Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of Application for Incidental Take Permit; Availability of Proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan and Associated Documents; Charlotte County, Florida, 25882-25883 [2014-10334]

Download as PDF sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 25882 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 87 / Tuesday, May 6, 2014 / Notices Southern Flow Corridor project, previous public outreach and involvement efforts, and a history of efforts since the late 1990s to address flooding and restore habitat in the Tillamook Bay watershed. The Applicant’s goal for the Project is to restore flood flow pathways from the Wilson River to Tillamook Bay. Implementation of the Project will result in flood level reductions across the lower Wilson River floodplain and to a lesser degree on the lower Trask and Tillamook Rivers. The Project is intended to reduce the flood levels to more natural levels over a wide range of flood magnitudes, but it will not reduce the frequency of flooding, which is controlled by flows and bank elevations upstream. Another goal of the Project is to restore ecological function and habitat for salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act and for other fish and wildlife. The Project proposes to accomplish these goals by removing existing levees and fills to restore tidal marsh, and creating new setback tidal dikes to protect adjacent private lands. Key preliminary project elements include: (1) Levee, Fill, and Structure Removal: Remove approximately 6.9 miles of existing levee, 2.1 miles of road, 4 structures, and lower 2.1 miles of levee within the flow corridor to provide increased flood conveyance and allow the natural processes to restore ecosystem functions and habitat in the project area (total fill removal is estimated at 85,000 cubic yards); (2) New Tidal Setback and Upgraded Levees: Approximately 1.4 miles of new tidal setback levee will be constructed and up to 2.3 miles of existing levee adjusted to design grade (lowered or raised), and strengthened in order to improve flood conveyance and protect adjacent agricultural lands from tidal influence in the project area; (3) New Floodgates: A series of floodgates will be incorporated in the new levee in order to replace the existing gates slated for removal. Some of the existing floodgates may be recycled and re-used in the new levee system; (4) Hall Slough Elements: Additional flood reduction elements include improving the hydraulic connectivity between Hall and Blind Sloughs through removal of the Fuhrman Road berm and constructing an approximate 1,000-footlong Hall Slough—Blind Slough connector channel; (5) Drainage Network Improvements: Improvements to the existing drainage ditches inside the new levee will be made as necessary to connect them to the new floodgates and ensure that equal or better drainage is maintained once the project is VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:34 May 05, 2014 Jkt 232001 implemented. In addition, over 3 miles of drainage ditches will be filled to restore a natural drainage regime and improve habitat conditions; (6) Habitat Restoration Elements: The project elements described above are anticipated to result in full tidal inundation of 521 acres of restored marsh and wetland fringe habitat. In addition, the project would include extensive placement of large wood habitat features and reconnection of high-quality tidal channel habitat by constructing new channels, which are expected to naturally expand in total length to approximately 14 miles; and (7) Property Acquisition: The majority of the project area is already held in public ownership (398 acres), but acquisition of additional acres in private ownership is required. In addition, permanent flood easements and temporary construction easements may be required to maintain post-project floodplain functions and for proposed modifications of existing levees and removal of some dredge spoils on lands not required for acquisition. The EIS scoping process will utilize and build upon the previous efforts of the Oregon Solutions team. To further scope the Project, FEMA will be soliciting public input to help identify and refine Project alternatives and significant issues for evaluation in the EIS. Outreach for the scoping process will include a public notice in local and regional media, direct mailing to interested parties, and a public scoping meeting. Federal, State and local agencies, Indian tribes, interested organizations and individuals will be asked to comment on the scope of issues, alternatives and their potential impacts. This outreach effort is planned for the spring of 2014 in Tillamook County. The specific date, time, and location for the public meeting will be provided with the public notice. A similar approach is planned for release of the Draft EIS. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.; 40 CFR part 1500; 44 CFR part 10. W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency. [FR Doc. 2014–10331 Filed 5–5–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9111–A6–P PO 00000 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS–R4–ES–2014–N074: FXES11120400000–145–FF04EF2000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of Application for Incidental Take Permit; Availability of Proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan and Associated Documents; Charlotte County, Florida Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment/information. AGENCY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) application and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Troy Powell (applicant) requests an ITP under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant anticipates taking about 1.0 acre of foraging, breeding, and sheltering habitat used by the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) (scrub-jay) incidental to land preparation and for the construction of a single-family residence, barn, and associated infrastructure in Charlotte County, Florida. The applicant’s HCP describes the minimization and mitigation measures proposed to address the effects of the project on the scrub-jay. DATES: Written comments on the ITP application and HCP should be sent to the South Florida Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES) and should be received on or before June 5, 2014. ADDRESSES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for information on how to submit your comments on the ITP application and HCP. You may obtain a copy of the ITP application and HCP by writing the South Florida Ecological Services Office, Attn: Permit number TE31192B– 0, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960–3559. In addition, we will make the ITP application and HCP available for public inspection by appointment during normal business hours at the above address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brian Powell, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, South Florida Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone: 772–469 –4315. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: Submitting Comments If you wish to comment on the ITP application and HCP, you may submit Frm 00069 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 87 / Tuesday, May 6, 2014 / Notices comments by any one of the following methods: E-Mail: Brian _Powell@fws.gov. Use Attn: Permit number ‘‘TE31192B–0’’ as your message subject line. Fax: Brian Powell, 772–562–4288, Attn.: Permit number ‘‘TE31192B–0’’. U. S. Mail: Brian Powell, South Florida Ecological Services Field Office, Attn: Permit number ‘‘TE31192B–0,’’ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960–3559. In-person drop-off: You may drop off comments or request information during regular business hours at the above office address. Public Availability of Comments Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Applicant’s Proposed Project We received an application for an incidental take permit, along with a proposed habitat conservation plan. The applicant requests a 5-year permit under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If we approve the permit, the applicant anticipates taking 1.0 acre of Florida scrub-jay breeding, feeding, and sheltering habitat for construction of a single family residence, barn, and associated infrastructure. The project is located on parcel 402413201002 at latitude 27.003182, longitude -81.865925, Charlotte County, Florida. The applicant proposes to mitigate for the loss of 1.0 acres of occupied scrubjay habitat by onsite establishment of a 2.51 acre conservation easement to be managed by Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, along with a fee of $7,500 for perpetual maintenance of the donated land, within 30 days of permit issuance. Our Preliminary Determination The Service has made a preliminary determination that the applicant’s project, including the proposed mitigation and minimization measures, will individually and cumulatively, have a minor or negligible effect on the species covered in the HCP. Therefore, issuance of the ITP is a ‘‘low-effect’’ action and qualifies as a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6), as provided by the VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:34 May 05, 2014 Jkt 232001 Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 2 Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6 Appendix 1), and as defined in our Habitat Conservation Planning Handbook (November 1996). We base our determination that issuance of the ITP qualifies as a loweffect action on the following three criteria: (1) Implementation of the project would result in minor or negligible effects on federally listed, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; (2) Implementation of the project would result in minor or negligible effects on other environmental values or resources; and (3) Impacts of the plan, considered together with the impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable similarly situated projects, would not result, over time, in cumulative effects to environmental values or resources that would be considered significant. As more fully explained in our environmental action statement and associated Low-Effect Screening Form, the applicant’s proposed project qualifies as a ‘‘low-effect’’ project. This preliminary determination may be revised based on our review of public comments that we receive in response to this notice. Next Steps The Service will evaluate the HCP and comments submitted thereon to determine whether the application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the Act. The Service will also evaluate whether issuance of the section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with section 7 of the Act by conducting an intraService section 7 consultation. The results of this consultation, in combination with the above findings, will be used in the final analysis to determine whether or not to issue the ITP. If it is determined that the requirements of the Act are met, the ITP will be issued for the incidental take of the Florida scrub-jay. Authority We provide this notice under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). Dated: April 29, 2014. Craig Aubrey, Field Supervisor, South Florida Ecological Services Office. [FR Doc. 2014–10334 Filed 5–5–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 25883 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS–R6–ES–2014–N053; FXES11130600000–145–FF01E00000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews of Nine Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information. AGENCY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year status reviews under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), of 4 animal and 5 plant species. A 5year status review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any new information on these species that has become available since the last review of the species. DATES: To ensure consideration in our reviews, we are requesting submission of new information no later than July 7, 2014. However, we will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any time. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on a particular species, contact the appropriate person or office listed in the table in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. Individuals who are hearing impaired or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339 for TTY assistance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: Why do we conduct 5-year reviews? Under the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we maintain Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (which we collectively refer to as the List) in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17.11 (for animals) and 17.12 (for plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Act requires us to review each listed species’ status at least once every 5 years. Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing those species under active review. For additional information about 5-year reviews, go to https://www.fws.gov/ endangered/what-we-do/recoveryoverview.html, scroll down to ‘‘Learn More about 5-Year Reviews,’’ and click on our factsheet. What information do we consider in our review? A 5-year review considers all new information available at the time of the E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 87 (Tuesday, May 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25882-25883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10334]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2014-N074: FXES11120400000-145-FF04EF2000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of 
Application for Incidental Take Permit; Availability of Proposed Low-
Effect Habitat Conservation Plan and Associated Documents; Charlotte 
County, Florida

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment/information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) application and Habitat 
Conservation Plan (HCP). Troy Powell (applicant) requests an ITP under 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant 
anticipates taking about 1.0 acre of foraging, breeding, and sheltering 
habitat used by the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) (scrub-
jay) incidental to land preparation and for the construction of a 
single-family residence, barn, and associated infrastructure in 
Charlotte County, Florida. The applicant's HCP describes the 
minimization and mitigation measures proposed to address the effects of 
the project on the scrub-jay.

DATES: Written comments on the ITP application and HCP should be sent 
to the South Florida Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES) and 
should be received on or before June 5, 2014.

ADDRESSES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for 
information on how to submit your comments on the ITP application and 
HCP. You may obtain a copy of the ITP application and HCP by writing 
the South Florida Ecological Services Office, Attn: Permit number 
TE31192B-0, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero 
Beach, FL 32960-3559. In addition, we will make the ITP application and 
HCP available for public inspection by appointment during normal 
business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brian Powell, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, South Florida Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES); 
telephone: 772-469 -4315.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Submitting Comments

    If you wish to comment on the ITP application and HCP, you may 
submit

[[Page 25883]]

comments by any one of the following methods:
    E-Mail: Brian _Powell@fws.gov. Use Attn: Permit number ``TE31192B-
0'' as your message subject line.
    Fax: Brian Powell, 772-562-4288, Attn.: Permit number ``TE31192B-
0''.
    U. S. Mail: Brian Powell, South Florida Ecological Services Field 
Office, Attn: Permit number ``TE31192B-0,'' U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960-3559.
    In-person drop-off: You may drop off comments or request 
information during regular business hours at the above office address.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Applicant's Proposed Project

    We received an application for an incidental take permit, along 
with a proposed habitat conservation plan. The applicant requests a 5-
year permit under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.). If we approve the permit, the applicant anticipates taking 1.0 
acre of Florida scrub-jay breeding, feeding, and sheltering habitat for 
construction of a single family residence, barn, and associated 
infrastructure. The project is located on parcel 402413201002 at 
latitude 27.003182, longitude -81.865925, Charlotte County, Florida.
    The applicant proposes to mitigate for the loss of 1.0 acres of 
occupied scrub-jay habitat by onsite establishment of a 2.51 acre 
conservation easement to be managed by Charlotte Harbor Environmental 
Center, along with a fee of $7,500 for perpetual maintenance of the 
donated land, within 30 days of permit issuance.

Our Preliminary Determination

    The Service has made a preliminary determination that the 
applicant's project, including the proposed mitigation and minimization 
measures, will individually and cumulatively, have a minor or 
negligible effect on the species covered in the HCP. Therefore, 
issuance of the ITP is a ``low-effect'' action and qualifies as a 
categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6), as provided by the Department of the Interior 
Manual (516 DM 2 Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6 Appendix 1), and as defined in 
our Habitat Conservation Planning Handbook (November 1996).
    We base our determination that issuance of the ITP qualifies as a 
low-effect action on the following three criteria: (1) Implementation 
of the project would result in minor or negligible effects on federally 
listed, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; (2) 
Implementation of the project would result in minor or negligible 
effects on other environmental values or resources; and (3) Impacts of 
the plan, considered together with the impacts of other past, present, 
and reasonably foreseeable similarly situated projects, would not 
result, over time, in cumulative effects to environmental values or 
resources that would be considered significant. As more fully explained 
in our environmental action statement and associated Low-Effect 
Screening Form, the applicant's proposed project qualifies as a ``low-
effect'' project. This preliminary determination may be revised based 
on our review of public comments that we receive in response to this 
notice.

Next Steps

    The Service will evaluate the HCP and comments submitted thereon to 
determine whether the application meets the requirements of section 
10(a) of the Act. The Service will also evaluate whether issuance of 
the section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with section 7 of the Act by 
conducting an intra-Service section 7 consultation. The results of this 
consultation, in combination with the above findings, will be used in 
the final analysis to determine whether or not to issue the ITP. If it 
is determined that the requirements of the Act are met, the ITP will be 
issued for the incidental take of the Florida scrub-jay.

Authority

    We provide this notice under Section 10 of the Endangered Species 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

    Dated: April 29, 2014.
Craig Aubrey,
Field Supervisor, South Florida Ecological Services Office.
[FR Doc. 2014-10334 Filed 5-5-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

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