Availability of Environmental Document and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit Associated With a Safe Harbor Agreement for Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Ormond Beach Property, Ventura County, CA, 22898-22900 [05-8752]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 3, 2005 / Notices
degradation of water quality; the loss
and degradation of riparian buffer; and
the fragmentation of forest through the
lack of management for health and good
species composition and;
• Potential effects on populations of
flora and fauna by injurious, exotic, or
invasive species; the lack of scientific
data; and the lack of management for
rare, threatened, or endangered species
and waterfowl.
What are the important problems
affecting fish and wildlife?
The most serious impacts on the
refuge complex and the Chesapeake Bay
surrounding it arise from the
fragmentation of habitats by
urbanization, timbering, and agriculture;
the lack of forest management; the
erosion of Bay islands; the loss and
degradation of wetlands and emergent
and submergent aquatic vegetation; the
proliferation of injurious, invasive, or
exotic species; the lack of scientific data
on wildlife populations, habitats, and
the effectiveness of management
actions; and the inadequacy of the
refuge complex land base for ensuring
its long-term health and ecological
integrity and the diversity of Federal
trust species.
How will our preferred management
actions benefit fish, wildlife, and
people?
We believe that our preferred
management Alternative B,
Conservation Biology for Diversity of
Trust Species, best fulfills our statutory
mission, responsibilities, and refuge
purposes, while considering economic,
environmental, technical and other
factors. It proposes to increase
protection for more than 270 species of
rare, threatened, or endangered species;
to significantly contribute to delisting
the Delmarva fox squirrel from
endangered species status; to provide
habitat necessary to sustain 10 percent
of Maryland’s wintering Atlantic
population of Canada geese, lesser snow
geese, and dabbling ducks; to restore
10,000 acres of emergent marsh to 1933
conditions; to provide high quality
forest habitat for 22 species of globally
significant forest interior dwelling
species of migratory birds; to control or
eradicate injurious, invasive, and exotic
species; to increase waterfowl and
songbird utilization and production; to
enhance habitat and improve resident
populations of waterfowl; to restore
wetlands and hydrology; to expand
opportunities for research; to provide
additional, wildlife-dependent
recreation, particularly the Big 6
mentioned above; to improve significant
facilities and add staff; to protect
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15:43 May 02, 2005
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additional, adjoining land by easement,
agreement, or fee title acquisition; to
restore Atlantic white cedar forest; and
to improve public understanding of the
dynamics of the Chesapeake Bay
ecosystem and the interactions among
all its populations.
How do our draft management
alternatives differ?
Alternative A, Species-specific
Management (No Action Alternative),
represents traditional, single-species
management. It focuses on providing for
the habitat needs of key wildlife trust
species and groups of species. It
proposes to provide habitat for
wintering and nesting waterfowl, for
nesting colonial waterbirds, for
endangered species such as the
Delmarva fox squirrel, and for species of
special emphasis such as Canada geese
and lesser snow geese, wintering
dabbling ducks, nesting black ducks,
wood ducks, tundra swans, ospreys,
bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and
colonial bird species such as great blue
herons, great egrets, least terns, and
black skimmers. It proposes generally to
follow the goals, objectives, and
strategies of the Station Management
Plan of 1991.
Alternative B, Conservation Biology
for Trust Species Diversity (our
Preferred Alternative), represents
adaptive management based on the
results of scientific survey and
monitoring programs. It focuses on
restoring, enhancing, and maintaining
ecological processes and natural
biological communities and
biodiversity. It emphasizes managing
the refuge complex for the benefit of all
migratory bird species; maintaining and
recovering endangered or threatened
species; restoring submerged aquatic
vegetation and wetlands; reducing or
eliminating invasive plant and animal
species; and adding research and
inventories, including butterflies,
reptiles, amphibians and fish.
Our preferred alternative also
proposes to expand the boundary of
Blackwater NWR, primarily through
partnerships and easements, in two
areas: 15,300 acres surrounding the
refuge; and 16,000 acres east of the
refuge along the Nanticoke River. All of
that acreage contains low-lying forest
and marsh habitats.
Finally, our preferred alternative
improves our ability to provide
opportunities for compatible, wildlifedependent recreation, by proposing a
new, accessible fishing pier and parking
area at Key Wallace Bridge, new hiking
and canoe trails, a canoe access ramp
and wetland observation deck; and, by
rebuilding the wildlife observation
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tower, remodeling and expanding the
visitor center, updating the exhibits at
the center, enhancing signage, providing
new hunting opportunities (turkeys,
resident Canada geese, and waterfowl),
and providing many more outreach and
environmental education programs.
Alternative C, Maximum Public Use
with No Habitat Management,
represents reduced management of
wildlife and resources, but the
maximum compatible recreational use
of the refuge complex: All of the use
proposed in alternative B; plus,
expanding the hours of guided tours,
offering more education programs,
constructing more trails, piers, and
kiosks, and opening more islands to
bank fishing. However, its muchreduced scope of wildlife and resource
management would address only those
mandates by Federal law and executive
directive, with no habitat restoration or
manipulation, only intervention to avert
catastrophic emergencies. It would not
address the rise in sea level, impacts on
water quality, or other known or
suspected impacts. We would burn
prescribed fires periodically, but only as
a safety precaution to reduce fuel load.
This alternative would not counteract
natural forces or human activities that
may impact the ecological communities,
habitats, and species of the refuge
complex.
Please send us your comments in the
manner described above, or join us at
our public meetings soon to be
scheduled in Cambridge, Salisbury, and
Crisfield, Maryland.
Dated: February 18, 2005.
Richard O. Bennett,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Hadley, Massachusetts
01035–9589.
[FR Doc. 05–8763 Filed 5–2–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Environmental
Document and Receipt of an
Application for an Incidental Take
Permit Associated With a Safe Harbor
Agreement for Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California Ormond
Beach Property, Ventura County, CA
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public
that Metropolitan Water District of
Southern California (MWD) has applied
to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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03MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 3, 2005 / Notices
(Service or ‘‘we’’) for an enhancement of
survival permit pursuant to section
10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The
permit application includes a proposed
Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement)
between the applicant and the Service.
The Agreement proposes to enroll 296
acres of land, which includes 276 acres
that is to provide for the preservation of
coastal marsh and wetlands to aid in the
conservation of the endangered brown
pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis),
California least tern (Sterna antillarum
browni), light-footed clapper rail (Rallus
longirostris levipes), tidewater goby
(Eucyclogobius newberryi), salt marsh
bird’s beak (Cordylanthus maritimus
ssp. maritimus), Ventura marsh milkvetch (Astragalus pycnostachyus var.
lanosissimus) and threatened western
snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus
nivosus), and 20 acres of ongoing
farming activities which will eventually
be developed for industrial or
commercial use. The proposed enrolled
lands are properties owned by MWD at
Ormond Beach, Ventura County,
California. The proposed duration of the
Agreement and permit is 75 years.
The Service has made a preliminary
determination that the proposed
Agreement and permit application are
eligible for categorical exclusion under
the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (NEPA). The basis for this
determination is contained in an
Environmental Action Statement, which
also is available for public review.
DATES: Written comments should be
received on or before June 2, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Please address written
comments to Diane Noda, Field
Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura,
California 93003. You may also send
comments by facsimile to (805) 644–
3958. (see Public Review and Comment
section below).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Chris Dellith, Senior Biologist for
northern Los Angeles/Ventura/southern
Santa Barbara counties, (see ADDRESSES)
telephone: (805) 644–1766.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under a Safe Harbor Agreement,
participating landowners voluntarily
undertake management activities on
their property to enhance, restore, or
maintain habitat benefiting species
listed under the Act. Safe Harbor
Agreements encourage private and other
non-Federal property owners to
implement conservation efforts for
listed species by assuring property
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15:43 May 02, 2005
Jkt 205001
owners they will not be subjected to
increased property use restrictions if
their efforts attract listed species to their
property or increase the numbers or
distribution of listed species already on
their property. Application
requirements and issuance criteria for
enhancement of survival permits
through Safe Harbor Agreements are
found in 50 CFR 17.22(c). The
Applicant has developed the proposed
Agreement for 296 acres of enrolled
land for the conservation of the
federally listed brown pelican,
California least tern, light-footed clapper
rail, tidewater goby, salt marsh bird’s
beak, Ventura marsh milk-vetch, and the
western snowy plover (Covered Species)
on property at Ormond Beach in
Ventura County. The conservation
measure in the Agreement calls for the
preservation of 276 acres of coastal
wetland. The preservation of these 276
acres will be accomplished through the
sale of the property to a non-profit
conservation organization with a deed
restriction, in perpetuity, that requires
the property be used for open space,
habitat preservation, wetland
restoration, and public access only. The
MWD plans to retain 20 acres, of the 296
acres of enrolled lands, at the Ormond
Beach project site for ongoing farming
operations and potential development
for commercial and industrial use.
Although none of the Covered
Species, except for western snowy
plover, currently occur on the 296 acres
of enrolled lands, the preservation of the
276 acres, with the deed restriction,
could benefit all of the Covered Species
in the future. The Covered Species are
threatened with loss and degradation of
the coastal habitats with which they are
strongly associated. All of the species
are likely to benefit through the
preservation of open space and suitable
habitat into which dispersing
individuals from expanding populations
elsewhere can move, or, in the case of
the covered plants, direct introduction
from source populations.
The conservation measure set forth in
the Agreement is expected to result in
the following net conservation benefits
to the Covered Species: (1) Insurance
against the decline of the Covered
Species in the general area as a result of
habitat loss; (2) increased availability of
suitable breeding and foraging habitat
through preservation and eventual
restoration of the property; (3) reduced
fragmentation, and potential increased
connectivity of populations in the
general area; and, (4) likelihood of
increased population sizes of the
Covered Species in the general area.
Consistent with the Service’s Safe
Harbor policy and regulations, the
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22899
Service proposes to issue a permit to
MWD authorizing incidental take as a
result of normal farming activities
currently occurring on the 20 acre
property. Normal farming activities
include planting, harvesting, weed and
insect control, pruning, mowing,
discing, operation of vehicles and farm
equipment, and similar activities.
This Agreement and permit will also
authorize MWD incidental take of the
Covered Species above MWD’s baseline
responsibilities on the 296 acres of
enrolled lands, at the end of the term of
the 75-year Agreement, if so desired by
MWD.
The Service has made a preliminary
determination that approval of the
Agreement qualifies as a categorical
exclusion under NEPA, as provided by
the Department of Interior Manual (516
DM 2, Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6,
Appendix 1) based on the following
criteria: (1) Implementation of the
Agreement would result in minor or
negligible effects on federally listed,
proposed, and candidate species and
their habitats; (2) implementation of the
Agreement would result in minor or
negligible effects on other
environmental values or resources; and
(3) impacts of the Agreement,
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 which would be
considered significant. This is more
fully explained in our Environmental
Action Statement.
Based upon this preliminary
determination, we do not intend to
prepare further NEPA documentation.
The Service will consider public
comments in making its final
determination on whether to prepare
such documentation.
Public Review and Comments
Individuals wishing copies of the
permit application, the Environmental
Action Statement, or copies of the full
text of the Agreement, including a map
of the proposed permit area, references,
and legal descriptions of the proposed
permit area, should contact the office
and personnel listed in the ADDRESSES
section above. Documents also will be
available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business
hours at the Ventura Fish and Wildlife
Office (ADDRESSES section above).
The Service provides this notice
pursuant to section 10(c) of the Act and
pursuant to implementing regulations
for NEPA (40 CRF 1506.6). All
comments received on the permit
application and Agreement, including
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
03MYN1
22900
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 3, 2005 / Notices
names and addresses, will become part
of the Administration record and may
be released to the public. If you wish us
to withhold your name and/or address,
you must state this prominently at the
beginning of your comment.
Anonymous comments will not be
considered. All submissions from
organizations or businesses are available
for public inspection in their entirety.
We will evaluate the permit
application, the Agreement, and
comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the application
meets the requirements of section 10(a)
of the Act and NEPA regulations. If the
requirements are met, the Service will
sign the proposed Agreement and issue
an enhancement of survival permit
under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act to
MWD for the take of the seven covered
species incidental to otherwise lawful
activities of the project. The Service will
not make a final decision until the end
of the 30-day comment period and will
fully consider all comments received
during the comment period.
Dated: April 26, 2005.
Ken McDermond,
Deputy Manager, California/Nevada
Operations Office, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 05–8752 Filed 5–2–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–U
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA–180]
Meeting of the Central California
Resource Advisory Council
ACTION:
Notice of public meeting.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory
Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Central
California Resource Advisory Council
(RAC) will meet as indicated below.
DATES: The meeting will be held
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 23,
24, and 25, 2005. On Thursday, the RAC
will meet at 7 p.m. in Amante’s
Restaurant, 3300–C Coach Lane,
Cameron Park, California, for dinner
and a briefing on the Bureau’s Wild and
Scenic River study process. On Friday,
June 24, the RAC will travel along the
South Fork of the American River in El
Dorado County from Chili Bar to the
Cronan Ranch, arriving at the Cronan
Ranch at about 4 p.m. During the trip,
the RAC will hear speakers on Wild and
Scenic River issues. At the Cronan
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15:43 May 02, 2005
Jkt 205001
Ranch, the RAC will hear both
advocates and opponents of the federal
Wild and Scenic River program. On
Saturday, June 25, the RAC will meet in
formal session in the Conference Room
of the Cameron Park Best Western Inn,
3361 Coach Lane, Cameron Park,
California, from 9 a.m. until 12 noon.
There will be a public comment period
on Saturday, June 25 from 10:30 a.m.
until 11 a.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deane Swickard, Field Manager, 63
Natoma Street, Folsom, CA 95630,
telephone (916) 985–4474.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
twelve-member Central California
Resource Advisory Council advises the
Secretary of the Interior, through the
Bureau of Land Management, on a
variety of public land issues associated
with public land management in Central
California. At this meeting, agenda
topics include a discussion of possible
Wild and Scenic River status for the
South Fork of the American River. The
RAC will also hear status reports from
the Bakersfield, Bishop, Folsom, and
Hollister Field Office Managers.
The meeting is open to the public.
The public may present written
comments to the Council, and time will
be allocated for hearing public
comments. Depending on the number of
persons wishing to comment and the
time available, the time for individual
oral comments may be limited.
Individuals who plan to attend and
need special assistance such as sign
language interpretation or other
reasonable accommodations should
contact the BLM as indicated above.
Dated: April 27, 2005.
D.K. Swickard,
Folsom Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 05–8750 Filed 5–2–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–M
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CO930–05–926NQ–COQB1]
Correction to Notice of Availability of
the Draft Alamosa River Watershed
Restoration Master Plan
AGENCIES: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior [Lead]; Fish and Wildlife
Service, Interior [cooperating agency],
Forest Service, Agriculture, [cooperating
agency].
ACTION: Notice of correction.
SUMMARY: On Monday, April 18, 2005,
the Bureau of Land Management
published a Notice of Availability of the
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Sfmt 4703
Draft Alamosa River Watershed
Restoration Master Plan in the Federal
Register [70 FR 20171]. The notice
contains two errors in the DATES section.
There will be no public meeting as
mentioned in the previous notice and
the 30 day comment period will end on
June 2, 2005 instead of April 14, 2005
as the previous notice indicated.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob
Robinson at (303) 239–3642.
Robert H. Robinson,
Summitville Trustee Council Representative,
Division of Energy, Lands and Minerals,
Colorado State Office, Bureau of Land
Management.
[FR Doc. 05–8812 Filed 5–2–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Notice on Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sales
Minerals Management Service,
Interior.
ACTION: List of restricted joint bidders.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authority
vested in the Director of the MMS by the
joint bidding provisions of 30 CFR
256.41, each entity within one of the
following groups shall be restricted from
bidding with any entity in any other of
the following groups at OCS oil and gas
lease sales to be held during the bidding
period May 1, 2005, through October 31,
2005. The List of Restricted Joint
Bidders published October 18, 2004, in
the Federal Register at 69 FR 61402
covered the period November 1, 2004,
through April 31, 2005.
Group I.
Exxon Mobil Corporation.
ExxonMobil Exploration Company.
Group II.
Shell Oil Company.
Shell Offshore Inc.
SWEPI LP.
Shell Frontier Oil & Gas Inc.
Shell Consolidated Energy Resources
Inc.
Shell Land & Energy Company.
Shell Onshore Ventures Inc.
Shell Offshore Properties and Capital
II, Inc.
Shell Rocky Mountain Production
LLC.
Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc.
Group III.
BP America Production Company.
BP Exploration & Production Inc.
BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc.
Group IV.
TOTAL E&P USA, Inc.
Group V.
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
03MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22898-22900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8752]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Environmental Document and Receipt of an
Application for an Incidental Take Permit Associated With a Safe Harbor
Agreement for Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Ormond
Beach Property, Ventura County, CA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California (MWD) has applied to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
[[Page 22899]]
(Service or ``we'') for an enhancement of survival permit pursuant to
section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended
(Act). The permit application includes a proposed Safe Harbor Agreement
(Agreement) between the applicant and the Service. The Agreement
proposes to enroll 296 acres of land, which includes 276 acres that is
to provide for the preservation of coastal marsh and wetlands to aid in
the conservation of the endangered brown pelican (Pelecanus
occidentalis), California least tern (Sterna antillarum browni), light-
footed clapper rail (Rallus longirostris levipes), tidewater goby
(Eucyclogobius newberryi), salt marsh bird's beak (Cordylanthus
maritimus ssp. maritimus), Ventura marsh milk-vetch (Astragalus
pycnostachyus var. lanosissimus) and threatened western snowy plover
(Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus), and 20 acres of ongoing farming
activities which will eventually be developed for industrial or
commercial use. The proposed enrolled lands are properties owned by MWD
at Ormond Beach, Ventura County, California. The proposed duration of
the Agreement and permit is 75 years.
The Service has made a preliminary determination that the proposed
Agreement and permit application are eligible for categorical exclusion
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The basis
for this determination is contained in an Environmental Action
Statement, which also is available for public review.
DATES: Written comments should be received on or before June 2, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Please address written comments to Diane Noda, Field
Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003. You may
also send comments by facsimile to (805) 644-3958. (see Public Review
and Comment section below).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Dellith, Senior Biologist for
northern Los Angeles/Ventura/southern Santa Barbara counties, (see
ADDRESSES) telephone: (805) 644-1766.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under a Safe Harbor Agreement, participating landowners voluntarily
undertake management activities on their property to enhance, restore,
or maintain habitat benefiting species listed under the Act. Safe
Harbor Agreements encourage private and other non-Federal property
owners to implement conservation efforts for listed species by assuring
property owners they will not be subjected to increased property use
restrictions if their efforts attract listed species to their property
or increase the numbers or distribution of listed species already on
their property. Application requirements and issuance criteria for
enhancement of survival permits through Safe Harbor Agreements are
found in 50 CFR 17.22(c). The Applicant has developed the proposed
Agreement for 296 acres of enrolled land for the conservation of the
federally listed brown pelican, California least tern, light-footed
clapper rail, tidewater goby, salt marsh bird's beak, Ventura marsh
milk-vetch, and the western snowy plover (Covered Species) on property
at Ormond Beach in Ventura County. The conservation measure in the
Agreement calls for the preservation of 276 acres of coastal wetland.
The preservation of these 276 acres will be accomplished through the
sale of the property to a non-profit conservation organization with a
deed restriction, in perpetuity, that requires the property be used for
open space, habitat preservation, wetland restoration, and public
access only. The MWD plans to retain 20 acres, of the 296 acres of
enrolled lands, at the Ormond Beach project site for ongoing farming
operations and potential development for commercial and industrial use.
Although none of the Covered Species, except for western snowy
plover, currently occur on the 296 acres of enrolled lands, the
preservation of the 276 acres, with the deed restriction, could benefit
all of the Covered Species in the future. The Covered Species are
threatened with loss and degradation of the coastal habitats with which
they are strongly associated. All of the species are likely to benefit
through the preservation of open space and suitable habitat into which
dispersing individuals from expanding populations elsewhere can move,
or, in the case of the covered plants, direct introduction from source
populations.
The conservation measure set forth in the Agreement is expected to
result in the following net conservation benefits to the Covered
Species: (1) Insurance against the decline of the Covered Species in
the general area as a result of habitat loss; (2) increased
availability of suitable breeding and foraging habitat through
preservation and eventual restoration of the property; (3) reduced
fragmentation, and potential increased connectivity of populations in
the general area; and, (4) likelihood of increased population sizes of
the Covered Species in the general area.
Consistent with the Service's Safe Harbor policy and regulations,
the Service proposes to issue a permit to MWD authorizing incidental
take as a result of normal farming activities currently occurring on
the 20 acre property. Normal farming activities include planting,
harvesting, weed and insect control, pruning, mowing, discing,
operation of vehicles and farm equipment, and similar activities.
This Agreement and permit will also authorize MWD incidental take
of the Covered Species above MWD's baseline responsibilities on the 296
acres of enrolled lands, at the end of the term of the 75-year
Agreement, if so desired by MWD.
The Service has made a preliminary determination that approval of
the Agreement qualifies as a categorical exclusion under NEPA, as
provided by the Department of Interior Manual (516 DM 2, Appendix 1 and
516 DM 6, Appendix 1) based on the following criteria: (1)
Implementation of the Agreement would result in minor or negligible
effects on federally listed, proposed, and candidate species and their
habitats; (2) implementation of the Agreement would result in minor or
negligible effects on other environmental values or resources; and (3)
impacts of the Agreement, 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 which would be considered significant. This is more
fully explained in our Environmental Action Statement.
Based upon this preliminary determination, we do not intend to
prepare further NEPA documentation. The Service will consider public
comments in making its final determination on whether to prepare such
documentation.
Public Review and Comments
Individuals wishing copies of the permit application, the
Environmental Action Statement, or copies of the full text of the
Agreement, including a map of the proposed permit area, references, and
legal descriptions of the proposed permit area, should contact the
office and personnel listed in the ADDRESSES section above. Documents
also will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during
normal business hours at the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office
(ADDRESSES section above).
The Service provides this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the
Act and pursuant to implementing regulations for NEPA (40 CRF 1506.6).
All comments received on the permit application and Agreement,
including
[[Page 22900]]
names and addresses, will become part of the Administration record and
may be released to the public. If you wish us to withhold your name
and/or address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of
your comment. Anonymous comments will not be considered. All
submissions from organizations or businesses are available for public
inspection in their entirety.
We will evaluate the permit application, the Agreement, and
comments submitted thereon to determine whether the application meets
the requirements of section 10(a) of the Act and NEPA regulations. If
the requirements are met, the Service will sign the proposed Agreement
and issue an enhancement of survival permit under section 10(a)(1)(A)
of the Act to MWD for the take of the seven covered species incidental
to otherwise lawful activities of the project. The Service will not
make a final decision until the end of the 30-day comment period and
will fully consider all comments received during the comment period.
Dated: April 26, 2005.
Ken McDermond,
Deputy Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Sacramento,
California.
[FR Doc. 05-8752 Filed 5-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-U
