Critical Habitat Designation Hawaiian picture-wing flies

Aloha, everyone! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is holding
public hearings and taking public comments on the revised
proposed critical habitat for 12 threatened and endangered
Hawaiian picture-wing fly species. Copies of the proposed
critical habitat rule are at http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/.
For more information, contact Patrick Leonard at the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service in Honolulu: 792-9400 or fax 792-9581

Please testify at the public hearing on April 8 (Hilo) or April
10 (Honolulu), and submit written comments by April 25, 2008.
Support the revised and expanded critical habitat designation
for threatened and endangered Hawaiian picture-wing flies.
Oppose the exclusion of military lands on O’ahu from the
proposed critical habitat. (See Talking Points below.) Sorry for
the short notice. Mahalo nui!

Public Hearings

Tuesday, April 8 Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, Mala ‘Ikena Room, 71
Banyan Drive in Hilo, 5-6:30 pm informational session; 7-8:30 pm
public hearing

Thursday, April 10 Queen Kapi'olani Hotel, Queen's Room, 2nd
Floor, 150 Kapahulu Avenue, 5-6:30 pm informational session;
7-8:30 pm public hearing

Written Comments

Please submit written comments by April 25, 2008

* Via email and the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
http://www.regulations.gov (follow instructions for submitting
comments)

* Via snail mail to Public Comments Processing Attn: RIN
1018-AU93 Division of Policy and Directives Management U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service 4401 N Fairfax Dr., Ste. 222
Arlington, VA 22203

Talking Points

* Support the increased critical habitat for the Hawaiian
picture-wing flies.

* Oppose exclusion of military land in proposed critical habitat
designation.

* The military should be held to the same standards as other
federal agencies.

* All federal agencies have a mandatory duty to conserve
endangered species.

* Live-fire training, maneuvers, and control burns threaten
endangered species and their habitat.

* There is no guarantee that the Integrated Natural Resource
Management Plan (INRMP) for O’ahu Army land will be funded
adequately or permanently and therefore benefit the endangered
picture-wings specifically.

* Ask the Fish and Wildlife Service to provide information on
the occurrence of picture wings and the plants they need to
survive on Army lands.

* Ask the Fish and Wildlife Service to provide information
supporting its finding that the INRMP will benefit the
endangered picture-wings and that the exclusion of Army land
from the critical habitat designation is justified.

Background

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently seeks public
comment on a revised proposal for critical habitat for 12
species of threatened and endangered picture-wing flies in
Hawai’i. Critical habitat is defined as areas that are necessary
to recover the species and which may require special management
or protection.

Some critical habitat for the endangered picture-wings is on
military land on O’ahu. Yet, in 2004, the military received a
special exemption from the federal Endangered Species Act and,
in particular, from critical habitat designation. The result in
this case is that Army lands in the Mount Ka’ala and
Lihu’e/Schofield Barracks area on O’ahu are excluded from the
proposed critical habitat. Military live-fire training,
maneuvers, control burns, and other related activities are among
the biggest threats to endangered Hawaiian species and their
habitat.

Interesting Facts

Picture-wing flies are endangered and unique to Hawai’i. Some
species are found in one valley or mountain. They are considered
to be a wonder of evolution.

As endangered species they require the protection of critical
habitat to help ensure their recovery. This means restricting
activities that may harm the survival of the species and
activities that would destroy or adversely modify critical
habitat.

Julie MacDonald, the ex-Deputy Secretary of Interior for the
FWS, was a pro-industry official, with no real conservation
background, who actually tampered with the findings and
interfered with scientists’ recommendations resulting in easing
environmental protection for endangered species. MacDonald was
forced to resign in disgrace after an investigation exposed the
extent of her abuses.

Several proposed critical habitat designations around the
country are being reevaluated in light of the MacDonald matter,
including the proposal for the Hawaiian picture-wings. The
initial proposed critical habitat for the flies was an
arbitrarily chosen mere 18 acres. The revised proposed critical
habitat is for 9,238 acres!

Two species of these endangered picture-wings are found on
military-occupied lands on O’ahu. But in 2004 the military got a
special exemption from critical habitat designations if it has
an Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP) that
benefits the species for which critical habitat is being
proposed.

Critical habitat for the picture-wings on Army lands in the Mt.
Ka’ala-Lihu’e/Schofield Barracks area on O’ahu is excluded from
the proposed critical habitat designation because the Army has
an INRMP for O’ahu. However, the mere existence of an INRMP does
ensure species recovery. Adequate funding, adequate staff, and
political will are essential to species recovery. We do not
support Congress’s broad military exemption from critical
habitat designation.

From: Marjorie Zigler, Conservation Council for Hawaii.