# Availability of Draft Molokai II: Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Molokai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996) > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A97-23182 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Notice - **Published:** September 2, 1997 - **Citation:** 62 FR 46369 ## Text DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Availability of Draft Molokai II: Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Molokai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996) AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of document availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability for public review of a draft Molokai II: Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Molokai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996). There are three taxa of plants included in this plan. All three are known only from the island of Molokai. This draft plan Addendum supplements the Recovery Plan for the Molokai Plant Cluster finalized in September of 1996. A limited number of copies of the Molokai Recovery Plan remain available, although the Service is not seeking comments on that document. DATE: Comments on the draft recovery plan addendum received by November 3, 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); Molokai Public Library, 15 Ala Malama Street, Kaunakakai, Hawaii 96748. Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan addendum 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: John Schmerfeld, 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 [[Page 46370]] implementing recovery actions. Individualized responses to comments will not be provided. The Recovery Plan for the Molokai Plant Cluster covered 16 species and was finalized in September of 1996. The addendum refers to sections of the original Plan. This draft addendum supplements the Recovery Plan for the Molokai Plant Cluster by covering three endangered plant taxa. All of these taxa are endemic to the island of Molokai, Hawaiian Islands. The plants are: Cyanea dunbarii (haha), Lysimachia maxima (no common name), and Schiedea sarmentosa (no common name). The three taxa included in this addendum grow in a range of vegetative communities (dry shrubland to wet forests) and elevational zones (lowland to montane). These taxa and their habitats have been variously affected or are currently threatened by one or more of the following: habitat degradation by feral or domestic animals (goats, pigs, and axis deer), competition for space, light, water, and nutrients by introduced vegetation; erosion of substrate produced by human- or animal-caused disturbance; mortality and habitat loss from fires; and predation by animals (goats, axis deer, and rats). 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 random naturally occurring events. The objective of the Addendum to the Recovery Plan for the Molokai Plant Cluster (USFWS 1996) is to provide a framework for the recovery of these three 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 Molokai 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 Molokai, where they now occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be naturally reproducing and increasing in number, with a minimum of 50 mature individuals per population for short-lived perennials (Cyanea dunbarii, Lysimachia maxima, and Schiedea sarmentosa). For downlisting, a total of five to seven populations of each taxon should be documented on Molokai 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 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 Molokai 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 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: August 26, 1997. Thomas J. Dwyer, Acting Regional Director, Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 97-23182 Filed 8-29-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A97-23182. Public record. Not legal advice.