Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink, Lake County, FL; Categorical Exclusion, 61777-61778 [2021-24356]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 213 / Monday, November 8, 2021 / Notices lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 report. Results of this structured peer review process can be found at https:// www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/science/ peerReview.php. We also submitted our SSA report to our Federal and State partners for their scientific review. There is no overlap of occupied habitat or critical habitat with Tribal lands. We incorporated the results of the peer and partner review in the SSA report, as appropriate. The SSA report is the scientific foundation for the draft recovery plan. Request for Public Comments This notice opens the public review and comment period for our draft recovery plan for the desert yellowhead. Section 4(f) of the Act requires that we provide public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment during the development of recovery plans. All comments we receive by the date specified (see DATES) will be considered prior to approval of the recovery plan. Written comments and materials regarding the recovery plan should be sent via one of the means in the ADDRESSES section. We will consider all information we receive during the public comment period, and particularly look for comments that provide scientific rationale or factual background. The Service and other Federal agencies and partners will take these comments into consideration in the course of implementing an approved final recovery plan. 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 fine-tuned when localized recovery implementation strategies are developed, do you think that the estimated time and cost to recovery are realistic? Is the estimate reflective of the time and cost of actions that may have already been implemented by Federal, State, county, or other agencies? Please provide suggestions or methods for determining a more accurate estimation. • Do the draft recovery criteria provide clear direction to partners on what is needed to recover desert yellowhead? How could they be improved for clarity? • Are the draft recovery criteria both objective and measurable given the information available for desert yellowhead now and into the future? Please provide suggestions. • Do you think that 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:37 Nov 05, 2021 Jkt 256001 unnecessary for achieving recovery? Have we prioritized the actions appropriately? Public Availability of Comments We will summarize and respond to the issues raised by the public in an appendix to the approved final recovery plan. 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). Anna Mun˜oz, Acting Deputy Regional Director. [FR Doc. 2021–24392 Filed 11–5–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2021–0123; FXES11130400000EA–123–FF04EF4000] Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink, Lake 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 Pulte Home Company, LLC—North Florida Division (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed sand skink incidental to construction in Lake 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. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 61777 We must receive your written comments on or before December 8, 2021. ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You may obtain copies of the documents online in Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2021–0123 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– 2021–0123. • U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R4– ES–2021–0123; 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 or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 for TTY assistance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Pulte Home Company, LLC—North Florida Division (Chicone) 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 sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) incidental to the construction of a residential development (project) in Lake County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant’s proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on 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 also available for public review. DATES: Project The applicant requests a 5-year ITP to take sand skinks through the conversion of approximately 2.70 acres (ac) of occupied sand skink foraging and sheltering habitat incidental to the construction of a residential development located on a 254.87-ac parcel in Section 24, Township 23 South, Range 26 East, Lake County, Florida, identified by Parcel ID numbers 24–23–26–0001–0000–0100, 24–23–26– 0002–0000–0600, 24–23–26–0002– 0000–1200 and 24–23–26–0001–0000– E:\FR\FM\08NON1.SGM 08NON1 61778 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 213 / Monday, November 8, 2021 / Notices 0400. The applicant proposes to mitigate for take of the sand skinks by the purchase the credits equivalent to 5.40 ac of skink-occupied habitat from Lake Wales Ridge Conservation Bank or another Service-approved Conservation Bank. The Service would require the applicant to purchase the credits prior to any clearing activities. 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. 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). Robert L. Carey, Division Manager, Environmental Review, Florida Ecological Service Field Office. [FR Doc. 2021–24356 Filed 11–5–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Our Preliminary Determination Fish and Wildlife Service The Service has made a preliminary determination that the applicant’s project, including land clearing, infrastructure building, landscaping, and the proposed mitigation measures, 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 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. [FWS–R5–ES–2021–N194; FXES11130500000–201–FF05E00000] Next Steps lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 issue ITP number PER0017031–0 to Pulte Home Company, LLC—North Florida Division. 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 permit issuance criteria of section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA have been met. If met, the Service will Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of Eight Northeastern Species Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information. AGENCY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are initiating 5-year reviews under the Endangered Species Act, as amended, for eight northeastern species. A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of any such information that has become available since the previous 5-year review for each species. DATES: To ensure consideration, please submit your written information by December 8, 2021. However, we will continue to accept new information about any listed species at any time. ADDRESSES: For instructions on how and where to submit information, see Request for New Information and Table 2—Contacts under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General Information: Martin Miller, via email at martin_miller@fws.gov, and via U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035. Species-Specific Information and Submission of Comments: Contact the appropriate person or office listed in Table 2—Contacts in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 for TTY assistance. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year reviews under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) for eight northeastern species: The endangered Shenandoah salamander (Plethodon shenandoah), rough rabbitsfoot (Quadrula cylindrica strigillata), Roanoke logperch (Percina rex), and Harperella (Ptilimnium nodosum) and the threatened Madison Cave isopod (Antrolana lira), small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides), sensitive joint-vetch (Aeschynomene virginica), and Cheat Mountain salamander (Plethodon nettingi). A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of any such information that has become available since the most recent status review for each species. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Why do we conduct 5-year reviews and species status assessments? Under the ESA, we maintain Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (which we collectively refer to as the List) in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 17.11(h) (for wildlife) and 50 CFR 17.12(h) (for plants). Listed wildlife and plants can also be found at https://ecos.fws.gov/ tess_public/pub/listedAnimals.jsp and https://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/pub/ listedPlants.jsp, respectively. Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires us to review each listed species’ status at least once every 5 years. Our regulations at 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing species under active review. For additional information about 5-year reviews, refer to our fact sheet at https://www.fws.gov/ endangered/what-we-do/recoveryoverview.html. What species are under review? We are initiating 5-year status reviews of the species in table 1. TABLE 1—SPECIES UNDER REVIEW Common name Scientific name Status Where listed Listing date and citation Shenandoah salamander .. Plethodon shenandoah ..... Endangered ....................... Wherever found ................ 08/18/1989, 54 FR 34464. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:37 Nov 05, 2021 Jkt 256001 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\08NON1.SGM 08NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 213 (Monday, November 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61777-61778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-24356]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2021-0123; FXES11130400000EA-123-FF04EF4000]


Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed 
Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink, Lake 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 Pulte Home Company, LLC--North Florida Division 
(applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered 
Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally 
listed sand skink incidental to construction in Lake 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 December 8, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: 
    Obtaining Documents: You may obtain copies of the documents online 
in Docket No. FWS-R4-ES-2021-0123 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-2021-0123.
     U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. 
FWS-R4-ES-2021-0123; 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 or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-
877-8339 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), 
announce receipt of an application from Pulte Home Company, LLC--North 
Florida Division (Chicone) 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 sand 
skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) incidental to the construction of a 
residential development (project) in Lake County, Florida. We request 
public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's 
proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on 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 also available for public review.

Project

    The applicant requests a 5-year ITP to take sand skinks through the 
conversion of approximately 2.70 acres (ac) of occupied sand skink 
foraging and sheltering habitat incidental to the construction of a 
residential development located on a 254.87-ac parcel in Section 24, 
Township 23 South, Range 26 East, Lake County, Florida, identified by 
Parcel ID numbers 24-23-26-0001-0000-0100, 24-23-26-0002-0000-0600, 24-
23-26-0002-0000-1200 and 24-23-26-0001-0000-

[[Page 61778]]

0400. The applicant proposes to mitigate for take of the sand skinks by 
the purchase the credits equivalent to 5.40 ac of skink-occupied 
habitat from Lake Wales Ridge Conservation Bank or another Service-
approved Conservation Bank. The Service would require the applicant to 
purchase the credits prior to any clearing activities.

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 land clearing, infrastructure building, 
landscaping, and the proposed mitigation measures, 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 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 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 permit issuance criteria 
of section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA have been met. If met, the Service 
will issue ITP number PER0017031-0 to Pulte Home Company, LLC--North 
Florida Division.

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).

Robert L. Carey,
Division Manager, Environmental Review, Florida Ecological Service 
Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-24356 Filed 11-5-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P

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