Receipt of Application for Incidental Take Permit for One Single-Family Residence in Escambia County, Florida, 48939-48941 [E6-13827]
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48939
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 162 / Tuesday, August 22, 2006 / Notices
hearing is at the discretion of the
Director.
Applicant: Warren A. Sackman, Sands
Point, NY, PRT–125872.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Viscount Melville
Sound polar bear population in Canada
for personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: MaryAnn Sackman, Sands
Point, NY, PRT–125869.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Viscount Melville
Sound polar bear population in Canada
for personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: John H. Babin, Media, PA,
PRT–127255.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Lancaster Sound
polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: Paul Hostetler, Nokomis,
FL, PRT–127336.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Lancaster Sound
polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: Kerry Clary, Gasburg, VA,
PRT–127272.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Lancaster Sound
polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: Douglas Jayo, Boise, ID,
PRT–127274.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Lancaster Sound
polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: Don Sitton, Orange, TX,
PRT–77632.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Lancaster Sound
polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: Gary F. Silc, Ronwood, MI,
PRT–127693.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Lancaster Sound
polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: Kent Fagen, Labose, LA,
PRT–127905.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Lancaster Sound
polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: John Kirkland, Pacific
Palisades, CA, PRT–128206.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Northern Beaufort
Sea polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: Jerry G. Scolari, Reno, NV,
PRT–128377.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Lancaster Sound
polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Applicant: Donald J. Giottonini,
Stockton, CA, PRT–128617.
The applicant requests a permit to
import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
sport hunted from the Northern Beaufort
Sea polar bear population in Canada for
personal, noncommercial use.
Dated: July 28, 2006.
Michael L. Carpenter,
Senior Permit Biologist, Branch of Permits,
Division of Management Authority.
[FR Doc. E6–13813 Filed 8–21–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Issuance of Permits
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of issuance of permits for
marine mammals.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
The following permits were
issued.
Documents and other
information submitted with these
applications are available for review,
subject to the requirements of the
Privacy Act and Freedom of Information
Act, by any party who submits a written
request for a copy of such documents to:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division
of Management Authority, 4401 North
Fairfax Drive, Room 700, Arlington,
Virginia 22203; fax 703/358–2281.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Division of Management Authority,
telephone 703/358–2104.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given that on the dates below, as
authorized by the provisions of the
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the
Fish and Wildlife Service issued the
requested permits subject to certain
conditions set forth therein.
ADDRESSES:
MARINE MAMMALS
Permit
number
cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
119904
122061
122434
122690
124823
125919
........
........
........
........
........
........
Receipt of application
Federal Register notice
Applicant
The Alaska Zoo ..........................................................
Fred A. Pierce ............................................................
Evan S. Evanovich .....................................................
Kenneth A. Hubbard ..................................................
Frank J. Blaha ............................................................
Fred A. Pierce ............................................................
Dated: July 28, 2006.
Michael L. Carpenter,
Senior Permit Biologist, Branch of Permits,
Division of Management Authority.
[FR Doc. E6–13814 Filed 8–21–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
71
71
71
71
71
71
FR
FR
FR
FR
FR
FR
12214; March 9, 2006 ....................................
31198; June 1, 2006 .......................................
3119; June 1, 2006 .........................................
31197; June 1, 2006 .......................................
31197; June 1, 2006 .......................................
31198; June 1, 2006 .......................................
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Receipt of Application for Incidental
Take Permit for One Single-Family
Residence in Escambia County,
Florida
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:34 Aug 21, 2006
Jkt 208001
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Permit issuance
date
July
July
July
July
July
July
17,
18,
26,
11,
18,
20,
2006.
2006.
2006.
2006.
2006.
2006.
SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife
Service, announce the availability of an
application, environmental assessment
(EA), and Habitat Conservation Plan
(HCP) for the taking Perdido Key beach
mice (Peromyscus polionotus
trissyllepsis) incidental to construction,
and occupancy of a single-family
residence on Perdido Key in Escambia
County, Florida (Project). Mr. Norton
Bond (Applicant) requests an incidental
take permit (ITP) for a 30-year period
E:\FR\FM\22AUN1.SGM
22AUN1
cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
48940
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 162 / Tuesday, August 22, 2006 / Notices
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act),
as amended.
DATES: Written comments on the ITP
application and HCP should be sent to
the Service’s Regional Office (see
ADDRESSES) and should be received on
or before October 23, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review
the application, EA, and HCP may
obtain a copy by writing the Service’s
Southeast Regional Office, Atlanta,
Georgia. Please reference permit number
TE–126078–0 in such requests.
Documents will also be available for
public inspection by appointment
during normal business hours at the
Regional Office, 1875 Century
Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia
30345 (Attn: Endangered Species
Permits); or Field Supervisor, Fish and
Wildlife Service, 1601 Balboa Avenue,
Panama City, Florida 32405.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Aaron Valenta, Regional HCP
Coordinator (see ADDRESSES above),
telephone: 404/679–4144; or Ms. Sandra
Sneckenberger, Field Office Project
Manager, at the Panama City Field
Office (see ADDRESSES), or at 850/769–
0552, ext. 239.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We
announce the availability of an ITP
application, HCP, and EA. The EA is an
assessment of the likely environmental
impacts associated with this Project.
Copies of these documents may be
obtained by making a request, in
writing, to the Regional Office (see
ADDRESSES). This notice is provided
under section 10 of the Act (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) and National
Environmental Policy Act regulations at
40 CFR 1506.6. The Applicant’s HCP
describes the mitigation and
minimization measures proposed to
address the effects of the Project to the
Perdido Key beach mouse.
We specifically request information,
views, and opinions from the public via
this notice on the Federal action,
including the identification of any other
aspects of the human environment not
already identified in the EA. Further, we
specifically solicit information
regarding the adequacy of the HCP as
measured against our ITP issuance
criteria found in 50 CFR parts 13 and
17.
If you wish to comment, you may
submit comments by any one of several
methods. Please reference permit
number TE–126078–0 in such
comments. You may mail comments to
the Service’s Regional Office (see
ADDRESSES). You may also comment via
the internet to aaron_valenta@fws.gov.
Please include your name and return
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:34 Aug 21, 2006
Jkt 208001
address in your internet message. If you
do not receive a confirmation from us
that we have received your internet
message, contact us directly at either
telephone number listed below (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Finally, you may hand-deliver
comments to either Service office listed
below (see ADDRESSES). 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
administrative record. We will honor
such requests to the extent allowable by
law. There may also be other
circumstances in which we would
withhold from the administrative record
a respondent’s identity, as allowable by
law. If you wish us to withhold your
name and address, you must state this
prominently at the beginning of your
comments. We will not, however,
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.
The area encompassed under the ITP
includes a 1.05-acre parcel along the
beachfront of the Gulf of Mexico. The
project is located on the western portion
of Perdido Key, a 16.9-mile barrier
island. Perdido Key constitutes the
entire historic range of the Perdido Key
beach mouse.
The Perdido Key beach mouse was
listed as an endangered species under
the Act on June 6, 1985 (50 FR 23872).
The Perdido Key beach mouse is also
listed as an endangered species by the
State of Florida. Critical habitat was
designated for the Perdido Key beach
mouse at the time of listing (50 FR
23872). On December 15, 2005, we
published a proposed revision of critical
habitat for the Perdido Key beach mouse
and Choctawhatchee beach mouse, and
a proposed critical habitat designation
for the St. Andrew beach mouse (70 FR
74426).
The Perdido Key beach mouse is one
of eight species of the old field mouse
that occupy coastal rather than inland
areas and are referred to as beach mice.
It is one of five subspecies of beach mice
endemic to the gulf coast of Alabama
and northwestern Florida. Two other
extant subspecies of beach mouse and
one extinct subspecies are known from
the Atlantic coast of Florida. As do
other beach mouse subspecies, Perdido
Key beach mice spend their entire lives
within the coastal beach and dune
ecosystem.
PO 00000
Frm 00034
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Beach mouse habitat consists of a mix
of interconnected habitats, including
primary, secondary, and scrub dunes
including interdunal areas. Beach mice
are nocturnal and dig burrows within
the dune system where vegetation
provides cover. They forage for food
throughout the dune system, feeding
primarily on seeds and fruits of dune
plants, including bluestem
(Schizachyrium maritimum), sea oats
(Uniola paniculata), and evening
primrose (Oenothera humifusa). Insects
are also an important part of their diet.
Beach mice along the gulf coasts of
Florida and Alabama generally live
about 9 months and become mature
between 25 and 35 days. Beach mice are
monogamous, pairing for life. Gestation
averages 24 days and the average litter
size is three to four pups. Peak breeding
season for beach mice is in autumn and
winter, declining in spring, and falling
to low levels in summer. In essence,
mature female beach mice can produce
a litter every month and live about 8
months.
Several subspecies of beach mice have
been listed as endangered species,
primarily because of the fragmentation,
adverse alteration, and loss of habitat
due to coastal development. The threat
of development-related habitat loss
continues to increase. Other
contributing factors include low
population numbers, habitat loss from a
variety of reasons (including
hurricanes), predation or competition by
animals related to human development
(cats and house mice), and the existing
strength or lack of regulations regarding
coastal development.
The EA considers the environmental
consequences of two alternatives and
the proposed action. The proposed
action alternative is issuance of the ITP
and implementation of the HCP as
submitted by the Applicants. The HCP
will provide for: (1) Minimizing the
footprint of the development; (2)
restoring, preserving, and maintaining
onsite beach mouse habitat at the
project site; (3) incorporating
requirements in the operation of the
residence that provide for the
conservation of the beach mouse; (4)
monitoring the status of the beach
mouse at the project site postconstruction; (5) donating funds
initially and on an annual basis to
Perdido Key beach mouse conservation
efforts; (6) including conservation
measures to protect nesting sea turtles
and non-breeding piping plover; and (7)
funding the mitigation measures.
We will evaluate the HCP and
comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the application
meets the requirements of section 10(a)
E:\FR\FM\22AUN1.SGM
22AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 162 / Tuesday, August 22, 2006 / Notices
of the Act. If it is determined that those
requirements are met, the ITP will be
issued for the incidental take of the
Perdido Key beach mouse. We will also
evaluate whether issuance of the section
10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with section 7
of the Endangered Species Act by
conducting an intra-Service section 7
consultation. The results of this
consultation, in combination with the
above findings, will be used in the final
analysis to determine whether or not to
issue the ITP.
Dated: August 8, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E6–13827 Filed 8–21–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CO–03–840–1610–241A]
planning issues and management
concerns, and other issues as
appropriate.
The meetings are open to the public
and include a time set aside for public
comment. Interested persons may make
oral statements at the meeting or submit
written statements at any meeting. Perperson time limits for oral statements
may be set to allow all interested
persons an opportunity to speak.
Summary minutes of all Committee
meetings will be maintained at the
Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores,
Colorado. They are available for public
inspection and reproduction during
regular business hours within thirty (30)
days of the meeting. In addition,
minutes and other information
concerning the Committee can be
obtained from the Monument planning
Web site at: https://www.blm.gov/rmp/
canm which will be updated following
each Committee meeting.
Canyons of the Ancients National
Monument Advisory Committee
Meeting
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
Dated: August 15, 2006.
LouAnn Jacobson,
Monument Manager, Canyons of the Ancients
National Monument.
[FR Doc. E6–13830 Filed 8–21–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory
Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Canyons of
the Ancients National Monument
(Monument) Advisory Committee
(Committee), will meet as directed
below.
DATES: Meetings will be held September
28–29, 2006 and October 10, 2006 at the
Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores,
Colorado. Meetings will begin at 9 a.m.
each day. Two public comment periods
are planned for each day and will begin
at approximately 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The meeting will adjourn at
approximately 3:30 p.m. each day.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LouAnn Jacobson, Monument Manager
or Heather Musclow, Monument
Planner, Anasazi Heritage Center, 27501
Hwy 184, Dolores, Colorado 81323;
Telephone (970) 882–5600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
eleven member committee provides
counsel and advice to the Secretary of
the Interior, through the BLM,
concerning development and
implementation of a management plan
developed in accordance with FLMPA,
for public lands within the Monument.
At each meeting, topics we plan to
discuss include the planning schedule,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:34 Aug 21, 2006
Jkt 208001
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA–310–0777–XX]
Notice of Public Meeting: Northeast
California Resource Advisory Council
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA), and the Federal
Advisory Committee Act of 1972
(FACA), the U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) Northeast California Resource
Advisory Council will meet as indicated
below.
DATES: The meeting will be held
Thursday and Friday, Sept. 21 and 22,
2006, in the Conference Room of the
Bureau of Land Management Surprise
Field Office, 602 Cressler St., Cedarville,
Calif. On Sept. 21, the members will
convene at 10 a.m. and depart on a field
trip to public lands managed by the
Surprise Field Office. On Sept. 22, the
meeting begins at 8 a.m. Members of the
public are welcome to attend the tour
and meeting. Field tour participants
must provide their own transportation
and lunch. Time for public comment is
reserved for 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 22.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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48941
Tim
Burke, BLM Alturas Field Office
Manager, (530) 233–4666; or BLM
Public Affairs Officer Joseph J. Fontana,
(530) 252–5332.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 15member council advises the Secretary of
the Interior, through the BLM, on a
variety of planning and management
issues associated with public land
management in Northeast California and
the northwest corner of Nevada. At this
meeting, agenda topics will include a
report on public comments and
responses to draft resource management
plans for the Alturas, Eagle Lake and
Surprise field offices. Members will also
discuss a status report on development
of a management plan and
environmental impact statement for
sagebrush-steppe ecosystems, an update
on a rail banking proposal for the
abandoned Modoc Rail Line,
information on a proposal to develop a
wildlife water source in a wilderness
area and formation of a Recreation
Resource Advisory Council in
California. All meetings are open to the
public. Members of the public may
present written comments to the
council. Each formal council meeting
will have time allocated for public
comments. Depending on the number of
persons wishing to speak, and the time
available, the time for individual
comments may be limited. Members of
the public are welcome on field tours,
but they must provide their own
transportation and lunch. Individuals
who plan to attend and need special
assistance, such as sign language
interpretation and other reasonable
accommodations, should contact the
BLM as provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dated: August 11, 2006.
Joseph J. Fontana,
Public Affairs Officer.
[FR Doc. E6–13817 Filed 8–21–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION
[Investigation Nos. 731–TA–540 and 541
(Second Review)]
Certain Welded Stainless Steel Pipe
From Korea and Taiwan
Determination
On the basis of the record 1 developed
in the subject five-year reviews, the
United States International Trade
Commission (Commission) determines,
1 The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19
CFR 207.2(f)).
E:\FR\FM\22AUN1.SGM
22AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48939-48941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13827]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Receipt of Application for Incidental Take Permit for One Single-
Family Residence in Escambia County, Florida
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability
of an application, environmental assessment (EA), and Habitat
Conservation Plan (HCP) for the taking Perdido Key beach mice
(Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis) incidental to construction, and
occupancy of a single-family residence on Perdido Key in Escambia
County, Florida (Project). Mr. Norton Bond (Applicant) requests an
incidental take permit (ITP) for a 30-year period
[[Page 48940]]
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973
(Act), as amended.
DATES: Written comments on the ITP application and HCP should be sent
to the Service's Regional Office (see ADDRESSES) and should be received
on or before October 23, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the application, EA, and HCP may
obtain a copy by writing the Service's Southeast Regional Office,
Atlanta, Georgia. Please reference permit number TE-126078-0 in such
requests. Documents will also be available for public inspection by
appointment during normal business hours at the Regional Office, 1875
Century Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia 30345 (Attn: Endangered
Species Permits); or Field Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1601
Balboa Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32405.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Aaron Valenta, Regional HCP
Coordinator (see ADDRESSES above), telephone: 404/679-4144; or Ms.
Sandra Sneckenberger, Field Office Project Manager, at the Panama City
Field Office (see ADDRESSES), or at 850/769-0552, ext. 239.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We announce the availability of an ITP
application, HCP, and EA. The EA is an assessment of the likely
environmental impacts associated with this Project. Copies of these
documents may be obtained by making a request, in writing, to the
Regional Office (see ADDRESSES). This notice is provided under section
10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and National Environmental
Policy Act regulations at 40 CFR 1506.6. The Applicant's HCP describes
the mitigation and minimization measures proposed to address the
effects of the Project to the Perdido Key beach mouse.
We specifically request information, views, and opinions from the
public via this notice on the Federal action, including the
identification of any other aspects of the human environment not
already identified in the EA. Further, we specifically solicit
information regarding the adequacy of the HCP as measured against our
ITP issuance criteria found in 50 CFR parts 13 and 17.
If you wish to comment, you may submit comments by any one of
several methods. Please reference permit number TE-126078-0 in such
comments. You may mail comments to the Service's Regional Office (see
ADDRESSES). You may also comment via the internet to aaron_
valenta@fws.gov. Please include your name and return address in your
internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation from us that we
have received your internet message, contact us directly at either
telephone number listed below (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to either Service office
listed below (see ADDRESSES). 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 administrative
record. We will honor such requests to the extent allowable by law.
There may also be other circumstances in which we would withhold from
the administrative record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law.
If you wish us to withhold your name and address, you must state this
prominently at the beginning of your comments. We will not, however,
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.
The area encompassed under the ITP includes a 1.05-acre parcel
along the beachfront of the Gulf of Mexico. The project is located on
the western portion of Perdido Key, a 16.9-mile barrier island. Perdido
Key constitutes the entire historic range of the Perdido Key beach
mouse.
The Perdido Key beach mouse was listed as an endangered species
under the Act on June 6, 1985 (50 FR 23872). The Perdido Key beach
mouse is also listed as an endangered species by the State of Florida.
Critical habitat was designated for the Perdido Key beach mouse at the
time of listing (50 FR 23872). On December 15, 2005, we published a
proposed revision of critical habitat for the Perdido Key beach mouse
and Choctawhatchee beach mouse, and a proposed critical habitat
designation for the St. Andrew beach mouse (70 FR 74426).
The Perdido Key beach mouse is one of eight species of the old
field mouse that occupy coastal rather than inland areas and are
referred to as beach mice. It is one of five subspecies of beach mice
endemic to the gulf coast of Alabama and northwestern Florida. Two
other extant subspecies of beach mouse and one extinct subspecies are
known from the Atlantic coast of Florida. As do other beach mouse
subspecies, Perdido Key beach mice spend their entire lives within the
coastal beach and dune ecosystem.
Beach mouse habitat consists of a mix of interconnected habitats,
including primary, secondary, and scrub dunes including interdunal
areas. Beach mice are nocturnal and dig burrows within the dune system
where vegetation provides cover. They forage for food throughout the
dune system, feeding primarily on seeds and fruits of dune plants,
including bluestem (Schizachyrium maritimum), sea oats (Uniola
paniculata), and evening primrose (Oenothera humifusa). Insects are
also an important part of their diet.
Beach mice along the gulf coasts of Florida and Alabama generally
live about 9 months and become mature between 25 and 35 days. Beach
mice are monogamous, pairing for life. Gestation averages 24 days and
the average litter size is three to four pups. Peak breeding season for
beach mice is in autumn and winter, declining in spring, and falling to
low levels in summer. In essence, mature female beach mice can produce
a litter every month and live about 8 months.
Several subspecies of beach mice have been listed as endangered
species, primarily because of the fragmentation, adverse alteration,
and loss of habitat due to coastal development. The threat of
development-related habitat loss continues to increase. Other
contributing factors include low population numbers, habitat loss from
a variety of reasons (including hurricanes), predation or competition
by animals related to human development (cats and house mice), and the
existing strength or lack of regulations regarding coastal development.
The EA considers the environmental consequences of two alternatives
and the proposed action. The proposed action alternative is issuance of
the ITP and implementation of the HCP as submitted by the Applicants.
The HCP will provide for: (1) Minimizing the footprint of the
development; (2) restoring, preserving, and maintaining onsite beach
mouse habitat at the project site; (3) incorporating requirements in
the operation of the residence that provide for the conservation of the
beach mouse; (4) monitoring the status of the beach mouse at the
project site post-construction; (5) donating funds initially and on an
annual basis to Perdido Key beach mouse conservation efforts; (6)
including conservation measures to protect nesting sea turtles and non-
breeding piping plover; and (7) funding the mitigation measures.
We will evaluate the HCP and comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the application meets the requirements of section
10(a)
[[Page 48941]]
of the Act. If it is determined that those requirements are met, the
ITP will be issued for the incidental take of the Perdido Key beach
mouse. We will also evaluate whether issuance of the section
10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
by conducting an intra-Service section 7 consultation. The results of
this consultation, in combination with the above findings, will be used
in the final analysis to determine whether or not to issue the ITP.
Dated: August 8, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E6-13827 Filed 8-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
