[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 162 (Thursday, August 21, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 44483-44484] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-22149] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Availability of Draft Kauai II: Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Kauai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1995) AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of document availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability for public review of a draft Kauai II: Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Kauai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1995). There are 19 taxa of plants included in this plan, 17 of which are listed as endangered and 2 as threatened. All 19 are known only from the island of Kauai. This draft plan addendum supplements the Recovery Plan for the Kauai Plant cluster finalized in 1995. A limited number of copies of the Kauai Plant Cluster Recovery Plan are available, although the Service is not seeking comments on that document. DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan received by October 20, 1997 will be considered 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, Pacific Islands Office, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, room 3108, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 (phone 808/541-3441); Kauai Regional Library, 4344 Hardy Ave., Lihue, Hawaii 96766. Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and written comments and materials regarding this plan should be addressed to Field Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Office, at the above Honolulu address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Willis, 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 Recovery Plan for the Kauai Plant Cluster, finalized in 1995, covered 37 plant species. This draft addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Kauai Plant Cluster covers 19 plant taxa, 17 of which are listed as endangered and 2 as threatened. All of these taxa are endemic to the island of Kauai, Hawaiian Islands. The plants listed as endangered are: Alsinidendron lychnoides (kuawawaenohu), Alsinidendron viscosum (no common name (NCN)), Cyanea remyi (haha), Cyrtandra cyaneoides (mapele), Delissea rivularis (oha), Hibiscadelphus woodii (hau kuahiwi), Hibiscus waimeae ssp. hannerae (koki o keokeo), Kokia kauaiensis (kokio), Labordia tinifolia var. wahiawaensis (kamakahala), Phyllostegia knudsenii (NCN), Phyllostegia wawrana (NCN), Pritchardia napaliensis (loulu), Pritchardia viscosa (loulu), Schiedea helleri (NCN), Schiedea membranacea (NCN), Schiedea stellarioides (laulihilihi), Viola kauaensis var. wahiawaensis (nani waialeale). The plants listed as threatened are: Cyanea recta (haha) and Myrsine linearifolia (kolea). [[Page 44484]] The 19 taxa included in this addendum grow mostly in the northern and northwestern portions of Kauai, and grow in a variety of vegetation communities (shrublands, forests, and mixed communities), elevational zones (lowland to montane), and moisture regimes (dry to wet). Only one species, Pritchardia napaliensis, is found in lowland dry communities. These taxa and their habitats have been variously affected or are currently threatened by one or more of the following: competition for space, light, water, and nutrients by introduced vegetation; habitat degradation by feral or domestic animals (axis deer, goats, pigs, sheep, and cattle); erosion of substrate produced by hurricane, weathering, human- or animal-caused disturbance; and predation by animals (goats, rats, and slugs). In addition, due to the small number of existing individuals and their very narrow distributions, these taxa and most of their populations are subject to an increased likelihood of extinction and/or reduced reproductive vigor from stochastic events. The objective of the Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Kauai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1995) is to provide a framework for the recovery of these 19 taxa so that their protection by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is no longer necessary. The interim objective is to stabilize all existing populations of the Kauai II taxa. To be considered stable, each taxon must be managed to control threats (e.g., fenced) and be represented in an ex situ (such as a nursery or arboretum) collection. In addition, a minimum total of three populations of each taxon should be documented on Kauai, where they now occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be naturally reproducing and increasing in number, with a minimum of 25 mature individuals per population for long-lived perennials (Hibiscadelphus woodii, Hibiscus waimeae ssp. hannerae, Kokia kauaiensis, Labordia tinifolia var. wahiawaensis, Myrsine linearifolia, Pritchardia napaliensis, Pritchardia viscosa) and a minimum of 50 mature individuals per population for short-lived perennials (Alsinidendron lychnoides, Alsinidendron viscosum, Cyanea recta, Cyanea remyi, Cyrtandra cyaneoides, Delissea rivularis, Phyllostegia knudsenii, Phyllostegia wawrana, Schiedea helleri, Schiedea membranacea, Schiedea stellarioides, Viola kauaensis var. wahiawaensis). For downlisting, a total of five to seven populations of each taxon should be documented on Kauai where they now occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be naturally reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from threats, with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for long-lived perennials and a minimum of 300 mature individuals per population for short-lived perennials. Each population should persist at this level for a minimum of 5 consecutive years before downlisting is considered. For delisting, a total of 8 to 10 populations of each taxon should be documented on Kauai where they now occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be naturally reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from threats, with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for long-lived perennials and a minimum of 300 mature individuals per population for short-lived perennials. Each population should persist at this level for a minimum of 5 consecutive years. Public Comments Solicited The Service solicits written comments on the Addendum to the Recovery Plan described. All comments received by the date specified above will be considered prior to approval of this addendum. Authority The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). Dated: July 28, 1997. Thomas J. Dwyer, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1. [FR Doc. 97-22149 Filed 8-20-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P