Ohio Department of Natural Resources Candidate Conservation Agreement With Assurances and Enhancement of Survival Permit Application for the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, 55159-55160 [05-18683]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 20, 2005 / Notices
application includes a draft Safe Harbor
Agreement (SHA) between the
Applicant and the Service. The
proposed SHA and permit would
become effective upon signature of the
SHA and issuance of the permit and
would remain in effect for 15 years. We
are requesting comments on the permit
application and on the Service’s
preliminary determination that the
proposed SHA qualifies as a categorical
exclusion (516 DM 6 Appendix 1,
1.4C(1)) under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, as amended. Further, the Service
is specifically soliciting information
regarding the adequacy of the SHA as
measured against the Service’s Safe
Harbor Policy and the implementing
regulations.
Written data or comments must
be received on or before October 20,
2005.
DATES:
1. Regional Director, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological
Services, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling,
Minnesota 55111–4056.
2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Ecological Services, 620 South Walker
Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47403–
2121.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr.
Peter Fasbender, (612) 713–5343.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Documents
Individuals requesting copies of the
enhancement of survival permit
application and SHA should contact the
Service by telephone at (612) 713–5343
or by letter (see ADDRESSES). Copies of
the proposed SHA also are available for
public inspection during regular
business hours at the Bloomington,
Indiana, Field Office (see ADDRESSES) or
at the Service’s Regional Web site at:
https://www.fws.gov/midwest/NEPA. All
comments received from individuals
become part of the official public
record. Requests for such comments will
be handled in accordance with the
Freedom of Information Act and the
Council on Environmental Quality’s
NEPA regulations [40 CFR 1506.6(f)].
Our practice is to make 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 address from
the record, which we will honor to the
extent allowable by law. If a respondent
wishes us to withhold his/her name
and/or address, this must be stated
prominently at the beginning of the
comment.
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14:53 Sep 19, 2005
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Background
The Karner blue butterfly was once a
locally common species ranging from
New England across the Great Lakes
Region, extending as far west as eastern
Minnesota. In Indiana, the Karner was
originally distributed across the
northern tier of counties on outwash
and lake deposited sands. Currently
there are approximately 1,000 acres of
dune and swale topography remaining
in the West Gary Recovery Unit, of this
approximately 650 acres is potential
habitat. By 1990, the Karner blue
butterfly survived at only two dune and
swale remnants: Ivanhoe Nature
Preserve and Tolleston Ridges Nature
Preserve. At Ivanhoe Nature Preserve,
the butterfly was found within scattered
openings until it disappeared there in
1998. After several years of habitat
restoration effort, the Nature
Conservancy began a re-introduction
program in 2001. Despite recent success,
the Karner blue butterfly continues to
persist at limited habitat patches within
three relatively isolated natural areas.
Ecological fragmentation, combined
with complex landownership and land
use patterns, has created a difficult
landscape for developing and
implementing conservation strategies in
the West Gary Recovery Unit.
The purpose of the SHA is to allow
the Applicant and the Service to address
the regional needs of the species by
working with individual landowners to
develop site specific restoration and
management plans for a variety of
properties. These plans will be designed
to maximize Karner blue butterfly
habitat within the constraints of the
site’s landscape setting and current land
use and management needs. In addition
they will document baseline conditions,
monitoring protocols, timeframes, legal
and regulatory responsibilities of
participants, and will serve as a
framework for coordinating
conservation work in the West Gary
Recovery Unit.
The SHA will allow willing property
owners to enroll private and non-federal
governmental lands into a regional
program under an umbrella section
10(a)(1)(A) permit issued to the
Applicant by means of a Certification of
Inclusion. In addition, the Applicant
will develop individual restoration and
management plans to address the
specific conservation benefits that
enrolled properties contribute to
establishing a viable metapopulation.
The area encompassed by the SHA
may contain facilities eligible to be
listed on the National Register of
Historic Places. Additionally, other
historical or archeological resources
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55159
may be present. The National Historic
Preservation Act and other laws require
these properties and resources be
identified and considered in project
planning. The public is requested to
inform the Service of concerns about
archeological sites, buildings, and
structures; historic events; sacred and
traditional areas; and other historic
preservation concerns.
Dated: August 23, 2005.
Wendi Weber,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological
Services, Region 3, Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 05–18682 Filed 9–19–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Candidate Conservation Agreement
With Assurances and Enhancement of
Survival Permit Application for the
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service) has received an application
from the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources (Applicant) for an
enhancement of survival permit (ESP)
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (U.S.C.
1531 et seq.), as amended (Act). The
Applicant proposes to implement
conservation measures for the Eastern
Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus
sistrurus catenatus) by removing the
threats to the survival and protecting
and managing its habitat within the
Rome State Nature Preserve. The
Service announces receipt of the ESP
application as well as the availability of
a proposed Candidate Conservation
Agreement with Assurances (CCAA)
intended to facilitate the
implementation of conservation
measures for the species by the
Applicant. Compliance under the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) for the proposed action was
addressed in an Environmental
Assessment (EA) approved July 26,
2005. A copy of the final EA and
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) is available at: https://
www.fws.gov/midwest/NEPA.
DATES: Written data or comments must
be received on or before October 20,
2005.
1. Regional Director, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
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55160
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 20, 2005 / Notices
Services, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling,
Minnesota 55111–4056.
2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Ecological Services Field Office, 6950
Americana Pkwy, Suite H,
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068–4127.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Peter Fasbender, (612) 713–5343, or
peter_fasbender@fws.gov.; or Ms.
Angela Zimmerman, telephone: (614)
469–6923.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Documents
We provide this notice pursuant to
section 10(c) of the Act and pursuant to
implementing regulations for the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) found at (40 CFR 1506.6). All
comments received on the permit
application and proposed Agreement,
including names and addresses, will
become part of the administrative 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. All submissions from
organizations or companies, or from
individuals representing organizations
or companies, are available for public
inspection in their entirety.
Background
The eastern massasauga rattlesnake,
also known as the swamp rattler or
black snapper, is a resident of many
glaciated areas of Ohio. The massasauga
was once common throughout much of
the Great Lakes basin, but now is
restricted to scattered, often isolated
populations. Extensive farming,
draining of their wetland habitats,
vegetation succession and other forms of
habitat fragmentation has contributed to
their reduced numbers. Loss of habitat
and persecution by humans are thought
to be the primary causes of decline.
Current records from the Heritage
Database (Division of Natural Areas and
Preserves) place the snake in only 15
Ohio counties. At least eight of these
populations occur on state-owned and/
or managed land. The Division of
Natural Areas and Preserves (the
Division) manages three sites, the
Division of Wildlife manages four sites
and the Ohio Historical Society manages
another. The massasauga was listed as
an endangered species in Ohio in 1996.
In October 1999, the Service designated
it a candidate species for Federal
protection by the Endangered Species
Act.
The Rome State Nature Preserve is
located within Ashtabula County, Ohio.
Containing approximately 105 acres, the
preserve is located between Rome and
VerDate Aug<31>2005
14:53 Sep 19, 2005
Jkt 205001
Hartsgrove Townships and lies within
the Grand River watershed. Under the
CCAA, the Applicant has agreed to
implement several conservation
measures that will reduce and/or
eliminate potential threats to the
species. The Applicant will: (1)
Maintain and manage the Rome State
Nature Preserve in a mosaic of habitats
essential for the massasauga; (2) control
the spread of invasive vegetation
species; and (3) implement protective
measures to reduce losses from human
and natural predators.
Implementation of the CCAA is
expected to protect and conserve habitat
for the covered species, eliminate
unauthorized human disturbances
within Rome State Nature Preserve that
are believed to impact the covered
species, and provide important
monitoring data that can be used to
develop and/or improve management
strategies for the massasauga. These
benefits will be obtained through
restoration and protection of habitats on
the enrolled property.
We will make our final determination
after the end of the 30-day comment
period and will fully consider all
comments received. If the final analysis
shows the CCAA to be consistent with
our policies and applicable regulations,
we will sign the CCAA and issue the
ESP. The proposed ESP would, in
compliance with the CCAA policy, only
become valid on such date as the
eastern massasauga rattlesnake is listed
as a threatened or endangered species
under the Act.
Written data or comments concerning
the CCAA or ESP application should be
submitted to the Regional Director. (see
ADDRESSES section). Further, persons
wishing to review the CCAA and ESP
application may obtain copies by
writing to the same address or they can
be viewed on the Service’s Regional
Web site at: https://www.fws.gov/
midwest/NEPA. Comments must be
submitted in writing to be adequately
considered in the Service’s decisionmaking process. Please reference permit
number TE–101451 in your comments,
or in requests of the documents
discussed herein. Documents will also
be available for public inspection by
appointment during normal business
hours at the Reynoldsburg, Ohio,
Ecological Services Field Office (see
ADDRESSES section).
Dated: August 29, 2005.
Wendi Weber,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological
Services, Region 3, Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 05–18683 Filed 9–19–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO–310–1310–PB–24 1A]
Extension of Approved Information
Collection, OMB Control Number 1004–
0185
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is
requesting the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) to extend existing
approvals to collect certain information
from lessees, operators, record title
holders, operating rights owners, and
the general public on oil and gas and
operations on Federal lands.
DATES: You must submit your comments
to BLM at the address below on or
before November 21, 2005. BLM will not
necessarily consider any comments
received after the above date.
ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to:
Bureau of Land Management, (WO–
630), Eastern States Office, 7450 Boston
Blvd., Springfield, Virginia 22153.
You may send comments via e-mail
to: comments_washington@blm.gov.
Please include ‘‘Attn: 1004–0185’’ and
your name and return address in your
Internet message.
You may deliver comments to the
Bureau of Land Management,
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620
L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
All comments will be available for
public review at the L Street address
during regular business hours (7:45 a.m.
to 4:15 p.m.), Monday through Friday
except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You
may contact Barbara Gamble, on (202)
452–0338 (Commercial or FTS). Persons
who use a telecommunication device for
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) on 1–
800–877–8330, 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, to contact Ms. Gamble.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 5 CFR
1320.12(a) requires that we provide a
60-day notice in the Federal Register
concerning a collection of information
to solicit comments on:
(1) Whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
functioning of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimates of
the information collection burden,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions we use;
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55159-55160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18683]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Candidate Conservation
Agreement With Assurances and Enhancement of Survival Permit
Application for the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has received an
application from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Applicant)
for an enhancement of survival permit (ESP) pursuant to section
10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.), as amended (Act). The Applicant proposes to implement
conservation measures for the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus
sistrurus catenatus) by removing the threats to the survival and
protecting and managing its habitat within the Rome State Nature
Preserve. The Service announces receipt of the ESP application as well
as the availability of a proposed Candidate Conservation Agreement with
Assurances (CCAA) intended to facilitate the implementation of
conservation measures for the species by the Applicant. Compliance
under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the proposed
action was addressed in an Environmental Assessment (EA) approved July
26, 2005. A copy of the final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) is available at: https://www.fws.gov/midwest/NEPA.
DATES: Written data or comments must be received on or before October
20, 2005.
ADDRESSES: 1. Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Ecological
[[Page 55160]]
Services, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, Minnesota 55111-4056.
2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Field
Office, 6950 Americana Pkwy, Suite H, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-4127.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Peter Fasbender, (612) 713-5343,
or peter_fasbender@fws.gov.; or Ms. Angela Zimmerman, telephone: (614)
469-6923.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Documents
We provide this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the Act and
pursuant to implementing regulations for the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) found at (40 CFR 1506.6). All comments received on
the permit application and proposed Agreement, including names and
addresses, will become part of the administrative 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. All submissions from organizations or companies, or from
individuals representing organizations or companies, are available for
public inspection in their entirety.
Background
The eastern massasauga rattlesnake, also known as the swamp rattler
or black snapper, is a resident of many glaciated areas of Ohio. The
massasauga was once common throughout much of the Great Lakes basin,
but now is restricted to scattered, often isolated populations.
Extensive farming, draining of their wetland habitats, vegetation
succession and other forms of habitat fragmentation has contributed to
their reduced numbers. Loss of habitat and persecution by humans are
thought to be the primary causes of decline. Current records from the
Heritage Database (Division of Natural Areas and Preserves) place the
snake in only 15 Ohio counties. At least eight of these populations
occur on state-owned and/or managed land. The Division of Natural Areas
and Preserves (the Division) manages three sites, the Division of
Wildlife manages four sites and the Ohio Historical Society manages
another. The massasauga was listed as an endangered species in Ohio in
1996. In October 1999, the Service designated it a candidate species
for Federal protection by the Endangered Species Act.
The Rome State Nature Preserve is located within Ashtabula County,
Ohio. Containing approximately 105 acres, the preserve is located
between Rome and Hartsgrove Townships and lies within the Grand River
watershed. Under the CCAA, the Applicant has agreed to implement
several conservation measures that will reduce and/or eliminate
potential threats to the species. The Applicant will: (1) Maintain and
manage the Rome State Nature Preserve in a mosaic of habitats essential
for the massasauga; (2) control the spread of invasive vegetation
species; and (3) implement protective measures to reduce losses from
human and natural predators.
Implementation of the CCAA is expected to protect and conserve
habitat for the covered species, eliminate unauthorized human
disturbances within Rome State Nature Preserve that are believed to
impact the covered species, and provide important monitoring data that
can be used to develop and/or improve management strategies for the
massasauga. These benefits will be obtained through restoration and
protection of habitats on the enrolled property.
We will make our final determination after the end of the 30-day
comment period and will fully consider all comments received. If the
final analysis shows the CCAA to be consistent with our policies and
applicable regulations, we will sign the CCAA and issue the ESP. The
proposed ESP would, in compliance with the CCAA policy, only become
valid on such date as the eastern massasauga rattlesnake is listed as a
threatened or endangered species under the Act.
Written data or comments concerning the CCAA or ESP application
should be submitted to the Regional Director. (see ADDRESSES section).
Further, persons wishing to review the CCAA and ESP application may
obtain copies by writing to the same address or they can be viewed on
the Service's Regional Web site at: https://www.fws.gov/midwest/NEPA.
Comments must be submitted in writing to be adequately considered in
the Service's decision-making process. Please reference permit number
TE-101451 in your comments, or in requests of the documents discussed
herein. Documents will also be available for public inspection by
appointment during normal business hours at the Reynoldsburg, Ohio,
Ecological Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES section).
Dated: August 29, 2005.
Wendi Weber,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3, Fort
Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 05-18683 Filed 9-19-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
