[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-24196]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 30, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
50 CFR Part 17
Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Waianae Plant Cluster
for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
availability for public review of a draft Waianae Plant Cluster
Recovery Plan. There are 31 taxa of plants included in this plan.
Twenty-six taxa are either endemic to, or have their largest or best
known populations in, the Waianae Mountain Range on the western side of
the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or
before November 29, 1994, to receive consideration by the Service.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
following locations: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, room 6307, 300 Ala
Moana Blvd., P.O. Box 50167, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (phone 808/541-
2749); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Regional Office, Ecological
Services, 911 N.E. 11th Ave., Eastside Federal Complex, Portland,
Oregon 97232-4181 (phone 503/231-6131). Requests for copies of the
draft recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this
plan should be addressed to Brooks Harper, Field Supervisor, at the
above Honolulu address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen W. Rosa, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, at the above Honolulu address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Restoring endangered or threatened animals and plants to the point
where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their
ecosystems is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species
program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to
prepare recovery plans for most of the listed species native to the
United States. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for
the conservation of the species, establish criteria for the recovery
levels for downlisting or delisting them, and estimate time and cost
for implementing the recovery measures needed.
The Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
(Act), requires the development of recovery plans for listed species
unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a particular
species. Section 4(f) of the Act as amended in 1988 requires that
public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment be
provided during recovery plan development. The Service will consider
all information presented during the public comment period prior to
approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. Substantive technical
comments will result in changes to the plans. Substantive comments
regarding recovery plan implementation may not necessarily result in
changes to the recovery plans, but will be forwarded to appropriate
Federal or other entities so that they can take these comments into
account during the course of implementing recovery actions.
Individualized responses to comments will not be provided.
The draft Wainae Plant Cluster Recovery Plan addresses 31 plant
taxa that have been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (Act), in four listing actions between
September 1991 and June 1994: Abutilon sandwicense, Alsinidendron
obovatum, Alsinidendron trinerve, Centaurium sebaeoides (`awiwi),
Chamaesyce celastroides var. Kaenana (`akoko), Chamaesyce kuwaleana
(`akoko), Cyanea grimesiana ssp. obatae (haha), Cyanea pinnatifida
(haha), Cyanea superba, Diellia falcata, Diellia unisora, Dubautia
herbstobatae (na'ena'e), Gouania meyenii, Gouania vitifolia, Hedyotis
degeneri, Hedyotis parvula, Hesperomannia arbuscula, Lipochaeta lobata
var. leptophylla (nehe), Lipochaeta tenuifolia (nehe), Lobelia
niihauensis, Neraudia angulata, Nototrichium humile (kulu'i),
Phyllostegia mollis, Sanicula mariversa, Schiedea kaalae, Silene
perlmanii, Stenogyne kanehoana, Tetramolopium filiforme, Tetramolopium
lepidotum ssp. lepidotum Urera kaalae (opuhe), and Viola chamissoniana
ssp. chamissoniana (pamakani). Twenty-six taxa are either endemic to,
or have their largest or best known populations in, the Waianae
Mountain Range on the western side of the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
The 31 plant tasa and their habitats have been adversely threatened
in various degrees by one or more of the following: trampling and
predation by introduced ungulates (pigs, cattle, goats); habitat
degradation and competition for space, light, water, and nutrients by
naturalized, alien vegetation; and habitat loss from fires. A few of
these taxa may have been subjected to overcollection and are subject to
trampling by human beings along trails. Because of the small number of
extant individuals and severely restricted distributions, populations
of these tasa are subject to an increased likelihood of extinction from
stochastic events.
The ultimate objective of this plan is to provide a framework for
the eventual recovery of these 31 taxa, preferably so that their
protection by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is no longer necessary.
Immediate actions necessary for the prevention of extinction of these
taxa include fencing for exclusion of ungulates, alien plant control,
protection from fire, population and plant community monitoring and
management, ex situ propagation, and augmentation of populations, as
appropriate. Long-term activities necessary for the perpetuation of
these taxa in their natural habitats additionally include baseline and
long-term research regarding growth requirements, public education,
maintenance of fenced areas, long-term monitoring and management of
populations and communities, and re-establishment of populations within
the historic ranges of some taxa. Further research regarding current
range, reproduction and reproductive status, pollinators, life history,
limiting factors, habitat requirements, and minimum viable population
sizes is needed to facilitate appropriate management decisions
regarding the long-term perpetuation of each of these taxa.
Public Comments Solicited
The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan
described. All comments received by the date specified above will be
considered prior to approval of these plans.
Authority
The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered
Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
Dated: September 26, 1994.
Michael J. Spear,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 94-24196 Filed 9-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
