Availability of a Proposed Safe Harbor Agreement for the California Red-Legged Frog and Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle for the Burrows and Big Bluff Ranches in Tehama County, CA, 61469-61470 [05-21172]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 204 / Monday, October 24, 2005 / Notices
EFFECTIVE DATE:
October 7, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Magda Ruiz, Recovery Division, Federal
Emergency Management Agency,
Washington, DC 20472, (202) 646–2705.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given that, in a letter dated
October 7, 2005, the President declared
a major disaster under the authority of
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act, 42
U.S.C. 5121–5206 (the Stafford Act), as
follows:
I have determined that the damage in
certain areas of the State of North Carolina
resulting from Hurricane Ophelia on
September 11–17, 2005, is of sufficient
severity and magnitude to warrant a major
disaster declaration under the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121–5206 (the
Stafford Act). Therefore, I declare that such
a major disaster exists in the State of North
Carolina.
In order to provide Federal assistance, you
are hereby authorized to allocate from funds
available for these purposes such amounts as
you find necessary for Federal disaster
assistance and administrative expenses.
You are authorized to provide Public
Assistance in the designated areas; Hazard
Mitigation throughout the State; and any
other forms of assistance under the Stafford
Act you may deem appropriate. Consistent
with the requirement that Federal assistance
be supplemental, any Federal funds provided
under the Stafford Act for Public Assistance
and Hazard Mitigation will be limited to 75
percent of the total eligible costs. If Other
Needs Assistance under Section 408 of the
Stafford Act is later warranted, Federal
funding under that program will also be
limited to 75 percent of the total eligible
costs.
Further, you are authorized to make
changes to this declaration to the extent
allowable under the Stafford Act.
The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) hereby gives notice that
pursuant to the authority vested in the
Acting Under Secretary for Emergency
Preparedness and Response, Department
of Homeland Security, under Executive
Order 12148, as amended, Michael Karl,
of FEMA is appointed to act as the
Federal Coordinating Officer for this
declared disaster.
I do hereby determine the following
areas of the State of North Carolina to
have been affected adversely by this
declared major disaster:
The counties of Brunswick, Carteret,
Craven, Dare, Hyde, Jones, New
Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, and Pender
for Public Assistance.
All counties within the State of North
Carolina are eligible to apply for
assistance under the Hazard Mitigation
Grant Program.
(The following Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Numbers (CFDA) are to be used
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:19 Oct 21, 2005
Jkt 208001
for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030,
Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora
Brown Fund Program; 97.032, Crisis
Counseling; 97.033, Disaster Legal Services
Program; 97.034, Disaster Unemployment
Assistance (DUA); 97.046, Fire Management
Assistance; 97.048, Individuals and
Households Housing; 97.049, Individuals and
Households Disaster Housing Operations;
97.050, Individuals and Households
Program—Other Needs; 97.036, Public
Assistance Grants; 97.039, Hazard Mitigation
Grant Program.)
R. David Paulison,
Acting Under Secretary, Emergency
Preparedness and Response, Department of
Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 05–21136 Filed 10–21–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–10–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of a Proposed Safe Harbor
Agreement for the California RedLegged Frog and Valley Elderberry
Longhorn Beetle for the Burrows and
Big Bluff Ranches in Tehama County,
CA
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; receipt of
application.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public
that the owners of the Burrows Ranch
and Big Bluff Ranch (Applicants) have
applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service) for an enhancement of survival
permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (Act).
The permit application includes a
proposed Safe Harbor Agreement
(Agreement) between the Applicants
and the Service for the threatened
California red-legged frog (CRLF, Rana
aurora draytonii) and the valley
elderberry longhorn beetle (VELB,
Desmocerus californicus dimorphus).
The Agreement and permit application
are available for public comment.
DATES: Written comments should be
received on or before November 23,
2005.
Comments should be
addressed to Catrina Martin, Fish and
Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W–
2605, Sacramento, California 95825.
Written comments may be sent by
facsimile to (916) 414–6711.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Catrina Martin, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES);
telephone: (916) 414–6600.
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
Frm 00047
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
61469
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Documents
You may obtain copies of the
documents for review by contacting the
individual named above. You may also
make an appointment to view the
documents at the above address during
normal business hours.
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 as a
result of their efforts to 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). We have
worked with the Applicants to develop
the proposed Agreement for the
conservation of covered species on their
Ranches in Tehama County, California.
This Agreement allows for
management and conservation of the
CRLF and VELB (covered species) on
7,450 acres of private land, owned by
the Applicants in Tehama County,
California. The proposed duration of the
Agreement is 15 years, and the proposed
term of the enhancement of a survival
permit is 17 years. The permit would
run the additional 2 years upon a
determination by the Service that the
actions identified in the Agreement
were implemented prior to its 15 year
expiration. This Agreement will allow
the Applicants to return to baseline
condition after 15 years, if so desired by
the Applicants.
The Applicants also will receive
incidental take authorization, should
take of the covered species occur while
conducting otherwise lawful activities.
While unlikely, it is possible that in the
course of normal activities, the
Applicants could take a covered species.
The Agreement fully describes the
proposed project, management actions,
and the conservation benefits that will
be gained for the CRLF and the VELB.
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). We explain the basis
E:\FR\FM\24OCN1.SGM
24OCN1
61470
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 204 / Monday, October 24, 2005 / Notices
for this determination in an
Environmental Action Statement, which
is also available for public review.
The presence of both CRLF and VELB
on the enrolled properties is uncertain
at this time due to lack of detailed
survey information. For the purposes of
the Agreement, the Service and
Applicants have set the baseline for
CRLF and VELB as the habitat that
existed on the ranches prior to wetland
creation activities. Therefore, the CRLF
baseline is 18 reservoirs comprising
approximately 45 acres. Sixteen of the
reservoirs occur on the Burrows Ranch
and two on the Big Bluff Ranch. For the
VELB, the baseline is 65 naturally
occurring elderberry bushes, of which
39 occur on the Burrows Ranch and 25
occur on the Big Bluff Ranch.
Under the Agreement, the Applicants
would or have undertaken activities to
benefit the CRLF. The Applicants have
fenced nine existing reservoirs and six
newly created ponds and installed
watering troughs in order to exclude
livestock from the reservoirs. The
Applicants propose to: (1) Manage
existing wetlands (through the use of
livestock or light equipment) to
maintain open water and wetland
vegetation to benefit CRLF; (2) where
practical and feasible for the Applicants
and where it does not interfere with the
operation of the Ranches, undertake
bullfrog eradication efforts in ponds
where bullfrogs are present; and (3)
where practical and feasible for the
Applicants and where it does not
interfere with the operation of the
Ranches, fence additional reservoirs and
newly created ponds to exclude
livestock. In addition to this, Burrows
Ranch has created approximately 5.7
acres of ponds. These ponds were
developed through a cooperative
agreement with the Service’s Partners
for Fish and Wildlife program.
To benefit the VELB the Applicants
propose to: (1) Manage vegetation and
activity around the elderberry plants
following the most current guidelines
and measures developed and approved
by the Service; (2) allow for recruitment
of elderberry plants within riparian
areas near existing elderberry plant
communities by allowing all newly
established elderberry plants within 50
feet of existing elderberry plants to grow
and mature; and (3) work with the
Service to identify suitable habitat areas
and once funding is secured, plant
elderberry bushes in areas amenable to
the Applicants.
Under the Agreement, consistent with
the Service’s Safe Harbor Policy
published in the Federal Register on
June 17, 1999 (64 FR 32717), the Service
would issue a permit to the Applicants
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:19 Oct 21, 2005
Jkt 208001
authorizing incidental take as a result of
normal land management activities on
the Ranches’ 7,450 acres. The properties
subject to this Agreement range in
elevation from approximately 800 feet to
1,760 feet and have traditionally been
used for agricultural production,
including cattle grazing and farming for
dry land crops. Some of the land use
activities that the Applicants have
completed to further their land
stewardship goals and to increase
income from hunting and livestock
grazing include creating wildlife habitat
ponds for waterfowl, amphibians, game
species, and others; fencing existing
reservoirs and installing watering
troughs in order to exclude livestock
from the reservoirs to improve habitat
for waterfowl; maintaining and
monitoring wood duck nest boxes;
clearing decadent brush and reseeding
to annual clovers and perennial grasses
to provide wildlife food and cover;
planting grains and alfalfa for wildlife;
and holding annual Stewardship Days
in which neighbors, college students,
resource agency employees, and others
learn about sustainable ranch
management and wildlife habitat
improvement techniques, conduct
vegetation and wildlife monitoring, and
more.
Public Review and Comments
Individuals wishing copies of the
permit application, copies of our
preliminary Environmental Action
Statement, and/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.
If you wish to comment on the permit
application or the Agreement, you may
submit your comments to the address
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this
document. Comments and materials
received, including names and
addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review, by
appointment, during normal business
hours at the address in the ADDRESSES
section above and will become part of
the public record, pursuant to section
10(c) of the Act. Individual respondents
may request that we withhold their
home address from the record, which
we will honor to the extent allowable by
law. There also may be circumstances in
which we would withhold from the
record a respondent’s identity, as
allowable by law. 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
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
considered. All submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, are
available for public inspection in their
entirety.
We will evaluate this permit
application, associated documents, and
comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the permit
application meets the requirements of
section 10(a) of the Act and NEPA
regulations. If we determine that the
requirements are met, we will sign the
proposed Agreement and issue an
enhancement of survival permit under
section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act to the
Applicants for take of the CLRF and the
VELB incidental to otherwise lawful
activities in accordance with the terms
of the Agreement. We will not make our
final decision until after the end of the
30-day comment period and will fully
consider all comments received during
the comment period.
The Service provides this notice
pursuant to section 10(c) of the Act and
pursuant to implementing regulations
for NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: October 18, 2005.
Ken McDermond,
Deputy Manager, California/Nevada
Operations Office, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 05–21172 Filed 10–21–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
Request for Public Comments on
Extension of Existing Information
Collection Submitted to OMB for
Review Under the Paperwork
Reduction Act
A proposal extending information
collection described below has been
submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget for approval under the
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of the
proposed collection of information may
be obtained by contacting the Bureau’s
clearance officer at the phone number
listed below. OMB has up to 60 days to
approve or disapprove the information
collection but may respond after 30
days; therefore, public comments
should be submitted to OMB within 30
days in order to assure their maximum
consideration. Address your comments
and suggestions on the proposal by fax
(202) 395–6566 or e-mail
(oira_docket@omb.eop.gov) to the Office
of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget,
E:\FR\FM\24OCN1.SGM
24OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 204 (Monday, October 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61469-61470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21172]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of a Proposed Safe Harbor Agreement for the
California Red-Legged Frog and Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle for
the Burrows and Big Bluff Ranches in Tehama County, CA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; receipt of application.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the owners of the Burrows
Ranch and Big Bluff Ranch (Applicants) have applied to the Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973,
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (Act). The permit application
includes a proposed Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement) between the
Applicants and the Service for the threatened California red-legged
frog (CRLF, Rana aurora draytonii) and the valley elderberry longhorn
beetle (VELB, Desmocerus californicus dimorphus). The Agreement and
permit application are available for public comment.
DATES: Written comments should be received on or before November 23,
2005.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Catrina Martin, Fish and
Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage
Way, W-2605, Sacramento, California 95825. Written comments may be sent
by facsimile to (916) 414-6711.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Catrina Martin, Sacramento Fish
and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone: (916) 414-6600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Documents
You may obtain copies of the documents for review by contacting the
individual named above. You may also make an appointment to view the
documents at the above address during normal business hours.
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 as a result of their efforts to 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). We have worked with the
Applicants to develop the proposed Agreement for the conservation of
covered species on their Ranches in Tehama County, California.
This Agreement allows for management and conservation of the CRLF
and VELB (covered species) on 7,450 acres of private land, owned by the
Applicants in Tehama County, California. The proposed duration of the
Agreement is 15 years, and the proposed term of the enhancement of a
survival permit is 17 years. The permit would run the additional 2
years upon a determination by the Service that the actions identified
in the Agreement were implemented prior to its 15 year expiration. This
Agreement will allow the Applicants to return to baseline condition
after 15 years, if so desired by the Applicants.
The Applicants also will receive incidental take authorization,
should take of the covered species occur while conducting otherwise
lawful activities. While unlikely, it is possible that in the course of
normal activities, the Applicants could take a covered species. The
Agreement fully describes the proposed project, management actions, and
the conservation benefits that will be gained for the CRLF and the
VELB.
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). We explain
the basis
[[Page 61470]]
for this determination in an Environmental Action Statement, which is
also available for public review.
The presence of both CRLF and VELB on the enrolled properties is
uncertain at this time due to lack of detailed survey information. For
the purposes of the Agreement, the Service and Applicants have set the
baseline for CRLF and VELB as the habitat that existed on the ranches
prior to wetland creation activities. Therefore, the CRLF baseline is
18 reservoirs comprising approximately 45 acres. Sixteen of the
reservoirs occur on the Burrows Ranch and two on the Big Bluff Ranch.
For the VELB, the baseline is 65 naturally occurring elderberry bushes,
of which 39 occur on the Burrows Ranch and 25 occur on the Big Bluff
Ranch.
Under the Agreement, the Applicants would or have undertaken
activities to benefit the CRLF. The Applicants have fenced nine
existing reservoirs and six newly created ponds and installed watering
troughs in order to exclude livestock from the reservoirs. The
Applicants propose to: (1) Manage existing wetlands (through the use of
livestock or light equipment) to maintain open water and wetland
vegetation to benefit CRLF; (2) where practical and feasible for the
Applicants and where it does not interfere with the operation of the
Ranches, undertake bullfrog eradication efforts in ponds where
bullfrogs are present; and (3) where practical and feasible for the
Applicants and where it does not interfere with the operation of the
Ranches, fence additional reservoirs and newly created ponds to exclude
livestock. In addition to this, Burrows Ranch has created approximately
5.7 acres of ponds. These ponds were developed through a cooperative
agreement with the Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife program.
To benefit the VELB the Applicants propose to: (1) Manage
vegetation and activity around the elderberry plants following the most
current guidelines and measures developed and approved by the Service;
(2) allow for recruitment of elderberry plants within riparian areas
near existing elderberry plant communities by allowing all newly
established elderberry plants within 50 feet of existing elderberry
plants to grow and mature; and (3) work with the Service to identify
suitable habitat areas and once funding is secured, plant elderberry
bushes in areas amenable to the Applicants.
Under the Agreement, consistent with the Service's Safe Harbor
Policy published in the Federal Register on June 17, 1999 (64 FR
32717), the Service would issue a permit to the Applicants authorizing
incidental take as a result of normal land management activities on the
Ranches' 7,450 acres. The properties subject to this Agreement range in
elevation from approximately 800 feet to 1,760 feet and have
traditionally been used for agricultural production, including cattle
grazing and farming for dry land crops. Some of the land use activities
that the Applicants have completed to further their land stewardship
goals and to increase income from hunting and livestock grazing include
creating wildlife habitat ponds for waterfowl, amphibians, game
species, and others; fencing existing reservoirs and installing
watering troughs in order to exclude livestock from the reservoirs to
improve habitat for waterfowl; maintaining and monitoring wood duck
nest boxes; clearing decadent brush and reseeding to annual clovers and
perennial grasses to provide wildlife food and cover; planting grains
and alfalfa for wildlife; and holding annual Stewardship Days in which
neighbors, college students, resource agency employees, and others
learn about sustainable ranch management and wildlife habitat
improvement techniques, conduct vegetation and wildlife monitoring, and
more.
Public Review and Comments
Individuals wishing copies of the permit application, copies of our
preliminary Environmental Action Statement, and/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.
If you wish to comment on the permit application or the Agreement,
you may submit your comments to the address listed in the ADDRESSES
section of this document. Comments and materials received, including
names and addresses of respondents, will be available for public
review, by appointment, during normal business hours at the address in
the ADDRESSES section above and will become part of the public record,
pursuant to section 10(c) of the Act. Individual respondents may
request that we withhold their home address from the record, which we
will honor to the extent allowable by law. There also may be
circumstances in which we would withhold from the record a respondent's
identity, as allowable by law. 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, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses, are available for public inspection in their entirety.
We will evaluate this permit application, associated documents, and
comments submitted thereon to determine whether the permit application
meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the Act and NEPA
regulations. If we determine that the requirements are met, we will
sign the proposed Agreement and issue an enhancement of survival permit
under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act to the Applicants for take of the
CLRF and the VELB incidental to otherwise lawful activities in
accordance with the terms of the Agreement. We will not make our final
decision until after the end of the 30-day comment period and will
fully consider all comments received during the comment period.
The Service provides this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the
Act and pursuant to implementing regulations for NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: October 18, 2005.
Ken McDermond,
Deputy Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Sacramento,
California.
[FR Doc. 05-21172 Filed 10-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
