Submitted Electronically via eRulemaking Portal

I believe it's important to protect these species, and I agree with the agency's decision to place them on the endangered species list. I also agree with the decision to establish a critical habitat for three species. In considering the applications for exclusion from the critical habitat, I think the FWS should only allow exclusion if some kind of assurance is provided that the entities or property owners being excluded will comply with the agency's protection initiatives. I find it hard to believe that some of the groups being considered for exclusion would promote the agency’s conservation values for these species, especially groups with plans for commercial and residential development in the critical habitat area. Such development would undoubtedly degrade or destroy the physical and biological features of the environment. The resulting traffic increase in the area would also have detrimental effects on the species’ habitat. I think all parties involved should participate in the conservation efforts, especially by addressing the problem of invasive non-native species. From moving away from Hawaii after living there for 18 years, I have gained a much greater appreciation for the natural beauty it has to offer. I’ve seen the negative impacts of non-native species on the land, and I hope that the government and the local residents will do whatever they can to battle this problem. We need to address these issues now so that future generations will be able to experience and appreciate the natural environment we have been so fortunate to be brought up in.