Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Scoping and to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Related to the City of Kent, Washington (WA), Clark Springs Water Supply System Habitat Conservation Plan, 35286-35288 [06-5487]
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35286
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 117 / Monday, June 19, 2006 / Notices
1306; telephone: 505–248–6821; e-mail:
carolltorrez@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge is
located in Colfax County, in
northeastern New Mexico. This 3,699
acre refuge is comprised of 2,300 acres
of grassland; 907 acres of lakes (which
are leased from Vermejo Conservancy
District); 50 acres of wetlands; 39 acres
of woodlots; 440 acres of croplands;
several miles of irrigation canals; and 10
acres of administrative lands. It was
established on August 24, 1965 by the
authority of the Migratory Bird
Conservation Act of 1929 (16 U.S.C.
712d) ‘‘* * * for use as an inviolate
sanctuary, or any other management
purpose, for migratory birds.’’ The
refuge provides important habitat for
numerous migratory waterfowl and
neotropical bird species, as well as other
resident wildlife.
The National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966, as amended
by the National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C.
668dd-668ee et seq.), requires the
Service to develop a CCP for each
national wildlife refuge. The purpose of
developing CCPs is to provide refuge
managers with a 15-year strategy for
achieving refuge purposes and
contributing toward the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System,
consistent with sound principles of fish
and wildlife science, conservation, legal
mandates, and Service policies. In
addition to outlining broad management
direction on conserving wildlife and
their habitats, the CCPs identify
wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities available to the public,
including opportunities for hunting,
fishing, wildlife observation and
photography, and environmental
education and interpretation. These
CCPs will be reviewed and updated at
least every 15 years in accordance with
the National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966, as amended
by the National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act of 1997, and the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969.
The availability of Maxwell NWR’s
Draft CCP and Environmental
Assessment (EA) for a 60-day public
review and comment period was
announced in the Federal Register on
December 23, 2005 (70 FR 76323). The
Draft CCP/EA identified and evaluated
three alternatives for managing the
refuge for the next 15 years. Alternative
A, the No Action Alternative, would
have continued current management of
the refuge. Alterative B, the Preferred
Alternative, would implement a variety
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of management activities (farming,
prescribed burning, experimental
grazing, and mechanical and chemical
invasive species control methods) to
improve habitat and benefit a wide
variety of wildlife species that use the
refuge. Alternative C proposes to
manage Maxwell NWR as part of a
complex with Las Vegas NWR and turn
all farming efforts over to cooperative
farmers. Based on this assessment and
comments received, the Preferred
Alternative (Alternative B) was selected
for implementation. This alternative
was selected because it best meets the
purposes and goals of the refuge, as well
as the goals of the National Wildlife
Refuge System. Management of the
refuge for the next 15 years will focus
on farming to provide food for migrating
and wintering waterfowl, encouraging
ecological integrity, promoting native
prairie restoration, controlling invasive
plant species, and enhancing habitat for
grassland birds and other resident
wildlife. Opportunities for wildlifedependent activities such as
observation, photography,
environmental education, and
interpretation will be enhanced.
Partnerships with county, state, and
Federal agencies, private landowners,
and conservation groups will also
enable the refuge to achieve its goals
and objectives, minimize costs, and
bridge relationships with others.
Dated: April 14, 2006.
Geoffrey L. Haskett,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[FR Doc. E6–9569 Filed 6–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 051906E]
Notice of Intent to Conduct Public
Scoping and to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement
Related to the City of Kent,
Washington (WA), Clark Springs Water
Supply System Habitat Conservation
Plan
Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS), Interior; National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS), National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; scoping meetings.
AGENCY:
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (Services) advise
interested parties of their intent to
conduct public scoping under the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) to gather information to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) related to a permit application
from the City of Kent, WA, for the
incidental take of listed species. The
permit application would be associated
with the Clark Springs Water Supply
System Habitat Conservation Plan, in
Rock Creek, near Kent, WA.
DATES: The public scoping meeting will
be held on June 29, 2006, from 6—8
p.m.. in Kent, WA.
Written comments should be received
on or before August 3, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting
will be held in the Kent City Hall
Council Chambers, 220 Fourth Avenue
South, Kent, WA 98032.
All comments concerning the
preparation of the EIS and the NEPA
process should be addressed to: Tim
Romanski, FWS, 510 Desmond Drive
SE, Suite 102, Lacey, WA 98503–1263,
facsimile (360)753–9518, or John
Stadler, NMFS, 510 Desmond Drive SE,
Suite 103, Lacey, WA 98503–1273,
facsimile (360)753–9517. Comments
may be submitted by e-mail to the
following address:
KentHCP.nwr@noaa.gov. In the subject
line of the e-mail, include the document
identifier: The City of Kent HCP - EIS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim
Romanski, FWS (360)753–5823; or John
Stadler, NMFS (360)753–9576.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Statutory Authority
Section 9 of the Endangered Species
Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1538) and
implementing regulations prohibit the
taking of animal species listed as
endangered or threatened. The term
‘‘take’’ is defined under the ESA (16
U.S.C. 1532(19)) as to harass, harm,
pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap,
capture, or collect, or to attempt to
engage in any such conduct. ‘‘Harm’’ is
defined by FWS regulation to include
significant habitat modification or
degradation where it actually kills or
injures wildlife by significantly
impairing essential behavioral patterns,
including breeding, feeding, and
sheltering (50 CFR 17.3). NMFS’
definition of ‘‘harm’’ includes
significant habitat modification or
degradation where it actually kills or
injures fish or wildlife by significantly
impairing essential behavioral patterns,
including breeding, feeding, spawning,
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 117 / Monday, June 19, 2006 / Notices
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migrating, rearing, and sheltering (64 FR
60727, November 8, 1999).
Section 10 of the ESA and
implementing regulations specify
requirements for the issuance of
incidental take permits (ITPs) to nonFederal landowners for the take of
endangered and threatened species. Any
proposed take must be incidental to
otherwise lawful activities, not
appreciably reduce the likelihood of the
survival and recovery of the species in
the wild, and minimize and mitigate the
impacts of such take to the maximum
extent practicable. In addition, the
applicant must prepare a habitat
conservation plan (HCP) describing the
impact that will likely result from such
taking, the strategy for minimizing and
mitigating the take, the funding
available to implement such steps,
alternatives to such taking, and the
reason such alternatives are not being
implemented.
NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) requires
that Federal agencies conduct an
environmental analysis of their
proposed actions to determine if the
actions may significantly affect the
human environment. Under NEPA, a
reasonable range of alternatives to
proposed projects is developed and
considered in the Services’
environmental review. Alternatives
considered for analysis in an EIS may
include: variations in the scope of
covered activities; variations in the
location, amount, and type of
conservation; variations in permit
duration; or a combination of these
elements. In addition, the EIS will
identify potentially significant direct,
indirect, and cumulative impacts on
biological resources, land use, air
quality, water quality, water resources,
socioeconomics, and other
environmental issues that could occur
with the implementation of the
applicant’s proposed actions and
alternatives. For potentially significant
impacts, an EIS may identify avoidance,
minimization, or mitigation measures to
reduce these impacts, where feasible, to
a level below significance.
Background
An EIS for the City of Kent Clark
Springs HCP would analyze the
potential issuance of two ITPs, one by
NMFS and one by the FWS. To obtain
an ITP, the applicant must prepare an
HCP that meets the issuance criteria
established by the ESA and Service
regulations (50 CFR 17.22(b)(2),
17.32(b)(2), and 222.307). Should a
permit or permits be issued, the
permit(s) may include assurances under
the Services’ ‘‘No Surprises’’
regulations.
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16:46 Jun 16, 2006
Jkt 208001
The City of Kent is located in South
King County and is a municipality of
approximately 85,000 residents with
approximately 60,000 people within the
City’s water service area. The City’s
Clark Springs Water Supply System is
located along Rock Creek, located east of
Maple Valley. The Clark Springs Water
Supply System serves as the City’s
primary source of water, and provides
up to 65 percent of the City’s total water
supply. This water supply allows the
City to meet the demands of the City’s
industrial, commercial, residential and
domestic water users, and for meeting
the economic and human health, fire,
and life safety requirements of the
citizens and businesses in the area.
The City is seeking ITPs from the
Services that would provide ESA
regulatory certainty for the Clark
Springs water supply operations and
maintenance activities, which consists
of an infiltration gallery system and
several wells located adjacent to Rock
Creek, that are sited 1.9 miles upstream
of the creek’s confluence with the Cedar
River. The facility is within a 320–acre
City-owned watershed geographically
separated from the City proper.
The proposed HCP and ITPs would
cover incidental take associated with
the operation and maintenance of its
Clark Springs Water Supply System,
including: (1) water withdrawals
consistent with water rights for the
Clark Springs System; (2) maintenance
of 320 acres of City-owned property and
water facilities related to the use and
protection of water supplies, including
but not limited to, replacement or
upgrading of facilities and infrastructure
as needed, vegetation management, and
additional treatment facilities as
required; and (3) operation and
maintenance of a water augmentation
system for the enhancement of instream
flows.
Species for which the City seeks ITP
coverage include nine species of fish.
Two of these species, Puget Sound
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha) and bull trout (Salvelinus
confluentus), are currently listed as
threatened under the ESA, and one
species, Puget Sound steelhead (O.
mykiss), has been proposed for listing as
threatened under the ESA. The
remaining six species are not listed, or
proposed for listing, under the ESA, and
include coho salmon (O. kisutch), chum
salmon (O. keta), sockeye salmon (O.
nerka), coastal cutthroat trout (O. clarki
clarki), Pacific lamprey (Lampetra
tridentate) and river lamprey (L. ayresi).
Each of these species may be affected by
the City’s water withdrawal activities at
the Clark Springs facility in the Rock
Creek Watershed.
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35287
The draft HCP, to be prepared by the
City in support of the ITP applications,
will describe the impacts of take on
proposed covered species, and will
propose a conservation strategy to
minimize and mitigate those impacts to
the maximum extent practicable. The
City will develop habitat conservation
measures for fish and their associated
habitat, with assistance from the
Services.
The City is currently considering the
following conservation measures as part
of the HCP: (1) Flow mitigation during
the critical low flow period of October,
November, and December; (2) improving
fish passage in Rock Creek downstream
of the Clark Springs Facility; (3)
improving juvenile salmonid habitat by
enhancing wetland areas and placement
of large woody debris; and (4) creating
a fund for riparian area protection and
enhancement opportunities in the Rock
Creek Basin, which may include, but
not be limited to, property acquisitions
and easements. The City is proposing to
implement these conservation measures
for the duration of the HCP and term of
the ITPs. Implementation of the HCP
would include monitoring compliance
and regular reporting to the Services.
Under NEPA, a reasonable range of
alternatives to a proposed project must
be developed and considered in the
Services’ environmental review. At a
minimum, the alternatives developed
must include: (1) a No Action
alternative; and (2) the Proposed Action,
with thorough descriptions of its
management features and anticipated
resource conservation benefits and
potential impacts. The Services are
currently developing alternatives for
analysis, which will consider public
input received during scoping and
development of the EIS. The alternatives
considered for analysis in this EIS may
include: (1) variations in the scope of
covered activities; (2) variations in the
location, amount, and type of
conservation; (3) variations in permit
duration; or (4) a combination of these
elements.
Request for Comments
The primary purpose of the scoping
process is for the public to assist the
Services in developing the EIS by
identifying important issues and
alternatives related to the applicant’s
proposed action. The scoping workshop
will allocate time for presentations by
the Services and the City, followed by
informal questions and discussions.
Written comments from interested
parties are welcome to ensure that the
full range of issues related to the
proposed permit request are identified.
All comments and materials received,
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35288
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 117 / Monday, June 19, 2006 / Notices
including names and addresses, will
become part of the administrative record
and may be released to the public.
Comments and materials received will
be available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business
hours at the offices listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice.
The Services request that comments
be specific. In particular, we request
information regarding: direct, indirect,
and cumulative impacts that
implementation of the proposed HCP or
other alternatives could have on
endangered and threatened and other
covered species, and their communities
and habitats; other possible alternatives
that meet the purpose and need of the
proposed HCP; potential adaptive
management and/or monitoring
provisions; funding issues; existing
environmental conditions in the plan
area; other plans or projects that might
be relevant to this proposed project;
permit duration; maximum acreage that
should be covered; specific species that
should or should not be covered;
specific landforms that should or should
not be covered; and minimization and
mitigation efforts. NMFS and FWS
estimate that the draft EIS will be
available for public review in the
summer of 2006.
The environmental review of this
project will be conducted in accordance
with the requirements of the NEPA of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.), Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 1508),
other applicable Federal laws and
regulations, and applicable policies and
procedures of the Services. This notice
is being furnished in accordance with
40 CFR 1501.7 of the NEPA regulations
to obtain suggestions and information
from other agencies and the public on
the scope of issues and alternatives to be
addressed in the EIS.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Reasonable Accommodation
Persons needing reasonable
accommodations to attend and
participate in the public meeting should
contact Tim Romanski or John Stadler
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
To allow sufficient time to process
requests, please call no later than June
22, 2006. Information regarding the
applicant’s proposed action is available
in alternative formats upon request.
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16:46 Jun 16, 2006
Jkt 208001
Dated: June 12, 2006.
Theresa E, Rabot,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, Fish and
Wildlife Service, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
Dated: June 12, 2006.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office
of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06–5487 Filed 6–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–S and 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Call for Nominations for Northwest
Colorado Resource Advisory Council
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Resource Advisory
Council call for nominations in
Northwest Colorado.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is
to request public nominations for the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory
Council (RAC) specifically in ‘‘Category
2,’’ which includes representatives of
nationally or regionally recognized
environmental organizations,
archaeological and historic
organizations, dispersed recreation
users, and wild horse and burro
organizations. The RAC provides advice
and recommendations to BLM on land
use planning and management of the
public lands within northwestern
Colorado. The BLM will consider public
nominations for 30 days after the
publication date of this notice.
DATES: Send all nominations to the
address below no later than July 19,
2006.
ADDRESSES: David Boyd, Glenwood
Springs Field Office, BLM, 50629
Highways 6 and 24, Glenwood Springs,
Colorado 81601. Phone: (970) 947–2800.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1730, et seq.)
directs the Secretary of the Interior to
involve the public in planning and
issues related to management of lands
administered by BLM. Section 309 of
FLPMA directs the Secretary to
establish advisory councils, with 10 to
15 members each, that are consistent
with the requirements of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (FACA). As
required by the FACA, RAC
membership must be balanced and
representative of the various interests
concerned with the management of the
public lands. The rules governing RACs
are found at 43 CFR subpart 1784.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Individuals may nominate themselves
or others. Nominees must be residents
of the State or States in which the RAC
has jurisdiction. The BLM will evaluate
nominees based on their education,
training, and experience and their
knowledge of the geographical area of
the RAC. Nominees should demonstrate
a commitment to collaborative resource
decisionmaking. The following must
accompany all nominations:
—Letters of reference from represented
interests or organizations,
—A completed background information
nomination form,
—Any other information that speaks to
the nominee’s qualifications.
Simultaneous with this notice, the
BLM Glenwood Springs Field Office
will issue a press release providing
additional information for submitting
nominations.
Dated: April 24, 2006.
Jamie Connell,
Designated Federal Officer, Northwest RAC,
Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. E6–9524 Filed 6–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[MT–921–1320–EM; NDM 95104]
Request for Public Comment on
Environmental Analysis, Fair Market
Value, and Maximum Economic
Recovery; Coal Lease Application—
NDM 95104; BNI Coal, Ltd.
Bureau of Land Management,
Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land
Management announces the availability
of the Environmental Assessment (EA)
for the BNI Coal, Ltd.’s (BNI) Federal
Coal Lease Application NDM 95104 and
requests public comment on the
associated Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI), Fair Market Value
(FMV), and Maximum Economic
Recovery (MER) of the coal resources
subject to the lease application.
The land included in Coal Lease
Application NDM 95104 is adjacent to
BNI’s Center Mine, located in Oliver
County, North Dakota, and is described
as follows:
T. 142 N., R. 84 W., 5th P. M.
Sec. 28: W1⁄2.
320.00 acres.
The EA addresses the cultural,
socioeconomic, environmental and
cumulative impacts that would likely
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19JNN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 117 (Monday, June 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35286-35288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5487]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 051906E]
Notice of Intent to Conduct Public Scoping and to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement Related to the City of Kent, Washington
(WA), Clark Springs Water Supply System Habitat Conservation Plan
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Interior; National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; scoping meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (Services) advise interested parties of their intent
to conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) to gather information to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) related to a permit application from the City of Kent,
WA, for the incidental take of listed species. The permit application
would be associated with the Clark Springs Water Supply System Habitat
Conservation Plan, in Rock Creek, near Kent, WA.
DATES: The public scoping meeting will be held on June 29, 2006, from
6--8 p.m.. in Kent, WA.
Written comments should be received on or before August 3, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held in the Kent City
Hall Council Chambers, 220 Fourth Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032.
All comments concerning the preparation of the EIS and the NEPA
process should be addressed to: Tim Romanski, FWS, 510 Desmond Drive
SE, Suite 102, Lacey, WA 98503-1263, facsimile (360)753-9518, or John
Stadler, NMFS, 510 Desmond Drive SE, Suite 103, Lacey, WA 98503-1273,
facsimile (360)753-9517. Comments may be submitted by e-mail to the
following address: KentHCP.nwr@noaa.gov. In the subject line of the e-
mail, include the document identifier: The City of Kent HCP - EIS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Romanski, FWS (360)753-5823; or
John Stadler, NMFS (360)753-9576.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Statutory Authority
Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1538) and
implementing regulations prohibit the taking of animal species listed
as endangered or threatened. The term ``take'' is defined under the ESA
(16 U.S.C. 1532(19)) as to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound,
kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such
conduct. ``Harm'' is defined by FWS regulation to include significant
habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures
wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns,
including breeding, feeding, and sheltering (50 CFR 17.3). NMFS'
definition of ``harm'' includes significant habitat modification or
degradation where it actually kills or injures fish or wildlife by
significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including
breeding, feeding, spawning,
[[Page 35287]]
migrating, rearing, and sheltering (64 FR 60727, November 8, 1999).
Section 10 of the ESA and implementing regulations specify
requirements for the issuance of incidental take permits (ITPs) to non-
Federal landowners for the take of endangered and threatened species.
Any proposed take must be incidental to otherwise lawful activities,
not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival and recovery of
the species in the wild, and minimize and mitigate the impacts of such
take to the maximum extent practicable. In addition, the applicant must
prepare a habitat conservation plan (HCP) describing the impact that
will likely result from such taking, the strategy for minimizing and
mitigating the take, the funding available to implement such steps,
alternatives to such taking, and the reason such alternatives are not
being implemented.
NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) requires that Federal agencies
conduct an environmental analysis of their proposed actions to
determine if the actions may significantly affect the human
environment. Under NEPA, a reasonable range of alternatives to proposed
projects is developed and considered in the Services' environmental
review. Alternatives considered for analysis in an EIS may include:
variations in the scope of covered activities; variations in the
location, amount, and type of conservation; variations in permit
duration; or a combination of these elements. In addition, the EIS will
identify potentially significant direct, indirect, and cumulative
impacts on biological resources, land use, air quality, water quality,
water resources, socioeconomics, and other environmental issues that
could occur with the implementation of the applicant's proposed actions
and alternatives. For potentially significant impacts, an EIS may
identify avoidance, minimization, or mitigation measures to reduce
these impacts, where feasible, to a level below significance.
Background
An EIS for the City of Kent Clark Springs HCP would analyze the
potential issuance of two ITPs, one by NMFS and one by the FWS. To
obtain an ITP, the applicant must prepare an HCP that meets the
issuance criteria established by the ESA and Service regulations (50
CFR 17.22(b)(2), 17.32(b)(2), and 222.307). Should a permit or permits
be issued, the permit(s) may include assurances under the Services'
``No Surprises'' regulations.
The City of Kent is located in South King County and is a
municipality of approximately 85,000 residents with approximately
60,000 people within the City's water service area. The City's Clark
Springs Water Supply System is located along Rock Creek, located east
of Maple Valley. The Clark Springs Water Supply System serves as the
City's primary source of water, and provides up to 65 percent of the
City's total water supply. This water supply allows the City to meet
the demands of the City's industrial, commercial, residential and
domestic water users, and for meeting the economic and human health,
fire, and life safety requirements of the citizens and businesses in
the area.
The City is seeking ITPs from the Services that would provide ESA
regulatory certainty for the Clark Springs water supply operations and
maintenance activities, which consists of an infiltration gallery
system and several wells located adjacent to Rock Creek, that are sited
1.9 miles upstream of the creek's confluence with the Cedar River. The
facility is within a 320-acre City-owned watershed geographically
separated from the City proper.
The proposed HCP and ITPs would cover incidental take associated
with the operation and maintenance of its Clark Springs Water Supply
System, including: (1) water withdrawals consistent with water rights
for the Clark Springs System; (2) maintenance of 320 acres of City-
owned property and water facilities related to the use and protection
of water supplies, including but not limited to, replacement or
upgrading of facilities and infrastructure as needed, vegetation
management, and additional treatment facilities as required; and (3)
operation and maintenance of a water augmentation system for the
enhancement of instream flows.
Species for which the City seeks ITP coverage include nine species
of fish. Two of these species, Puget Sound Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), are currently
listed as threatened under the ESA, and one species, Puget Sound
steelhead (O. mykiss), has been proposed for listing as threatened
under the ESA. The remaining six species are not listed, or proposed
for listing, under the ESA, and include coho salmon (O. kisutch), chum
salmon (O. keta), sockeye salmon (O. nerka), coastal cutthroat trout
(O. clarki clarki), Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentate) and river
lamprey (L. ayresi). Each of these species may be affected by the
City's water withdrawal activities at the Clark Springs facility in the
Rock Creek Watershed.
The draft HCP, to be prepared by the City in support of the ITP
applications, will describe the impacts of take on proposed covered
species, and will propose a conservation strategy to minimize and
mitigate those impacts to the maximum extent practicable. The City will
develop habitat conservation measures for fish and their associated
habitat, with assistance from the Services.
The City is currently considering the following conservation
measures as part of the HCP: (1) Flow mitigation during the critical
low flow period of October, November, and December; (2) improving fish
passage in Rock Creek downstream of the Clark Springs Facility; (3)
improving juvenile salmonid habitat by enhancing wetland areas and
placement of large woody debris; and (4) creating a fund for riparian
area protection and enhancement opportunities in the Rock Creek Basin,
which may include, but not be limited to, property acquisitions and
easements. The City is proposing to implement these conservation
measures for the duration of the HCP and term of the ITPs.
Implementation of the HCP would include monitoring compliance and
regular reporting to the Services.
Under NEPA, a reasonable range of alternatives to a proposed
project must be developed and considered in the Services' environmental
review. At a minimum, the alternatives developed must include: (1) a No
Action alternative; and (2) the Proposed Action, with thorough
descriptions of its management features and anticipated resource
conservation benefits and potential impacts. The Services are currently
developing alternatives for analysis, which will consider public input
received during scoping and development of the EIS. The alternatives
considered for analysis in this EIS may include: (1) variations in the
scope of covered activities; (2) variations in the location, amount,
and type of conservation; (3) variations in permit duration; or (4) a
combination of these elements.
Request for Comments
The primary purpose of the scoping process is for the public to
assist the Services in developing the EIS by identifying important
issues and alternatives related to the applicant's proposed action. The
scoping workshop will allocate time for presentations by the Services
and the City, followed by informal questions and discussions.
Written comments from interested parties are welcome to ensure that
the full range of issues related to the proposed permit request are
identified. All comments and materials received,
[[Page 35288]]
including names and addresses, will become part of the administrative
record and may be released to the public.
Comments and materials received will be available for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the offices
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
The Services request that comments be specific. In particular, we
request information regarding: direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts
that implementation of the proposed HCP or other alternatives could
have on endangered and threatened and other covered species, and their
communities and habitats; other possible alternatives that meet the
purpose and need of the proposed HCP; potential adaptive management
and/or monitoring provisions; funding issues; existing environmental
conditions in the plan area; other plans or projects that might be
relevant to this proposed project; permit duration; maximum acreage
that should be covered; specific species that should or should not be
covered; specific landforms that should or should not be covered; and
minimization and mitigation efforts. NMFS and FWS estimate that the
draft EIS will be available for public review in the summer of 2006.
The environmental review of this project will be conducted in
accordance with the requirements of the NEPA of 1969, as amended (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40
CFR parts 1500 1508), other applicable Federal laws and regulations,
and applicable policies and procedures of the Services. This notice is
being furnished in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.7 of the NEPA
regulations to obtain suggestions and information from other agencies
and the public on the scope of issues and alternatives to be addressed
in the EIS.
Reasonable Accommodation
Persons needing reasonable accommodations to attend and participate
in the public meeting should contact Tim Romanski or John Stadler (see
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). To allow sufficient time to process
requests, please call no later than June 22, 2006. Information
regarding the applicant's proposed action is available in alternative
formats upon request.
Dated: June 12, 2006.
Theresa E, Rabot,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1,
Portland, Oregon.
Dated: June 12, 2006.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-5487 Filed 6-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-S and 3510-22-S
