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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Tuesday, January 29, 2002

Plan enlarges Kaua'i's protected habitat area

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

The Fish and Wildlife Service yesterday proposed designating a quarter of the land area of Kaua'i County as critical habitat for endangered plant species.

A revised proposal would establish 99,900 acres — two-thirds of it state-owned — as habitat to allow 83 endangered species to recover. The county, which includes Kaua'i and Ni'ihau, has about 400,000 acres.

Most of the land is along the Na Pali Coast, in the central forested mountains or Alaka'i Swamp. But there are smaller pieces on ridges, mountaintops and beaches.

On designated critical habitat, federal agencies must ensure that activities paid for by the federal government do not jeopardize the endangered species.

Almost all of the proposed land already is under state protection or is private land under conservation zoning, so the move will have little economic impact.

The owners of Ni'ihau, however, have complained about a plan to designate part of Ni'ihau Ranch as critical habitat. The proposal increases critical habitat on the island from an earlier plan for 700 acres.

Brothers Keith and Bruce Robinson say the proposed designation has severe implications for island residents, and already has affected federal programs such as military training and testing, which is a source of revenue for the ranch and residents.

The Fish and Wildlife Service originally proposed 61,000 acres of Kaua'i County habitat. That proposal was significantly altered, it said, because of new biological information and public testimony.

Some of the 95 plants originally considered for designation are believed extinct or found on other islands, and some of that habitat was deleted. Other habitat areas were expanded beyond a plant's known range.

The service has announced an informational meeting Feb. 13, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., followed by a public hearing 6 to 8 p.m. at the Radisson Kaua'i Beach Resort.

In a related issue, the Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed designating portions of nine streams and their tributaries as critical habitat for the endangered Newcomb's snail.

Most of the proposed habitat is on state land. Other areas are in private ownership but within the state conservation district.