Draft Environmental Assessment and Proposed Wright Solar Park Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan, Merced County, California, 1660-1662 [2015-00390]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 8 / Tuesday, January 13, 2015 / Notices
geographical range, while preserving extant
genetic diversity.
2. Ensure existing and future populations
are protected from incompatible uses, such as
road maintenance.
3. Reduce herbivory by slugs, snails, and
gophers to the point that it does not affect the
species at a population level.
As Baker’s larkspur meets
reclassification criteria, we will review
its status and consider it for downlisting
on the Federal Lists of Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife and Plants.
Public Comments Solicited
We solicit written comments on the
draft recovery plan described in this
notice. All comments received by the
date specified above will be considered
in development of a final recovery plan
for Baker’s larkspur. You may submit
written comments and information by
mail or in person to the Sacramento
Fish and Wildlife Office at the above
address (see ADDRESSES).
Public Availability of Comments
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 developed this recovery plan
under the authority of section 4(f) of the
Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). We publish this
notice under section 4(f) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: January 7, 2015.
Alexandra Pitts,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest
Region.
[FR Doc. 2015–00392 Filed 1–12–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R8–ES–2014–N240; FF08E00000–
FXES11120800000–145]
Draft Environmental Assessment and
Proposed Wright Solar Park MultiSpecies Habitat Conservation Plan,
Merced County, California
AGENCY:
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
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17:10 Jan 12, 2015
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Notice of availability and
request for comment; permit
application, draft environmental
assessment, proposed habitat
conservation plan.
ACTION:
This notice advises the public
that we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service), have prepared a draft
environmental assessment (EA) under
the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969, as amended (NEPA), in
response to an application from Wright
Solar Park, LLC (the applicant) for an
incidental take permit (ITP) pursuant to
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (Act). The applicant has
prepared the draft Wright Solar Park
Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to
describe and implement a conservation
plan that will minimize and mitigate
environmental effects associated with
the construction, operation,
maintenance, and decommissioning of
an up-to-200-megawatt photovoltaic
power generating facility and
implementation of conservation actions
associated with the Habitat
Conservation Plan in Merced County,
California. We also announce a 60-day
public comment period on the permit
application, including the draft EA and
the proposed HCP. We request data,
comments, new information, or
suggestions from the public, other
concerned governmental agencies, the
scientific community, Tribes, industry,
or any other interested party.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please
send your written comments by March
16, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Please address written
comments to Mike Thomas, Chief,
Conservation Planning Division,
Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office,
2800 Cottage Way, W–2605,
Sacramento, CA 95825. Alternatively,
you may send comments by facsimile to
(916) 414–6713.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mike Thomas, Chief, Conservation
Planning Division, or Eric Tattersall,
Deputy Assistant Field Supervisor, at
the address in ADDRESSES or at (916)
414–6600 (telephone). If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf,
please call the Federal Information
Relay Service at (800) 877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice advises the public that we, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
have prepared a draft environmental
assessment (EA) under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (NEPA), in response to an
application from Wright Solar Park, LLC
(the applicant) for an incidental take
permit (ITP) pursuant to the Endangered
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).
The application addresses the proposed
incidental take (take) of three animal
species proposed as ‘‘covered species’’
within a 5,181-acre permit area during
a proposed permit term of 40 years. The
applicant has prepared the draft Wright
Solar Park Habitat Conservation Plan
(HCP) to describe and implement a
conservation plan that will minimize
and mitigate environmental effects
associated with the construction,
operation, maintenance, and
decommissioning of an up-to-200megawatt photovoltaic power generating
facility and implementation of
conservation actions associated with the
Habitat Conservation Plan in Merced
County, California. We also announce a
90-day public comment period on the
permit application, including the draft
EA and the proposed HCP. We request
data, comments, new information, or
suggestions from the public, other
concerned governmental agencies, the
scientific community, Tribes, industry,
or any other interested party.
We publish this notice under the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321–4347
et seq.; NEPA), and its implementing
regulations in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at 40 CFR parts 1500–
1508, as well as in compliance with
section 10(c) of the Endangered Species
Act (16 U.S.C. 1531–1544 et seq.; Act).
Availability of Documents
You may obtain copies of the draft EA
and the draft HCP from the individuals
in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, or
from the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife
Office Web site at https://www.fws.gov/
sacramento. Copies of these documents
are also available for public inspection,
by appointment, during regular business
hours, at the Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES).
Background Information
Section 9 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531–
1544 et seq.) and Federal regulations (50
CFR part 17) prohibit the taking of fish
and wildlife species listed as
endangered or threatened under section
4 of the Act. ‘‘Take’’ of federally listed
fish or wildlife is defined under the Act
as to ‘‘harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot,
wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or
attempt to engage in such conduct’’ (16
U.S.C. 1532(19). The term ‘‘harm’’ is
defined in the regulations as ‘‘an act
which actually kills or injures wildlife.
Such act may include significant habitat
modification or degradation where it
actually kills or injures wildlife by
significantly impairing essential
behavioral patterns, including breeding,
feeding, or sheltering’’ (50 CFR 17.3).
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 8 / Tuesday, January 13, 2015 / Notices
However, under specified
circumstances, the Service may issue
permits that allow the take of federally
listed fish and wildlife species,
provided that the take that occurs is
incidental to, but not the purpose of, an
otherwise lawful activity.
Regulations governing permits for
endangered and threatened species are
at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, respectively.
Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act contains
provisions for issuing such incidental
take permits to non-Federal entities for
the take of endangered and threatened
species, provided the following criteria
are met:
(1) The taking will be incidental;
(2) The applicants will minimize and
mitigate the impact of such taking to the
maximum extent practicable;
(3) The applicants will develop a
proposed HCP and ensure that adequate
funding for the HCP will be provided;
(4) The taking will not appreciably
reduce the likelihood of the survival
and recovery of the species in the wild;
and
(5) The applicants will carry out any
other measures that the Service may
require as being necessary or
appropriate for the purposes of the HCP.
The draft HCP addresses, and the
applicant seeks incidental take
authorization for, three animal species
(two federally endangered and one
federally threatened). The proposed
permit would provide take
authorization for all species identified
in the draft HCP as covered species.
The following two federally listed as
endangered species are proposed to be
included as covered species in the
proposed HCP:
Blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia
sila)
San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis
mutica)
The following federally listed as
threatened species is proposed to be
included as a covered species in the
proposed HCP:
Central California distinct population
segment of the California tiger
salamander (Ambystoma californiense)
Implementation of activities proposed
for coverage under the proposed ITP
includes the following general
categories:
(1) Construction and operation
activities within solar sites;
(2) Management and maintenance
activities within movement corridors;
(3) Management activities within the
areas designated for conservation
(conservation sites), including
monitoring and reporting actions;
(4) Activities associated with
implementation of the conservation
program specified in the draft HCP;
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(5) Decommissioning; and
(6) Implementation of the
conservation program.
Construction-related activities could
include grading and compaction,
trenching, paving of access roads,
installation of solar arrays,
meteorological stations, transmission
lines, septic leech fields, fencing, and
landscaping. Construction of solar
facilities is anticipated to be completed
over a 26-month period from the
commencement of the initial
development, and is anticipated to be
complete by late 2016. Operationrelated activities could include solar
panel maintenance, on-site parking,
operation of solar modules, inspection,
repair of equipment, and operation of
lighting. Typical activities associated
with decommissioning of the solar
energy facility include removal of all
solar electric systems, buildings,
cabling, electrical components; breaking
up of concrete pads and foundations;
removal of access roads; additional
grading; and replacement of soil
disturbed from decommissioning.
Preservation/enhancement and
conservation plan management
activities could include vegetation
control (i.e., grazing and mowing), fence
installation, and special status species
monitoring (i.e., surveys such as
trapping, use of remote cameras, and
spotlighting).
The proposed covered activities
related to development, operations,
maintenance and decommissioning of
the solar sites would result in the
permanent or temporary disturbance of
up to 2,731 acres of existing land cover
within the proposed 5,181-acre permit
area. The proposed covered activities
related to management of the
conservation sites would also result in
some disturbance of land cover, but
overall these actions are expected to
benefit the covered species. The solar
site parcels encompass 2,731 acres, and
conservation sites total 2,450 acres. The
covered lands within the solar park area
consist of low rolling hills, and are
currently actively used as dry-farmed
agricultural land. Surrounding land uses
include open space, rangeland, active
and inactive agricultural land, and some
existing and potential urban
development. The proposed HCP
conservation strategy prescribes
conditions for implementing each
covered activity that avoid or minimize
potential take of the covered species,
and identifies mitigation for species
impacts that cannot be avoided.
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1661
National Environmental Policy Act
Compliance
Our proposed permit issuance
decision triggers compliance with
NEPA, which requires that
environmental information be available
to public officials and citizens before
Federal decisions are made and before
Federal actions are taken. We prepared
the draft EA to inform the public of the
proposed HCP; our proposed permit
action; alternatives to that action; the
environmental impacts of the
alternatives, including the proposed
action; and any irreversible
commitments of resources; and to
address comments received during early
public scoping efforts.
Alternatives in the Draft Environmental
Assessment
The Service is providing notice of the
availability of our draft EA, which
evaluates the impacts of the Proposed
Action Alternative (including the HCP),
and a No Action Alternative.
No Action Alternative: Under the No
Action Alternative, we would not issue
an incidental take permit to the
applicant; the applicant would not
implement an HCP and would avoid the
take of the proposed covered species.
The No Action Alternative would not
address the applicant’s underlying
needs, would not contribute to meeting
the State of California’s renewable
energy goals, and would not assist with
the offset of carbon emissions. The
5,181 acres identified as the permit area
would likely remain as agricultural land
and undisturbed open space, and the
2,731 acres identified as conservation
sites would not be permanently
conserved. As a result, there would be
no conservation benefit to covered
species as a result of the Proposed
Action. Agricultural activities, such as
disking and harvesting, would likely
continue, resulting in continued
reduced habitat quality as a result of
frequent vegetation removal and soil
disturbance within the solar park area.
Proposed Action Alternative: Under
the Proposed Action Alternative, we
would issue an incidental take permit
for the applicant’s proposed HCP, which
includes the covered activities and the
conservation measures described in
Background Information, and described
with more detail in the applicant’s
proposed Wright Solar Park Habitat
Conservation Plan.
Public Comments
We request data, comments, new
information, or suggestions from the
public, other concerned governmental
agencies, the scientific community,
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 8 / Tuesday, January 13, 2015 / Notices
Tribes, industry, or any other interested
party on this notice. We particularly
seek comments on the following:
(1) Biological information concerning
the species;
(2) Relevant data concerning the
species;
(3) Additional information concerning
the range, distribution, population size,
and population trends of the species;
(4) Current or planned activities in the
subject area and their possible impacts
on the species; and
(5) The presence of archeological
sites, buildings and structures, historic
events, sacred and traditional areas, and
other historic preservation concerns,
which are required to be considered in
project planning by the National
Historic Preservation Act; and
(6) Identification of any other
environmental issues that should be
considered with regard to the proposed
transmission line and permit action.
You may submit your comments and
materials by one of the methods listed
in ADDRESSES. Comments and materials
we receive, as well as supporting
documentation we used in preparing the
EA, will be available for public
inspection by appointment, during
normal business hours, at our office (see
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone
number, or other personal identifying
information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire
comment—including your personal
identifying information—might 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.
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Next Steps
Issuance of an incidental take permit
is a Federal proposed action subject to
compliance with NEPA. We will
evaluate the application, associated
documents, and any public comments
we receive to determine whether the
application meets the requirements of
NEPA regulations and section 10(a) of
the Act. If we determine that those
requirements are met, we will issue a
permit to the applicant for the
incidental take of desert tortoise. We
will make our final permit decision no
sooner than 30 days after the public
comment period closes.
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Dated: January 7, 2015.
Paul B. McKim,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, Fish and
Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Region,
Sacramento, California.
25 CFR 224 will allow IEED to
determine the capacity of tribes to
manage the development of energy
resources on tribal lands. Information
collection:
[FR Doc. 2015–00390 Filed 1–12–15; 8:45 am]
• Enables IEED to engage in a consultation
process with tribes that is designed to foster
optimal pre-planning of development
proposals and speed up the review and
approval process for TERA agreements;
• Provides wide public notice and
opportunity for review of TERA agreements
by the public, industry, and government
agencies;
• Ensures that the public has an avenue for
review of the performance of tribes in
implementing a TERA;
• Creates a process for preventing damage
to sensitive resources as well as ensuring that
the public has fully communicated with the
tribe in the petition process;
• Ensures that a tribe is fully aware of any
attempt by the Department of the Interior to
resume management authority over energy
resources on tribal lands; and
• Ensures that the tribal government fully
endorses any relinquishment of a TERA.
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
[DR.5B814.IA001213]
Renewal of Agency Information
Collection for Tribal Energy Resource
Agreements
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of request for comments.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs is
seeking comments on the renewal of
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approval for the collection of
information titled ‘‘Tribal Energy
Resource Agreements’’ (TERAs) under
the Office of Indian Energy and
Economic Development Office (IEED)
authorized by OMB Control Number
1076–0167. This information collection
expires March 31, 2015.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
March 16, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on the information collection to Mr.
Stephen Manydeeds, Chief, Division of
Energy and Mineral Development,
13922 Denver West Parkway, Suite 200,
Lakewood, CO 80401; facsimile: (303)
969–5273; email: Stephen.Manydeeds@
bia.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Stephen Manydeeds, telephone: (720)
407–0600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. Abstract
The Energy Policy Act of 2005, 25
U.S.C. 3503 authorizes the Secretary of
the Interior to approve individual Tribal
Energy Resource Agreements (TERAs).
The intent of these agreements is to
promote tribal oversight and
management of energy and mineral
resource development on tribal lands
and further the goal of Indian selfdetermination. A TERA offers a tribe an
alternative for developing energy-related
business agreements and awarding
leases and granting rights-of-way for
energy facilities without having to
obtain further approval from the
Secretary.
This information collection
conducted under TERA regulations at
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II. Request for Comments
The Assistant Secretary—Indian
Affairs requests your comments on this
collection concerning: (a) The necessity
of this information collection for the
proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) The accuracy of the agency’s
estimate of the burden (hours and cost)
of the collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
Ways we could enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (d) Ways we could
minimize the burden of the collection of
the information on the respondents.
Please note that an agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and an individual
need not respond to, a collection of
information unless it has a valid OMB
Control Number.
It is our policy to make all comments
available to the public for review at the
location listed in the ADDRESSES section.
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.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 1076–0167.
Title: Tribal Energy Resource
Agreements.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1660-1662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00390]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2014-N240; FF08E00000-FXES11120800000-145]
Draft Environmental Assessment and Proposed Wright Solar Park
Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan, Merced County, California
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment; permit
application, draft environmental assessment, proposed habitat
conservation plan.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that we, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), have prepared a draft environmental
assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (NEPA), in response to an application from Wright Solar Park,
LLC (the applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) pursuant to the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant has
prepared the draft Wright Solar Park Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to
describe and implement a conservation plan that will minimize and
mitigate environmental effects associated with the construction,
operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of an up-to-200-megawatt
photovoltaic power generating facility and implementation of
conservation actions associated with the Habitat Conservation Plan in
Merced County, California. We also announce a 60-day public comment
period on the permit application, including the draft EA and the
proposed HCP. We request data, comments, new information, or
suggestions from the public, other concerned governmental agencies, the
scientific community, Tribes, industry, or any other interested party.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
March 16, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Please address written comments to Mike Thomas, Chief,
Conservation Planning Division, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office,
2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825. Alternatively, you may
send comments by facsimile to (916) 414-6713.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Thomas, Chief, Conservation
Planning Division, or Eric Tattersall, Deputy Assistant Field
Supervisor, at the address in ADDRESSES or at (916) 414-6600
(telephone). If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf,
please call the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice advises the public that we, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have prepared a draft
environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), in response to an application from
Wright Solar Park, LLC (the applicant) for an incidental take permit
(ITP) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).
The application addresses the proposed incidental take (take) of three
animal species proposed as ``covered species'' within a 5,181-acre
permit area during a proposed permit term of 40 years. The applicant
has prepared the draft Wright Solar Park Habitat Conservation Plan
(HCP) to describe and implement a conservation plan that will minimize
and mitigate environmental effects associated with the construction,
operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of an up-to-200-megawatt
photovoltaic power generating facility and implementation of
conservation actions associated with the Habitat Conservation Plan in
Merced County, California. We also announce a 90-day public comment
period on the permit application, including the draft EA and the
proposed HCP. We request data, comments, new information, or
suggestions from the public, other concerned governmental agencies, the
scientific community, Tribes, industry, or any other interested party.
We publish this notice under the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347 et seq.; NEPA), and its
implementing regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 40
CFR parts 1500-1508, as well as in compliance with section 10(c) of the
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544 et seq.; Act).
Availability of Documents
You may obtain copies of the draft EA and the draft HCP from the
individuals in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, or from the Sacramento
Fish and Wildlife Office Web site at https://www.fws.gov/sacramento.
Copies of these documents are also available for public inspection, by
appointment, during regular business hours, at the Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES).
Background Information
Section 9 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544 et seq.) and Federal
regulations (50 CFR part 17) prohibit the taking of fish and wildlife
species listed as endangered or threatened under section 4 of the Act.
``Take'' of federally listed fish or wildlife is defined under the Act
as to ``harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture,
or collect, or attempt to engage in such conduct'' (16 U.S.C. 1532(19).
The term ``harm'' is defined in the regulations as ``an act which
actually kills or injures wildlife. Such act may include significant
habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures
wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns,
including breeding, feeding, or sheltering'' (50 CFR 17.3).
[[Page 1661]]
However, under specified circumstances, the Service may issue permits
that allow the take of federally listed fish and wildlife species,
provided that the take that occurs is incidental to, but not the
purpose of, an otherwise lawful activity.
Regulations governing permits for endangered and threatened species
are at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, respectively. Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
Act contains provisions for issuing such incidental take permits to
non-Federal entities for the take of endangered and threatened species,
provided the following criteria are met:
(1) The taking will be incidental;
(2) The applicants will minimize and mitigate the impact of such
taking to the maximum extent practicable;
(3) The applicants will develop a proposed HCP and ensure that
adequate funding for the HCP will be provided;
(4) The taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the
survival and recovery of the species in the wild; and
(5) The applicants will carry out any other measures that the
Service may require as being necessary or appropriate for the purposes
of the HCP.
The draft HCP addresses, and the applicant seeks incidental take
authorization for, three animal species (two federally endangered and
one federally threatened). The proposed permit would provide take
authorization for all species identified in the draft HCP as covered
species.
The following two federally listed as endangered species are
proposed to be included as covered species in the proposed HCP:
Blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila)
San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica)
The following federally listed as threatened species is proposed to
be included as a covered species in the proposed HCP:
Central California distinct population segment of the California
tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense)
Implementation of activities proposed for coverage under the
proposed ITP includes the following general categories:
(1) Construction and operation activities within solar sites;
(2) Management and maintenance activities within movement
corridors;
(3) Management activities within the areas designated for
conservation (conservation sites), including monitoring and reporting
actions;
(4) Activities associated with implementation of the conservation
program specified in the draft HCP;
(5) Decommissioning; and
(6) Implementation of the conservation program.
Construction-related activities could include grading and
compaction, trenching, paving of access roads, installation of solar
arrays, meteorological stations, transmission lines, septic leech
fields, fencing, and landscaping. Construction of solar facilities is
anticipated to be completed over a 26-month period from the
commencement of the initial development, and is anticipated to be
complete by late 2016. Operation-related activities could include solar
panel maintenance, on-site parking, operation of solar modules,
inspection, repair of equipment, and operation of lighting. Typical
activities associated with decommissioning of the solar energy facility
include removal of all solar electric systems, buildings, cabling,
electrical components; breaking up of concrete pads and foundations;
removal of access roads; additional grading; and replacement of soil
disturbed from decommissioning. Preservation/enhancement and
conservation plan management activities could include vegetation
control (i.e., grazing and mowing), fence installation, and special
status species monitoring (i.e., surveys such as trapping, use of
remote cameras, and spotlighting).
The proposed covered activities related to development, operations,
maintenance and decommissioning of the solar sites would result in the
permanent or temporary disturbance of up to 2,731 acres of existing
land cover within the proposed 5,181-acre permit area. The proposed
covered activities related to management of the conservation sites
would also result in some disturbance of land cover, but overall these
actions are expected to benefit the covered species. The solar site
parcels encompass 2,731 acres, and conservation sites total 2,450
acres. The covered lands within the solar park area consist of low
rolling hills, and are currently actively used as dry-farmed
agricultural land. Surrounding land uses include open space, rangeland,
active and inactive agricultural land, and some existing and potential
urban development. The proposed HCP conservation strategy prescribes
conditions for implementing each covered activity that avoid or
minimize potential take of the covered species, and identifies
mitigation for species impacts that cannot be avoided.
National Environmental Policy Act Compliance
Our proposed permit issuance decision triggers compliance with
NEPA, which requires that environmental information be available to
public officials and citizens before Federal decisions are made and
before Federal actions are taken. We prepared the draft EA to inform
the public of the proposed HCP; our proposed permit action;
alternatives to that action; the environmental impacts of the
alternatives, including the proposed action; and any irreversible
commitments of resources; and to address comments received during early
public scoping efforts.
Alternatives in the Draft Environmental Assessment
The Service is providing notice of the availability of our draft
EA, which evaluates the impacts of the Proposed Action Alternative
(including the HCP), and a No Action Alternative.
No Action Alternative: Under the No Action Alternative, we would
not issue an incidental take permit to the applicant; the applicant
would not implement an HCP and would avoid the take of the proposed
covered species. The No Action Alternative would not address the
applicant's underlying needs, would not contribute to meeting the State
of California's renewable energy goals, and would not assist with the
offset of carbon emissions. The 5,181 acres identified as the permit
area would likely remain as agricultural land and undisturbed open
space, and the 2,731 acres identified as conservation sites would not
be permanently conserved. As a result, there would be no conservation
benefit to covered species as a result of the Proposed Action.
Agricultural activities, such as disking and harvesting, would likely
continue, resulting in continued reduced habitat quality as a result of
frequent vegetation removal and soil disturbance within the solar park
area.
Proposed Action Alternative: Under the Proposed Action Alternative,
we would issue an incidental take permit for the applicant's proposed
HCP, which includes the covered activities and the conservation
measures described in Background Information, and described with more
detail in the applicant's proposed Wright Solar Park Habitat
Conservation Plan.
Public Comments
We request data, comments, new information, or suggestions from the
public, other concerned governmental agencies, the scientific
community,
[[Page 1662]]
Tribes, industry, or any other interested party on this notice. We
particularly seek comments on the following:
(1) Biological information concerning the species;
(2) Relevant data concerning the species;
(3) Additional information concerning the range, distribution,
population size, and population trends of the species;
(4) Current or planned activities in the subject area and their
possible impacts on the species; and
(5) The presence of archeological sites, buildings and structures,
historic events, sacred and traditional areas, and other historic
preservation concerns, which are required to be considered in project
planning by the National Historic Preservation Act; and
(6) Identification of any other environmental issues that should be
considered with regard to the proposed transmission line and permit
action.
You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods
listed in ADDRESSES. Comments and materials we receive, as well as
supporting documentation we used in preparing the EA, will be available
for public inspection by appointment, during normal business hours, at
our office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, or other personal
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--might
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.
Next Steps
Issuance of an incidental take permit is a Federal proposed action
subject to compliance with NEPA. We will evaluate the application,
associated documents, and any public comments we receive to determine
whether the application meets the requirements of NEPA regulations and
section 10(a) of the Act. If we determine that those requirements are
met, we will issue a permit to the applicant for the incidental take of
desert tortoise. We will make our final permit decision no sooner than
30 days after the public comment period closes.
Dated: January 7, 2015.
Paul B. McKim,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific
Southwest Region, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2015-00390 Filed 1-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
