Incidental Take Permit Application Received To Participate in the American Burying-Beetle Amended Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan in Oklahoma, 12202-12203 [2018-05589]

Download as PDF 12202 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 54 / Tuesday, March 20, 2018 / Notices CCAA, available for public review and comment. daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES Background Survival enhancement of permits issued for CCAAs encourage nonFederal landowners, including nonFederal operators holding easements on private lands, to implement conservation measures for species that are, or are likely to become, candidates for Federal listing as endangered or threatened under the Act, by assuring landowners/operators they will not be subjected to increased property use restrictions if the covered species becomes listed in the future. Application requirements and survival enhancement of permit issuance criteria for CCAAs are in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17.22(d) and 17.32(d). The joint policy on CCAAs was published in the Federal Register with the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service on December 27, 2016 (80 FR 95164; December 27, 2016). Proposed Action The proposed action is the FWS issuing AEPCO a permit for covered activities in the permit area for up to 25 years, pursuant to the Act, section 10(a)(1)(A). The Permit would cover Sonoran desert tortoise ‘‘take’’ associated with covered activities occurring within the permit area. The proposed AEPCO CCAA commits AEPCO to implement conservation measures to reduce threats and contribute to furthering Sonoran desert tortoise conservation on lands AEPCO uses while implementing covered activities within the tortoise’s Arizona range. To meet section 10(a)(1)(A) permit requirements, the applicant developed and proposes to implement the AEPCO CCAA, which describes the conservation measures AEPCO has agreed to undertake to reduce tortoise threats, ensure that incidental take will not appreciably reduce the likelihood the species can survive and recover in the wild, and benefit Sonoran desert tortoises and their habitats. Expected benefits include, but may not be limited to: Developing and delivering personnel and contractors a training and awareness program, along with annual refreshers to avoid and minimize Sonoran desert tortoise take; limiting the amount of new disturbance within tortoise habitat; providing early notification of new buffelgrass infestations to afford opportunity for buffelgrass management to improve VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:08 Mar 19, 2018 Jkt 244001 Sonoran desert tortoise habitat, and; limiting taking habitat, eggs, and female Sonoran desert tortoises. Additionally, through the CCAA’s reporting requirements, the FWS will receive additional tortoise distribution data to add to the overall Sonoran desert tortoise knowledge base, and use it to further species conservation. Since the Sonoran desert tortoise is not federally listed, there is no regulatory requirement for AEPCO to implement a conservation program. Therefore, absent the CCAA, it is unlikely these benefits to the tortoise would be realized. We will evaluate the permit application, associated documents, and comments we receive to determine whether the permit application meets the requirements of the Act, NEPA, and implementing regulations. If we determine that all requirements are met, we will approve the proposed CCAA and, should the species become listed as threatened or endangered under the Act in the future, the AEPCO permit under the Act, section 10(a)(1)(A), will become effective and provide Sonoran desert tortoise incidental take coverage through the remainder of the CCAA’s 25-year duration. We will not make our final decision until after the comment period ends, and we will fully consider all comments we receive during the public comment period. Public Availability of Comments All comments we receive become part of the public record associated with this action. Requests for copies of comments will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, NEPA, and Service and Department of the Interior policies and procedures. 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 to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety. Authority We provide this notice under the Act, section 10(c) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32) and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.) and PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). Joy E. Nicholopoulos, Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, Albuquerque, New Mexico. [FR Doc. 2018–05590 Filed 3–19–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS–R2–ES–2017–N186; FXES11140200000–189–FF02ENEH00] Incidental Take Permit Application Received To Participate in the American Burying-Beetle Amended Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan in Oklahoma Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments. AGENCY: Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as amended, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on a federally listed American burying-beetle incidental take permit (ITP) application. The applicant anticipates American burying-beetle take as a result of impacts to habitat the species uses for breeding, feeding, and sheltering in Oklahoma. The take would be incidental to the applicant’s activities associated with oil and gas well field and pipeline infrastructure (gathering, transmission, and distribution), including geophysical exploration (seismic), construction, maintenance, operation, repair, decommissioning, and reclamation. If approved, the permit would be issued under the approved American Burying Beetle Amended Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan (ICP) Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permit Issuance in Oklahoma. SUMMARY: To ensure consideration, written comments must be received on or before April 19, 2018. ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of all documents and submit comments on the applicant’s ITP application by one of the following methods. Please refer to the proposed permit number when requesting documents or submitting comments. • U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species—HCP Permits, P.O. Box 1306, Room 6093, Albuquerque, NM 87103. • Electronically: fw2_hcp_permits@ fws.gov. DATES: E:\FR\FM\20MRN1.SGM 20MRN1 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 54 / Tuesday, March 20, 2018 / Notices FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marty Tuegel, Branch Chief, by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Review Division, P.O. Box 1306, Room 6078, Albuquerque, NM 87103; or by telephone at 505–248– 6651. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES Introduction Under the Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on an ITP application to take the federally listed American burying-beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) during oil and gas well field infrastructure geophysical exploration (seismic) and construction, maintenance, operation, repair, and decommissioning, as well as oil and gas gathering, transmission, and distribution pipeline infrastructure construction, maintenance, operation, repair, decommissioning, and reclamation in Oklahoma. If approved, the permit would be issued to the applicant under the American Burying Beetle Amended Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan (ICP) Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permit Issuance in Oklahoma. The original ICP was approved on May 21, 2014, and the ‘‘no significant impact’’ finding notice was published in the Federal Register on July 25, 2014 (79 FR 43504). The draft amended ICP was made available for comment on March 8, 2016 (81 FR 12113), and approved on April 13, 2016. The ICP and the associated environmental assessment/finding of no significant impact are available on our website at https://www.fws.gov/ southwest/es/oklahoma/ABBICP. However, we are no longer taking comments on these finalized, approved documents. Application Available for Review and Comment We invite local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies, and the public to comment on the following application under the ICP, for incidentally taking the federally-listed American buryingbeetle. Please refer to the appropriate permit number (TE66214C) when requesting application documents and when submitting comments. Documents and other information the applicant has submitted are available for review, subject to Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) requirements. Permit TE66214C Applicant: Arkoma Resources, LLC, Houston, TX. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:08 Mar 19, 2018 Jkt 244001 Applicant requests a permit for oil and gas upstream and midstream production, including oil and gas well field infrastructure geophysical exploration (seismic) and construction, maintenance, operation, repair, and decommissioning, as well as oil and gas gathering, transmission, and distribution pipeline infrastructure construction, maintenance, operation, repair, decommissioning, and reclamation in Oklahoma. 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 your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety. Authority We provide this notice under the ESA, section 10(c) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22) and the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). Dated: January 11, 2018. Joy N. Nicholopoulos, Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 2018–05589 Filed 3–19–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 12203 park. The United States will purchase, from a willing seller, a parcel containing 100.77 acres of land. The tract encompasses the north half of Bates Old River and northern uplands east of Highway 601. DATES: The applicable date of this boundary revision is March 20, 2018. ADDRESSES: The map depicting this boundary revision is available for inspection at the following locations: National Park Service, Southeast Region Land Resources Program Center, 1924 Building, 100 Alabama Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 and National Park Service, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: National Park Service, Anthony Marshall Acting Chief, Southeast Region Land Resources Program Center, 1924 Building, 100 Alabama Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, telephone 404– 507–5657. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 54 U.S.C. 100506, the boundary of Congaree National Park is modified to include 100.77 acres of adjacent land acres identified as Tract 101–81. The boundary revision is depicted on Map No. 178/132,867 dated August 2017. Specifically, 54 U.S.C. 100506 provides that, after notifying the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to make this boundary revision upon publication of notice in the Federal Register. The Committees have been notified of this boundary revision. This boundary revision and subsequent acquisition of Tract 101–81 will enable the National Park Service to manage and protect significant resources located in the Congaree National Park. Dated: January 4, 2018. Stan Austin, Regional Director, Southeast Region. [FR Doc. 2018–05575 Filed 3–19–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4312–52–P National Park Service [NPS–SER–CONG–24776; PS.SSELA0303.00.1] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Minor Boundary Revision at Congaree National Park National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notification of boundary revision. AGENCY: The boundary of Congaree National Park is modified to include 100.77 acres of land immediately adjacent to the boundary of the national SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Office of the Chief Information Officer [OMB Number 1105—NEW] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested Office of the Chief Information Officer, Department of Justice. ACTION: 60 day notice. AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\20MRN1.SGM 20MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12202-12203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05589]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R2-ES-2017-N186; FXES11140200000-189-FF02ENEH00]


Incidental Take Permit Application Received To Participate in the 
American Burying-Beetle Amended Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan 
in Oklahoma

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as amended, we, the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on a 
federally listed American burying-beetle incidental take permit (ITP) 
application. The applicant anticipates American burying-beetle take as 
a result of impacts to habitat the species uses for breeding, feeding, 
and sheltering in Oklahoma. The take would be incidental to the 
applicant's activities associated with oil and gas well field and 
pipeline infrastructure (gathering, transmission, and distribution), 
including geophysical exploration (seismic), construction, maintenance, 
operation, repair, decommissioning, and reclamation. If approved, the 
permit would be issued under the approved American Burying Beetle 
Amended Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan (ICP) Endangered Species 
Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permit Issuance in Oklahoma.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be received on or 
before April 19, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of all documents and submit comments 
on the applicant's ITP application by one of the following methods. 
Please refer to the proposed permit number when requesting documents or 
submitting comments.
     U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered 
Species--HCP Permits, P.O. Box 1306, Room 6093, Albuquerque, NM 87103.
     Electronically: [email protected].

[[Page 12203]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marty Tuegel, Branch Chief, by U.S. 
mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Review Division, 
P.O. Box 1306, Room 6078, Albuquerque, NM 87103; or by telephone at 
505-248-6651.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    Under the Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.; ESA), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public 
to comment on an ITP application to take the federally listed American 
burying-beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) during oil and gas well field 
infrastructure geophysical exploration (seismic) and construction, 
maintenance, operation, repair, and decommissioning, as well as oil and 
gas gathering, transmission, and distribution pipeline infrastructure 
construction, maintenance, operation, repair, decommissioning, and 
reclamation in Oklahoma.
    If approved, the permit would be issued to the applicant under the 
American Burying Beetle Amended Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan 
(ICP) Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permit Issuance in 
Oklahoma. The original ICP was approved on May 21, 2014, and the ``no 
significant impact'' finding notice was published in the Federal 
Register on July 25, 2014 (79 FR 43504). The draft amended ICP was made 
available for comment on March 8, 2016 (81 FR 12113), and approved on 
April 13, 2016. The ICP and the associated environmental assessment/
finding of no significant impact are available on our website at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/oklahoma/ABBICP. However, we are no longer 
taking comments on these finalized, approved documents.

Application Available for Review and Comment

    We invite local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies, and the 
public to comment on the following application under the ICP, for 
incidentally taking the federally-listed American burying-beetle. 
Please refer to the appropriate permit number (TE66214C) when 
requesting application documents and when submitting comments. 
Documents and other information the applicant has submitted are 
available for review, subject to Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) requirements.

Permit TE66214C

Applicant: Arkoma Resources, LLC, Houston, TX.

    Applicant requests a permit for oil and gas upstream and midstream 
production, including oil and gas well field infrastructure geophysical 
exploration (seismic) and construction, maintenance, operation, repair, 
and decommissioning, as well as oil and gas gathering, transmission, 
and distribution pipeline infrastructure construction, maintenance, 
operation, repair, decommissioning, and reclamation in Oklahoma.

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 your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you can request in your comment that we withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their 
entirety.

Authority

    We provide this notice under the ESA, section 10(c) (16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22) and the 
National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its 
implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

    Dated: January 11, 2018.
Joy N. Nicholopoulos,
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-05589 Filed 3-19-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
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