Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink, Putnam County, FL; Categorical Exclusion, 36148-36149 [2021-14508]

Download as PDF 36148 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 128 / Thursday, July 8, 2021 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY constituencies affected by surface transportation security requirements. Transportation Security Administration Membership [Docket No. TSA–2018–0001] Request for Applicants for Appointment to the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee Transportation Security Administration, DHS. ACTION: Committee management; request for applicants. AGENCY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is requesting applications from individuals who are interested in being appointed to serve on the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee (STSAC). All applicants must represent one of the constituencies specified below in order to be eligible for appointment. STSAC’s mission is to provide advice, consultation, and recommendations to the TSA Administrator on improving surface transportation security matters, including developing, refining, and implementing policies, programs, initiatives, rulemakings, and security directives pertaining to surface transportation security, while adhering to sensitive security guidelines. The STSAC will consider risk-based approaches in the performance of its duties. SUMMARY: Applications for membership must be submitted to TSA using one of the methods in the ADDRESSES section below on or before August 9, 2021. ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted by one of the following means: • Email: STSAC@tsa.dhs.gov. • Mail: Judith Harroun-Lord, STSAC Designated Federal Officer, Transportation Security Administration (TSA–28), 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA 20596–6028. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for application requirements. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith Harroun-Lord, STSAC Designated Federal Officer, Transportation Security Administration (TSA–28), 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA 20596–6028, STSAC@tsa.dhs.gov, 571–227–2283. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The STSAC is an advisory Committee established pursuant to section 1969, Division K, TSA Modernization Act, of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115–254, 132 Stat. 3186, Oct. 5, 2018). The Committee is composed of individual members representing key lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:47 Jul 07, 2021 Jkt 253001 The STSAC is composed of no more than 40 voting members from among stakeholders representing each mode of surface transportation, such as passenger rail, freight rail, mass transit, pipelines, highways, over-the-road bus, school bus industry, and trucking; and may include representatives from— 1. Associations representing such modes of surface transportation; 2. Labor organizations representing such modes of surface transportation; 3. Groups representing the users of such modes of surface transportation, including asset manufacturers, as appropriate; 4. Relevant law enforcement, first responders, and security experts; and 5. Such other groups as the Administrator considers appropriate. The STSAC also includes nonvoting members, serving in an advisory capacity, who are designated by the TSA; the Department of Transportation; the Coast Guard; and such other Federal department or agency as the Administrator considers appropriate. The STSAC does not have a specific number of members allocated to any membership category and the number of members in a category may change to fit the needs of the Committee, but each organization is represented by a minimum of one individual. Members serve as representatives and speak on behalf of their respective constituency group. 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Unless the Designated Federal Officer decides otherwise, meetings will be held in PO 00000 Frm 00074 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 person or through web conferencing in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. In addition, STSAC members are expected to participate on STSAC subcommittees that normally meet more frequently to deliberate and discuss specific surface transportation matters. Application for Advisory Committee Appointment TSA is seeking applications for up to 5 members with specific expertise in the pipeline mode of surface transportation and cybersecurity across all surface transportation modes. Any person wishing to be considered for appointment to STSAC must provide the following: • Complete professional resume. • Statement of interest and reasons for application, including the membership category and how you represent a significant portion of that constituency, and also provide a brief explanation of how you can contribute to one or more TSA strategic initiative, based on your prior experience with TSA, or your review of current TSA strategic documents that can be found at www.tsa.gov/about/strategy. • Home and work addresses, telephone number, and email address. Please submit your application to the Designated Federal Officer in ADDRESSES noted above by August 9, 2021. Dated: June 30, 2021. Eddie D. Mayenschein, Assistant Administrator, Policy, Plans, and Engagement. [FR Doc. 2021–14517 Filed 7–7–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–05–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2021–0072; FXES11140400000–212–FF04EF4000] Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink, Putnam 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 an application from Vulcan Materials Company (applicant) to amend of an existing incidental take permit (TE82956B–0) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\08JYN1.SGM 08JYN1 lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 128 / Thursday, July 8, 2021 / Notices amendment of an incidental take permit (ITP) to take an additional number of the federally listed sand skink incidental sand mining operation in Putman County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant’s proposed amended 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 August 9, 2021. ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may obtain copies of the documents online in Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2021–0072 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– 2021–0072. • U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R4– ES–2021–0072; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 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. Individuals who are hearing impaired or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 800–877– 8339 for TTY assistance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce receipt of an application from Vulcan Materials Company for an amendment of an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The applicant requests to modify the existing ITP to allow for take of the federally listed sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) in an amount above that authorized by the existing permit. The take would be incidental to the activities associated with the operation of a sand mine (project) in Putnam County, Florida. We request public comment on both the application, which includes the applicant’s amended 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:47 Jul 07, 2021 Jkt 253001 seq.). To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, which are also available for public review. Project The applicant has an existing 20-year ITP that was issued on February 12, 2016, authorizing take of sand skinks via the conversion of an unspecified amount of the species’ occupied foraging and sheltering habitat within 1,183.62 acres that is part of a 6,815.79acre tract. The tract is located within Sections 12–13, Township 9 south, Range 23 east, Sections 7, 17–21, 28–33, Township 9 south, Range 24 east, and Sections 5–6, Township 10 south, Range 24 east in Putnam County, Florida. The parcel numbers are 07–09–24–0000– 0020–0010, 12–09–23–0000–0010–0000, 13–09–23–0000–0030–0000, 17–09–24– 0000–0040–0020, 17–09–24–0000– 0010–0010, 18–09–24–0000–0010–0000, 18–09–24–0000–0020–0000, 19–09–24– 0000–0010–0010, 19–09–24–0720– 0000–0520, and 20–09–24–0000–0020– 0000. The applicant proposes to expand the current project boundary from 1,183.62 acres to 1,683.86 acres, for a net increase of 500.24 acres. The amount of occupied skink habitat within the expansion area is undetermined; however, based on the current USFWS guideline, approximately 452.4 acres of the site appear to be suitable for the skink. In advance of mining operations occurring within the entire area, quantitative surveys will be conducted to determine the extent of suitable area that is occupied by the sand skink. The surveys will be conducted in accordance with the Service’s then guidelines. The applicant will mitigate for take of the sand skink within the expansion area by purchasing mitigation credits at a 2:1 ratio (2 mitigation credits for every 1 acre of occupied skink habitat impacted by the project) from the Tiger Creek Conservation Bank or another Serviceapproved sand skink bank. The Service will require the applicant to purchase the required credits prior to engaging in activities associated with the project on occupied habitat within the expansion area. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00075 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 36149 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 project, including earth moving, grading, and other land alteration and construction activities and the proposed mitigation, would individually and cumulatively have a minor or negligible effect on sand skinks and the environment. Therefore, we have preliminarily concluded that the ITP for this project would qualify for categorical exclusion and that the HCP is low effect under our NEPA regulations at 43 CFR 419.2005 and 419.2010. 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 received 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 criteria of section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA have been met to modify the existing ITP. If met, the Service will issue the modified permit, ITP number TE82956B–1, to Vulcan Materials Company. Authority The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.32) and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6 and 43 CFR 46.305). Gianfranco Basili, Deputy State Supervisor, Florida Ecological Services State Office. [FR Doc. 2021–14508 Filed 7–7–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P E:\FR\FM\08JYN1.SGM 08JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 128 (Thursday, July 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36148-36149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14508]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2021-0072; FXES11140400000-212-FF04EF4000]


Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed 
Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink, Putnam County, FL; 
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 Vulcan Materials Company (applicant) to amend of 
an existing incidental take permit (TE82956B-0) under the Endangered 
Species Act. The applicant requests the

[[Page 36149]]

amendment of an incidental take permit (ITP) to take an additional 
number of the federally listed sand skink incidental sand mining 
operation in Putman County, Florida. We request public comment on the 
application, which includes the applicant's proposed amended 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 August 9, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: 
    Obtaining Documents: You may obtain copies of the documents online 
in Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2021-0072 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-2021-0072.
     U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. 
FWS-R4-ES-2021-0072; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 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 [email protected]. Individuals who are 
hearing impaired or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service 
at 800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce 
receipt of an application from Vulcan Materials Company for an 
amendment of an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The applicant 
requests to modify the existing ITP to allow for take of the federally 
listed sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) in an amount above that 
authorized by the existing permit. The take would be incidental to the 
activities associated with the operation of a sand mine (project) in 
Putnam County, Florida. We request public comment on both the 
application, which includes the applicant's amended 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, which are also available for 
public review.

Project

    The applicant has an existing 20-year ITP that was issued on 
February 12, 2016, authorizing take of sand skinks via the conversion 
of an unspecified amount of the species' occupied foraging and 
sheltering habitat within 1,183.62 acres that is part of a 6,815.79-
acre tract. The tract is located within Sections 12-13, Township 9 
south, Range 23 east, Sections 7, 17-21, 28-33, Township 9 south, Range 
24 east, and Sections 5-6, Township 10 south, Range 24 east in Putnam 
County, Florida. The parcel numbers are 07-09-24-0000-0020-0010, 12-09-
23-0000-0010-0000, 13-09-23-0000-0030-0000, 17-09-24-0000-0040-0020, 
17-09-24-0000-0010-0010, 18-09-24-0000-0010-0000, 18-09-24-0000-0020-
0000, 19-09-24-0000-0010-0010, 19-09-24-0720-0000-0520, and 20-09-24-
0000-0020-0000. The applicant proposes to expand the current project 
boundary from 1,183.62 acres to 1,683.86 acres, for a net increase of 
500.24 acres. The amount of occupied skink habitat within the expansion 
area is undetermined; however, based on the current USFWS guideline, 
approximately 452.4 acres of the site appear to be suitable for the 
skink. In advance of mining operations occurring within the entire 
area, quantitative surveys will be conducted to determine the extent of 
suitable area that is occupied by the sand skink. The surveys will be 
conducted in accordance with the Service's then guidelines. The 
applicant will mitigate for take of the sand skink within the expansion 
area by purchasing mitigation credits at a 2:1 ratio (2 mitigation 
credits for every 1 acre of occupied skink habitat impacted by the 
project) from the Tiger Creek Conservation Bank or another Service-
approved sand skink bank. The Service will require the applicant to 
purchase the required credits prior to engaging in activities 
associated with the project on occupied habitat within the expansion 
area.

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 project, including earth moving, grading, and other land 
alteration and construction activities and the proposed mitigation, 
would individually and cumulatively have a minor or negligible effect 
on sand skinks and the environment. Therefore, we have preliminarily 
concluded that the ITP for this project would qualify for categorical 
exclusion and that the HCP is low effect under our NEPA regulations at 
43 CFR 419.2005 and 419.2010. 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 received 
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 criteria of section 
10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA have been met to modify the existing ITP. If 
met, the Service will issue the modified permit, ITP number TE82956B-1, 
to Vulcan Materials Company.

Authority

    The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) of the ESA (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.32) 
and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 
CFR 1506.6 and 43 CFR 46.305).

Gianfranco Basili,
Deputy State Supervisor, Florida Ecological Services State Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-14508 Filed 7-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
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