Receipt of an Application and Availability of an Environmental Assessment for an Incidental Take Permit for Urban Development Within the City of Palm Bay, Brevard County, FL, 50942-50943 [E6-14245]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 166 / Monday, August 28, 2006 / Notices
The Applicant proposes to mitigate
the take of scrub-jays through
contribution of $25,875 to the Sarasota
County Scrub-jay Mitigation Plan Fund
administered by Sarasota County. Funds
in this account are earmarked for use in
the conservation and recovery of scrubjays and may include habitat
acquisition, restoration, and
management.
The Service has determined that the
Applicants’ proposal, including the
proposed mitigation and minimization
measures, will individually and
cumulatively have a minor or negligible
effect on the species covered in the
HCP. Therefore, the ITP is a ‘‘loweffect’’ project and qualifies as a
categorical exclusion under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as
provided by the Department of Interior
Manual (516 DM 2, Appendix 1 and 516
DM 6, Appendix 1). This preliminary
information may be revised based on
our review of public comments that we
receive in response to this notice. Loweffect HCPs are those involving: (1)
Minor or negligible effects on Federally
listed or candidate species and their
habitats, and (2) minor or negligible
effects on other environmental values or
resources.
The Service will evaluate the HCP
and comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the application
meets the requirements of section 10(a)
of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If it
is determined that those requirements
are met, the ITPs will be issued for
incidental take of the Florida scrub-jay.
The Service will also evaluate whether
issuance of the section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP
complies with section 7 of the 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. This notice is provided
pursuant to section 10 of the
Endangered Species Act and National
Environmental Policy Act regulations
(40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: August 9, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E6–14244 Filed 8–25–06; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Service’s regional office or the
Jacksonville field office.
Fish and Wildlife Service
Mr.
David Dell, Regional HCP Coordinator,
(see ADDRESSES above), telephone: 404/
679–7313, facsimile: 404/679–7081; or
Mr. Mike Jennings, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, Jacksonville Field Office,
Jacksonville, Florida (see ADDRESSES
above), telephone: 904/232–2580.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you
wish to comment, you may submit
written comments by any one of several
methods. Please reference permit
number TE118199–0 in such comments.
You may mail comments to the
Service’s Regional Office (see
ADDRESSES). You may also comment via
the Internet to david_dell@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 above (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Finally,
you may hand deliver comments to
either Service office listed above (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 scrub-jay is geographically
isolated from other species of scrub-jays
found in Mexico and the western United
States. The scrub-jay is found
exclusively in peninsular Florida and is
restricted to xeric uplands
(predominately in oak-dominated
scrub). Increasing urban and agricultural
development has resulted in habitat loss
and fragmentation that has adversely
affected the distribution and numbers of
scrub-jays. The total estimated
population is between 7,000 and 11,000
individuals.
The eastern indigo snake is
distributed in dry pinelands of the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Receipt of an Application and
Availability of an Environmental
Assessment for an Incidental Take
Permit for Urban Development Within
the City of Palm Bay, Brevard County,
FL
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The City of Palm Bay
(Applicant) requests an incidental take
permit (ITP) pursuant to section
10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The
Applicant prepared a Habitat
Conservation Plan (HCP) identifying
anticipated impacts to two federallylisted threatened species, the Florida
scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)
(scrub-jay) and the eastern indigo snake
(Drymarchon corais couperi). The
Applicant also requests incidental take
authorization for the gopher tortoise
(Gopherus polyphemus) in the event
this species becomes federally-listed as
either threatened or endangered during
the 30-year term of the requested ITP.
Take of these species is anticipated as
a result of residential, commercial,
industrial, and municipal construction
projects and associated infrastructure
within the city limits of the City of Palm
Bay. The Applicant’s HCP describes the
mitigation and minimization measures
proposed to address the effects of urban
development on the scrub-jay, eastern
indigo snake, and gopher tortoise. These
measures are outlined in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
below.
Written comments on the ITP
application, HCP, and environmental
assessment should be sent to the
Service’s Regional Office (see
ADDRESSES) and should be received on
or before October 27, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review
the application, HCP, and
environmental assessment may obtain a
copy by writing the Service’s Southeast
Regional Office, 1875 Century
Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia
30345 (Attn: Endangered Species
Permits), or Jacksonville Field Office,
Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620
Southpoint Drive South, Suite 310,
Jacksonville, Florida 32216–0912.
Please reference permit number
TE118199–0 in such requests.
Documents will also be available for
public inspection by appointment
during normal business hours at the
DATES:
PO 00000
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 166 / Monday, August 28, 2006 / Notices
extreme southeastern United States. In
peninsular Florida, eastern indigo
snakes occur in a variety of upland
habitats but are most commonly
associated with vegetative communities
that occur in well-drained soils. The
number and status of eastern indigo
snakes in peninsular Florida is not
known because reliable survey
techniques for this species are not
available. Recent population modeling
efforts suggest that eastern indigo snake
populations are vulnerable to habitat
fragmentation related to urban
development and greater road densities.
Gopher tortoises are widely
distributed throughout the southeastern
United States where they are typically
found in association with xeric
vegetative communities. Gopher
tortoises require well-drained soils with
relatively deep water tables in which to
excavate their burrows. Habitat loss,
degradation, and fragmentation due to
urban, agricultural, and silvicultural
development have resulted in a decline
in the numbers and distribution of
gopher tortoises throughout Florida.
According to the Applicant’s HCP, up
to 20 families of scrub-jays, about 40
eastern indigo snakes living within
12,904 acres of potential habitat and
about 1,233 gopher tortoises residing in
10,966 acres of potential habitat might
be taken as a result of urban
development. The Applicant intends to
minimize impacts to listed species by:
(1) Prohibiting land clearing during the
scrub-jay nesting season if active nests
are on or near properties to be cleared,
(2) requiring that scrub vegetation be
retained for landscaping or ornamental
purposes within new development, and
(3) developing Web-based public
education information for the covered
species. Mitigation measures proposed
by the Applicant include the collection
of environmental fees as a component of
the local building permit issuance
process. The Applicant anticipates that
environmental fees collected over the
duration of the requested permit period
will be approximately $10.7 million
dollars. The Applicant proposes to
donate environmental fees to the Scrubjay Conservation Fund that is
administered by The Nature
Conservancy (TNC). Pursuant to an
agreement between the Service and
TNC, donated environmental fees will
be used for the acquisition,
management, and restoration of scrubjay habitat. The Service will review
proposed acquisition, management and
restoration of habitat funded by the
City’s environmental fees to ensure that
the eastern indigo snake and gopher
tortoise benefit as well.
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15:09 Aug 25, 2006
Jkt 208001
The Service has made a preliminary
determination that issuance of the
requested ITP is not a major Federal
action significantly affecting the quality
of the human environment within the
meaning of Section 102(2)(C) of
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). This preliminary information
may be revised due to public comment
received in response to this notice and
is based on information contained in the
EA and HCP.
The Service will evaluate the HCP
and comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the ITP application
meets the requirements of section 10(a)
of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If the
Service determines that those
requirements are met, an ITP will be
issued for the incidental take of the
Florida scrub-jay, eastern indigo snake,
and provisionally for the gopher
tortoise. The Service will also evaluate
whether issuance of this section
10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with section 7
of the Act by conducting an intraService 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. This notice is provided pursuant to
section 10 of the Endangered Species
Act and NEPA regulations (40 CFR
1506.6).
Dated: August 9, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E6–14245 Filed 8–25–06; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
National Park System Advisory Board;
Meeting
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is hereby given in accordance
with the Federal Advisory Committee
Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix, that the
National Park System Advisory Board
will meet September 14–15, 2006, in
Three Rivers, California. On September
14, the Board will tour Sequoia and
Kings Canyon National Parks and will
be briefed regarding environmental,
education and partnership programs.
The Board will convene its business
meeting on September 15 at 8:30 a.m.,
PST, at the Wuksachi Lodge, 64740
Wuksachi Way, Three Rivers, California,
telephone 559–565–4070. The Board
will be addressed by National Park
Service Director Fran Mainella and will
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50943
receive the reports of its Partnerships
Committee, Committee on Federal
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit,
Committee on Philanthropy, Committee
on Health and Recreation, National
Parks Science Committee, and
Education Committee. The business
meeting will be adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Other officials of the National Park
Service and the Department of the
Interior may address the Board, and
other miscellaneous topics and reports
may be covered.
The order of the agenda may be
changed, if necessary, to accommodate
travel schedules or for other reasons.
The Board meeting will be open to the
public. Space and facilities to
accommodate the public are limited and
attendees will be accommodated on a
first-come basis. Anyone may file with
the Board a written statement
concerning matters to be discussed. The
Board also may permit attendees to
address the Board, but may restrict the
length of the presentations, as necessary
to allow the Board to complete its
agenda within the allotted time.
Anyone who wishes further
information concerning the meeting, or
who wishes to submit a written
statement, may contact Ms. Shirley
Sears Smith, Office of Policy, National
Park Service; 1849 C Street, NW., Room
7250; Washington, DC 20240; telephone
202–208–7456.
Draft minutes of the meeting will be
available for public inspection about 12
weeks after the meeting, in room 7252,
Main Interior Building, 1849 C Street,
NW., Washington, DC.
Dated: August 15, 2006.
Bernard Fagan,
Deputy Chief, Office of Policy.
[FR Doc. E6–14204 Filed 8–25–06; 8:45 am]
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Federal Bureau of Investigation
[OMB Number 1110–NEW]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Proposed Collection,
Comments Requested; Three
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Institution; Applicant; Personal
Identification
60-day Notice of Information
Collection Under Review.
ACTION:
The Department of Justice, Federal
Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Justice
Information Services Division has
submitted the following information
collection request to the Office of
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 166 (Monday, August 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50942-50943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14245]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Receipt of an Application and Availability of an Environmental
Assessment for an Incidental Take Permit for Urban Development Within
the City of Palm Bay, Brevard County, FL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The City of Palm Bay (Applicant) requests an incidental take
permit (ITP) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Applicant prepared a Habitat
Conservation Plan (HCP) identifying anticipated impacts to two
federally-listed threatened species, the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma
coerulescens) (scrub-jay) and the eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon
corais couperi). The Applicant also requests incidental take
authorization for the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) in the
event this species becomes federally-listed as either threatened or
endangered during the 30-year term of the requested ITP. Take of these
species is anticipated as a result of residential, commercial,
industrial, and municipal construction projects and associated
infrastructure within the city limits of the City of Palm Bay. The
Applicant's HCP describes the mitigation and minimization measures
proposed to address the effects of urban development on the scrub-jay,
eastern indigo snake, and gopher tortoise. These measures are outlined
in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.
DATES: Written comments on the ITP application, HCP, and environmental
assessment should be sent to the Service's Regional Office (see
ADDRESSES) and should be received on or before October 27, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the application, HCP, and
environmental assessment may obtain a copy by writing the Service's
Southeast Regional Office, 1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta,
Georgia 30345 (Attn: Endangered Species Permits), or Jacksonville Field
Office, Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint Drive South, Suite
310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216-0912. Please reference permit number
TE118199-0 in such requests. Documents will also be available for
public inspection by appointment during normal business hours at the
Service's regional office or the Jacksonville field office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Dell, Regional HCP
Coordinator, (see ADDRESSES above), telephone: 404/679-7313, facsimile:
404/679-7081; or Mr. Mike Jennings, Fish and Wildlife Biologist,
Jacksonville Field Office, Jacksonville, Florida (see ADDRESSES above),
telephone: 904/232-2580.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment, you may submit
written comments by any one of several methods. Please reference permit
number TE118199-0 in such comments. You may mail comments to the
Service's Regional Office (see ADDRESSES). You may also comment via the
Internet to david_dell@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 above (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT). Finally, you may hand deliver comments to either
Service office listed above (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 scrub-jay is geographically isolated from other species of
scrub-jays found in Mexico and the western United States. The scrub-jay
is found exclusively in peninsular Florida and is restricted to xeric
uplands (predominately in oak-dominated scrub). Increasing urban and
agricultural development has resulted in habitat loss and fragmentation
that has adversely affected the distribution and numbers of scrub-jays.
The total estimated population is between 7,000 and 11,000 individuals.
The eastern indigo snake is distributed in dry pinelands of the
[[Page 50943]]
extreme southeastern United States. In peninsular Florida, eastern
indigo snakes occur in a variety of upland habitats but are most
commonly associated with vegetative communities that occur in well-
drained soils. The number and status of eastern indigo snakes in
peninsular Florida is not known because reliable survey techniques for
this species are not available. Recent population modeling efforts
suggest that eastern indigo snake populations are vulnerable to habitat
fragmentation related to urban development and greater road densities.
Gopher tortoises are widely distributed throughout the southeastern
United States where they are typically found in association with xeric
vegetative communities. Gopher tortoises require well-drained soils
with relatively deep water tables in which to excavate their burrows.
Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to urban,
agricultural, and silvicultural development have resulted in a decline
in the numbers and distribution of gopher tortoises throughout Florida.
According to the Applicant's HCP, up to 20 families of scrub-jays,
about 40 eastern indigo snakes living within 12,904 acres of potential
habitat and about 1,233 gopher tortoises residing in 10,966 acres of
potential habitat might be taken as a result of urban development. The
Applicant intends to minimize impacts to listed species by: (1)
Prohibiting land clearing during the scrub-jay nesting season if active
nests are on or near properties to be cleared, (2) requiring that scrub
vegetation be retained for landscaping or ornamental purposes within
new development, and (3) developing Web-based public education
information for the covered species. Mitigation measures proposed by
the Applicant include the collection of environmental fees as a
component of the local building permit issuance process. The Applicant
anticipates that environmental fees collected over the duration of the
requested permit period will be approximately $10.7 million dollars.
The Applicant proposes to donate environmental fees to the Scrub-jay
Conservation Fund that is administered by The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
Pursuant to an agreement between the Service and TNC, donated
environmental fees will be used for the acquisition, management, and
restoration of scrub-jay habitat. The Service will review proposed
acquisition, management and restoration of habitat funded by the City's
environmental fees to ensure that the eastern indigo snake and gopher
tortoise benefit as well.
The Service has made a preliminary determination that issuance of
the requested ITP is not a major Federal action significantly affecting
the quality of the human environment within the meaning of Section
102(2)(C) of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This preliminary
information may be revised due to public comment received in response
to this notice and is based on information contained in the EA and HCP.
The Service will evaluate the HCP and comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the ITP application meets the requirements of section
10(a) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If the Service determines
that those requirements are met, an ITP will be issued for the
incidental take of the Florida scrub-jay, eastern indigo snake, and
provisionally for the gopher tortoise. The Service will also evaluate
whether issuance of this section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with section
7 of the 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. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10 of the
Endangered Species Act and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: August 9, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E6-14245 Filed 8-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
