Vol. 79 Wednesday, No. 190 October 1, 2014 Part II Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Endangered Status for 21 Species and Proposed Threatened Status for 2 Species in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; Proposed Rule VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:56 Sep 30, 2014 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\01OCP2.SGM 01OCP2 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 59364 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 190 / Wednesday, October 1, 2014 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ES–2014–0038; Division of Policy and butterfly (Hypolimnas octocula Directives Management; U.S. Fish & mariannensis; NCN), the Mariana Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Headquarters, MS: BPHC, 5275 wandering butterfly (Vagrans egistina; Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041– NCN), the Rota blue damselfly (Ischnura 50 CFR Part 17 3803. luta; NCN), the fragile tree snail [Docket No. FWS–R1–ES–2014–0038: We request that you send comments (Samoana fragilis; akaleha), the Guam 4500030113] only by the methods described above. tree snail (Partula radiolata; akaleha), We will post all comments on http:// the humped tree snail (Partula gibba; www.regulations.gov. This generally akaleha), and Langford’s tree snail RIN 1018–BA13 means that we will post any personal (Partula langfordi; akaleha)). Two plant species (Cycas micronesica (fadang) and Endangered and Threatened Wildlife information you provide us (see Public Tabernaemontana rotensis (NCN)) are and Plants; Proposed Endangered Comments below for more information). proposed for listing as threatened Status for 21 Species and Proposed FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: species. Seven of these 23 species (1 bat, Threatened Status for 2 Species in Loyal Mehrhoff, Field Supervisor, 2 butterflies, and 4 tree snails) are Guam and the Commonwealth of the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, candidate species for which we have on Northern Mariana Islands 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96850; by telephone at 808–792–9400; file sufficient information on biological AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, or by facsimile at 808–792–9581. vulnerability and threats to support Interior. Persons who use a telecommunications preparation of a listing proposal, but for ACTION: Proposed rule. device for the deaf (TDD) may call the which development of a listing Federal Information Relay Service regulation had been previously SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. precluded by other higher priority Wildlife Service, propose to list 21 plant listing activities. This rule will reassess SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: and animal species from the Mariana all available information regarding Islands (the U.S. Territory of Guam and Executive Summary status of and threats to these seven species. Sixteen of the 23 species (14 the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Why we need to publish a rule. Under plant species and 2 animal species Mariana Islands) as endangered species the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as (Slevin’s skink and Rota damselfly)) are under the Endangered Species Act of amended (Act), if a species is Mariana Islands species for which we 1973, as amended. We also propose to determined to be an endangered or have sufficient information on list two plant species from the Mariana threatened species throughout all or a biological vulnerabilities and threats to Islands in the U.S. Territory of Guam significant portion of its range, we, the propose for listing as endangered or and the U.S. Commonwealth of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), threatened, but which have not been Northern Mariana Islands as threatened are required to promptly publish a species under the Act. If we finalize this previously recognized as candidate proposal in the Federal Register and species. rule as proposed, it would extend the make a determination on our proposal Act’s protections to these 23 species. The basis for our action. Under the within 1 year. Critical habitat shall be Act, we can determine that a species is The effect of this regulation will be to designated, to the maximum extent add these 23 species to the Federal Lists an endangered or threatened species prudent and determinable, for any based on any of five factors: (A) The of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife species determined to be an endangered and Plants. present or threatened destruction, or threatened species under the Act. modification, or curtailment of its DATES: We will accept comments Listing a species as an endangered or habitat or range; (B) Overutilization for received or postmarked on or before threatened species and designations and commercial, recreational, scientific, or December 1, 2014. Comments submitted revisions of critical habitat can only be educational purposes; (C) Disease or electronically using the Federal completed by issuing a rule. We will predation; (D) The inadequacy of ADDRESSES eRulemaking Portal (see address designation of critical habitat existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E) below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. for these 23 species in a separate rule. Other natural or manmade factors Eastern Time on the closing date. We This rule will propose the listing of 23 affecting its continued existence. As must receive requests for public species from the Mariana Islands as described in this document, these 23 hearings, in writing, at the address endangered or threatened species. species are experiencing population- FOR FURTHER INFORMATION shown in Twenty-one of these species are level impacts as the result of the CONTACT by November 17, 2014. proposed as endangered species (12 following current and ongoing threats: ADDRESSES: You may submit comments plants: Bulbophyllum guamense • Habitat loss and degradation due to by one of the following methods: (cebello halumtano), Dendrobium development, military activities, and (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal guamense (no common name (NCN)), urbanization; nonnative feral ungulates eRulemaking Portal: Eugenia bryanii (NCN), Hedyotis (hoofed mammals, for example, deer, http://www.regulations.gov. In the megalantha (paudedo), Heritiera pigs, and water buffalo) and nonnative Search box, enter FWS–R1–ES–2014– longipetiolata (ufa-halumtano), Maesa plants; rats; snakes; wildfire; typhoons; 0038, which is the docket number for walkeri (NCN), Phyllanthus saffordii water extraction, and climate change. this rulemaking. Then, in the Search (NCN), Psychotria malaspinae • Predation or herbivory by nonnative panel on the left side of the screen, (aplokating-palaoan), Solanum feral ungulates, rats, snakes, monitor under the Document Type heading, guamense (berenghenas halomtano), lizards, slugs, flatworms, ants, and click on the Proposed Rules link to Nervilia jacksoniae (NCN), Tinospora wasps. locate this document. You may submit homosepala (NCN), and Tuberolabium • Inadequate existing regulatory a comment by clicking on ‘‘Comment guamense (NCN)); and 9 animals: the mechanisms to prevent the introduction Now!’’ Pacific sheath-tailed bat (Emballonura and spread of nonnative plants and (2) By Hard Copy: Submit by U.S. semicaudata rotensis; liyang), Slevin’s animals. mail or hand-delivery to: Public skink (Emoia slevini; guali’ek • Ordnance and live-fire from Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R1– halomtano), the Mariana eight-spot military training, recreational vehicles, VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:56 Sep 30, 2014 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\01OCP2.SGM 01OCP2 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 190 / Wednesday, October 1, 2014 / Proposed Rules 59365 and vulnerability to extinction due to distribution, and population size of FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. We will small numbers of individuals and these species, including the locations of schedule public hearings on this populations. any additional populations of these proposal, if any are requested, and As a consequence of these threats, we species. announce the dates, times, and places of propose to list 2 of these species as (5) Any information regarding the those hearings, as well as how to obtain threatened species, and 21 of these taxonomy of Tinospora homosepala, reasonable accommodations, in the species as endangered species. We, with particular regard to the question of Federal Register and local newspapers therefore, propose adding these 23 whether T. homosepala may be the at least 15 days before the hearing. Mariana Islands species to the Federal same species as the more common T. Lists of Endangered and Threatened glabra, or is a variety of that species. Peer Review Wildlife and Plants. Please include sufficient information In accordance with our joint policy on We will seek peer review. We will seek with your submission (such as scientific peer review published in the Federal comments from independent specialists journal articles or other publications) to Register on July 1, 1994 (59 FR 34270), to ensure that our designation is based allow us to verify any scientific or we have sought the expert opinions of on scientifically sound data, commercial information you include. 10 appropriate and independent assumptions, and analyses. We will Please note that submissions merely specialists regarding this proposed rule. invite these peer reviewers to comment stating support for or opposition to the The purpose of peer review is to ensure on our listing proposal. Because we will action under consideration without that our listing determinations are based consider