[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63066-63067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25721]



[[Page 63066]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AI24


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

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice of a 
public hearing on the proposed critical habitat designations for 99 
plants from the island of Oahu, Hawaii. In addition, the comment period 
(which originally closed on July 29, 2002) was reopened on August 26, 
2002, and closed on September 30, 2002, will now be reopened. The new 
comment period and public 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 November 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 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19, 2002, on the island of Oahu, 
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 Ala Moana Hotel, 410 
Atkinson Dr., Honolulu, 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 May 28, 2002, we published a proposed critical habitat rule for 
99 of the 101 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 Oahu (67 FR 37108). The original comment period 
closed on July 29, 2002. On August 26, 2002, we reopened the comment 
period for the proposed designations and non-designations of critical 
habitat for plant species on the island of Oahu, as well as for plant 
species on the islands of Kauai, Niihau, Molokai, Maui, Kahoolawe, 
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and Hawaii (67 FR 54766). The reopened 
comment periods allowed all interested parties to submit written 
comments on these proposals simultaneously and closed on September 30, 
2002. With this notice, we are reopening the comment period for the 
proposed designations and non-designations of critical habitat for 
plant species on the island of Oahu. The comment period now closes on 
November 30, 2002. Written comments should be submitted to the Service 
(see ADDRESSES section).
    A total of 101 species historically found on Oahu were listed as 
endangered or threatened species under the Act between 1991 and 1996. 
Some of these species may also occur on other Hawaiian islands. 
Previously, we proposed that designation of critical habitat was 
prudent for 45 (Adenophorus periens, Alectryon macrococcus, Bonamia 
menziesii, Cenchrus agrimonioides, Centaurium sebaeoides, Colubrina 
oppositifolia, Ctenitis squamigera, Cyanea grimesiana ssp. grimesiana, 
Cyperus trachysanthos, Diellia erecta, Diplazium molokaiense, Eugenia 
koolauensis, Euphorbia haeleeleana, Flueggea neowawraea, Gouania 
meyenii, Gouania vitifolia, Hedyotis coriacea, Hesperomannia 
arborescens, Hesperomannia arbuscula, Hibiscus brackenridgei, 
Isodendrion laurifolium, Isodendrion longifolium, Isodendrion 
pyrifolium, Lobelia niihauensis, Lysimachia filifolia, Mariscus 
pennatiformis, Marsilea villosa, Melicope pallida, Nototrichium humile, 
Peucedanum sandwicense, Phlegmariurus nutans, Phyllostegia mollis, 
Phyllostegia parviflora, Plantago princeps, Platanthera holochila, 
Pteris lidgatei, Sanicula purpurea, Schiedea hookeri, Schiedea 
nuttallii, Sesbania tomentosa, Silene lanceolata, Solanum sandwicense, 
Spermolepis hawaiiensis, Tetramolopium lepidotum ssp. lepidotum, and 
Vigna o-wahuensis) of the 101 species reported from the island of Oahu. 
No change is made to the 45 proposed prudency determinations in the May 
28, 2002, proposed critical habitat rule for plants from Oahu. In the 
May 28, 2002, proposed critical habitat rule, we proposed that 
designation of critical habitat was not prudent for Pritchardia kaalae 
because it would likely increase the threats from vandalism or 
collection of this species on Oahu. In the same rule, we proposed that 
designation of critical habitat was not prudent for Cyrtandra crenata 
because it had not been seen recently in the wild and no viable genetic 
material of this species is known to exist. In the May 28, 2002, 
proposed critical habitat rule, we proposed that designation of 
critical habitat is prudent for 54 (Abutilon sandwicense, Alsinidendron 
obovatum, Alsinidendron trinerve, Chamaesyce celastroides var. kaenana, 
Chamaesyce deppeana, Chamaesyce herbstii, Chamaesyce kuwaleana, 
Chamaesyce rockii, Cyanea acuminata, Cyanea crispa, Cyanea grimesiana 
ssp. obatae, Cyanea humboltiana, Cyanea koolauensis, Cyanea longiflora, 
Cyanea pinnatifida, Cyanea st.-johnii, Cyanea superba, Cyanea truncata, 
Cyrtandra dentata, Cyrtandra polyantha, Cyrtandra subumbellata, 
Cyrtandra viridiflora, Delissea subcordata, Diellia falcata, Diellia 
unisora, Dubautia herbstobatae, Eragrostis fosbergii, Gardenia mannii, 
Hedyotis degeneri, Hedyotis parvula, Labordia cyrtandrae, Lepidium 
arbuscula, Lipochaeta lobata var. leptophylla, Lipochaeta tenuifolia, 
Lobelia gaudichaudii ssp. koolauensis, Lobelia monostachya, Lobelia 
oahuensis, Melicope lydgatei, Melicope saint-johnii, Myrsine juddii, 
Neraudia angulata, Phyllostegia hirsuta, Phyllostegia kaalaensis, 
Sanicula mariversa, Schiedea kaalae, Schiedea kealiae, Silene 
perlmanii, Stenogyne kanehoana, Tetramolopium filiforme, Tetraplasandra 
gymnocarpa, Trematalobelia singularis, Urera kaalae, Viola 
chamissoniana ssp. chamissoniana, and Viola oahuensis) species for 
which prudency determinations have not been made previously.
    We also propose designation of critical habitat for 99 (Abutilon 
sandwicense, Adenophorus periens, Alectryon macrococcus, Alsinidendron 
obovatum, Alsinidendron trinerve, Bonamia menziesii, Cenchrus 
agrimonioides, Centaurium sebaeoides, Chamaesyce celastroides var. 
kaenana, Chamaesyce deppeana, Chamaesyce herbstii, Chamaesyce 
kuwaleana, Chamaesyce rockii, Colubrina oppositifolia, Ctenitis 
squamigera, Cyanea acuminata, Cyanea crispa,

[[Page 63067]]

Cyanea grimesiana ssp. grimesiana, Cyanea grimesiana ssp. obatae, 
Cyanea humboltiana, Cyanea koolauensis, Cyanea longiflora, Cyanea 
pinnatifida, Cyanea st.-johnii, Cyanea superba, Cyanea truncata, 
Cyperus trachysanthos, Cyrtandra dentata, Cyrtandra polyantha, 
Cyrtandra subumbellata, Cyrtandra viridiflora, Delissea subcordata, 
Diellia erecta, Diellia falcata, Diellia unisora, Diplazium 
molokaiense, Dubautia herbstobatae, Eragrostis fosbergii, Eugenia 
koolauensis, Euphorbia haeleeleana, Flueggea neowawraea, Gardenia 
mannii, Gouania meyenii, Gouania vitifolia, Hedyotis coriacea, Hedyotis 
degeneri, Hedyotis parvula, Hesperomannia arborescens, Hesperomannia 
arbuscula, Hibiscus brackenridgei, Isodendrion laurifolium, Isodendrion 
longifolium, Isodendrion pyrifolium, Labordia cyrtandrae, Lepidium 
arbuscula, Lipochaeta lobata var. leptophylla, Lipochaeta tenuifolia, 
Lobelia gaudichaudii ssp. koolauensis, Lobelia monostachya, Lobelia 
niihauensis, Lobelia oahuensis, Lysimachia filifolia, Mariscus 
pennatiformis, Marsilea villosa, Melicope pallida, Melicope saint-
johnii, Myrsine juddii, Neraudia angulata, Nototrichium humile, Pelea 
lydgatei, Peucedanum sandwicense, Phlegmariurus nutans, Phyllostegia 
hirsuta, Phyllostegia kaalaensis, Phyllostegia mollis, Phyllostegia 
parviflora, Plantago princeps, Platanthera holochila, Pteris lidgatei, 
Sanicula mariversa, Sanicula purpurea, Schiedea hookeri, Schiedea 
kaalae, Schiedea kealiae, Schiedea nuttallii, Sesbania tomentosa, 
Silene lanceolata, Silene perlmanii, Solanum sandwicense, Spermolepis 
hawaiiensis, Stenogyne kanehoana, Tetramolopium filiforme, 
Tetramolopium lepidotum ssp. lepidotum, Tetraplasandra gymnocarpa, 
Trematalobelia singularis, Urera kaalae, Vigna o-wahuensis, Viola 
chamissoniana ssp. chamissoniana, and Viola oahuensis) plant species. 
Critical habitat is not proposed for Pritchardia munroi and Cyrtandra 
crenata for the reasons given above. Twenty-five critical habitat 
units, totaling approximately 45,067 hectares (111,364 acres), are 
proposed for designation on the island of Oahu.
    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 one week before the hearing 
date.
    Information regarding this proposal is available in alternate 
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 99 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 November 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: October 1, 2002.
Paul Hoffman,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 02-25721 Filed 10-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P