General Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas Activities in Santa Barbara County, California; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Analysis/Document; Initiation of Public Scoping Process, 35988-35989 [2017-16249]
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35988
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 147 / Wednesday, August 2, 2017 / Notices
Authority
We publish this notice under the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321–4347
et seq.), and its implementing
regulations at 40 CFR 1500–1508, as
well as in compliance with section 10(c)
of the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1531–1544 et seq.) and its
implementing regulations at 40 CFR
17.22.
Dated: July 26, 2017.
Jennifer Norris,
Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2017–16251 Filed 8–1–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R8–ES–2017–N078;
FXES11140800000–178–FF08EVEN00]
General Conservation Plan for Oil and
Gas Activities in Santa Barbara
County, California; Notice of Intent To
Prepare a Draft Environmental
Analysis/Document; Initiation of Public
Scoping Process
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce our
intent to prepare a draft environmental
analysis/document under the National
Environmental Policy Act, as amended
(NEPA), for the proposed issuance of an
incidental take permit (ITP) under
section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA),
for the draft General Conservation Plan
for Oil and Gas Activities in Santa
Barbara County (GCP). The GCP is being
developed to streamline environmental
permitting and compliance with the
ESA for proponents engaged in
geophysical exploration (seismic),
development, extraction, storage,
transport, remediation, and/or
distribution of crude oil, natural gas,
and/or other petroleum products, and
construction, maintenance, operation,
repair, and decommissioning of oil and
gas pipelines and well field
infrastructure. The GCP is a
conservation plan as required under the
ESA for issuance of incidental take
permits. Participation in the GCP would
be voluntary. ITP holders would be
authorized for incidental take of
threatened and endangered wildlife
sradovich on DSKBCFCHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:43 Aug 01, 2017
Jkt 241001
species that could result from the
activities covered under the GCP. The
GCP would include conservation
measures for an endangered plant
species that would also be covered
under the plan. We also are announcing
the initiation of a public scoping
process to engage Federal, tribal, State,
and local governments and the public in
the identification of issues and
concerns, potential impacts, and
possible alternatives to the proposed
action. The Service is inviting input
regarding development of a draft
environmental analysis/document,
which will evaluate the impacts to the
human environment associated with
issuance of ITPs and implementation of
the GCP and alternatives.
DATES: In order to be included in the
analysis, all comments must be received
or postmarked on or before September 1,
2017.
ADDRESSES: Please provide comments in
writing, by one of the following
methods:
• Email: rachel_henry@fws.gov;
• Facsimile: 805–644–3958, Attn:
VFWO GCP; or
• U.S. mail: Field Supervisor,
Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola
Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93101.
Please specify that your information
request or comments concern the VFWO
GCP.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rachel Henry, by U.S. mail (see
ADDRESSES), or by phone at 805–677–
3312. If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), please call the
Federal Information Relay Service at
800–877– 8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
intend to prepare either a draft
environmental analysis/document
under the National Environmental
Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321
et seq.; NEPA), for the proposed General
Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas
Activities in Santa Barbara County
(GCP). The GCP is a conservation plan
as required under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1539(c); ESA), for issuance of a
10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit (ITP).
Participation in the GCP and making an
application for take authorization are
voluntary. The proposed ITP would
authorize the incidental take of
threatened and endangered wildlife
species that could result from the
activities covered under the GCP, and
would include conservation measures
for an endangered plant species that
also would be covered under the ITP.
The GCP is being prepared by the
PO 00000
Frm 00063
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office to
address prospective activities that may
be covered by the GCP. We also are
announcing the initiation of a public
scoping process to engage Federal,
tribal, state, and local governments and
the public in the identification of issues
and concerns, potential impacts, and
possible alternatives to the proposed
action. The decision to prepare a draft
environmental analysis/document will
be, in part, contingent on the
complexity of issues identified during,
and following, the scoping phase of the
NEPA process.
Background
Section 9 of the ESA and its
implementing regulations prohibit
‘‘take’’ of fish and wildlife species listed
as endangered or threatened (16 U.S.C.
1531–1544). Under section 3 of the ESA,
the term ‘‘take’’ means to harass, harm,
pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap,
capture, or collect, or to attempt to
engage in any such conduct (16 U.S.C.
1532(19)). The term ‘‘harm’’ is further
defined by regulation as an act that
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). The
term ‘‘harass’’ is also further defined in
the regulations as an intentional or
negligent act or omission that creates
the likelihood of injury to wildlife by
annoying it to such an extent as to
significantly disrupt normal behavioral
patterns, which include, but are not
limited to, breeding, feeding, or
sheltering (50 CFR 17.3).
Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act,
the Secretary of the Interior may
authorize the taking of federally listed
wildlife species if such taking occurs
incidental to otherwise legal activities
and where a conservation plan has been
developed under section 10(a)(2)(A) that
describes: (1) The impact that will likely
result from such taking; (2) the steps an
applicant will take to minimize and
mitigate that take to the maximum
extent practicable and the funding that
will be available to implement such
steps; (3) the alternative actions to such
taking that an applicant considered and
the reasons why such alternatives are
not being utilized; and (4) other
measures that the Service may require
as being necessary or appropriate for the
purposes of the plan. Issuance criteria
under section 10(a)(2)(B) for an
incidental take permit require the
Service to find that: (1) The taking will
be incidental to otherwise lawful
activities; (2) an applicant will, to the
E:\FR\FM\02AUN1.SGM
02AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 147 / Wednesday, August 2, 2017 / Notices
maximum extent practicable, minimize
and mitigate the impacts of such taking;
(3) an applicant has ensured that
adequate funding for the plan 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 measures, if any,
we require as necessary or appropriate
for the purposes of the plan will be met.
Regulations governing permits for
endangered and threatened species are
at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, respectively.
sradovich on DSKBCFCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Public Scoping
A primary purpose of the scoping
process is to receive suggestions and
information on the scope of issues and
alternatives to consider when drafting
the environmental analysis/document,
and to identify significant issues and
reasonable alternatives related to the
Service’s proposed action (issuance of
ITPs under the GCP). In order to ensure
that we identify a range of issues and
alternatives related to the proposed
action, we invite comments and
suggestions from all interested parties.
We will conduct a review of this project
according to the requirements of NEPA
and its regulations, other relevant
Federal laws, regulations, policies, and
guidance, and our procedures for
compliance with applicable regulations.
Once the draft environmental analysis/
document and draft GCP are prepared,
we will offer further opportunities for
public comment on the content of the
NEPA document and the GCP through
an appropriate public comment period.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is issuance of an
incidental take permit for the covered
species to proponents engaged in
geophysical exploration (seismic),
development, extraction, storage,
transport, remediation, and/or
distribution of crude oil, natural gas,
and/or other petroleum products, and
construction, maintenance, operation,
repair, and decommissioning of oil and
gas pipelines and well field
infrastructure. The proposed GCP,
which must meet the requirements in
section 10(a)(2)(A) of the Act, would be
developed by the Service and
implemented by proponents that are
issued ITPs under the plan. This will
allow for a comprehensive mitigation
approach for authorized impacts, which
will result in more effective
conservation, while at the same time
providing a more efficient mechanism
for permit processing for the Service
and proponents.
Actions covered under the requested
incidental take permit may include
possible take of covered species
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:43 Aug 01, 2017
Jkt 241001
associated with activities including, but
not limited to, geophysical exploration
(seismic), development, extraction,
storage, transport, remediation, and/or
distribution of crude oil, natural gas,
and/or other petroleum products, and
construction, maintenance, operation,
repair, and decommissioning of oil and
gas pipelines and well field
infrastructure. The proposed permits
would provide coverage for a period of
the specified lifetime of each individual
project permitted under the GCP. This
proposed plan would not circumvent
the need for project compliance with
other permit requirements for oil and
gas projects or other required approval
processes that may include county
hearings and local approval. The species
covered under the requested incidental
take permit are the California tiger
salamander (Ambystoma californiense),
California red-legged frog (Rana
draytonii), and the Lompoc yerba santa
(Eriodictyon capitatum).
Other Alternatives
We seek information regarding other
reasonable alternatives during this
scoping period and will evaluate the
impacts associated with such
alternatives in the draft environmental
analysis/document.
Public Availability of Comments
Written comments we receive become
part of the public record associated with
this action. Before including your
address, phone number, email address,
or other personal identifying
information in your comment, you
should be aware that the 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. Comments and materials we
receive, as well as supporting
documentation we use in preparing the
draft environmental analysis/document,
will be available for public inspection,
by appointment, during normal business
hours at the Service’s Ventura Fish and
Wildlife Office in Ventura, California
(see ADDRESSES, above).
Authority
We publish this notice in compliance
with the NEPA and its implementing
regulations (40 CFR 1501.7, 1506.6, and
1508.22), the Department of the
Interior’s NEPA implementing
regulations at 43 CFR 46.235, and
section 10(c) of the ESA.
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
35989
Dated: July 26, 2017.
Stephen P. Henry,
Field Supervisor, Pacific Southwest Region,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–16249 Filed 8–1–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
[178A2100DD/AAKC001030/
A0A501010.999900 253G]
Indian Gaming; Approval of a TribalState Class III Gaming Compact in the
State of South Dakota
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe
of the Crow Creek Reservation and the
State of South Dakota entered into a
compact superseding an existing TribalState compact governing Class III
gaming; this notice announces approval
of the Proposed Gaming Compact
Between the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of
the Crow Creek Reservation and the
State of South Dakota governing Class III
gaming.
DATES: This notice is applicable as of
August 2, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Paula L. Hart, Director, Office of Indian
Gaming, Office of the Assistant
Secretary—Indian Affairs, Washington,
DC 20240, (202) 219–4066.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 11
of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
(IGRA) requires the Secretary of the
Interior (Secretary) to publish in the
Federal Register notice of approved
Tribal-State compacts that are for the
purpose of engaging in Class III gaming
activities on Indian lands. See Public
Law 100–497, 25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq. All
Tribal-State Class III compacts,
including amendments, are subject to
review and approval by the Secretary
under 25 CFR 293.4. The Compact
increases the number of permissible slot
machines from 250 to 500, permits the
Tribe to operate Class III gaming at a
second location, and increases wager
limits. The initial duration of the
Compact is 10 years with automatic
renewals every 10 years thereafter
unless the agreement is terminated by
the Tribe and the State. The Compact is
approved. See 25 U.S.C. 2710(d)(8)(A).
SUMMARY:
Dated: June 26, 2017.
Michael S. Black,
Acting Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017–16215 Filed 8–1–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337–15–P
E:\FR\FM\02AUN1.SGM
02AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 147 (Wednesday, August 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35988-35989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16249]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2017-N078; FXES11140800000-178-FF08EVEN00]
General Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas Activities in Santa
Barbara County, California; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft
Environmental Analysis/Document; Initiation of Public Scoping Process
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce our
intent to prepare a draft environmental analysis/document under the
National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (NEPA), for the proposed
issuance of an incidental take permit (ITP) under section 10(a)(1)(B)
of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), for the draft
General Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas Activities in Santa Barbara
County (GCP). The GCP is being developed to streamline environmental
permitting and compliance with the ESA for proponents engaged in
geophysical exploration (seismic), development, extraction, storage,
transport, remediation, and/or distribution of crude oil, natural gas,
and/or other petroleum products, and construction, maintenance,
operation, repair, and decommissioning of oil and gas pipelines and
well field infrastructure. The GCP is a conservation plan as required
under the ESA for issuance of incidental take permits. Participation in
the GCP would be voluntary. ITP holders would be authorized for
incidental take of threatened and endangered wildlife species that
could result from the activities covered under the GCP. The GCP would
include conservation measures for an endangered plant species that
would also be covered under the plan. We also are announcing the
initiation of a public scoping process to engage Federal, tribal,
State, and local governments and the public in the identification of
issues and concerns, potential impacts, and possible alternatives to
the proposed action. The Service is inviting input regarding
development of a draft environmental analysis/document, which will
evaluate the impacts to the human environment associated with issuance
of ITPs and implementation of the GCP and alternatives.
DATES: In order to be included in the analysis, all comments must be
received or postmarked on or before September 1, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Please provide comments in writing, by one of the following
methods:
Email: rachel_henry@fws.gov;
Facsimile: 805-644-3958, Attn: VFWO GCP; or
U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B,
Ventura, CA 93101. Please specify that your information request or
comments concern the VFWO GCP.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Henry, by U.S. mail (see
ADDRESSES), or by phone at 805-677-3312. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), please call the Federal
Information Relay Service at 800-877- 8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), intend to prepare either a draft environmental analysis/
document under the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; NEPA), for the proposed General Conservation Plan
for Oil and Gas Activities in Santa Barbara County (GCP). The GCP is a
conservation plan as required under the Endangered Species Act of 1973,
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1539(c); ESA), for issuance of a 10(a)(1)(B)
incidental take permit (ITP). Participation in the GCP and making an
application for take authorization are voluntary. The proposed ITP
would authorize the incidental take of threatened and endangered
wildlife species that could result from the activities covered under
the GCP, and would include conservation measures for an endangered
plant species that also would be covered under the ITP. The GCP is
being prepared by the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office to address
prospective activities that may be covered by the GCP. We also are
announcing the initiation of a public scoping process to engage
Federal, tribal, state, and local governments and the public in the
identification of issues and concerns, potential impacts, and possible
alternatives to the proposed action. The decision to prepare a draft
environmental analysis/document will be, in part, contingent on the
complexity of issues identified during, and following, the scoping
phase of the NEPA process.
Background
Section 9 of the ESA and its implementing regulations prohibit
``take'' of fish and wildlife species listed as endangered or
threatened (16 U.S.C. 1531-1544). Under section 3 of the ESA, the term
``take'' means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap,
capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct (16
U.S.C. 1532(19)). The term ``harm'' is further defined by regulation as
an act that 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). The
term ``harass'' is also further defined in the regulations as an
intentional or negligent act or omission that creates the likelihood of
injury to wildlife by annoying it to such an extent as to significantly
disrupt normal behavioral patterns, which include, but are not limited
to, breeding, feeding, or sheltering (50 CFR 17.3).
Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act, the Secretary of the Interior
may authorize the taking of federally listed wildlife species if such
taking occurs incidental to otherwise legal activities and where a
conservation plan has been developed under section 10(a)(2)(A) that
describes: (1) The impact that will likely result from such taking; (2)
the steps an applicant will take to minimize and mitigate that take to
the maximum extent practicable and the funding that will be available
to implement such steps; (3) the alternative actions to such taking
that an applicant considered and the reasons why such alternatives are
not being utilized; and (4) other measures that the Service may require
as being necessary or appropriate for the purposes of the plan.
Issuance criteria under section 10(a)(2)(B) for an incidental take
permit require the Service to find that: (1) The taking will be
incidental to otherwise lawful activities; (2) an applicant will, to
the
[[Page 35989]]
maximum extent practicable, minimize and mitigate the impacts of such
taking; (3) an applicant has ensured that adequate funding for the plan
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 measures, if any, we require as necessary or appropriate for
the purposes of the plan will be met. Regulations governing permits for
endangered and threatened species are at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32,
respectively.
Public Scoping
A primary purpose of the scoping process is to receive suggestions
and information on the scope of issues and alternatives to consider
when drafting the environmental analysis/document, and to identify
significant issues and reasonable alternatives related to the Service's
proposed action (issuance of ITPs under the GCP). In order to ensure
that we identify a range of issues and alternatives related to the
proposed action, we invite comments and suggestions from all interested
parties. We will conduct a review of this project according to the
requirements of NEPA and its regulations, other relevant Federal laws,
regulations, policies, and guidance, and our procedures for compliance
with applicable regulations. Once the draft environmental analysis/
document and draft GCP are prepared, we will offer further
opportunities for public comment on the content of the NEPA document
and the GCP through an appropriate public comment period.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is issuance of an incidental take permit for
the covered species to proponents engaged in geophysical exploration
(seismic), development, extraction, storage, transport, remediation,
and/or distribution of crude oil, natural gas, and/or other petroleum
products, and construction, maintenance, operation, repair, and
decommissioning of oil and gas pipelines and well field infrastructure.
The proposed GCP, which must meet the requirements in section
10(a)(2)(A) of the Act, would be developed by the Service and
implemented by proponents that are issued ITPs under the plan. This
will allow for a comprehensive mitigation approach for authorized
impacts, which will result in more effective conservation, while at the
same time providing a more efficient mechanism for permit processing
for the Service and proponents.
Actions covered under the requested incidental take permit may
include possible take of covered species associated with activities
including, but not limited to, geophysical exploration (seismic),
development, extraction, storage, transport, remediation, and/or
distribution of crude oil, natural gas, and/or other petroleum
products, and construction, maintenance, operation, repair, and
decommissioning of oil and gas pipelines and well field infrastructure.
The proposed permits would provide coverage for a period of the
specified lifetime of each individual project permitted under the GCP.
This proposed plan would not circumvent the need for project compliance
with other permit requirements for oil and gas projects or other
required approval processes that may include county hearings and local
approval. The species covered under the requested incidental take
permit are the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense),
California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), and the Lompoc yerba santa
(Eriodictyon capitatum).
Other Alternatives
We seek information regarding other reasonable alternatives during
this scoping period and will evaluate the impacts associated with such
alternatives in the draft environmental analysis/document.
Public Availability of Comments
Written comments we receive become part of the public record
associated with this action. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that the 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. Comments and materials we
receive, as well as supporting documentation we use in preparing the
draft environmental analysis/document, will be available for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the
Service's Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office in Ventura, California (see
ADDRESSES, above).
Authority
We publish this notice in compliance with the NEPA and its
implementing regulations (40 CFR 1501.7, 1506.6, and 1508.22), the
Department of the Interior's NEPA implementing regulations at 43 CFR
46.235, and section 10(c) of the ESA.
Dated: July 26, 2017.
Stephen P. Henry,
Field Supervisor, Pacific Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-16249 Filed 8-1-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
