Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of an Incidental Take Permit Application and Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the Desert Tortoise; High Desert Power Project, San Bernardino County, California, 35123-35124 [2019-15494]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 140 / Monday, July 22, 2019 / Notices Dated: July 16, 2019. Melanie J. Pantoja, Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. 2019–15461 Filed 7–19–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140–01–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2019–0064; FXES11140900000 190] Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of an Incidental Take Permit Application and Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the Desert Tortoise; High Desert Power Project, San Bernardino County, California Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments. AGENCY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application for an incidental permit to take federally listed fish or wildlife species. We invite comments on this application, which we will take into consideration before issuing an incidental take permit. DATES: To ensure consideration, please submit your written comments by August 21, 2019. ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: The documents this notice announces, as SUMMARY: Applicant, city, state jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES HDSI, LLC, Chicago, Illinois. Species Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). well as any comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for public inspection online in Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2019–0064 at https://www.regulations.gov. Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods: • Online: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS–R8–ES– 2019–0064. • U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2019–0064; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: JAO/1N; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041– 3803. We request that you send comments by only the methods described above. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Raymond Bransfield, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Palm Springs Fish and Wildlife Office, by phone at 805–677– 3398 or via email at ray_bransfield@ fws.gov. 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: We have received an application for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The application addresses the potential for take of a threatened species that is likely to occur incidental to the otherwise lawful Location activity as described in the applicant’s habitat conservation plan. Background Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations pursuant to section 4(d) of the ESA prohibit the take of endangered and threatened species, respectively, without special exemption (16 U.S.C. 1538; 50 CFR 17.31). Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539), we 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. Regulations governing permits for endangered and threatened species are set forth in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations at part 17, sections 17.22 and 17.32. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) requires Federal agencies to analyze their proposed actions to determine whether the actions may significantly affect the human environment. In the NEPA analysis, the Federal agency will identify direct, indirect, and cumulative effects, as well as possible mitigation for effects on environmental resources that could occur with implementation of the proposed action and alternatives. The Federal action in this case is the Service’s proposed issuance of an incidental take permit. Permit Application We invite comments on the following application. Type of take (amount of take over term) Project’s actions to minimize and mitigate for take Approximately 10 large desert tortoises at the solar site. Take (capture) to translocate; kill or wound no more than three if they are not detected prior to work. Minimize by translocation of tortoises to superior habitat. Mitigate by acquiring private lands within the boundaries of critical habitat and managing these lands for long-term conservation. Activity Victorville, Construction, operation, mainteCalifornia. nance, and decommissioning of a photovoltaic solar power facility and management of conserved lands. 35123 Our Preliminary Determination Public Availability of Comments Next Steps The Service has made a preliminary determination that issuance of the incidental take permit is not a major Federal action that will significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The Service has also made a preliminary determination that it individually or cumulatively will not have more than a negligible effect on the species covered in the habitat conservation plan. Therefore, the permit qualifies for a categorical exclusion under NEPA. All comments and materials we receive in response to this request will be available for public review at https:// www.regulations.gov. 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. We will publish a notice in the Federal Register when we have made a determination with regard to issuance of the incidental take permit. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:11 Jul 19, 2019 Jkt 247001 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Authority We issue this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32), and the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its E:\FR\FM\22JYN1.SGM 22JYN1 35124 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 140 / Monday, July 22, 2019 / Notices implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6 and 43 CFR 46.305). Scott Sobiech, Acting Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad, California. [FR Doc. 2019–15494 Filed 7–19–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS–R5–ES–2019–N089; FXES11130500000–190–FF05E00000] Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of Recovery Permit Application AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. Notice of receipt of permit application; request for comments. ACTION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application for an amendment to a current permit to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on this application. Before issuing the requested permit, we will jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: Application No. Applicant TE86602C .............. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery, WV. take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period. DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before August 21, 2019. ADDRESSES: Use one of the following methods to request documents or submit comments. Requests and comments should specify the applicant name and application number (provided below in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: • Email: permitsR5ES@fws.gov. • U.S. Mail: Abby Gelb, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Dr., Hadley, MA 01035. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abby Gelb, 413–253–8212 (phone), or permitsR5ES@fws.gov (email). Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 for TTY assistance. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on an application for a permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The requested permit would allow the applicant to conduct activities intended to promote recovery of species that are listed as SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Species Location endangered or threatened under the ESA. Background With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities that constitute take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activity. The ESA’s definition of ‘‘take’’ includes such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting in addition to hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing. A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered or threatened species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or for enhancement of propagation or survival of the species. Our regulations implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) for these permits are found in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 17.22 for endangered wildlife species, 50 CFR 17.32 for threatened wildlife species, 50 CFR 17.62 for endangered plant species, and 50 CFR 17.72 for threatened plant species. Permit Applications Available for Review and Comment We invite local, State, and Federal agencies; Tribes; and the public to comment on the following application: Activity Add: Candy darter Kentucky, Ohio, Penn(Etheostoma osburni). sylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. Permit action Type of take Propagation, survey, research. Collect, hold, release, introduce. Amend. Public Availability of Comments Next Steps DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Written comments we receive become part of the administrative 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. Moreover, 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. If we decide to issue an amended permit to the applicant listed in this notice, we will publish a notice in the Federal Register. U.S. Geological Survey VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:11 Jul 19, 2019 Jkt 247001 Authority Section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Martin Miller, Chief, Division of Endangered Species Ecological Services, Northeast Region. [FR Doc. 2019–15477 Filed 7–19–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 [GX19GG00995TR00] Public Meeting of the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee U.S. Geological Survey, Interior. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Geological Survey is hereby giving notice that the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee will meet as noted below. DATES: The meeting will be held on August 6, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and August 7, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Golden Hotel, 800 11th Street, Mesa SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\22JYN1.SGM 22JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35123-35124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15494]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2019-0064; FXES11140900000 190]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of an Incidental Take 
Permit Application and Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the 
Desert Tortoise; High Desert Power Project, San Bernardino County, 
California

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an 
application for an incidental permit to take federally listed fish or 
wildlife species. We invite comments on this application, which we will 
take into consideration before issuing an incidental take permit.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please submit your written comments by 
August 21, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: The documents this notice announces, as 
well as any comments and other materials that we receive, will be 
available for public inspection online in Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2019-
0064 at https://www.regulations.gov.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     Online: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2019-0064.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2019-0064; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
MS: JAO/1N; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We request that you send comments by only the methods described 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Raymond Bransfield, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, Palm Springs Fish and Wildlife Office, by phone at 805-677-
3398 or via email at [email protected]. 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: We have received an application for an 
incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The application addresses the 
potential for take of a threatened species that is likely to occur 
incidental to the otherwise lawful activity as described in the 
applicant's habitat conservation plan.

Background

    Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations pursuant to section 
4(d) of the ESA prohibit the take of endangered and threatened species, 
respectively, without special exemption (16 U.S.C. 1538; 50 CFR 17.31). 
Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539), we 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. Regulations governing permits for endangered and threatened 
species are set forth in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations at 
part 17, sections 17.22 and 17.32.
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.) requires Federal agencies to analyze their proposed actions to 
determine whether the actions may significantly affect the human 
environment. In the NEPA analysis, the Federal agency will identify 
direct, indirect, and cumulative effects, as well as possible 
mitigation for effects on environmental resources that could occur with 
implementation of the proposed action and alternatives. The Federal 
action in this case is the Service's proposed issuance of an incidental 
take permit.

Permit Application

    We invite comments on the following application.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                    Project's actions to
       Applicant, city, state                Species                Location                Activity         Type of take (amount  minimize and mitigate
                                                                                                              of take over term)          for take
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HDSI, LLC, Chicago, Illinois.......  Mojave desert tortoise  Victorville,            Construction,          Approximately 10       Minimize by
                                      (Gopherus agassizii).   California.             operation,             large desert           translocation of
                                                                                      maintenance, and       tortoises at the       tortoises to
                                                                                      decommissioning of a   solar site. Take       superior habitat.
                                                                                      photovoltaic solar     (capture) to           Mitigate by
                                                                                      power facility and     translocate; kill or   acquiring private
                                                                                      management of          wound no more than     lands within the
                                                                                      conserved lands.       three if they are      boundaries of
                                                                                                             not detected prior     critical habitat and
                                                                                                             to work.               managing these lands
                                                                                                                                    for long-term
                                                                                                                                    conservation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our Preliminary Determination

    The Service has made a preliminary determination that issuance of 
the incidental take permit is not a major Federal action that will 
significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the 
meaning of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The Service has also made a preliminary 
determination that it individually or cumulatively will not have more 
than a negligible effect on the species covered in the habitat 
conservation plan.
    Therefore, the permit qualifies for a categorical exclusion under 
NEPA.

Public Availability of Comments

    All comments and materials we receive in response to this request 
will be available for public review at https://www.regulations.gov.
    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.

Next Steps

    We will publish a notice in the Federal Register when we have made 
a determination with regard to issuance of the incidental take permit.

Authority

    We issue this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22 and 
17.32), and the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.) and its

[[Page 35124]]

implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6 and 43 CFR 46.305).

Scott Sobiech,
Acting Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2019-15494 Filed 7-19-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
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