[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 226 (Friday, November 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-29070]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: November 25, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AC04
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice of 6-Month
Extension and Reopening of the Public Comment Period on the Proposed
Rule to List Coccoloba Rugosa as a Threatened Species
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of 6-month extension and reopening of comment period on
proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) extends for not
more than 6 months the time to make a decision on its proposal to list
the Coccoloba rugosa (ortegon). On September 24, 1993, the Service
proposed to determine threatened status for Coccoloba rugosa under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Act requires the
Service to make final determination on such proposals within 12 months,
but provides for a 6-month extension if there is substantial
disagreement regarding the sufficiency or accuracy of the available
data relevant to that determination. The Service finds that there is
substantial disagreement concerning the sufficiency of the available
population data and, therefore, extends the deadline with respect to
the decision to list Coccoloba rugosa.
DATES: The deadline for final action on the proposal is now March 24,
1995. The public comment period is reopened until January 24, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Comments and materials should be sent to the Field
Supervisor, Caribbean Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Box
491, Boqueron, Puerto Rico 00622.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Susan R. Silander at the Caribbean Field Office (see ADDRESSES
section) (809/851-7297).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Although there are no records available concerning when Coccoloba
rugosa was first discovered, it is known that it was widely cultivated
in European botanical gardens during the nineteenth century (Proctor,
pers. comm.). The species was named in 1815 and described in 1829 by
the French botanist Rene Louiche Desfontaines from a cultivated
specimen at the Botanical Garden of Paris (Little et al. 1974). This
plant was reported from St. Thomas more than a century ago, but it is a
doubtful record (Proctor, pers. comm.).
Coccoloba rugosa is a small evergreen tree 9 meters (30 feet) tall
with a diameter of approximately 12.5 centimeters (5 inches). The bark
is brown or gray and fissured, with faint rings at the nodes. The green
twigs are stout, slightly flattened with longitudinal ridges. The
alternate stalkless leaves are 22-60 centimeters (9-24 inches) wide,
very thick, brittle, and hairless. The leaf surface is rugose, with
veins deeply sunken on the upper side and prominent beneath. At the
base of each leaf is a large sheath (ocrea) measuring 4-6 centimeters
(1.5-2.5 inches) long. Inflorescences are terminal, 30-75 centimeters
(1-2.5 feet) long with numerous small crimson-colored flowers. Male and
female flowers are borne on different trees (dioecious). The red ovoid
fruits are about 1 centimeter (.4 inch) long with one brown, pointed,
3-angled seed that is .5 centimeter (.2 inch) long.
When the proposed rule was published (September 24, 1993; 58 FR
49960), the most recent available information indicated that Coccoloba
rugosa was known from fewer than 1000 individuals at 14 sites in the
subtropical moist forests of northern and eastern Puerto Rico. A
population known from the west of the San Jose lagoon was destroyed
some years ago (Little et al. 1974). The remaining populations are
variously threatened by urban, industrial and tourist development,
forest management practices, and the expansion of existing military
installations.
All comments received in response to the proposed rule published on
September 24, 1993, supported the designation of Coccoloba rugosa as
threatened. Nevertheless, on June 21, 1994, the Service received a
letter from Vinson & Elkins, attorneys for the Palmas del Mar
Properties, Inc., that provided additional information on both the
distribution and abundance of Coccoloba rugosa. The Service is
currently conducting field verification of this new information, which
indicates there are at least 19 additional sites containing at least
4,000 individuals.
Section 4(b)(6) of the Act requires the Service to take one of
three alternative actions within 1 year of a listing proposal: (1)
Publish a final regulation listing the species; (2) Publish a notice
that the listing proposal is being withdrawn, or (3) Publish a notice
that the 1-year time period is being extended under section 4(b)(6).
That section as implemented by regulations at 50 CFR 424.17(a)(1)(iv),
provides that the Service may extend the 1-year period for up to 6
months upon finding that ``there is a substantial disagreement among
scientists knowledgeable about the species concerned'' on whether to
list the species.
The Act provides in section 4(b)(1)(A) that a determination to list
a species shall be made on the best available scientific and commercial
information. The Act's information standard requires that the best
available information must support a conclusion that a species meets
the Act's definition for threatened or endangered status after
consideration of the five factors discussed in Section 4(a)(1). The
Service finds there is substantial disagreement with regard to the
population status of Coccoloba rugosa, and, therefore, extends until
March 31, 1995, the period within which to make a final listing
determination on this species. The Service solicits additional data on
the status of Coccoloba rugosa until January 24, 1995.
References Cited
Little, E.L., R.O. Woodbury, and F.H. Wadsworth. 1974. Trees of Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands. Second volume. U.S. Department of
Agriculture Handbook No. 449. Washington, D.C. 1024 pp.
Author
The primary author of this notice is Ms. Susan R. Silande (see
ADDRESSES section), (809/851-7297).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: September 14, 1994.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 94-29070 Filed 11-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
