Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of Applications for Incidental Take Permits; Availability of Proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan and Associated Documents; Sarasota County, FL, 16554-16556 [2012-6776]
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16554
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 21, 2012 / Notices
Permit TE–64115A
Permit TE–800611
Permit TE–815409
Applicant: Bureau of Land Management,
Yuma, Arizona.
Applicant requests a new permit for
research and recovery purposes to
conduct presence/absence surveys for
Yuma clapper rail (Rallus longirostris
yumanensis) within Arizona.
Applicant: SWCA Environmental
Consultants, San Antonio, Texas.
Applicant: New Mexico Department of
Game and Fish, Santa Fe, New
Mexico.
Permit TE–64595A
Applicant: Gulf South Research
Corporation, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Applicant requests a new permit for
research and recovery purposes to
collect genetic material from Sneed
Pincushion cactus (Coryphantha sneedii
sneedii) and Lee Pincushion cactus
(Coryphantha sneedii leei) within New
Mexico and Texas.
Permit TE–64968A
Applicant: Apex Companies, LLC,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Applicant requests a new permit for
research and recovery purposes to
conduct presence/absence surveys, bait
aways, trapping and relocation of
American burying beetle (Nicrophorus
americaus) within Oklahoma, Texas,
South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and
Arkansas.
Permit TE–841353
Applicant: Loomis Partners, Inc.,
Austin, Texas.
Applicant requests an amendment to
a current permit for capture, removal,
and release of Houston Toad (Bufo
houstonensis) related to FEMA
operations within Bastrop County,
Texas.
Permit TE–227185
Applicant: Andrew Eastty, San Diego,
California.
Applicant requests an amendment to
a current permit for research and
recovery purposes to conduct presence/
absence surveys of southwestern willow
flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)
within Arizona, New Mexico, and
Texas.
Permit TE–144755
erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Applicant: Reagan Smith Energy
Solutions, Inc., Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma.
Applicant requests an amendment to
a current permit for research and
recovery purposes to conduct presence/
absence surveys, mist netting, and
trapping for gray bat (Myotis grisescens)
and Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) within
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama,
Mississippi, Kentucky, Florida, South
Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, North
Carolina, and Tennessee.
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15:15 Mar 20, 2012
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Applicant requests an amendment to
a current permit for capture, removal,
and release of Houston Toad (Bufo
houstonensis) related to FEMA
operations within Bastrop County,
Texas.
Permit TE–66060A
Applicant: Janine A. Spencer, Tucson,
Arizona.
Applicant requests a new permit for
research and recovery purposes to
conduct presence/absence surveys for
southwestern willow flycatcher
(Empidonax traillii extimus) within
Arizona.
Permit TE–840214
Applicant: Luminant Power, Dallas,
Texas.
Applicant requests an amendment to
a current permit for research and
recovery purposes to conduct presence/
absence surveys of interior least tern
(Sterna antillarum) at Turlington Mine
(Freestone County), Kossee Mine
(Robertson and Limestone Counties),
and Bremond Mine (Robertson County)
within Texas.
Permit TE–65178A
Applicant: Jennifer L. Reidy, Columbia,
Missouri.
Applicant requests a new permit for
research and recovery purposes to
conduct presence/absence surveys,
point counts, nest searches, nest
monitoring, mist netting, and banding of
golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica
chrysoparia) within Texas.
Applicant requests an amendment to
a current permit for research and
recovery purposes to conduct presence/
absence surveys of loach minnow
(Tiaroga cobitis) and spikedace (Meda
fulgida) in New Mexico.
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)
In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), we have made an initial
determination that the proposed
activities in these permits are
categorically excluded from the
requirement to prepare an
environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement (516
DM 6 Appendix 1, 1.4C(1)).
Public Availability of Comments
All comments and materials we
receive in response to this request will
be available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business
hours at the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice.
Before including your address, phone
number, email 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.
Authority: We provide this notice under
section 10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
Permit TE–66055A
Applicant: The Navajo Nation dba The
Navajo Nation Zoological & Botanical
Park, Window Rock, Arizona.
Dated: March 13, 2012.
Joy E. Nicholopoulos,
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2012–6777 Filed 3–20–12; 8:45 am]
Applicant requests a new permit for
research and recovery purposes to hold
and exhibit Razorback sucker
(Xyrauchen texanus), and Colorado
pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) at
the zoo in Arizona.
Permit TE–821577
Applicant: Arizona Game and Fish
Department, Phoenix, Arizona.
Applicant requests an amendment to
a current permit for research and
recovery purposes to conduct presence/
absence surveys of loach minnow
(Tiaroga cobitis) and spikedace (Meda
fulgida) in Arizona.
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BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R4–ES–2012–N057: 40120–1112–
0000–F2]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
and Plants; Receipt of Applications for
Incidental Take Permits; Availability of
Proposed Low-Effect Habitat
Conservation Plan and Associated
Documents; Sarasota County, FL
AGENCY:
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
E:\FR\FM\21MRN1.SGM
21MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 21, 2012 / Notices
Notice of availability; request
for comment/information.
ACTION:
We, the Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service), announce the
availability of incidental take permit
(ITP) applications and a Habitat
Conservation Plan (HCP). Walter and
Marilyn Krieseder, Brian and Pamela
Sullivan, and Fritz and Ping Faulhaber
(applicants) request ITPs under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (Act). The applicants
anticipate taking approximately 0.43
acres of nesting habitat of endangered
and threatened sea turtle species in
Sarasota County, Florida, for the
construction of a shoreline armoring
structure. The applicants’ HCP describes
the minimization and mitigation
measures proposed to address the
effects of the project on nesting sea
turtles.
DATES: Written comments on the ITP
applications and HCP should be sent to
the South Florida Ecological Services
Office (see ADDRESSES) and should be
received on or before April 20, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may request documents
by email, U.S. mail, or fax (see below).
These documents are also available for
public inspection by appointment
during normal business hours at the
office below. Send your comments or
requests by any one of the following
methods.
Email: Trish_Adams@fws.gov. Use
‘‘Attn: Permit numbers TE65165A–0,
TE65167A–0, and TE65168A–0’’ as your
message subject line.
Fax: Trish Adams, (772) 562–4288,
Attn: Permit numbers TE65165A–0,
TE65167A–0, and TE65168A–0.
U.S. mail: Trish Adams, HCP
Coordinator, South Florida Ecological
Services Field Office, Attn: Permit
numbers TE65165A–0, TE65167A–0,
and TE65168A–0, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero
Beach, FL 32960–3559.
In-person drop-off: You may drop off
information during regular business
hours at the above office address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Trish Adams, HCP Coordinator, South
Florida Ecological Services Office, Vero
Beach, Florida (see ADDRESSES);
telephone: 772–562–3909, extension
232.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
applicants anticipate taking beach
nesting habitat of the threatened
loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta),
endangered leatherback sea turtle
(Dermochelys coriacea), endangered
green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas),
endangered hawksbill sea turtle
(Eretmochelys imbricata), and
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SUMMARY:
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15:15 Mar 20, 2012
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endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle
(Lepidochelys kempii) in Sarasota
County, Florida. The Service listed both
the leatherback and hawksbill sea turtle
as endangered on June 2, 1970 (35 FR
8491), and the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle
as endangered on December 2, 1970 (35
FR 18320). The Service listed the
loggerhead as threatened and the green
sea turtle as endangered in the same
final rule, on July 28, 1978 (43 FR
32800).
Applicants’ Proposed Project
We have received applications for
incidental take permits, along with a
proposed habitat conservation plan. The
applicants request 5-year permits under
section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act (87 Stat.
884; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If we
approve the permits, the applicants
anticipate taking a total of 0.43 acres of
sea turtle nesting habitat for the
installation of a geotextile dune core
system (an engineered dune feature
constructed with tiered sand-filled
geotextile containers as its core that is
regularly maintained with 3 feet of
beach compatible sand), dune
crossovers (a stairway over the
engineered dune to the beach), and
native vegetation; post-construction
maintenance throughout the life of the
project (e.g., ongoing placement and
regular maintenance of sand cover); and
response to Emergency Management
Events (e.g., events triggered by
exposure or less than 3 feet of sand
cover over the core). The project is
located at latitude 27.1563, longitude
–82.4848, Sarasota County, Florida. The
project includes Sarasota County Parcels
0159–25–0006, 0159–24–0003, and
0159–24–0001. Parts of these parcels
include sea turtle nesting habitat.
The applicants propose to mitigate for
potential take of sea turtles as a result
of the project through implementation
of a predator control program. The
applicants will contract with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture to implement
a trap and removal program targeting
raccoons; this program would begin
during the first nesting season post ITP
issuance. The applicants’ ability to
financially cover the costs of
implementing the HCP—such as
mitigation, sea turtle monitoring,
physical monitoring, maintenance of
sand coverage, and removal of the dune
core container system—are assured by:
(a) Funds that will be placed annually
in an escrow managed by the Coastal
Engineer of Record (CEOR) in an
amount equal to the estimated costs of
mitigation, sea turtle monitoring, HCP
Coordinator, and physical monitoring;
and (b) a Financial Assurance
Agreement between applicants, the
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16555
State of Florida, and Sarasota County
that is guaranteed by a major financial
institution(s) in accordance with
Chapter 62B–56.090 F.A.C.
All annual fees are to be paid into an
escrow account managed by the CEOR.
The account will be managed in
accordance with a Joint Maintenance
Agreement signed by each applicant.
Approximately $243,900 has been
committed for physical and biological
monitoring, sand placement
construction, and mitigation over the
course of the requested 5-year permit. In
addition, $122,500 has been committed
for anticipated removal/restoration costs
for the entire project, including the
small portion of the dune core system
located on the Crouse (2315 Cay Key
Road) and Meekison (2207 Casey Key
Road) properties, to tie into the seawalls
on these properties.
Our Preliminary Determination
The Service has made a preliminary
determination that the applicants’
project, including the proposed
minimization and mitigation measures,
will individually and cumulatively have
a minor or negligible effect on the
species covered in the HCP. Therefore,
issuance of the ITPs is a ‘‘low-effect’’
action and qualifies as a categorical
exclusion under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40
CFR 1506.6), as provided by the
Department of the Interior Manual (516
DM 2 Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6
Appendix 1), and as defined in our
Habitat Conservation Planning
Handbook (November 1996).
We base our determination that
issuance of the ITPs qualifies as a loweffect action on the following three
criteria: (1) Implementation of the
project would result in minor or
negligible effects on federally listed,
proposed, and candidate species and
their habitats; (2) Implementation of the
project would result in minor or
negligible effects on other
environmental values or resources; and
(3) Impacts of the project, considered
together with the impacts of other past,
present, and reasonably foreseeable
similarly situated projects, would not
result, over time, in cumulative effects
to environmental values or resources
that would be considered significant. As
more fully explained in our
environmental action statement and
associated Low-Effect Screening Form,
the applicants’ proposed project
qualifies as a ‘‘low-effect’’ project. This
preliminary determination may be
revised based on our review of public
comments that we receive in response to
this notice.
E:\FR\FM\21MRN1.SGM
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16556
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 21, 2012 / Notices
Next Steps
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
The Service will evaluate the HCP
and comments received to determine
whether the applications meet the
requirements of section 10(a) of the Act.
The Service will also evaluate whether
issuance of the section 10(a)(1)(B) ITPs
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 ITPs. If it is determined that
the requirements of the Act are met, the
ITPs will be issued for the incidental
take of loggerhead, green, leatherback,
hawksbill, and Kemp’s Ridley sea
turtles.
Fish and Wildlife Service
Submitting Comments
If you wish to submit comments or
information, you may do so by any one
of several methods. Please reference
permit numbers TE65165A–0,
TE65167A–0, and TE65168A–0 in such
comments. You may mail comments to
the Service’s South Florida Ecological
Services Office (see ADDRESSES). You
may also submit comments via email to
trish_adams@fws.gov. Please also
include your name and return address
in your email message. If you do not
receive a confirmation from us that we
have received your email message,
contact us directly at the telephone
number listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. Finally, you may
hand deliver comments to the Service
office listed under ADDRESSES.
Availability of Public Comments
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comments, 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.
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Authority
This notice is provided pursuant to
Section 10 of the Act and NEPA
regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: March 15, 2012.
Larry Williams,
Field Supervisor, South Florida Ecological
Services Office.
[FR Doc. 2012–6776 Filed 3–20–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
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[FWS–R2–R–2012–N230; 1265–0000–10137–
S3]
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge,
Boundary County, ID; Final
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and
Finding of No Significant Impact for
Environmental Assessment
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our final comprehensive
conservation plan (CCP) and finding of
no significant impact for the
environmental assessment for the
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge
(NWR/refuge). In this final CCP, we
describe how we will manage the refuge
for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain
copies of the final CCP and finding of
no significant impact (FONSI) for the
environmental assessment (EA) by any
of the following methods. You may
request a hard copy or CD–ROM.
Agency Web Site: Download a copy of
the document at https://www.fws.gov/
pacific/planning.
Email:
FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov.
Include ‘‘Kootenai NWR FCCP/EA’’ in
the subject line.
Fax: Attn: Dianna Ellis, Refuge
Manager, (208) 267–3888.
U.S. Mail: Dianna Ellis, Refuge
Manager, Kootenai National Wildlife
Refuge, 287 Westside Road, Bonners
Ferry, ID 83805.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call
(208) 267–3888 to make an appointment
during regular business hours at the
above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dianna Ellis, Refuge Manager, (208)
267–3888.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Introduction
With this notice, we announce the
completion of the CCP process for
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. The
Service started this process through a
notice of intent in the Federal Register
(74 FR 8102; February 23, 2009). We
released the draft CCP/EA to the public,
announcing and requesting comments
in a notice of availability in the Federal
Register (76 FR 48877; August 9, 2011).
Kootenai NWR encompasses 2,774
acres along the lower Kootenai River in
Boundary County, Idaho. Habitat types
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on the refuge include seasonal,
semipermanent, and permanent
wetlands; floodplain forests; coniferous
forests; managed pastures; and
croplands. The refuge was established
under the Migratory Bird Conservation
Act ‘‘for use as an inviolate sanctuary,
or for any other management purpose,
for migratory birds.’’ The refuge
provides important habitat for
waterbirds, migratory landbirds, and
raptors; a variety of mammals including
white-tailed deer, elk, and moose; and
bull trout, which is listed as a
threatened species under the Federal
Endangered Species Act.
We announce our CCP decision and
the availability of a FONSI for Kootenai
NWR in accordance with the National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration
Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd–668ee)
(Refuge Administration Act) and
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b))
requirements. We prepared an analysis
of environmental impacts, which we
included in an EA that accompanied the
draft CCP.
The CCP will guide us in managing
and administering the refuges for the
next 15 years. Alternative 2, as
described in the draft CCP, is the basis
for the final CCP.
Background
The Refuge Administration Act, as
amended by the National Wildlife
Refuge System Improvement Act of
1997, requires us to develop a CCP for
each national wildlife refuge. The
purpose for developing a CCP is to
provide refuge managers with a 15-year
plan for achieving refuge purposes and
contributing toward the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System,
consistent with sound principles of fish
and wildlife management, conservation,
legal mandates, and our policies. In
addition to outlining broad management
direction on conserving wildlife and
their habitats, CCPs identify compatible
wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities available to the public,
including opportunities for compatible
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation
and photography, and environmental
education and interpretation. We will
review and update the CCP at least
every 15 years in accordance with the
Refuge Administration Act.
CCP Alternatives, Including Selected
Alternative
Our draft CCP/EA (76 FR 48877;
August 9, 2011) discussed several
issues. To address these, we developed
and evaluated the following
alternatives.
E:\FR\FM\21MRN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16554-16556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6776]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-ES-2012-N057: 40120-1112-0000-F2]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of
Applications for Incidental Take Permits; Availability of Proposed Low-
Effect Habitat Conservation Plan and Associated Documents; Sarasota
County, FL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
[[Page 16555]]
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment/information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of incidental take permit (ITP) applications and a Habitat
Conservation Plan (HCP). Walter and Marilyn Krieseder, Brian and Pamela
Sullivan, and Fritz and Ping Faulhaber (applicants) request ITPs under
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicants
anticipate taking approximately 0.43 acres of nesting habitat of
endangered and threatened sea turtle species in Sarasota County,
Florida, for the construction of a shoreline armoring structure. The
applicants' HCP describes the minimization and mitigation measures
proposed to address the effects of the project on nesting sea turtles.
DATES: Written comments on the ITP applications and HCP should be sent
to the South Florida Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES) and
should be received on or before April 20, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may request documents by email, U.S. mail, or fax (see
below). These documents are also available for public inspection by
appointment during normal business hours at the office below. Send your
comments or requests by any one of the following methods.
Email: Trish_Adams@fws.gov. Use ``Attn: Permit numbers TE65165A-0,
TE65167A-0, and TE65168A-0'' as your message subject line.
Fax: Trish Adams, (772) 562-4288, Attn: Permit numbers TE65165A-0,
TE65167A-0, and TE65168A-0.
U.S. mail: Trish Adams, HCP Coordinator, South Florida Ecological
Services Field Office, Attn: Permit numbers TE65165A-0, TE65167A-0, and
TE65168A-0, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero
Beach, FL 32960-3559.
In-person drop-off: You may drop off information during regular
business hours at the above office address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Trish Adams, HCP Coordinator,
South Florida Ecological Services Office, Vero Beach, Florida (see
ADDRESSES); telephone: 772-562-3909, extension 232.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicants anticipate taking beach
nesting habitat of the threatened loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta
caretta), endangered leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea),
endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), endangered hawksbill sea
turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and endangered Kemp's ridley sea
turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) in Sarasota County, Florida. The Service
listed both the leatherback and hawksbill sea turtle as endangered on
June 2, 1970 (35 FR 8491), and the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle as
endangered on December 2, 1970 (35 FR 18320). The Service listed the
loggerhead as threatened and the green sea turtle as endangered in the
same final rule, on July 28, 1978 (43 FR 32800).
Applicants' Proposed Project
We have received applications for incidental take permits, along
with a proposed habitat conservation plan. The applicants request 5-
year permits under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act (87 Stat. 884; 16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If we approve the permits, the applicants
anticipate taking a total of 0.43 acres of sea turtle nesting habitat
for the installation of a geotextile dune core system (an engineered
dune feature constructed with tiered sand-filled geotextile containers
as its core that is regularly maintained with 3 feet of beach
compatible sand), dune crossovers (a stairway over the engineered dune
to the beach), and native vegetation; post-construction maintenance
throughout the life of the project (e.g., ongoing placement and regular
maintenance of sand cover); and response to Emergency Management Events
(e.g., events triggered by exposure or less than 3 feet of sand cover
over the core). The project is located at latitude 27.1563, longitude -
82.4848, Sarasota County, Florida. The project includes Sarasota County
Parcels 0159-25-0006, 0159-24-0003, and 0159-24-0001. Parts of these
parcels include sea turtle nesting habitat.
The applicants propose to mitigate for potential take of sea
turtles as a result of the project through implementation of a predator
control program. The applicants will contract with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture to implement a trap and removal program targeting
raccoons; this program would begin during the first nesting season post
ITP issuance. The applicants' ability to financially cover the costs of
implementing the HCP--such as mitigation, sea turtle monitoring,
physical monitoring, maintenance of sand coverage, and removal of the
dune core container system--are assured by: (a) Funds that will be
placed annually in an escrow managed by the Coastal Engineer of Record
(CEOR) in an amount equal to the estimated costs of mitigation, sea
turtle monitoring, HCP Coordinator, and physical monitoring; and (b) a
Financial Assurance Agreement between applicants, the State of Florida,
and Sarasota County that is guaranteed by a major financial
institution(s) in accordance with Chapter 62B-56.090 F.A.C.
All annual fees are to be paid into an escrow account managed by
the CEOR. The account will be managed in accordance with a Joint
Maintenance Agreement signed by each applicant. Approximately $243,900
has been committed for physical and biological monitoring, sand
placement construction, and mitigation over the course of the requested
5-year permit. In addition, $122,500 has been committed for anticipated
removal/restoration costs for the entire project, including the small
portion of the dune core system located on the Crouse (2315 Cay Key
Road) and Meekison (2207 Casey Key Road) properties, to tie into the
seawalls on these properties.
Our Preliminary Determination
The Service has made a preliminary determination that the
applicants' project, including the proposed minimization and mitigation
measures, will individually and cumulatively have a minor or negligible
effect on the species covered in the HCP. Therefore, issuance of the
ITPs is a ``low-effect'' action and qualifies as a categorical
exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR
1506.6), as provided by the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 2
Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6 Appendix 1), and as defined in our Habitat
Conservation Planning Handbook (November 1996).
We base our determination that issuance of the ITPs qualifies as a
low-effect action on the following three criteria: (1) Implementation
of the project would result in minor or negligible effects on federally
listed, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; (2)
Implementation of the project would result in minor or negligible
effects on other environmental values or resources; and (3) Impacts of
the project, considered together with the impacts of other past,
present, and reasonably foreseeable similarly situated projects, would
not result, over time, in cumulative effects to environmental values or
resources that would be considered significant. As more fully explained
in our environmental action statement and associated Low-Effect
Screening Form, the applicants' proposed project qualifies as a ``low-
effect'' project. This preliminary determination may be revised based
on our review of public comments that we receive in response to this
notice.
[[Page 16556]]
Next Steps
The Service will evaluate the HCP and comments received to
determine whether the applications meet the requirements of section
10(a) of the Act. The Service will also evaluate whether issuance of
the section 10(a)(1)(B) ITPs 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 ITPs. If it
is determined that the requirements of the Act are met, the ITPs will
be issued for the incidental take of loggerhead, green, leatherback,
hawksbill, and Kemp's Ridley sea turtles.
Submitting Comments
If you wish to submit comments or information, you may do so by any
one of several methods. Please reference permit numbers TE65165A-0,
TE65167A-0, and TE65168A-0 in such comments. You may mail comments to
the Service's South Florida Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES).
You may also submit comments via email to trish_adams@fws.gov. Please
also include your name and return address in your email message. If you
do not receive a confirmation from us that we have received your email
message, contact us directly at the telephone number listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Finally, you may hand deliver comments to
the Service office listed under ADDRESSES.
Availability of Public Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comments, 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.
Authority
This notice is provided pursuant to Section 10 of the Act and NEPA
regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: March 15, 2012.
Larry Williams,
Field Supervisor, South Florida Ecological Services Office.
[FR Doc. 2012-6776 Filed 3-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
