[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]


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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.

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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]
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