Notice of Availability of a Technical Agency Draft Recovery Plan for the Endangered Vermilion Darter for Review and Comment, 42087-42088 [05-14372]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 139 / Thursday, July 21, 2005 / Notices
resources that would be considered
significant over time.
Based on this preliminary
determination, we do not intend to
prepare further NEPA documentation.
We will consider public comments in
making the final determination on
whether to prepare such additional
documentation.
This notice is provided pursuant to
section 10(c) of the ESA and the
regulations of NEPA (40 CFR 1505.6).
We will evaluate the permit application,
the proposed HCP, and comments
submitted thereon to determine whether
the application meets the requirements
of section 10(a) of the ESA. If the
requirements are met, we will issue a
permit to the applicant.
Dated: July 15, 2005.
Kenneth McDermond,
Deputy Manager, California/Nevada
Operations Office, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 05–14374 Filed 7–20–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of a Technical
Agency Draft Recovery Plan for the
Endangered Vermilion Darter for
Review and Comment
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of documents availability
and opening of public comment period.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife
Service, announce the availability of the
technical agency draft recovery plan for
the vermilion darter (Etheostoma
chermocki). The vermilion darter is
found only in Turkey Creek, a tributary
of the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior
River, Jefferson County, Alabama. The
species is threatened by degradation of
water quality and substrate components
of its habitat due to sedimentation and
other pollutants. The technical agency
draft recovery plan includes specific
recovery objectives and criteria to be
met in order to delist the vermilion
darter under the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (16
U.S.C. 1533 et seq.). We solicit review
and comment on this technical agency
draft recovery plan from local, State,
and Federal agencies, and the public.
DATES: In order to be considered, we
must receive comments on the technical
agency draft recovery plan on or before
September 19, 2005.
ADDRESSES: If you wish to review this
technical agency draft recovery plan,
you may obtain a copy by contacting the
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:42 Jul 20, 2005
Jkt 205001
Jackson, Mississippi Field Office, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, 6578
Dogwood View Parkway, Jackson,
Mississippi 39213 (telephone (601) 965–
4900), or by visiting our recovery plan
Web site at https://endangered.fws.gov/
recovery/#plans. If you wish
to comment, you may submit your
comments by any one of several
methods:
1. You may submit written comments
and materials to the Field Supervisor, at
the above address.
2. You may hand-deliver written
comments to our Jackson, Mississippi
Field Office, at the above address, or fax
your comments to (601) 965–4340.
3. You may send comments by e-mail
to daniel_drennen@fws.gov. For
directions on how to submit electronic
filing of comments, see the ‘‘Public
Comments Solicited’’ seciton.
Comments and materials received are
available for public inspection on
request, by appointment, during normal
business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Daniel J. Drennen at the above address
(telephone (601) 321–1127).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
We listed the vermilion darter
(Etheostoma chermocki (Teleostei:
Percidae)) as endangered under the Act
on November 28, 2001 (66 FR 59367).
The vermilion darter was officially
described in 1992 from Turkey Creek,
which is a tributary of the Locust Fork
of the Black Warrior River, Jefferson
County, Alabama.
The vermilion darter is a mediumsized darter that is only known from a
11.6-kilometer (7.2-mile) section of the
Turkey Creek drainage. The greatest
threat to this species is degradation of
water quality and substrate components
of its habitat due to sedimentation and
other pollutants (both point and nonpoint sources). Urbanization has
contributed significantly to
sedimentation within the Turkey Creek
watershed.
Restoring an endangered or
threatened animal or plant to the point
where it is again a secure, selfsustaining member of its ecosystem is a
primary goal of the endangered species
program. To help guide the recovery
effort, we are preparing recovery plans
for most listed species. Recovery plans
describe actions considered necessary
for conservation of the species, establish
criteria for downlisting or delisting, and
estimate time and cost for implementing
recovery measures.
The Act requires the development of
recovery plans for listed species, unless
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
42087
such a plan would not promote the
conservation of a particular species.
Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to
provide a public notice and an
opportunity for public review and
comment during recovery plan
development. We will consider all
information presented during a public
comment period prior to approval of
each new or revised recovery plan. We
and other Federal agencies will take
these comments into account in the
course of implementing approved
recovery plans.
The objective of this technical agency
draft recovery plan is to provide a
framework for the recovery of the
vermilion darter so that protection
under the Act is no longer necessary.
The status of the species will be
reviewed, and the species will be
considered for removal from the Federal
List of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants (50 CFR part 17)
when recovery criteria are met.
Public Comments Solicited
We solicit written comments on the
recovery plan described. We will
consider all comments received by the
date specified above prior to final
approval of the draft recovery plan.
Please submit electronic comments as
an ASCII file format and avoid the use
of special characters and encryption.
Please also include your name and
return address in your e-mail message.
If you do not receive a confirmation
from the system that we have received
your e-mail message, contact us directly
by calling our Mississippi Field Office
(see ADDRESSES section).
Our practice is to make all comments,
including names and home addresses of
respondents, available for public review
during regular business hours.
Individual respondents may request that
we withhold their home addresses from
the record, which we will honor to the
extent allowable by law. In some
circumstances, we would withhold also
from the rulemaking record a
respondent’s identity, as allowable by
law. If you wish for us to withhold your
name and/or address, you must state
this prominently at the beginning of
your comments. However, we will not
consider anonymous comments. We
will make all submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, available
for public inspection in their entirety.
Authority: The authority for this action is
section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act,
16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM
21JYN1
42088
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 139 / Thursday, July 21, 2005 / Notices
Dated: July 15, 2005.
Jacquelyn Parrish,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 05–14372 Filed 7–20–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of an Environmental
Assessment and Receipt of an
Application for an Incidental Take
Permit for the Hillcrest Travel Plaza in
Fresno County, CA
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability and
receipt of application.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Hillcrest Travel Plaza
(applicant) has applied to the Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) for an
incidental take permit pursuant to
section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).
The Service is considering the issuance
of a 10-year permit to the applicant that
would authorize take of the endangered
San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis
mutica) incidental to otherwise lawful
activities. Such take would occur during
the construction and operation of the
applicant’s proposed travel plaza in
Fresno County, California. Construction
of the proposed travel plaza would
result in the loss of up to 9.27 acres of
foraging and migration habitat for the
San Joaquin kit fox.
We request comments from the public
on the permit application and an
Environmental Assessment, both of
which are available for review. The
permit application includes the
proposed Habitat Conservation Plan
(Plan) and an accompanying
Implementing Agreement. The Plan
describes the proposed project and the
measures that the applicant would
undertake to minimize and mitigate take
of the San Joaquin kit fox.
DATES: We must receive your written
comments on or before September 19,
2005.
ADDRESSES: Please address written
comments to Lori Rinek, Chief,
Conservation Planning and Recovery
Division, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office,
2800 Cottage Way, W–2605,
Sacramento, California 95825. You also
may send comments by facsimile to
(916) 414–6713.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jesse Wild, Fish and Wildlife Biologist,
or Lori Rinek, Chief, Conservation
Planning and Recovery Division,
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:42 Jul 20, 2005
Jkt 205001
Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, at
(916) 414–6600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Documents
You may obtain copies of these
documents for review by contacting the
individuals named above [see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.]
Documents also will be available for
public inspection, by appointment,
during normal business hours at the
Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office
[see ADDRESSES.]
Background
Section 9 of the Act and Federal
regulations prohibit the take of fish and
wildlife species listed as endangered or
threatened (16 U.S.C. 1538). Take of
federally listed fish and wildlife is
defined under the Act to include the
following activities: harass, harm,
pursue, hunt, shoot, would, kill, trap,
capture, or collect, or to attempt to
engage in any such conduct (16 U.S.C.
1532). The Service may, under limited
circumstances, issue permits to
authorize incidental take (i.e., take that
is incidental to, and not for the purpose
of, the carrying out of an otherwise
lawful activity). Regulations governing
incidental take permits for endangered
species are found in 50 CFR 17.22.
The applicant proposes to construct
and operate a travel plaza and freeway
rest stop on a portion of a 38-acre parcel
on the southwest side of the intersection
of State Route 269 and Interstate 5 near
the town of Avenal in Fresno County,
California. The construction of the
proposed plaza would result in the loss
of 9.27 acres of suitable foraging and
migration habitat for the San Joaquin kit
fox.
Although no San Joaquin kit foxes
were observed, or evidence found of
their denning, at the time of biological
surveys, they may range through and
periodically use the site for foraging
and/or denning. The construction and
operation of the facilities is unlikely to
result in direct mortality or injury of
San Joaquin kit foxes, but may result in
take in the form of harassment.
The applicant proposes to implement
specific on-site measures to avoid and
minimize take and associated adverse
project impacts to San Joaquin kit fox.
The applicant also proposes to mitigate
for take by purchasing 9.27 acres of
compensation credits at the Wildlands,
Inc., Kreyenhagen Hills Conservation
Bank, in Fresno County. These lands are
occupied by the San Joaquin kit fox. The
compensation includes funds
supporting a management endowment
to ensure the permanent management
and monitoring of sensitive species and
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Frm 00065
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
habitats within the area protected by the
Conservation Bank.
The Service’s Environmental
Assessment considers the
environmental consequences of three
alternatives. The Proposed Project
Alternative (described above) consists of
the issuance of the incidental take
permit and implementation of the Plan
and Implementing Agreement for the
applicant’s proposed project. The No
Action Alternative consists of no permit
issuance and no construction of the
travel plaza at this time. Compared to
the proposed project, the No Action
Alternative would result in no take in
an important migration corridor area,
but less long-term conservation for the
San Joaquin kit fox within Fresno
County, and the applicant would not be
able to develop the property. Under the
38-Acre Development Alternative, the
entire project site would be developed
with permanent structures, parking and
access areas, and appurtenances. The
project would result in the loss of 38
acres of San Joaquin kit fox foraging and
migration habitat, and the applicant
would purchase 38 acres of off-site
preservation habitat in a conservation
bank. Compared to the proposed project,
the 38-Acre Development Alternative
would result in greater loss of habitat in
an important migration corridor area,
but more long-term conservation for the
San Joaquin kit fox. This alternative
would be more costly to the applicant
than the proposed project.
This notice is provided pursuant to
section 10(a) of the Act and the
regulations of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969 (40 CFR 1506.6). All comments
that we receive, including names and
addresses, will become part of the
official administrative record and may
be made available to the public. We will
evaluate the application, associated
documents, and comments submitted
thereon to determine whether the
application meets the requirements of
NEPA regulations and section 10(a) of
the Act. If we determine that those
requirements are met, we will issue a
permit to the Applicant for the
incidental take of the San Joaquin kit
fox. We will make our final permit
decision no sooner than 60 days from
the date of this notice.
Dated: July 15, 2005.
Ken McDermond,
Deputy Manager, California/Nevada
Operations Office, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 05–14373 Filed 7–20–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM
21JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 139 (Thursday, July 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42087-42088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-14372]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of a Technical Agency Draft Recovery Plan
for the Endangered Vermilion Darter for Review and Comment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of documents availability and opening of public comment
period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability
of the technical agency draft recovery plan for the vermilion darter
(Etheostoma chermocki). The vermilion darter is found only in Turkey
Creek, a tributary of the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River,
Jefferson County, Alabama. The species is threatened by degradation of
water quality and substrate components of its habitat due to
sedimentation and other pollutants. The technical agency draft recovery
plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria to be met in
order to delist the vermilion darter under the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1533 et seq.). We solicit review
and comment on this technical agency draft recovery plan from local,
State, and Federal agencies, and the public.
DATES: In order to be considered, we must receive comments on the
technical agency draft recovery plan on or before September 19, 2005.
ADDRESSES: If you wish to review this technical agency draft recovery
plan, you may obtain a copy by contacting the Jackson, Mississippi
Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6578 Dogwood View
Parkway, Jackson, Mississippi 39213 (telephone (601) 965-4900), or by
visiting our recovery plan Web site at https://endangered.fws.gov/
recovery/#plans. If you wish to comment, you may submit your
comments by any one of several methods:
1. You may submit written comments and materials to the Field
Supervisor, at the above address.
2. You may hand-deliver written comments to our Jackson,
Mississippi Field Office, at the above address, or fax your comments to
(601) 965-4340.
3. You may send comments by e-mail to daniel_drennen@fws.gov. For
directions on how to submit electronic filing of comments, see the
``Public Comments Solicited'' seciton.
Comments and materials received are available for public inspection
on request, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above
address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel J. Drennen at the above address
(telephone (601) 321-1127).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
We listed the vermilion darter (Etheostoma chermocki (Teleostei:
Percidae)) as endangered under the Act on November 28, 2001 (66 FR
59367). The vermilion darter was officially described in 1992 from
Turkey Creek, which is a tributary of the Locust Fork of the Black
Warrior River, Jefferson County, Alabama.
The vermilion darter is a medium-sized darter that is only known
from a 11.6-kilometer (7.2-mile) section of the Turkey Creek drainage.
The greatest threat to this species is degradation of water quality and
substrate components of its habitat due to sedimentation and other
pollutants (both point and non-point sources). Urbanization has
contributed significantly to sedimentation within the Turkey Creek
watershed.
Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point
where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is
a primary goal of the endangered species program. To help guide the
recovery effort, we are preparing recovery plans for most listed
species. Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for
conservation of the species, establish criteria for downlisting or
delisting, and estimate time and cost for implementing recovery
measures.
The Act requires the development of recovery plans for listed
species, unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a
particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to provide a
public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment during
recovery plan development. We will consider all information presented
during a public comment period prior to approval of each new or revised
recovery plan. We and other Federal agencies will take these comments
into account in the course of implementing approved recovery plans.
The objective of this technical agency draft recovery plan is to
provide a framework for the recovery of the vermilion darter so that
protection under the Act is no longer necessary. The status of the
species will be reviewed, and the species will be considered for
removal from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and
Plants (50 CFR part 17) when recovery criteria are met.
Public Comments Solicited
We solicit written comments on the recovery plan described. We will
consider all comments received by the date specified above prior to
final approval of the draft recovery plan.
Please submit electronic comments as an ASCII file format and avoid
the use of special characters and encryption. Please also include your
name and return address in your e-mail message. If you do not receive a
confirmation from the system that we have received your e-mail message,
contact us directly by calling our Mississippi Field Office (see
ADDRESSES section).
Our practice is to make all comments, including names and home
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold
their home addresses from the record, which we will honor to the extent
allowable by law. In some circumstances, we would withhold also from
the rulemaking record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law. If
you wish for us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state
this prominently at the beginning of your comments. However, we will
not consider anonymous comments. We will make all submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
Authority: The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f).
[[Page 42088]]
Dated: July 15, 2005.
Jacquelyn Parrish,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 05-14372 Filed 7-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
