Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, Baldwin County, AL; Categorical Exclusion, 3074-3075 [2020-00680]

Download as PDF lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with NOTICES 3074 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 12 / Friday, January 17, 2020 / Notices Recovery Strategy The recovery vision for the Topeka Shiner is to have multiple resilient groups of populations, distributed across the species’ range, that encompass adequate geographic and genetic diversity of the species to shield it from extirpation by catastrophic events and preserve adaptive potential. To summarize, the recovery criteria are designed to: (1) Maintain the species in currently known occupied habitats across a broad portion of its current ecological settings to preserve future adaptive capacity and potential; (2) maintain, increase, and expand populations in currently known occupied habitats to ensure species persistence by mitigating catastrophic events; (3) increase the ability of populations in currently known occupied habitats to resist impacts of stochastic events and persist long-term; (4) and ensure management plans are in place for each of nine population complexes or by state, to ensure future maintenance of those complexes, as well as that of the populations/subpopulations within them. To accomplish conservation and recovery of the Topeka shiner, recovery actions need to be implemented that include the following general categories: Habitat protection, management, and restoration; population management, augmentation, translocations, and reintroductions; monitoring; research; collaboration with stakeholders; and education and outreach. —Are the draft recovery criteria both objective and measurable given the information available for this species now and into the future? Please provide suggestions to improve the objectivity and measurability of criteria. —Understanding that specific, detailed, and area-specific recovery actions will be developed in the localized recovery implementation strategies, do the draft recovery actions presented in the draft recovery plan generally cover the types of actions necessary to meet the recovery criteria? If not, what general actions are missing? Are any of the draft recovery actions unnecessary for achieving recovery? Are the draft recovery actions prioritized appropriately? Request for Public Comments The Service solicits public comments on the draft recovery plan. All comments we receive by the date specified (see DATES) will be considered prior to approval of the plan. Written comments and materials regarding the plan should be sent via the means in the ADDRESSES section. We are specifically seeking comments and suggestions on the following questions: —Understanding that the time and cost presented in the draft recovery plan will be revised when localized recovery implementation strategies are developed, are the estimated time and cost to recovery realistic? Is the estimate reflective of the time and cost of similar previous actions that have already been implemented? Please provide suggestions or methods for determining a more accurate estimation of time and cost. —Do the draft recovery criteria provide clear direction to partners on what is needed to recover the species? How could they be improved for clarity? Dated: September 19, 2019. Noreen Walsh, Regional Director, Lakewood, Colorado. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:20 Jan 16, 2020 Jkt 250001 Public Availability of Comments Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. You may request at the top of your comment that we withhold this information from public review; however, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). Editorial note: This document was received for publication by the Office of the Federal Register on January 14, 2020. [FR Doc. 2020–00718 Filed 1–16–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS–R4–ES–2020–N007; FXES11130400000EA–123–FF04EF1000] Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, Baldwin County, AL; Categorical Exclusion Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment and information. AGENCY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 an application from the city of Orange Beach (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed Perdido Key beach mouse incidental to construction in Baldwin County, Alabama. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant’s proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and the Service’s preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ‘‘low-effect,’’ categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our low-effect screening form, which is also available for public review. DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before February 18, 2020. ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: Documents are available for public inspection by appointment during regular business hours at either of the following locations: • Atlanta Regional Office, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30345. • Panama City Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1601 Balboa Ave., Panama City, Florida. Submitting Comments: If you wish to submit comments on any of the documents, you may do so by any one of the following methods. Please reference TE48931D–0 in all comments. For additional guidance on submitting comments, please see Public Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. • U.S. mail: You may mail comments to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Atlanta Regional Office. • Hand-delivery: You may handdeliver comments to the Atlanta or the Florida offices. • Email: You may email comments to Christine_Willis@fws.gov. Please include your name and email address in your message. If you do not receive an email confirmation from us that we have received your email message, contact us directly at either telephone number in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Willis, Assistant Regional HCP Coordinator, at the Atlanta Regional Office (see ADDRESSES) or by telephone at 404–679–7310 or Kristi Yanchis, Project Manager, at the Panama City Ecological Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES) or by telephone at 850–769– 0552. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), please call the Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339. E:\FR\FM\17JAN1.SGM 17JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 12 / Friday, January 17, 2020 / Notices We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce receipt of an application from the city of Orange Beach, Alabama (applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis; PKBM), incidental to construction in occupied PKBM habitat in Baldwin County, Alabama. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant’s proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and the Service’s preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ‘‘low-effect,’’ categorically excluded, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.). To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are available for public review. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with NOTICES Project The applicant requests a 30-year ITP to take PKBM via the conversion of approximately 36.87 acres (ac) of occupied PKBM habitat on 73.74-ac parcel incidental to construction. The 73.74-ac parcel also contains 32.97 ac of PKBM critical habitat. The city of Orange Beach HCP (TE48931D) proposes minimization measures that are consistent with the previously approved Escambia County Perdido Key HCP permit (TE46592A) including proactive planning, conservation corridors, seasonality considerations, predator control, trash collection, dune restoration, wildlife lighting, vehicle access management, and public education. To mitigate for unavoidable impacts, contributions will be made to an in-lieu fee mitigation fund, and annual assessment fees will be paid into a PKBM fund. Public Availability of Comments Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be made available to the public. While you may request that we withhold your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Our Preliminary Determination The Service has made a preliminary determination that the applicant’s program, including land clearing, infrastructure building, landscaping, and proposed minimization and VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:20 Jan 16, 2020 Jkt 250001 3075 mitigation measures, would individually and cumulatively have a minor or negligible effect on the PKBM and the environment. Therefore, we have preliminarily concluded that the requested ITP would qualify for categorical exclusion and the HCP is low effect under our NEPA regulations at 43 CFR 46.205 and 46.210. A loweffect HCP is one that would result in (1) minor or negligible effects on federally listed, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; (2) minor or negligible effects on other environmental values or resources; and, (3) impacts that, when considered together with the impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable similarly situated projects, would not over time result in significant cumulative effects to environmental values or resources. an application from Dean Wooley (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed scrub-jay incidental to construction in Brevard County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant’s proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and the Service’s preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ‘‘low-effect,’’ categorically excluded, under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also available for public review. DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before February 18, 2020. Next Steps The Service will evaluate the application and the comments to determine whether to issue the requested permit. We will also conduct an intra-Service consultation pursuant to section 7 of the ESA to evaluate the effects of the proposed take. After considering the above findings, we will determine whether the permit issuance criteria of section 10(a)(l)(B) of the ESA have been met. If met, the Service will issue ITP number TE48931D to the city of Orange Beach. Obtaining Documents: You may obtain copies of the documents online in Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2020–0001 at https://www.regulations.gov. Submitting Comments: If you wish to submit comments on any of the documents, you may do so in writing by any of the following methods: • Online: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS–R4–ES– 2020–0001. • U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2020–0001; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: JAO/1N, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041– 3803. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin M. Gawera, by telephone at 904–731– 3121 or via email at erin_gawera@ fws.gov. Authority The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) (16 U.S.C. 1539(c)) of the ESA and NEPA regulation 40 CFR 1506.6. Sean Blomquist, Acting Field Supervisor, Panama City Field Office. [FR Doc. 2020–00680 Filed 1–16–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2020–0001; FXES11130400000EA–123–FF04EF1000] Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Scrub-Jay, Brevard County, FL; Categorical Exclusion Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment and information. AGENCY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ADDRESSES: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Dean Wooley (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) incidental to the construction of a residential development (project) in Brevard County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant’s proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and the Service’s preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ‘‘low-effect,’’ categorically excluded, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.). To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\17JAN1.SGM 17JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 12 (Friday, January 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3074-3075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00680]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2020-N007; FXES11130400000EA-123-FF04EF1000]


Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed 
Habitat Conservation Plan for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, Baldwin 
County, AL; Categorical Exclusion

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment and information.

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

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt 
of an application from the city of Orange Beach (applicant) for an 
incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The 
applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed Perdido Key 
beach mouse incidental to construction in Baldwin County, Alabama. We 
request public comment on the application, which includes the 
applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and the Service's 
preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ``low-effect,'' 
categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act. To 
make this determination, we used our low-effect screening form, which 
is also available for public review.

DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before February 18, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: 
    Obtaining Documents: Documents are available for public inspection 
by appointment during regular business hours at either of the following 
locations:
     Atlanta Regional Office, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30345.
     Panama City Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, 1601 Balboa Ave., Panama City, Florida.
    Submitting Comments: If you wish to submit comments on any of the 
documents, you may do so by any one of the following methods. Please 
reference TE48931D-0 in all comments. For additional guidance on 
submitting comments, please see Public Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.
     U.S. mail: You may mail comments to the Fish and Wildlife 
Service's Atlanta Regional Office.
     Hand-delivery: You may hand-deliver comments to the 
Atlanta or the Florida offices.
     Email: You may email comments to [email protected]. 
Please include your name and email address in your message. If you do 
not receive an email confirmation from us that we have received your 
email message, contact us directly at either telephone number in FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Willis, Assistant Regional 
HCP Coordinator, at the Atlanta Regional Office (see ADDRESSES) or by 
telephone at 404-679-7310 or Kristi Yanchis, Project Manager, at the 
Panama City Ecological Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES) or by 
telephone at 850-769-0552. If you use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD), please call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

[[Page 3075]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce 
receipt of an application from the city of Orange Beach, Alabama 
(applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The 
applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed Perdido Key 
beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis; PKBM), incidental to 
construction in occupied PKBM habitat in Baldwin County, Alabama. We 
request public comment on the application, which includes the 
applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and the Service's 
preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ``low-effect,'' 
categorically excluded, under the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.). To make this determination, we used our 
environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of 
which are available for public review.

Project

    The applicant requests a 30-year ITP to take PKBM via the 
conversion of approximately 36.87 acres (ac) of occupied PKBM habitat 
on 73.74-ac parcel incidental to construction. The 73.74-ac parcel also 
contains 32.97 ac of PKBM critical habitat. The city of Orange Beach 
HCP (TE48931D) proposes minimization measures that are consistent with 
the previously approved Escambia County Perdido Key HCP permit 
(TE46592A) including proactive planning, conservation corridors, 
seasonality considerations, predator control, trash collection, dune 
restoration, wildlife lighting, vehicle access management, and public 
education. To mitigate for unavoidable impacts, contributions will be 
made to an in-lieu fee mitigation fund, and annual assessment fees will 
be paid into a PKBM fund.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that 
your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, 
may be made available to the public. While you may request that we 
withhold your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee 
that we will be able to do so.

Our Preliminary Determination

    The Service has made a preliminary determination that the 
applicant's program, including land clearing, infrastructure building, 
landscaping, and proposed minimization and mitigation measures, would 
individually and cumulatively have a minor or negligible effect on the 
PKBM and the environment. Therefore, we have preliminarily concluded 
that the requested ITP would qualify for categorical exclusion and the 
HCP is low effect under our NEPA regulations at 43 CFR 46.205 and 
46.210. A low-effect HCP is one that would result in (1) minor or 
negligible effects on federally listed, proposed, and candidate species 
and their habitats; (2) minor or negligible effects on other 
environmental values or resources; and, (3) impacts that, when 
considered together with the impacts of other past, present, and 
reasonably foreseeable similarly situated projects, would not over time 
result in significant cumulative effects to environmental values or 
resources.

Next Steps

    The Service will evaluate the application and the comments to 
determine whether to issue the requested permit. We will also conduct 
an intra-Service consultation pursuant to section 7 of the ESA to 
evaluate the effects of the proposed take. After considering the above 
findings, we will determine whether the permit issuance criteria of 
section 10(a)(l)(B) of the ESA have been met. If met, the Service will 
issue ITP number TE48931D to the city of Orange Beach.

Authority

    The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) (16 U.S.C. 
1539(c)) of the ESA and NEPA regulation 40 CFR 1506.6.

Sean Blomquist,
Acting Field Supervisor, Panama City Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-00680 Filed 1-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P

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