A draft analysis of the potential economic effects and benefits of critical habitat designations for 83 threatened and endangered species on Kauai and Niihau was released today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency is proposing to establish about 99,000 acres of critical habitat on the two islands to protect the plants.
"We encourage everyone interested in these proposed designations to review the economic analysis, as well as the full proposal, and provide their comments to us," said Paul Henson, field supervisor for the Fish and Wildlife Services Pacific Islands office. "At the same time we are asking for comments on the draft economic analysis we are re-opening the comment period on the proposed designations to give people another chance to voice their views."
Required by the federal Endangered Species Act, the economic analysis identifies and analyzes the potential economic effects and benefits of the critical habitat designations for the 83 plants over the next 10 years. The cost estimate considers potential impacts to private landowners and Federal, state and local agencies. It includes probable consultations, project modifications, the development of biological assessments and environmental impact reports, technical assistance and administrative tasks.
The draft analysis predicts that most of the proposed critical habitat designations on Kauai and Niihau would have minor economic impacts, mainly because most of the land in the proposal is mountainous and rugged and unsuitable for development, farming or other economic uses. Also, local land-use controls already limit development and most other economic activities in the mountainous interior of Kauai and Niihau.
Most of the planned projects and land uses within the proposed critical habitat designations have no federal involvement, such as permits or funding, so they would not be restricted by ESA requirements.
However, some direct and indirect expenses could occur if the proposed critical habitat designations are finalized. The biggest expense would be incurred at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, where ESA-required consultations and project modifications are estimated to cost $832,300 to $1,955,700 over the next 10 years. Also, federal, state and local agencies and private landowners could incur total costs over the next decade, directly attributable to a critical habitat designation, ranging from $945,500 to $2,468,700, the draft analysis estimates.
These costs represent, in the worst case, about 0.02 percent of the total personal income of Kauai County over the same period.
Because the draft economic analysis looks at all potential direct and indirect effects that could occur, it estimates that one of the proposed units of urban land on Kauai could be indirectly negatively affected by a critical habitat designation. This could occur if the county were to change the ocean-front property
