Designation of Critical Habitat for Consolea Corallicola
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3316 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 14 / Thursday, January 22, 2015 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR We request that you send comments Secretary may exclude an area from only by the methods described above. critical habitat if she determines that the Fish and Wildlife Service We will post all comments on http:// benefits of such exclusion outweigh the www.regulations.gov. This generally benefits of specifying such area as part 50 CFR Part 17 means that we will post any personal of the critical habitat, unless she information you provide us (see determines, based on the best scientific [Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2014–0057: Information Requested below for more data available, that the failure to 4500030113] information). designate such area as critical habitat RIN 1018–AZ92 The coordinates, plot points, or both will result in the extinction of the from which the maps are generated are species. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife included in the administrative record We have prepared an economic and Plants; Designation of Critical for this critical habitat designation and analysis of the proposed designations of Habitat for Consolea corallicola are available at http://www.fws.gov/ critical habitat. We are preparing an (Florida Semaphore Cactus) and verobeach/, at http:// analysis of the economic impacts of the Harrisia aboriginum (Aboriginal www.regulations.gov at Docket No. proposed critical habitat designation Prickly-Apple) FWS–R4–ES–2014–0057, and at the and related factors. We hereby South Florida Ecological Services Office announce the availability of the draft AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). economic analysis and seek additional Interior. Any additional tools or supporting public review and comment. ACTION: Proposed rule. information that we may develop for We will seek peer review. We are this critical habitat designation will also seeking comments from independent SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and be available at the U.S. Fish and specialists to ensure that our critical Wildlife Service, propose to designate Wildlife Service Web site and Field habitat designation proposal is based on critical habitat for Consolea corallicola Office set out above, and may also be scientifically sound data and analyses. (Florida semaphore cactus) and Harrisia included in the preamble and/or at We have invited these peer reviewers to aboriginum (aboriginal prickly-apple) http://www.regulations.gov. comment on our specific assumptions under the Endangered Species Act (Act). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: and conclusions in this critical habitat In total, approximately 4,411 acres proposal. Because we will consider all (1,785 hectares) for Consolea corallicola Acting Field Supervisor Roxanna Hinzman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife comments and information received in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, during the comment period, our final Florida; and 3,444 acres (1,394 hectares) Service, South Florida Ecological Services Office, 1339 20th Street, Vero determinations may differ from this for Harrisia aboriginum in Manatee, proposal. Charlotte, Sarasota, and Lee Counties, Beach, FL 32960; by telephone 772– Florida, fall within the boundaries of 562–3909; or by facsimile 772–562– Information Requested the proposed critical habitat 4288. If you use a telecommunications We intend that any final action designations. We also announce the device for the deaf (TDD), call the resulting from this proposed rule will be availability of a draft economic analysis Federal Information Relay Service based on the best scientific and of the proposed designation for these (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. commercial data available and be as species. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: accurate and as effective as possible. DATES: We will accept comments Executive Summary Therefore, we request comments or information from other concerned received or postmarked on or before Why we need to publish a rule. Under March 23, 2015. Comments submitted government agencies, the scientific the Endangered Species Act (Act), when community, industry, or any other electronically using the Federal we determine that any species is eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES interested party concerning this threatened or endangered, we must proposed rule. We particularly seek below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. designate critical habitat, to the Eastern Time on the closing date. We comments concerning: maximum extent prudent and (1) The reasons why we should or must receive requests for public determinable. Designations and should not designate habitat as ‘‘critical hearings, in writing, at the address revisions of critical habitat can only be habitat’’ under section 4 of the Act (16 shown in ADDRESSES by March 9, 2015. completed by issuing a rule. We listed U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) including whether ADDRESSES: You may submit comments Consolea corallicola (Florida semaphore there are threats to these species from by one of the following methods: cactus) and Harrisia aboriginum human activity, the degree of which can (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal (aboriginal prickly-apple) as endangered be expected to increase due to the eRulemaking Portal: http:// species under the Act on October 24, designation, and whether that increase www.regulations.gov. In the Keyword 2013 (78 FR 63795). in threat outweighs the benefit of box, enter FWS–R4–ES–2014–0057, What this rule contains. This rule designation such that the designation of which is the docket number for this consists of a proposed rule for critical habitat may not be prudent. rulemaking. Then, in the Search panel designation of critical habitat for two (2) Specific information on: on the left side of the screen, under the endangered plant species, Consolea (a) The amount and distribution of Document Type heading, click on the corallicola and Harrisia aboriginum. Consolea corallicola and Harrisia Proposed Rules link to locate this The basis for our action. Section aboriginum habitat, document. You may submit a comment 4(b)(2) of the Act states that the (b) What may constitute ‘‘physical or by clicking on ‘‘Comment Now!’’ Secretary shall designate critical habitat biological features essential to the (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail on the basis of the best available conservation of the species,’’ within the or hand-delivery to: Public Comments scientific data after taking into geographical range currently occupied Processing, Attn: FWS–R4–ES–2014– consideration the economic impact, by the species, 0057; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service national security impact, and any other (c) What areas, that were occupied at Headquarters, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg relevant impact of specifying any the time of listing (or are currently Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803. particular area as critical habitat. The occupied) and that contain features VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:25 Jan 21, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\22JAP2.SGM 22JAP2 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 14 / Thursday, January 22, 2015 / Proposed Rules 3317 essential to the conservation of the hard copy, we will post your entire berm, and buttonwood forests (Bradley species, should be included in the comment—including your personal and Gann 1999, p. 77; Gann et al. 2002, designation and why, identifying information—on http:// p. 480; Higgins 2007, pers. comm.). (d) Special management www.regulations.gov. You may request Consolea corallicola occurs on sandy considerations or protections that may at the top of your document that we soils and limestone rockland soils with be needed in the critical habitat areas withhold personal information such as little organic matter (Small 1930, pp. we are proposing, including managing your street address, phone number, or 25–26) and seems to prefer areas where for the potential effects of climate email address from public review; canopy cover and sun exposure are change, and however, we cannot guarantee that we moderate (Grahl and Bradley 2005, p. 4). (e) What areas not occupied at the will be able to do so. Detailed descriptions of these habitats time of listing are essential for the Comments and materials we receive, are presented in the proposed listing conservation of the species and why. as well as supporting documentation we rule for Chromolaena frustrata, (3) Land use designations and current used in preparing this proposed rule, Consolea corallicola, and Harrisia or planned activities in the subject areas will be available for public inspection aboriginum (October 11, 2012; 77 FR and their possible impacts on proposed on http://www.regulations.gov, or by 61836), with a revised description of critical habitat. appointment, during normal business buttonwood forests provided in the final (4) Information on the projected and hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife listing rule for these plants (October 24, reasonably likely impacts of climate Service, South Florida Ecological 2013; 78 FR 63796). change on Consolea corallicola and Services Office (see FOR FURTHER Harrisia aboriginum occurs on coastal Harrisia aboriginum and proposed INFORMATION CONTACT). berms, coastal strand, coastal grasslands critical habitat. and maritime hammocks, with a sand (5) Any probable economic, national Previous Federal Actions substrate. It also occurs on shell mounds security, or other relevant impacts of Previous Federal actions for Consolea with a calcareous shell substrate designating any area that may be corallicola and Harrisia aboriginum are (Bradley et al. 2004, pp. 4, 14). Detailed