And Harrisia Aboriginum (Aboriginal Prickly-Apple); Final Rule
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Vol. 81 Friday, No. 14 January 22, 2016 Part II Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Consolea corallicola (Florida Semaphore Cactus) and Harrisia aboriginum (Aboriginal Prickly-Apple); Final Rule VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:37 Jan 21, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\22JAR2.SGM 22JAR2 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES2 3866 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 14 / Friday, January 22, 2016 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR preamble and/or at http:// proposed designation. We also www.regulations.gov. considered all comments and Fish and Wildlife Service FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: information received from the public Roxanna Hinzman, Field Supervisor, during the comment period. 50 CFR Part 17 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, South Previous Federal Actions [Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2014–0057; Florida Ecological Services Office, 1339 4500030113] 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960; by Previous Federal actions for Consolea corallicola and Harrisia aboriginum are RIN 1018–AZ92 telephone 772–562–3909; or by facsimile 772–562–4288. If you use a outlined in our proposed and final rules Endangered and Threatened Wildlife telecommunications device for the deaf to list both species as endangered and Plants; Designation of Critical (TDD), call the Federal Information species published in the Federal Habitat for Consolea corallicola Relay Service (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. Register on October 11, 2012 (77 FR 61836), and October 24, 2013 (78 FR (Florida Semaphore Cactus) and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Harrisia aboriginum (Aboriginal 63796), respectively. Executive Summary Prickly-Apple) Summary of Comments and Why we need to publish a rule. Under Recommendations AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as Interior. amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (Act), We requested written comments from ACTION: Final rule. when we determine that any species is the public on the proposed designation threatened or endangered, we must of critical habitat for Consolea SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and designate critical habitat, to the corallicola and Harrisia aboriginum and Wildlife Service, designate critical maximum extent prudent and the associated DEA with the publication habitat for Consolea corallicola (Florida determinable. Designations of critical of the proposed rule to designate critical semaphore cactus) and Harrisia habitat can be completed only by habitat that published January 22, 2015 aboriginum (aboriginal prickly-apple) issuing a rule. (80 FR 3316). The comment period under the Endangered Species Act (Act). This rule consists of: A final rule opened on January 22, 2015, and closed In total, approximately 4,411 acres designating critical habitat for two on March 23, 2015. We did not receive (1,785 hectares) for Consolea corallicola endangered plant species, Consolea any requests for a public hearing. We in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, corallicola and Harrisia aboriginum. also contacted appropriate Federal, Florida; and 3,444 acres (1,394 hectares) We have prepared an economic State, and local agencies; scientific for Harrisia aboriginum in Manatee, analysis of the designations. In order to organizations; and other interested Charlotte, Sarasota, and Lee Counties, consider economic impacts, we parties and invited them to comment on Florida, fall within the boundaries of prepared an incremental effects the proposed rule and DEA during the the critical habitat designations. memorandum (IEM) and screening comment period. DATES: This rule becomes effective on analysis which, together with our We received four comment letters February 22, 2016. narrative and interpretation of effects, directly addressing the proposed critical ADDRESSES: This final rule is available we consider our draft economic analysis habitat designation. All substantive on the internet at http:// (DEA) of the proposed critical habitat information provided during the www.regulations.gov and http:// designation and related factors. The comment period is addressed below. www.fws.gov/verobeach/. Comments analysis, dated October 15, 2014, was Peer Review and materials we received, as well as made available for public review from some supporting documentation we January 22, 2015, through March 23, In accordance with our peer review used in preparing this rule, are available 2015 (80 FR 3316). The DEA addressed policy published on July 1, 1994 (59 FR for public inspection at http:// probable economic impacts of critical 34270), we solicited expert opinions www.regulations.gov. All of the habitat designation for Consolea from three knowledgeable individuals comments, materials, and corallicola and Harrisia aboriginum. We with scientific expertise that included documentation that we considered in did not receive any comments regarding familiarity with the species, the this rulemaking are available by the DEA; therefore, we consider the geographic region in which the species appointment, during normal business October 15, 2014, DEA, our IEM, and occurs, and conservation biology hours at the South Florida Ecological narrative interpretation of the effects to principles. We received responses from Services Office (see FOR FURTHER be the final economic analysis. two of the peer reviewers. INFORMATION CONTACT). Peer review and public comment. We Both peer reviewers noted that the The coordinates, plot points, or both sought comments from three proposal was comprehensive and that from which the maps are generated are independent specialists to ensure that the data which the Service relied upon included in the administrative record our designation is based on to delineate critical habitat was sound. for this critical habitat designation and scientifically sound data and analyses. Peer reviewers did not provide any new are available at http://www.fws.gov/ We obtained opinions from two of the information that would necessitate verobeach/, at http:// independent specialists with scientific changes to the final rule. Peer reviewer www.regulations.gov at Docket No. expertise to review our technical comments are addressed in the FWS–R4–ES–2014–0057, and at the assumptions, analysis, and whether or following summary. South Florida Ecological Services Office not we had used the best available Peer Reviewer Comments (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). information. These peer reviewers Any additional tools or supporting generally concurred with our methods (1) Comment: The proposed rule information that we developed for this and conclusions and provided references a population within John critical habitat designation will also be additional information, clarifications, Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This available at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and suggestions to improve this final population was planted by park staff Service Web site and Field Office listed rule. Information we received from peer and is, therefore, considered cultivated above, and may also be included in the review did not result in changes to the as there is no documentation that VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:37 Jan 21, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\22JAR2.SGM 22JAR2 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES2 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 14 / Friday, January 22, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 3867 supports Consolea corallicola occurring many unmapped Keys cactus barren habitat units. While historical aerial historically within the park. areas are included in the final critical imagery would help us understand past Our Response: The proposed rule did habitat designation. habitat conditions and perhaps identify not identify a population of Consolea (3) Comment: One peer reviewer some areas lost to disrupted ecology or corallicola within John Pennekamp stated that proper management of nonnative species, we believe the Coral Reef State Park since the Service individual plants and their habitat may improvement to this critical habitat was unaware that C. corallicola was prove to be very expensive and time designation would be negligible because planted at this location. Although demanding, requiring quarterly the main limiting factor for these individuals of listed plant species population monitoring to remove species is habitat loss due to receive protection under section 7 of the Cactoblastis cactorum larvae, and to development and sea level rise, rather Act regardless of whether they were control other native and nonnative translocated (planted) or originated plants and animals around individual than due to lack of natural disturbance naturally, designation of critical habitat plants. and active management. at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Our Response: The Service agrees that Comments From the State Park does not mandate the Florida Park conservation of these species will Service to manage the habitat or necessitate a commitment by the Service Section 4(b)(5)(A)(ii) of the Act reintroduce C. corallicola in the areas and our conservation partners. requires the Secretary to give actual identified. John Pennekamp Coral Reef Nonnative plant and animal control is notice of any regulation proposed State Park is located within critical ongoing at some sites, and most thereunder to the State agency in each habitat unit FSC2 that also contains populations are visited at least twice per State in which the species occur, and to Dagny Johnson Botanical State Park year to monitor for Cactoblastis invite comments. Comments received