Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment and Habitat Conservation Plan, and Receipt of Application for an Incidental Take Permit From Benton County, OR, 60802-60804 [2010-24730]
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60802
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 190 / Friday, October 1, 2010 / Notices
not be known for many years; however,
current natural resources and resource
services that have been impacted due to
the discharged oil include but are not
limited to the following (as of August
19, 2010):
• Over 950 miles of shoreline
habitats, including salt marshes, sandy
beaches, and mangroves.
• A variety of wildlife, including
birds, sea turtles, and marine mammals.
As of June 29, 2010:
Æ Over 1,900 oiled birds captured and
over 1,850 visibly oiled dead birds
collected.
Æ Over 400 oiled sea turtles captured
and 17 visibly oiled dead sea turtles
collected.
Æ 5 visibly oiled dead marine
mammals collected.
• Lost human use opportunities
associated with various natural
resources in the Gulf region, including
fishing, swimming, beach-going and
viewing of birds and wildlife.
• Waters of the Gulf of Mexico and
adjoining coastal States.
• Various other biota, including
benthic communities and fish.
• Water column habitat.
Accordingly, the Trustees have
determined they have jurisdiction to
pursue restoration under the OPA.
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Determination To Conduct Restoration
Planning
Pursuant to 15 CFR 990.42(a), the
Trustees determined that:
1. Observations and data collected
pursuant to 15 CFR 990.43 demonstrate
that injuries to natural resources and the
services they provide have resulted from
the Incident or Incidents; however, the
nature and extent of such injuries have
not been fully determined at this time.
The Trustees have identified numerous
categories of impacted and potentially
impacted resources, including fish,
shellfish, marine mammals, turtles,
birds, and other sensitive resources, as
well as their habitats, such as wetlands,
marshes, beaches, mudflats, bottom
sediments, corals, and the water
column, as well as effects to human use
resulting from the impacts on the
resources. The Trustees have been
conducting, and continue to conduct,
activities to evaluate injuries and
potential injuries within these
categories. More information on these
resource categories will be available in
the Administrative Record (‘‘AR,’’ as
defined below), including assessment
work plans developed jointly by the
Trustees and BP and information
gathered during the preassessment. The
full nature and extent of injuries will be
determined during the injury
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assessment phase of restoration
planning.
2. Response actions employed for this
spill include in situ burning, dispersant
applications, containment and
skimming of oil, and removal
operations. These response actions have
not addressed and are not expected to
address all injuries resulting from the
discharges of oil. Although response
actions were initiated soon after the
explosion and continue to date, they
have been unable to prevent injuries to
many natural resources, and the size,
nature, and location of the discharges
have prevented recovery of most of the
oil. In addition, some of these response
actions have caused or are likely to
cause injuries to natural resources and
the services they provide, including
destruction of sensitive marshes,
beaches, and other habitats, and impacts
to human uses of resources. While
injured natural resources may
eventually recover naturally to the
condition they would have been in had
the discharges not occurred, interim
losses have occurred, or are likely to
occur in the future, and these will
continue until baseline conditions are
achieved. In addition, there have been
and will continue to be losses of and
diminution of human uses of the
resources resulting from the impacts to
the natural resources and from the
response actions themselves.
3. Feasible restoration actions exist to
address the natural resource injuries
and losses, including lost human uses,
resulting from the discharges of oil.
Assessment procedures are available to
scale the appropriate amount of
restoration required to offset these
ecological and human use service
losses. During the restoration planning
phase, the Trustees will evaluate
potential projects, determine the scale of
restoration actions needed to make the
environment and the public whole, and
release a draft Restoration Plan for
public review and comment.
Based upon these determinations, the
Trustees intend to proceed with
restoration planning for the Incident or
Incidents.
Administrative Record
The U.S. Department of the Interior,
acting on behalf of the Trustees, is in the
process of establishing and opening an
Administrative Record (‘‘AR’’) in
compliance with 15 CFR 990.45 and
applicable State authorities. The AR
will be publicly accessible and include
documents considered by the Trustees
during the preassessment, assessment,
and restoration planning phases of the
NRDA performed in connection with
the Incident or Incidents. The AR will
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be augmented with additional
information over the course of the
NRDA process. The availability of the
AR will be addressed in one or more
future notices and announcements.
State-specific ARs may also be kept and
will be made available by State trustees
in their normal course of business.
Opportunity To Comment
The Trustees invite the public to
participate in restoration planning for
this Incident or Incidents in accordance
with 15 CFR 990.14(d) and State
authorities. The Trustees will be
providing substantial opportunities for
public involvement in the restoration
planning for this Incident or Incidents.
The opportunities for public
involvement will be addressed in future
notices and announcements.
Dated: September 2, 2010.
Cindy Dohner,
DOI Authorized Official, U.S. Department of
the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2010–24706 Filed 9–29–10; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R1–ES–2010–N185; 10120–1112–
0000–F2]
Availability of a Draft Environmental
Assessment and Habitat Conservation
Plan, and Receipt of Application for an
Incidental Take Permit From Benton
County, OR
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of application and
availability of documents for public
comment.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), advise the
public that Benton County, Oregon, has
submitted an application to the Service
for an incidental take permit (permit)
under the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (ESA). Included with
the application is a habitat conservation
plan (HCP) and a proposed
implementing agreement (IA). We also
announce the availability of a draft
environmental assessment (EA) under
the authority of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA;
42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.).
DATES: We must receive any written
comments on the draft EA, HCP, and IA
from interested parties no later than
November 1, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Documents: The draft EA,
HCP, and IA are available electronically
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\01OCN1.SGM
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emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 190 / Friday, October 1, 2010 / Notices
on the World Wide Web at https://www.
fws.gov/oregonfwo/
ToolsForLandowners/
HabitatConservationPlans/.
Alternatively, you may request
documents and information by writing
to Mikki Collins, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 2600 SE. 98th Avenue, Suite
100, Portland, OR 97266; or by faxing
her at (503) 231–6195.
Comments: Submit comments by
e-mail to OFWOcomment@fws.gov; in
the subject line, include the identifier
‘‘Benton County HCP.’’ Comments and
materials we receive will be available
for public inspection, by appointment,
during normal business hours at the
above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mikki Collins, at the address or phone
listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with section 10(a)(2)(A) of
the ESA (U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), Benton
County has prepared an HCP designed
to minimize and mitigate take of the
proposed covered species. The permit
application is related to county
construction activities, road
maintenance, utilities construction,
water system management, and prairie
habitat management activities in Benton
County, Oregon.
We furnish this notice to allow other
agencies and the public an opportunity
to review and comment on these
documents. All comments we receive
will become part of the public record
and will be available for review
pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA.
Section 9 of the ESA and Federal
regulations prohibit the ‘‘taking’’ of a
species listed as endangered or
threatened. The term ‘‘take’’ is defined
under the ESA to mean to harass, harm,
pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap,
capture, or collect, or to attempt to
engage in any such conduct. ‘‘Harm’’ is
defined 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.
We may issue permits, under limited
circumstances, to take listed species
incidental to, and not the purpose of,
otherwise lawful activities. Our
regulations governing permits for
endangered species are promulgated in
50 CFR 17.22, and regulations governing
permits for threatened species are
promulgated in 50 CFR 17.32.
The area proposed to be covered by
the permit consists of private and nonFederal public lands in Benton County,
and encompasses approximately 7,651
ha (18,906 ac). Other entities that are
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considered cooperators in the HCP due
to their land ownership and
management activities include the City
of Corvallis, Oregon Department of
Transportation, Oregon State University,
and the Greenbelt Land Trust. Approval
of the HCP would allow us to issue a
permit to Benton County that would
authorize incidental take coverage and/
or regulatory assurances for potential
impacts on five federally listed species:
Fender’s blue butterfly (Icaricia
icarioides fenderi) (endangered),
Kincaid’s lupine (Lupinus sulphureus
ssp. Kincaidii) (threatened), Willamette
daisy (Erigeron decumbens var.
decumbens) (endangered), Bradshaw’s
lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii)
(endangered), and the Nelson’s
checkermallow (Sidalcea nelsoniana)
(threatened). The permit would also
cover one candidate species for listing—
Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly
(Euphydryas editha taylorii)—and one
species of concern—the peacock
larkspur (Delphinium pavonaceum).
Although take of plant species is not
prohibited under the ESA and therefore
cannot be authorized under an
incidental take permit, plant species are
proposed to be included on the permit
in recognition of the conservation
benefits provided to them under the
HCP.
All seven species identified above
will be covered under the permit on
county-owned lands. The Fender’s blue
butterfly and the five plant species will
be covered on land owned or managed
by the City of Corvallis, Oregon State
University, and the Oregon Department
of Transportation. The Taylor’s
checkerspot is not known to occur on
these properties. The Fender’s blue
butterfly will be the only covered
species under the permit on the
remaining private lands. The permittee
would receive assurances under the
Service’s ‘‘No Surprises’’ regulation
(50 CFR 17.22(b)(5) and 17.32(b)(5)) for
all species included on the incidental
take permit. For any currently unlisted
covered animal species, take
authorization would become effective
concurrent with their listing, should the
species be listed under the ESA during
the permit term. Benton County has
requested a permit term of 50 years.
Potential impacts are anticipated to
result from (1) home, farm, and forestrelated construction and utility
construction/maintenance on private
lands; (2) public service facility
construction; (3) transportation and
work within road rights of way;
(4) water and wastewater management;
(5) habitat restoration, enhancement,
and management (including monitoring
and plant material collection) activities
PO 00000
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60803
(both as a HCP mitigation measure and
as a conservation activity at parks,
natural areas, and open spaces);
(6) agricultural activities; and
(7) emergency response activities on
non-Federal public lands and lands
owned or held under conservation
easement by specific conservation
organizations. Under the permit, Benton
County would have authorization to
issue certificates of inclusion under the
ESA permit to non-Federal landowners
needing a County permit or agricultural
building authorization.
The HCP includes estimates of
permanent impacts over the 50-year
permit term to include: the loss of 2.1
hectares (5.2 acres) of Fender’s blue
butterfly nectar habitat; 57 square
meters (.01 acres) of Taylor’s
checkerspot habitat; 410 square meters
(4,410 square feet) of Kincaid’s lupine
foliar cover; 222 Nelson’s
checkermallow plants; 2 Bradshaw’s
lomatium plants; 1 Willamette daisy
plant; and 56 Peacock larkspur plants. A
primary conservation measure of the
HCP is the designation of over 200
hectares (500 acres) of Prairie
Conservation Areas where habitat
restoration and enhancement activities
for the covered species will occur. The
HCP also includes measures to avoid
and minimize incidental take of the
covered species.
We prepared a draft EA that analyzed
the potential effects of implementing
two alternatives on the human
environment: A no-action alternative
and a proposed action. Five additional
alternatives were explored but omitted
from further analysis.
We invite the public to comment on
the HCP, draft EA, and draft IA during
the 30-day public comment period (see
DATES). Please direct comments to the
contact listed in the ADDRESSES section,
and any questions to the contact listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section. Before including your
address, phone number, e-mail address,
or other personal identifying
information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire
comment—including your personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
We provide this notice under ESA
and NEPA regulations. We will evaluate
the application, associated documents,
and comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the application
meets the requirements of the ESA and
NEPA.
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60804
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 190 / Friday, October 1, 2010 / Notices
Dated: September 1, 2010.
Theresa E. Rabot,
Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife
Service, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 2010–24730 Filed 9–30–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLOPRP0600 L51010000.ER0000
LVRWH09H0600; HAG 10–0338]
Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
the West Butte Wind Power Right-ofWay, Crook and Deschutes Counties,
OR
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) Deschutes Resource
Area, Prineville, Oregon, has prepared a
Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the West Butte Wind Power
Right-of-Way and by this Notice is
announcing its availability.
DATES: A Record of Decision (ROD) may
be signed no sooner than 30 days after
the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its Notice of Availability of
the Final EIS in the Federal Register.
The availability of the ROD will be
announced through a subsequent
Federal Register notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Storo, BLM West Butte Wind
Power Right of Way Project Lead:
telephone (541) 416–6885; address 3050
NE. 3rd Street, Prineville, Oregon
97754; e-mail:
or_west_butte_eis@blm.gov.
SUMMARY:
The
applicant, West Butte Wind Power, LLC,
has requested a right-of-way (ROW)
authorization to construct 3.9 miles of
road and an adjacent power
transmission line on public land to
support the construction of up to 52
wind turbines and ancillary facilities on
adjacent private land. The portion of the
project on public lands is the ‘‘Proposed
Action.’’ Actions occurring on private
land are called ‘‘connected actions.’’ The
project is 25 air miles southeast of Bend,
Oregon, located on the north side of US
Highway 20. The Draft EIS analyzing
impacts of the project was released for
public comment on April 2, 2010 [75 FR
16828]. Approximately 36 comments
were received on the Draft EIS. The
comments were incorporated, where
appropriate, to clarify the analysis
presented in the Final EIS. The Final
EIS analyzes a No Action Alternative,
the Proposed Action, and one other
alternative. These alternatives were
shaped in part by comments received
from the public and internal BLM
review.
Alternative 1—Proposed Action. This
alternative includes the granting of a
ROW for construction and operation of
an access road and transmission line
across lands administered by the BLM.
Consideration of this alternative
includes an analysis of the connected
action of West Butte Wind Power
constructing and operating a wind farm
and associated facilities (e.g., access
road, transmission line, substation, and
an operations and maintenance
building) on privately held lands.
Alternative 2—Northern Access Road
Alternative. This alternative includes an
analysis of an alternate main access road
through the Juniper Acres Development,
the facilities related to the connected
action as described in Alternative 1, and
a ROW through BLM-administered
public land for a 3.9-mile transmission
line.
Alternative 3—No Action Alternative.
This alternative includes denying a
ROW for construction and operation of
an access road and transmission line
across lands administered by the BLM.
The preferred alternative is
Alternative 1, the Proposed Action.
Coordination with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service is occurring to ensure
that an Avian Protection Plan is
prepared that will sufficiently address
overall project impacts to golden eagles.
Deborah J. Henderson-Norton,
BLM Prineville District Manager.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10
[FR Doc. 2010–24557 Filed 9–30–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–33–P
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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17:34 Sep 30, 2010
Jkt 220001
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Nimbus Hatchery Fish Passage
Project, Lower American River,
California
Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR)
and notice of public meetings.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA), the Bureau of Reclamation,
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
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the lead Federal agency, and the
California Department of Fish and Game
(CDFG), acting as the lead State agency,
have made available for public review
and comment a Draft EIS/EIR for the
Nimbus Hatchery Fish Passage Project
(Project). The purpose of the Project is
to create and maintain a reliable system
for collecting adult fish at the Nimbus
Fish Hatchery (Hatchery). Reclamation
maintains the Hatchery to meet
mitigation obligations for spawning
areas blocked by construction of
Nimbus Dam. CDFG operates the
Hatchery under a contract with
Reclamation and is responsible for the
management of the fishery resources
within the adjacent lower American
River. The Hatchery was constructed in
1955 under the American River Basin
Development Act (October 14, 1949, 63
Stat. 852) along with Nimbus and
Folsom Dams. The Draft EIS/EIR
describes and presents the
environmental effects of three action
alternatives and the No-Action
Alternative. Written comments will be
accepted from agencies, organizations
and individuals on the Draft EIS/EIR.
DATES: Submit written comments on the
Draft EIS/EIR by November 30, 2010.
Public meetings will be held to
receive comments on the Draft EIS/EIR
and provide further clarification
regarding the Project on Thursday,
November 4, 2010 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
and from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on
the Draft EIS/EIR to Mr. David
Robinson, Central California Area
Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 7794
Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, CA 95630–
1799; or e-mail at
IBRFOODHatchPass@usbr.gov.
Public meetings will be held at the
California State University Sacramento
Aquatic Center, 1901 Hazel Avenue,
Gold River, CA 95670.
Copies of the Draft EIS/EIR may be
requested from Ms. Janet Sierzputowski
at 916–978–5112, TTY 916–978–5608,
or e-mail at jsierzputowski@usbr.gov.
The Draft EIS/EIR is also accessible from
the following Web sites: https://
www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/
nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=5216
or https://www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/
hatchery/.
See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section for locations where copies of the
Draft EIS/EIR are available for public
review.
Mr.
David Robinson at the CCAO general
telephone number 916–988–1707, TTY
916–989–7285, or e-mail at
IBR2FOODHatchPass@usbr.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60802-60804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24730]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R1-ES-2010-N185; 10120-1112-0000-F2]
Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment and Habitat
Conservation Plan, and Receipt of Application for an Incidental Take
Permit From Benton County, OR
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of application and availability of documents for public
comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the
public that Benton County, Oregon, has submitted an application to the
Service for an incidental take permit (permit) under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). Included with the application is
a habitat conservation plan (HCP) and a proposed implementing agreement
(IA). We also announce the availability of a draft environmental
assessment (EA) under the authority of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.).
DATES: We must receive any written comments on the draft EA, HCP, and
IA from interested parties no later than November 1, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Documents: The draft EA, HCP, and IA are available
electronically
[[Page 60803]]
on the World Wide Web at https://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/ToolsForLandowners/HabitatConservationPlans/. Alternatively, you may
request documents and information by writing to Mikki Collins, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 SE. 98th Avenue, Suite 100, Portland,
OR 97266; or by faxing her at (503) 231-6195.
Comments: Submit comments by e-mail to OFWOcomment@fws.gov; in the
subject line, include the identifier ``Benton County HCP.'' Comments
and materials we receive will be available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mikki Collins, at the address or phone
listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with section 10(a)(2)(A) of
the ESA (U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), Benton County has prepared an HCP
designed to minimize and mitigate take of the proposed covered species.
The permit application is related to county construction activities,
road maintenance, utilities construction, water system management, and
prairie habitat management activities in Benton County, Oregon.
We furnish this notice to allow other agencies and the public an
opportunity to review and comment on these documents. All comments we
receive will become part of the public record and will be available for
review pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA.
Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations prohibit the
``taking'' of a species listed as endangered or threatened. The term
``take'' is defined under the ESA to mean to harass, harm, pursue,
hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to
engage in any such conduct. ``Harm'' is defined 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.
We may issue permits, under limited circumstances, to take listed
species incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful
activities. Our regulations governing permits for endangered species
are promulgated in 50 CFR 17.22, and regulations governing permits for
threatened species are promulgated in 50 CFR 17.32.
The area proposed to be covered by the permit consists of private
and non-Federal public lands in Benton County, and encompasses
approximately 7,651 ha (18,906 ac). Other entities that are considered
cooperators in the HCP due to their land ownership and management
activities include the City of Corvallis, Oregon Department of
Transportation, Oregon State University, and the Greenbelt Land Trust.
Approval of the HCP would allow us to issue a permit to Benton County
that would authorize incidental take coverage and/or regulatory
assurances for potential impacts on five federally listed species:
Fender's blue butterfly (Icaricia icarioides fenderi) (endangered),
Kincaid's lupine (Lupinus sulphureus ssp. Kincaidii) (threatened),
Willamette daisy (Erigeron decumbens var. decumbens) (endangered),
Bradshaw's lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii) (endangered), and the
Nelson's checkermallow (Sidalcea nelsoniana) (threatened). The permit
would also cover one candidate species for listing--Taylor's
checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha taylorii)--and one species of
concern--the peacock larkspur (Delphinium pavonaceum). Although take of
plant species is not prohibited under the ESA and therefore cannot be
authorized under an incidental take permit, plant species are proposed
to be included on the permit in recognition of the conservation
benefits provided to them under the HCP.
All seven species identified above will be covered under the permit
on county-owned lands. The Fender's blue butterfly and the five plant
species will be covered on land owned or managed by the City of
Corvallis, Oregon State University, and the Oregon Department of
Transportation. The Taylor's checkerspot is not known to occur on these
properties. The Fender's blue butterfly will be the only covered
species under the permit on the remaining private lands. The permittee
would receive assurances under the Service's ``No Surprises''
regulation (50 CFR 17.22(b)(5) and 17.32(b)(5)) for all species
included on the incidental take permit. For any currently unlisted
covered animal species, take authorization would become effective
concurrent with their listing, should the species be listed under the
ESA during the permit term. Benton County has requested a permit term
of 50 years.
Potential impacts are anticipated to result from (1) home, farm,
and forest-related construction and utility construction/maintenance on
private lands; (2) public service facility construction; (3)
transportation and work within road rights of way; (4) water and
wastewater management; (5) habitat restoration, enhancement, and
management (including monitoring and plant material collection)
activities (both as a HCP mitigation measure and as a conservation
activity at parks, natural areas, and open spaces); (6) agricultural
activities; and (7) emergency response activities on non-Federal public
lands and lands owned or held under conservation easement by specific
conservation organizations. Under the permit, Benton County would have
authorization to issue certificates of inclusion under the ESA permit
to non-Federal landowners needing a County permit or agricultural
building authorization.
The HCP includes estimates of permanent impacts over the 50-year
permit term to include: the loss of 2.1 hectares (5.2 acres) of
Fender's blue butterfly nectar habitat; 57 square meters (.01 acres) of
Taylor's checkerspot habitat; 410 square meters (4,410 square feet) of
Kincaid's lupine foliar cover; 222 Nelson's checkermallow plants; 2
Bradshaw's lomatium plants; 1 Willamette daisy plant; and 56 Peacock
larkspur plants. A primary conservation measure of the HCP is the
designation of over 200 hectares (500 acres) of Prairie Conservation
Areas where habitat restoration and enhancement activities for the
covered species will occur. The HCP also includes measures to avoid and
minimize incidental take of the covered species.
We prepared a draft EA that analyzed the potential effects of
implementing two alternatives on the human environment: A no-action
alternative and a proposed action. Five additional alternatives were
explored but omitted from further analysis.
We invite the public to comment on the HCP, draft EA, and draft IA
during the 30-day public comment period (see DATES). Please direct
comments to the contact listed in the ADDRESSES section, and any
questions to the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address,
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
We provide this notice under ESA and NEPA regulations. We will
evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments submitted
thereon to determine whether the application meets the requirements of
the ESA and NEPA.
[[Page 60804]]
Dated: September 1, 2010.
Theresa E. Rabot,
Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1,
Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 2010-24730 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
