platanthera holochila, Pteris lidgatei, 
Schiedea lydgatei, Schiedea nuttallii, Schiedea sarmentosa, Sesbania 
tomentosa, Silene alexandri, Silene lanceolata, Spermolepis 
hawaiiensis, Stenogyne bifida, Tetramolopium rockii, Vigna o-wahuensis, 
and Zanthoxylum hawaiiense) plant species. Critical habitat is not 
proposed for four (Bonamia menziesii, Cyperus trachysanthos, Melicope 
munroi, and Solanum incompletum) of the 51 species which no longer 
occur on the island of Molokai, and for which we are unable to identify 
any habitat that is essential to their conservation on the island of 
Molokai. Critical habitat is not proposed for Pritchardia munroi for 
the reasons given above. Ten critical habitat units, totaling 
approximately 17,614 hectares (43,532 acres), are proposed for 
designation on the island of Molokai. For locations of these proposed 
units, please consult the proposed rule (67 FR 16492) (April 5, 2002).
    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

[[Page 54609]]

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 
one week before the hearing date.
    Information regarding this proposal is available in alternate 
formats upon request.
    We will accept public comments on the draft economic analysis until 
September 11, 2002.
    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 46 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 September 30, 2002. Written comments 
should be submitted to the Service office listed in the ADDRESSES 
section.

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Michelle Mansker (see 
ADDRESSES section).

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

    Dated: August 14, 2002.
David P. Smith,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 02-21626 Filed 8-22-02; 8:45 am]
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