Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take Permit and Habitat Conservation Plan for the R-Project Transmission Line; Final Environmental Impact Statement, 2900-2902 [2019-01600]

Download as PDF amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 2900 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2019 / Notices ‘‘Council’’) will meet via teleconference on February 28, 2019. The meeting will be open to the public. DATES: The Council conference call will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, February 28, 2019. Please note that the meeting may end early if the Council has completed its business. ADDRESSES: The HSAC meeting will be held via teleconference. Members of the public interested in participating may do so by following the process outlined below (see ‘‘Public Participation’’). Written comments must be submitted and received by Tuesday, February 26, 2019 to Friday, March, 29, 2019. Comments must be identified by Docket No. DHS–2019–0003 and may be submitted by one of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. • Email: HSAC@hq.dhs.gov. Include Docket No. DHS–2019–0003 in the subject line of the message. • Fax: (202) 282–9207. Include Mike Miron and the Docket No. DHS–2019– 0003 in the subject line of the message. • Mail: Homeland Security Advisory Council, Attention Mike Miron, Department of Homeland Security, Mailstop 0445, 245 Murray Lane SW, Washington, DC 20528. Instructions: All submissions received must include the words ‘‘Department of Homeland Security’’ and ‘‘DHS–2019– 0003,’’ the docket number for this action. Comments received will be posted without alteration at https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Docket: For access to the docket to read comments received by the Council, go to https://www.regulations.gov, search ‘‘DHS–2019–0003,’’ ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ and provide your comments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Miron at HSAC@hq.dhs.gov or at (202) 447–3135. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under Section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92–463 (5 U.S.C. Appendix), which requires each FACA committee meeting to be open to the public. The Council provides organizationally independent, strategic, timely, specific, actionable advice, and recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security on matters related to homeland security. The Council is comprised of leaders of local law enforcement, first responders, Federal, State, and local government, the private sector, and academia. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:18 Feb 07, 2019 Jkt 247001 The agenda for the meeting is as follows: The Council will receive briefings from senior officials, and receive progress updates from the CBP Families and Children Care Panel, Countering Foreign Influence, Emerging Technologies, and the State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Cybersecurity Subcommittees. Participation: Members of the public will be in listen-only mode. The public may register to participate in this Council teleconference via the following procedures. Each individual must provide his or her full legal name and email address no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 to Mike Miron of the Council via email to HSAC@hq.dhs.gov or via phone at (202) 447–3135. The conference call details will be provided to interested members of the public after the closing of the public registration period and prior to the start of the meeting. For information on services for individuals with disabilities, or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact Mike Miron at HSAC@ hq.dhs.gov or (202) 447–3135 as soon as possible. Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: For information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities, or to request special assistance during the teleconference contact Mike Miron at (202) 447–3135. Dated: February 5, 2019. Mike Miron, Deputy Executive Director, Homeland Security Advisory Council, DHS. [FR Doc. 2019–01683 Filed 2–7–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–9B–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2014–0048; FF06E220000–178–FXES11140600000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take Permit and Habitat Conservation Plan for the R-Project Transmission Line; Final Environmental Impact Statement Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the final environmental impact statement (EIS), final habitat conservation plan (HCP), and associated documents for the R-Project transmission line in north-central SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Nebraska. The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) applied for an incidental take permit for take of the American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus), which is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended. The permit would authorize take likely to result from the construction, operation, and maintenance of the transmission line. The HCP describes the applicant’s actions and required measures to minimize, mitigate, and monitor incidental take. The final EIS analyzes the effects of authorizing the take and implementation of the HCP on the natural and human environment in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). DATES: Our decision whether to issue the permit will occur no sooner than 30 days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of the final EIS in the Federal Register. We will document our decision in a record of decision (ROD). ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of the documents by any of the following methods: Internet: Federal eRulemaking Portal (https://www.regulations.gov) under Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2014–0048. Upon Request: You may call 308– 382–6468 (extension 204) to request alternative formats of the documents or make an appointment to inspect the documents during normal business hours at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nebraska Field Office, 9325 South Alda Road, Wood River, NE 68883. In Person: • North Platte Public Library, 120 West 4th Street, North Platte, Nebraska. • Logan County Library, 317 Main Street, Stapleton, Nebraska. • Hooker County Library, 102 North Cleveland Avenue, Mullen, Nebraska. • Garfield County Library, 217 G Street, Burwell, Nebraska. • Ewing Township Library, 202 East Nebraska, Ewing, Nebraska. • Ainsworth Public Library, 455 North Main Street, Ainsworth, Nebraska. • Valentine Public Library, 324 North Main Street, Valentine, Nebraska. • Thomas County Library, 501 Main Street, Thedford, Nebraska. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Drue DeBerry, 303–236–4774 or RProject_FEIS@fws.gov (email). If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech disabled, please call the Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the final EIS, HCP, and associated documents for the E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM 08FEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2019 / Notices amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 R-Project transmission line in Nebraska is available for the public to read. NPPD applied for a permit to authorize incidental take of the federally endangered American burying beetle resulting from the construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed R-Project transmission line and substations. As part of its application, NPPD prepared an HCP that describes actions to avoid, minimize, mitigate, and monitor impacts of incidental take of the American burying beetle. According to NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500 et seq.), we analyze in the final EIS the effects of our preferred alternative to authorize incidental take of the beetle and NPPD’s implementation of the HCP required by the permit. The final EIS also analyzes potential effects from two alternatives and identifies alternatives that we considered but eliminated from further analysis. Background Section 9 of the ESA prohibits take of fish and wildlife species listed as endangered (16 U.S.C. 1538). Under section 3 of the ESA, the term ‘‘take’’ means to ‘‘harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or attempt to engage in any such conduct’’ (16 U.S.C. 1532(19)). Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(B)), the Service may issue permits to authorize take of listed fish and wildlife species that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity. The Service shall issue an incidental take permit to non-Federal entities, provided the following criteria are met: • The taking will be incidental. • The applicant will minimize and mitigate, to the maximum extent practicable, the impact of such taking. • The applicant will develop an HCP and ensure that adequate funding for the plan will be provided. • The taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival and recovery of the species in the wild. • The applicant will carry out any other measures that the Secretary of the Interior may require as being necessary or appropriate for the purposes of the HCP. Regulations governing permits for endangered species are set forth in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at part 17, section 17.22 (50 CFR 17.22). NEPA requires that Federal agencies analyze their proposed actions to determine whether the actions may significantly affect the human VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:18 Feb 07, 2019 Jkt 247001 environment. Under NEPA and its implementing regulations, Federal agencies must also compare effects of a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed action. In these analyses, the Federal agency will identify potentially significant direct, indirect, and cumulative effects, as well as possible mitigation for any significant effects, on biological resources, land use, air quality, water resources, socioeconomics, environmental justice, cultural resources, and other environmental resources that could occur with the implementation of the proposed action and alternatives. In accordance with NEPA, we announced public scoping to prepare an EIS in the Federal Register on October 30, 2014 (79 FR 64619). We published a notice of availability of the draft EIS and draft HCP, and requested public comments on those draft documents, in the Federal Register on May 12, 2017 (82 FR 22153). The May 12, 2017, notice also announced three public meetings on the draft EIS and draft HCP, which we held in June 2017, in three Nebraska cities. We reopened the comment period for the draft EIS and draft HCP in the Federal Register on September 8, 2017 (82 FR 42561). The final EIS addresses public comments on the draft EIS. Proposed Action We propose to issue a 50-year permit for incidental take of the American burying beetle if NPPD’s HCP meets all the ESA’s section 10(a)(1)(B) permit issuance criteria. The permit would authorize take of the American burying beetle incidental to the proposed construction, operation, and maintenance, including emergency repairs, of the R-Project. The permit would require NPPD to implement the final HCP, which includes measures to avoid, minimize, mitigate, and monitor the impacts of the authorized take. NPPD would avoid the incidental take of other federally listed species by implementing avoidance measures identified in the final HCP. The 345-kilovolt R-Project transmission line would be approximately 225 miles long in northcentral Nebraska. The permit would authorize take within 1 mile on each side of the R-Project centerline from Stapleton, Nebraska, north to the Thedford Substation and 4 miles on each side of the centerline from the Thedford Substation east to a new Holt County Substation. Construction of the R-Project would permanently remove 33 acres and temporarily disturb 1,250 acres of American burying beetle habitat over the term of the permit. To fully offset PO 00000 Frm 00095 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 2901 these impacts to the beetle, the HCP commits NPPD to work with the Service to protect at least 500 acres of occupied American burying beetle habitat in Nebraska in perpetuity. The HCP’s commitments for NPPD to restore beetle habitat would also minimize and mitigate impacts. Public Review We are not requesting public comments on the final EIS and HCP, but any written comments we receive will 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 may 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. Next Steps We will evaluate the permit application, final HCP, and public comments to determine whether the application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the ESA. This determination includes our compliance with section 7 of the ESA through an intra-Service consultation. We will rely on the results of this consultation, our ROD under NEPA, and the above findings on permit issuance criteria to decide whether to issue the permit with appropriate terms and conditions. If all requirements are met, we will sign the ROD and issue the permit to NPPD. We will post the signed ROD and related documents on our website at https:// www.fws.gov/nebraskaes/R-Project.php. Authority We provide this notice under section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations for incidental take permits (50 CFR 17.22) and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM 08FEN1 2902 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2019 / Notices its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6; 43 CFR part 46). Michael Thabault, Assistant Regional Director—Ecological Services, Mountain-Prairie Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, Colorado. [FR Doc. 2019–01600 Filed 2–7–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS–R7–MB–2018–N137; FXMB12610700000–190–FF07M01000; OMB Control Number 1018–0124] Agency Information Collection Activities; Alaska Subsistence Bird Harvest Survey Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Information Collection; request for comment. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) are proposing to renew an information collection. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before April 9, 2019. ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request (ICR) by mail to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041– 3803 (mail); or by email to Info_Coll@ fws.gov. Please reference OMB Control Number 1018–0124 in the subject line of your comments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, by email at Info_ Coll@fws.gov, or by telephone at (703) 358–2503. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:18 Feb 07, 2019 Jkt 247001 comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper functions of the Service; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Service enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Service minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. 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. Abstract: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16 U.S.C. 703–712) and the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742d) designate the Department of the Interior as the key agency responsible for managing migratory bird populations that frequent the United States and for setting harvest regulations that allow for the conservation of those populations. These responsibilities include gathering data on various aspects of migratory bird harvest. We use harvest data to review regulation proposals and to issue harvest regulations. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act Protocol Amendment (1995) (Amendment) provides for the customary and traditional use of migratory birds and their eggs for subsistence use by indigenous inhabitants of Alaska. The Amendment states that its intent is not to cause significant increases in the take of species of migratory birds relative to their continental population sizes. A submittal letter from the Department of State to the White House (May 20, 1996) accompanied the Amendment and specified the need for harvest monitoring. The submittal letter stated that the Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), and Alaska Native organizations would collect harvest information cooperatively within the subsistence eligible areas. Harvest data help to ensure that customary and traditional subsistence uses of migratory birds and their eggs by indigenous inhabitants of Alaska do not PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 significantly increase the take of species of migratory birds relative to their continental population sizes. We monitored subsistence harvest of migratory birds using household surveys in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region in 1985–2002 and in the Bristol Bay region in 1995–2002. Since 2004, the Alaska Migratory Bird CoManagement Council—Harvest Assessment Program (AMBCC–HAP) conducts regular surveys across Alaska to document the subsistence harvest of birds and their eggs. The statewide harvest assessment program helps to describe geographical and seasonal harvest patterns, and to track trends in harvest levels. The program relies on collaboration among the Service, the ADF&G, and diverse Alaska Native organizations. We collect harvest data for about 60 bird species/categories and their eggs (ducks, geese, swans, cranes, seabirds, shorebirds, grebes and loons, and grouse and ptarmigan) in the subsistence eligible areas of Alaska. The survey covers spring, summer, and fall harvest in most regions. In collaboration with Alaska Native organizations, we hire local resident surveyors to collect the harvest data. The surveyors list all households in the communities, randomly selects households to be surveyed, and interview households that have agreed to participate. To ensure anonymity of harvest information, we identify households by a numeric code. Since the beginning of the survey in 2004, twice we have re-evaluated and revised survey methods to streamline procedures and minimize respondent burden. We use the following forms for household participation: • FWS Form 3–2380 (Tracking Sheet and Household Consent). The surveyor visits each household selected to participate in the survey to obtain household consent to participate. The surveyor uses this form to record household consent. • FWS Forms 3–2381–1, 3–2381–2, 3–2381–3, and 3–2381–4 (Harvest Report). The Harvest Report has drawings of bird species most commonly available for harvest in different regions of Alaska, with fields for recording numbers of birds and eggs taken. There are four versions of this form: Interior Alaska, North Slope, Southern Coastal Alaska, and Western Alaska. This form has a sheet for each season surveyed, and each sheet has fields for the household code, community name, harvest year, date of completion, and comments. Following the most recent reevaluation of survey methods, the E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM 08FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2900-2902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01600]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2014-0048; FF06E220000-178-FXES11140600000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take 
Permit and Habitat Conservation Plan for the R-Project Transmission 
Line; Final Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of the final environmental impact statement (EIS), final 
habitat conservation plan (HCP), and associated documents for the R-
Project transmission line in north-central Nebraska. The Nebraska 
Public Power District (NPPD) applied for an incidental take permit for 
take of the American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus), which is 
listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as 
amended. The permit would authorize take likely to result from the 
construction, operation, and maintenance of the transmission line. The 
HCP describes the applicant's actions and required measures to 
minimize, mitigate, and monitor incidental take. The final EIS analyzes 
the effects of authorizing the take and implementation of the HCP on 
the natural and human environment in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

DATES: Our decision whether to issue the permit will occur no sooner 
than 30 days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
its notice of the final EIS in the Federal Register. We will document 
our decision in a record of decision (ROD).

ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of the documents by any of the 
following methods:
    Internet: Federal eRulemaking Portal (https://www.regulations.gov) 
under Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2014-0048.
    Upon Request: You may call 308-382-6468 (extension 204) to request 
alternative formats of the documents or make an appointment to inspect 
the documents during normal business hours at U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Nebraska Field Office, 9325 South Alda Road, Wood River, NE 
68883.
    In Person:
     North Platte Public Library, 120 West 4th Street, North 
Platte, Nebraska.
     Logan County Library, 317 Main Street, Stapleton, 
Nebraska.
     Hooker County Library, 102 North Cleveland Avenue, Mullen, 
Nebraska.
     Garfield County Library, 217 G Street, Burwell, Nebraska.
     Ewing Township Library, 202 East Nebraska, Ewing, 
Nebraska.
     Ainsworth Public Library, 455 North Main Street, 
Ainsworth, Nebraska.
     Valentine Public Library, 324 North Main Street, 
Valentine, Nebraska.
     Thomas County Library, 501 Main Street, Thedford, 
Nebraska.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Drue DeBerry, 303-236-4774 or 
RProject_FEIS@fws.gov (email). If you use a telecommunications device 
for the deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech disabled, please call the 
Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the final EIS, 
HCP, and associated documents for the

[[Page 2901]]

R-Project transmission line in Nebraska is available for the public to 
read. NPPD applied for a permit to authorize incidental take of the 
federally endangered American burying beetle resulting from the 
construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed R-Project 
transmission line and substations. As part of its application, NPPD 
prepared an HCP that describes actions to avoid, minimize, mitigate, 
and monitor impacts of incidental take of the American burying beetle. 
According to NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing 
regulations (40 CFR 1500 et seq.), we analyze in the final EIS the 
effects of our preferred alternative to authorize incidental take of 
the beetle and NPPD's implementation of the HCP required by the permit. 
The final EIS also analyzes potential effects from two alternatives and 
identifies alternatives that we considered but eliminated from further 
analysis.

Background

    Section 9 of the ESA prohibits take of fish and wildlife species 
listed as endangered (16 U.S.C. 1538). Under section 3 of the ESA, the 
term ``take'' means to ``harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, 
kill, trap, capture, or collect, or attempt to engage in any such 
conduct'' (16 U.S.C. 1532(19)).
    Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(B)), the 
Service may issue permits to authorize take of listed fish and wildlife 
species that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an 
otherwise lawful activity. The Service shall issue an incidental take 
permit to non-Federal entities, provided the following criteria are 
met:
     The taking will be incidental.
     The applicant will minimize and mitigate, to the maximum 
extent practicable, the impact of such taking.
     The applicant will develop an HCP and ensure that adequate 
funding for the plan will be provided.
     The taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of 
the survival and recovery of the species in the wild.
     The applicant will carry out any other measures that the 
Secretary of the Interior may require as being necessary or appropriate 
for the purposes of the HCP.
    Regulations governing permits for endangered species are set forth 
in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at part 17, 
section 17.22 (50 CFR 17.22).
    NEPA requires that Federal agencies analyze their proposed actions 
to determine whether the actions may significantly affect the human 
environment. Under NEPA and its implementing regulations, Federal 
agencies must also compare effects of a reasonable range of 
alternatives to the proposed action. In these analyses, the Federal 
agency will identify potentially significant direct, indirect, and 
cumulative effects, as well as possible mitigation for any significant 
effects, on biological resources, land use, air quality, water 
resources, socioeconomics, environmental justice, cultural resources, 
and other environmental resources that could occur with the 
implementation of the proposed action and alternatives.
    In accordance with NEPA, we announced public scoping to prepare an 
EIS in the Federal Register on October 30, 2014 (79 FR 64619). We 
published a notice of availability of the draft EIS and draft HCP, and 
requested public comments on those draft documents, in the Federal 
Register on May 12, 2017 (82 FR 22153). The May 12, 2017, notice also 
announced three public meetings on the draft EIS and draft HCP, which 
we held in June 2017, in three Nebraska cities. We reopened the comment 
period for the draft EIS and draft HCP in the Federal Register on 
September 8, 2017 (82 FR 42561). The final EIS addresses public 
comments on the draft EIS.

Proposed Action

    We propose to issue a 50-year permit for incidental take of the 
American burying beetle if NPPD's HCP meets all the ESA's section 
10(a)(1)(B) permit issuance criteria. The permit would authorize take 
of the American burying beetle incidental to the proposed construction, 
operation, and maintenance, including emergency repairs, of the R-
Project. The permit would require NPPD to implement the final HCP, 
which includes measures to avoid, minimize, mitigate, and monitor the 
impacts of the authorized take. NPPD would avoid the incidental take of 
other federally listed species by implementing avoidance measures 
identified in the final HCP.
    The 345-kilovolt R-Project transmission line would be approximately 
225 miles long in north-central Nebraska. The permit would authorize 
take within 1 mile on each side of the R-Project centerline from 
Stapleton, Nebraska, north to the Thedford Substation and 4 miles on 
each side of the centerline from the Thedford Substation east to a new 
Holt County Substation.
    Construction of the R-Project would permanently remove 33 acres and 
temporarily disturb 1,250 acres of American burying beetle habitat over 
the term of the permit. To fully offset these impacts to the beetle, 
the HCP commits NPPD to work with the Service to protect at least 500 
acres of occupied American burying beetle habitat in Nebraska in 
perpetuity. The HCP's commitments for NPPD to restore beetle habitat 
would also minimize and mitigate impacts.

Public Review

    We are not requesting public comments on the final EIS and HCP, but 
any written comments we receive will 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 may 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.

Next Steps

    We will evaluate the permit application, final HCP, and public 
comments to determine whether the application meets the requirements of 
section 10(a) of the ESA. This determination includes our compliance 
with section 7 of the ESA through an intra-Service consultation. We 
will rely on the results of this consultation, our ROD under NEPA, and 
the above findings on permit issuance criteria to decide whether to 
issue the permit with appropriate terms and conditions. If all 
requirements are met, we will sign the ROD and issue the permit to 
NPPD. We will post the signed ROD and related documents on our website 
at https://www.fws.gov/nebraskaes/R-Project.php.

Authority

    We provide this notice under section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations for incidental take 
permits (50 CFR 17.22) and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and

[[Page 2902]]

its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6; 43 CFR part 46).

Michael Thabault,
Assistant Regional Director--Ecological Services, Mountain-Prairie 
Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 2019-01600 Filed 2-7-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.