Vol. 77 Thursday, No. 197 October 11, 2012 Part II Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Cape Sable Thoroughwort, Florida Semaphore Cactus, and Aboriginal Prickly-Apple, and Designation of Critical Habitat for Cape Sable Thoroughwort; Proposed Rule VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:46 Oct 10, 2012 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\11OCP2.SGM 11OCP2 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 61836 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 197 / Thursday, October 11, 2012 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR preferred file format is Microsoft Word. therefore, these species qualify for If you attach multiple comments (such listing. We are proposing to list these Fish and Wildlife Service as form letters), our preferred format is plants as endangered species. Their a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. protection under the Act can only be 50 CFR Part 17 (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail done by issuing a rule. • Chromolaena frustrata has been [Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2012–0076; or hand–delivery to: Public Comments 4500030113] Processing, Attn: FWS–R4–ES–2012– extirpated (no longer in existence) from 0076; Division of Policy and Directives half of the islands where it occurred in RIN 1018–AY08 Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife the Florida Keys, and threats of Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS competition from nonnative plants and Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 2042–PDM; Arlington, VA 22203. habitat loss still exist in the remaining and Plants; Endangered Species We request that you send comments populations. Status for Cape Sable Thoroughwort, only by the methods described above. • Consolea corallicola has been Florida Semaphore Cactus, and We will post all comments on http:// extirpated from half of the islands Aboriginal Prickly-Apple, and www.regulations.gov. This generally where it occurred in the Florida Keys, Designation of Critical Habitat for Cape means that we will post any personal and threats of poaching, predation by a Sable Thoroughwort information you provide us (see the nonnative moth, competition from AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Information Requested section below for nonnative plant species, and habitat loss Interior. more information). still exist in the remaining populations. • Harrisia aboriginum has been ACTION: Proposed rule. The coordinates, or plot points, or both, from which the critical habitat extirpated from the northern extent of SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and maps are generated are included in the its range in Manatee County, and threats Wildlife Service, propose to list administrative record for this of poaching, competition from Chromolaena frustrata (Cape Sable rulemaking and are available at http:// nonnative plant species, and habitat loss thoroughwort), Consolea corallicola www.fws.gov/verobeach/, http:// still exist in the remaining populations. (Florida semaphore cactus), and www.regulations.gov at Docket No. The basis for our action. Under the Harrisia aboriginum (aboriginal prickly- FWS–R4–ES–2012–0076, and at the Act, a species may be determined to be apple) as an endangered species under South Florida Ecological Services Office an endangered or threatened species based on any of five factors: (A) The the Endangered Species Act, and we (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). present or threatened destruction, propose to designate critical habitat for Any additional tools or supporting modification, or curtailment of its Chromolaena frustrata. We have information that we have used for this habitat or range; (B) overutilization for determined that designation of critical rulemaking will also be available at the commercial, recreational, scientific, or habitat is not prudent for Consolea Fish and Wildlife Service Web site and educational purposes; (C) disease or corallicola and H. aboriginum. These Field Office set out above, and may also predation; (D) the inadequacy of are proposed regulations, and if be included in the preamble of this existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E) finalized, their effect will be to add all proposed rule or at http:// other natural or manmade factors three species to the List of Endangered www.regulations.gov. affecting its continued existence. or Threatened Plants and to designate FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: We have determined that threats to critical habitat for one species under the Larry Williams, Field Supervisor, U.S. Chromolaena frustrata include Endangered Species Act. Fish and Wildlife Service, South Florida destruction, modification, or DATES: We will accept comments Ecological Services Office, 1339 20th curtailment of its habitat or range; received or postmarked on or before Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960; by inadequate existing regulatory December 10, 2012. Comments telephone 772–562–3909; or by mechanisms; and other natural or man- submitted electronically using the facsimile 772–562–4288. Persons who made factors, including climate change Federal eRulemaking Portal (see use a telecommunications device for the (sea level rise), small populations, and ADDRESSES section, below) must be deaf (TDD) may call the Federal competition from nonnative plant received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Information Relay Service (FIRS) at species. the closing date. We must receive 800–877–8339. We have determined that threats to requests for public hearings, in writing, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Consolea corallicola include at the address shown in the FOR FURTHER document consists of: (1) A proposed destruction, modification, or INFORMATION CONTACT section by rule to list Chromolaena frustrata curtailment of its habitat or range; November 26, 2012. Consolea corallicola, and Harrisia overuse (poaching) and predation; ADDRESSES: You may submit comments aboriginum as an endangered species; inadequate existing regulatory by one of the following methods: and (2) a proposed rule to designate mechanisms; and other natural or man- (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal critical habitat for Chromolaena made factors, including climate change eRulemaking Portal: http:// frustrata. (sea level rise), small populations, low www.regulations.gov. In the search box, genetic diversity, and competition from enter Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2012– Executive Summary nonnative plant species. 0076, which is the docket number for Why we need to publish a rule. Under We have determined that the threats this rulemaking. Then, click the Search the Endangered Species Act (Act), a to Harrisia aboriginum include button. You may submit a comment by species may warrant protection through destruction, modification, or clicking on ‘‘Comment Now!’’ If your listing if it is an endangered or curtailment of its habitat or range; comments will fit in the provided threatened species throughout all or a overuse (poaching); inadequate existing comment box, please use this feature of significant portion of its range. regulatory mechanisms; and other http://www.regulations.gov, as it is most Chromolaena frustrata, Consolea natural or man-made factors, including compatible with our comment review corallicola, and Harrisia aboriginum are climate change (sea level rise), small procedures. If you attach your highly restricted in their ranges and the populations, and competition from comments as a separate document, our threats occur throughout their ranges; nonnative plant species. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:30 Oct 10, 2012 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\11OCP2.SGM 11OCP2 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 197 / Thursday, October 11, 2012 / Proposed Rules 61837 This rule proposes to designate (d) Historical and current population change on Chromolaena frustrata, critical habitat for Chromolaena levels, and current and projected trends; Consolea corallicola, and Harrisia frustrata. and aboriginum, and proposed critical • In total, approximately 3,466 (e) Past and ongoing conservation habitat for Chromolaena frustrata. hectares (8,565 acres) are being measures for the species, its habitat, or (10) Probable economic, national proposed for designation as critical both. security, or other relevant impacts that habitat for C. frustrata. The proposed (2) The factors that are the basis for may result from designating any area critical habitat is located in Miami-Dade making a listing determination for a that may be included in the final and Monroe Counties, Florida. species under section 4(a) of the Act (16 designation. We are particularly • The proposed designation includes U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), which are: interested in any impacts on small both occupied and unoccupied critical (a) The present or threatened entities, and the benefits of including or habitat, although those areas are not destruction, modification, or excluding areas from the proposed differentiated in the proposed rule or on curtailment of its habitat or range; designation that are subject to these the maps. Where the unit is not (b) Overutilization for commercial, impacts. occupied by Chromolaena frustrata, we recreational, scientific, or educational (11) Whether our approach to have concluded that the area is essential purposes; designating critical habitat could be for the conservation of the species (c) Disease or predation; improved or modified in any way to because the designation would allow for (d) The inadequacy of existing provide for greater public participation the expansion of Chromolaena regulatory mechanisms; or and understanding, or to assist us in