Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application for Participation in the General Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas Activities; Draft Categorical Exclusion for the California Lease Remediation North Cat Canyon Oil Field Project; Santa Barbara County, CA, 46153-46155 [2024-11655]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 2024 / Notices
Myers, Rebecca O’Connor, Lauren
McGough, Adam Chavez, Erland Renslo,
David Dixon, Anne and Paul Schnell,
Raymond Guzman, Erland Renslo,
Duane Zobrist Sr., Duane Zobrist Jr., and
the California Hawking Club, Inc., as
their oversight committee, wishes to
renew and amend the Cooperative
Breeding Program CB030 covering the
species listed in table 1 by adding Steve
Bergh of Chugiak, Alaska, and
Laurayomya Jinright of Clark Fork,
Idaho, as members to CB030 and
removing Los Angeles Zoo, Stuart
Rossell, Titus Plomaritis, Jim Tigan,
Steve Hoddy, Rebecca and Justin Searle,
Nicole Perretta, and Charles Browning
as members to CB030. If the amendment
is approved, the program will include
Steve Bergh of Chugiak, Alaska, and
Laurayomya Jinright of Clark Fork,
Idaho, as members of CB030. This
notification covers activities to be
conducted by the program over a 2-year
period.
TABLE 1—SPECIES COVERED BY COOPERATIVE BREEDING PROGRAM CB030
Common name
Scientific name
Common name
African hawk-eagle ........................
European sparrowhawk .................
Red-necked falcon .........................
Steppe eagle ..................................
Northern goshawk ..........................
African crowned eagle ...................
Ornate hawk-eagle ........................
African goshawk ............................
Ural owl ..........................................
Southern boobook .........................
Verreaux’s eagle-owl .....................
Hieraaetus spilogaster ..................
Accipiter nisus ..............................
Falco chicquera ............................
Aquila nipalensis ...........................
Accipiter gentilis ............................
Stephanoaetus coronatus .............
Spizaetus ornatus .........................
Accipiter tachiro ............................
Strix uralensis ...............................
Ninox boobook ..............................
Bubo lacteus..
Black goshawk ..............................
Spectacled owl .............................
Saker falcon ..................................
Verreaux’s eagle ...........................
African fish-eagle ..........................
Martial eagle .................................
Bonelli’s eagle ..............................
Eurasian eagle owl .......................
Peregrine falcon ...........................
Lanner falcon ................................
IV. Next Steps
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
After the comment period closes, we
will make a decision regarding permit
issuance. If we issue the permit to the
applicant listed, we will publish a
notice in the Federal Register. You may
locate the notice announcing the permit
issuance by searching https://
www.regulations.gov for the permit
number listed above in this document.
For example, to find information about
the potential issuance of Permit No.
12345A, you would go to https://
www.regulations.gov and search for
‘‘12345A’’.
Fish and Wildlife Service
V. Authority
We issue this notice under the
authority of the implementing
regulations and under the authority of
the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992
(16 U.S.C. 4901–4916). This notice is
provided pursuant to section 112(4) of
the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992,
50 CFR 15.26(c).
Brenda Tapia,
Supervisory Program Analyst/Data
Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division
of Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2024–11653 Filed 5–24–24; 8:45 am]
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[FWS–R8–ES–2024–0061;
FXES11140800000–234–FF08EVEN00]
Receipt of Incidental Take Permit
Application for Participation in the
General Conservation Plan for Oil and
Gas Activities; Draft Categorical
Exclusion for the California Lease
Remediation North Cat Canyon Oil
Field Project; Santa Barbara County,
CA
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce
receipt of an application from California
Resources Corporation for an incidental
take permit (ITP), pursuant to the
Endangered Species Act, under the
approved General Conservation Plan for
Oil and Gas Activities (GCP). If granted,
the ITP would authorize take of the
California red-legged frog (Rana
draytonii) and the Santa Barbara County
distinct population segment (DPS) of the
California tiger salamander (Ambystoma
californiense), incidental to excavation
and remediation of soils contaminated
with hydrocarbons and restoration on
the California (CAL) Lease (Site) within
the North Cat Canyon Oil Field east of
Santa Maria, California. The Service
prepared a draft screening form in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act to evaluate
the potential effects of the specific
SUMMARY:
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Scientific name
Accipiter melanoleucus.
Pulsatrix perspicillata.
Falco cherrug.
Aquila verreauxii.
Haliaeetus vocifer.
Polemeatus bellicosus.
Hieraaetus fasciatus.
Bubo bubo.
Falco peregrinus.
Falco biarmicus.
project to the natural and human
environment resulting from issuing an
ITP to the applicant. We invite the
public and local, State, Tribal, and
Federal agencies to comment on the
draft screening form and the Service’s
preliminary determination that the
proposed permitting action may be
eligible for a categorical exclusion
pursuant to the Council on
Environmental Quality’s National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
regulations, the Department of the
Interior’s (DOI) NEPA regulations, and
the DOI Departmental Manual.
DATES: We must receive your written
comments on or before June 27, 2024.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: The document
this notice announces (draft screening
form), as well as any comments and
other materials that we receive, will be
available for public inspection online in
Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2024–0061at
https://www.regulations.gov. The
approved GCP and the associated final
environmental assessment/finding of no
significant impact are also available on
that site. However, we are no longer
taking comments on those finalized,
approved documents.
Submitting Comments: If you wish to
submit comments, you may do so in
writing by one of the following
methods:
• Online: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments
on Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2024–0061.
• U.S. mail: Public Comments
Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R8–
ES–2024–0061; U.S. Fish and Wildlife
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 2024 / Notices
Service, MS: PRB/3W; 5275 Leesburg
Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041–3803.
no longer taking comments on these
finalized, approved documents.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Document for Public Comment
We invite public comment on a draft
screening form we prepared in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and on
our preliminary determination that this
proposed ITP may qualify for a
categorical exclusion pursuant to the
Council on Environmental Quality’s
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) regulations (40 CFR 1501.4), the
Department of the Interior’s (DOI) NEPA
regulations (43 CFR 46), and the DOI’s
Departmental Manual (516 DM
8.5(C)(2)).
Joseph Brandt, Assistant Field
Supervisor, by email at fw8venturaitp@
fws.gov, via phone at 805–644–1766, or
by U.S. mail at the Ventura Fish and
Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road,
Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003. Individuals
in the United States who are deaf,
deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY,
TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services.
Individuals outside the United States
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
announce receipt of an application from
California Resources Corporation for an
incidental take permit (ITP), pursuant to
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.),
under the approved General
Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas
Activities (GCP). A GCP is a mechanism
that meets the definition of a
conservation plan in section 10(a)(1)(B)
of the ESA and enables the construct of
a programmatic permitting and
conservation process to address a
defined suite of proposed activities over
a defined planning area. The application
for an incidental take permit was made
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
ESA. The ITP, if granted, would
authorize take of the federally
threatened California red-legged frog
(Rana draytonii) and the federally
endangered Santa Barbara County
distinct population segment (DPS) of the
California tiger salamander (Ambystoma
californiense) incidental to activities
associated with the soil remediation for
on the California (CAL) Lease (Site)
within the North Cat Canyon Oil Field
in Santa Maria, California. The permit
would be issued to the applicant under
the GCP for Oil and Gas Activities,
which was approved on June 27, 2022.
Prior to approval, a notice of availability
of the draft programmatic
environmental assessment (EA) and
GCP published on March 6, 2020 (85 FR
13181). The approved GCP and the
associated final programmatic
environmental assessment/finding of no
significant impact are available on the
Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office web
page at https://www.fws.gov/media/
habitat-conservation-plans-and-generalconservation-plans. We have also
uploaded them to https://
www.regulations.gov. However, we are
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Background
The Service listed the California redlegged frog as threatened on May 23,
1996 (61 FR 25813), and the Santa
Barbara County DPS of the California
tiger salamander as endangered on
September 21, 2000 (65 FR 57242).
Section 9 of the ESA prohibits ‘‘take’’ of
fish and wildlife species listed as
threatened or endangered (16 U.S.C.
1538), where take is defined to include
the following activities: ‘‘to harass,
harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill,
trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to
engage in any such conduct’’ (16 U.S.C.
1532). Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(B)), 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
incidental take permits for endangered
and threatened species are in the Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR
17.22 and 17.32, respectively. Issuance
of an ITP also must not jeopardize the
existence of federally listed fish,
wildlife, or plant species. The permittee
would receive assurances under our
‘‘No Surprises’’ regulations (50 CFR
17.22(b)(5) and 17.32(b)(5)).
Applicant’s Proposed Activities
The applicant has applied for a permit
for incidental take of California redlegged frog and California tiger
salamander. The take would occur in
association with activities necessary to
remediate soil contaminated with
hydrocarbons at the CAL Site within the
North Cat Canyon Oil Field in Santa
Maria, California. The project will
excavate contaminated soils at three
distinct remedial areas, A5–01, B5–02/
B5–03, and B6–03 at the CAL Site.
Based on initial investigations,
approximately 4,926 cubic yards of soil
will be excavated with 25 feet set as the
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maximum depth for excavation.
Excavated material will be transported
to a State of California licensed disposal
facility. Dewatering activities may also
be conducted if perched groundwater is
encountered in the excavations. The
applicant will return all excavated areas
to its original grade and revegetate them
with native seed mix. The project area
does not contain California red-legged
frog breeding habitat however, an
ephemeral drainage within the project
area may provide a movement corridor
during winter months. Nearest known
location of California red-legged frogs is
within 5-miles of the project site.
Additionally, a potential California tiger
salamanders breeding pond occurs
within 0.7 miles of the project site,
making the project site potential
California tiger salamander upland
habitat. The proposed soil remediation
would require excavating contaminated
soils, which will result in impacts to
burrowing and dispersal habitat as well
as the potential for direct injury or
mortality from crushing for both
species.
The project includes minimization
measures for the California red-legged
frog and California tiger salamander and
mitigation for unavoidable impacts to
the species and its habitat. The
applicant has proposed a one-time fixed
payment of $13,050 to the California
red-legged frog mitigation account
managed by the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation to compensate for
unavoidable impacts to the California
red-legged frog. To mitigate for impacts
to the California tiger salamander, the
applicant proposes to purchase 1.25
credits from the Service-approved La
Purisima Conservation Bank located in
Santa Barbara County, California.
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.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public view, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Authority
The Service provides this notice
under section 10(c) of the Endangered
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and
its implementing regulations (50 CFR
17.32) and the National Environmental
Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
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its implementing regulations (40 CFR
1500–1508 and 43 CFR 46).
project/2027164/510 and at the BLM
Moab Field Office.
Stephen P. Henry,
Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife
Office, Ventura, California.
Jill
Stephenson, Planning and
Environmental Specialist, telephone:
435–249–2100; address: 82 East
Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532; email:
BLM_UT_MB_LVMC_EIS@blm.gov.
Contact Ms. Stephenson to have your
name added to our mailing list.
Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY,
TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services for
contacting Ms. Stephenson. Individuals
outside the United States should use the
relay services offered within their
country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United
States.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[FR Doc. 2024–11655 Filed 5–24–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_FRN_MO4500177410]
Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Lisbon Valley Mining
Company, LLC Copper Mine Plan of
Operations Modification, San Juan
County, Utah
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
Canyon Country District, Moab Field
Office, Moab, Utah, intends to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to consider the effects of the
Lisbon Valley Mining Company, LLC
(LVMC) proposed plan of operations
modification. This notice announces the
beginning of the scoping process to
solicit public comments and identify
issues.
SUMMARY:
This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EIS. The BLM
requests the public submit comments
concerning the scope of the analysis,
potential alternatives, and identification
of relevant information and studies by
June 27, 2024. To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider comments in
the draft EIS, please ensure your
comments are received prior to the close
of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days
after the last public meeting, whichever
is later.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the plan of operations
modification EIS by any of the following
methods:
• Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/project/2027164/510
• Mail: Bureau of Land Management,
Moab Field Office, Lisbon Valley Mine
Plan Modification EIS, 82 East
Dogwood, Moab, Utah 84532
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined online at https://
eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/
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The
Lisbon Valley Copper Mine is in the
Lisbon Valley in San Juan County in
southeast Utah. The mine, situated on
Federal, State, and private lands, has
been in operation under the ownership
of multiple companies since 1998.
LVMC has operated the mine under
Plan of Operations Serial No. UTU
072499 (mine plan) since it obtained
ownership in 2009. The mine plan
boundary encompasses 4,480 acres, of
which current operations cover 1,146
acres (BLM: 521 acres; State: 333 acres;
and private: 292 acres) of disturbance.
LVMC also conducts exploration
activities within a 5,430-acre authorized
boundary adjacent to the mine plan
boundary under Exploration Plan of
Operations Serial No. UTU 077879
(exploration plan). Federal, State, and
private lands occur within the
exploration plan boundary (BLM: 3,199
acres; State:1,056 acres; and private:
1,175 acres).
LVMC currently mines copper ore at
the mine from mineralized zones in
porous sandstones approximately 50 to
200 feet below the surface using
conventional open pit mining methods.
Waste rock material is hauled to existing
waste rock storage areas or is used to
backfill existing pits. The copper ore is
hauled to a heap leach facility where it
is crushed and stacked onto a heap
leach pad. A low pH solution is sprayed
onto the crushed ore and copper is
leached out of the rock into solution.
The resultant copper-laden solution is
sent to adjacent process facilities where
it undergoes solvent extraction and
electrowinning processing. The final
product is copper cathode of a 99.9%
purity. Currently, LVMC is mining
copper ore from two open pits. LVMC
expects to operate the current mine
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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46155
until both pits are exhausted in
approximately 2028.
On April 11, 2023, the BLM Moab
Field Office received a proposal from
LVMC to modify its current mine plan.
Consistent with the surface management
regulations at 43 CFR 3809.411(a), the
BLM reviewed the filed plan of
operations modification and accepted it
as complete on May 5, 2023.
Purpose and Need for the Proposed
Action
The BLM’s purpose and need are to
respond to LVMC’s mine plan
modification proposal to expand mining
operations and associated infrastructure
and to prevent unnecessary and undue
degradation of the public lands
consistent with the BLM’s
responsibilities under FLPMA, surface
management regulations (43 CFR
subpart 3809), and use and occupancy
regulations (43 CFR subpart 3715).
Preliminary Proposed Action and
Alternatives
The proposed action is to modify the
mine plan to expand open pit mining
and beneficiation operations and to
initiate the extraction of copper through
a method of in-situ recovery (ISR)
mining. The proposed expansion
activities would include improvement
of existing mining facilities in the mine
plan boundary and construction of new
facilities and associated access, power,
and water facilities in the exploration
plan boundary. Under the proposed
action there would be approximately
2,391 acres of new surface disturbance
(BLM: 1,388 acres; State: 412 acres; and
private: 591 acres). Reclamation would
be ongoing through the different phases
of mining. The life of the mine is
anticipated to be 20 years with final
reclamation and post-closure
monitoring occurring until
approximately 2066.
The mine plan modification would
include the following components: open
pit, backfill area, ISR wellfield (injection
wells, pump-back wells, and monitor
wells), waste rock storage, storm water
diversion channels, sediment basins,
berms, heap leach pad, process ponds,
solution pipelines, access roads, and
ancillary facilities (power supply;
reagent, fuel, ready line; crushing area
and related stockpiles; area for
temporary storage of petroleumcontaminated soils; groundwater
monitoring wells; water supply pipeline
and facilities; and construction laydown
yards).
The proposed disturbance also
includes improvements to the existing
mining and processing facilities and
their associated roads in the mine plan
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46153-46155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11655]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2024-0061; FXES11140800000-234-FF08EVEN00]
Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application for Participation
in the General Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas Activities; Draft
Categorical Exclusion for the California Lease Remediation North Cat
Canyon Oil Field Project; Santa Barbara County, CA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce
receipt of an application from California Resources Corporation for an
incidental take permit (ITP), pursuant to the Endangered Species Act,
under the approved General Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas Activities
(GCP). If granted, the ITP would authorize take of the California red-
legged frog (Rana draytonii) and the Santa Barbara County distinct
population segment (DPS) of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma
californiense), incidental to excavation and remediation of soils
contaminated with hydrocarbons and restoration on the California (CAL)
Lease (Site) within the North Cat Canyon Oil Field east of Santa Maria,
California. The Service prepared a draft screening form in accordance
with the National Environmental Policy Act to evaluate the potential
effects of the specific project to the natural and human environment
resulting from issuing an ITP to the applicant. We invite the public
and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on the draft
screening form and the Service's preliminary determination that the
proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion
pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, the Department of the
Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual.
DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before June 27,
2024.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: The document this notice announces (draft
screening form), as well as any comments and other materials that we
receive, will be available for public inspection online in Docket No.
FWS-R8-ES-2024-0061at https://www.regulations.gov. The approved GCP and
the associated final environmental assessment/finding of no significant
impact are also available on that site. However, we are no longer
taking comments on those finalized, approved documents.
Submitting Comments: If you wish to submit comments, you may do so
in writing by one of the following methods:
Online: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2024-0061.
U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No.
FWS-R8-ES-2024-0061; U.S. Fish and Wildlife
[[Page 46154]]
Service, MS: PRB/3W; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Brandt, Assistant Field
Supervisor, by email at [email protected], via phone at 805-644-
1766, or by U.S. mail at the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493
Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003. Individuals in the United
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), announce receipt of an application from California Resources
Corporation for an incidental take permit (ITP), pursuant to the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.), under the approved General Conservation Plan for Oil and Gas
Activities (GCP). A GCP is a mechanism that meets the definition of a
conservation plan in section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA and enables the
construct of a programmatic permitting and conservation process to
address a defined suite of proposed activities over a defined planning
area. The application for an incidental take permit was made pursuant
to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA. The ITP, if granted, would authorize
take of the federally threatened California red-legged frog (Rana
draytonii) and the federally endangered Santa Barbara County distinct
population segment (DPS) of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma
californiense) incidental to activities associated with the soil
remediation for on the California (CAL) Lease (Site) within the North
Cat Canyon Oil Field in Santa Maria, California. The permit would be
issued to the applicant under the GCP for Oil and Gas Activities, which
was approved on June 27, 2022. Prior to approval, a notice of
availability of the draft programmatic environmental assessment (EA)
and GCP published on March 6, 2020 (85 FR 13181). The approved GCP and
the associated final programmatic environmental assessment/finding of
no significant impact are available on the Ventura Fish and Wildlife
Office web page at https://www.fws.gov/media/habitat-conservation-plans-and-general-conservation-plans. We have also uploaded them to
https://www.regulations.gov. However, we are no longer taking comments
on these finalized, approved documents.
Document for Public Comment
We invite public comment on a draft screening form we prepared in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and on our preliminary determination that this
proposed ITP may qualify for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the
Council on Environmental Quality's National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) regulations (40 CFR 1501.4), the Department of the Interior's
(DOI) NEPA regulations (43 CFR 46), and the DOI's Departmental Manual
(516 DM 8.5(C)(2)).
Background
The Service listed the California red-legged frog as threatened on
May 23, 1996 (61 FR 25813), and the Santa Barbara County DPS of the
California tiger salamander as endangered on September 21, 2000 (65 FR
57242). Section 9 of the ESA prohibits ``take'' of fish and wildlife
species listed as threatened or endangered (16 U.S.C. 1538), where take
is defined to include the following activities: ``to harass, harm,
pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to
attempt to engage in any such conduct'' (16 U.S.C. 1532). Under section
10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(B)), 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 incidental take permits for endangered
and threatened species are in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at
50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, respectively. Issuance of an ITP also must not
jeopardize the existence of federally listed fish, wildlife, or plant
species. The permittee would receive assurances under our ``No
Surprises'' regulations (50 CFR 17.22(b)(5) and 17.32(b)(5)).
Applicant's Proposed Activities
The applicant has applied for a permit for incidental take of
California red-legged frog and California tiger salamander. The take
would occur in association with activities necessary to remediate soil
contaminated with hydrocarbons at the CAL Site within the North Cat
Canyon Oil Field in Santa Maria, California. The project will excavate
contaminated soils at three distinct remedial areas, A5-01, B5-02/B5-
03, and B6-03 at the CAL Site. Based on initial investigations,
approximately 4,926 cubic yards of soil will be excavated with 25 feet
set as the maximum depth for excavation. Excavated material will be
transported to a State of California licensed disposal facility.
Dewatering activities may also be conducted if perched groundwater is
encountered in the excavations. The applicant will return all excavated
areas to its original grade and revegetate them with native seed mix.
The project area does not contain California red-legged frog breeding
habitat however, an ephemeral drainage within the project area may
provide a movement corridor during winter months. Nearest known
location of California red-legged frogs is within 5-miles of the
project site. Additionally, a potential California tiger salamanders
breeding pond occurs within 0.7 miles of the project site, making the
project site potential California tiger salamander upland habitat. The
proposed soil remediation would require excavating contaminated soils,
which will result in impacts to burrowing and dispersal habitat as well
as the potential for direct injury or mortality from crushing for both
species.
The project includes minimization measures for the California red-
legged frog and California tiger salamander and mitigation for
unavoidable impacts to the species and its habitat. The applicant has
proposed a one-time fixed payment of $13,050 to the California red-
legged frog mitigation account managed by the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation to compensate for unavoidable impacts to the
California red-legged frog. To mitigate for impacts to the California
tiger salamander, the applicant proposes to purchase 1.25 credits from
the Service-approved La Purisima Conservation Bank located in Santa
Barbara County, California.
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. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able
to do so.
Authority
The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) of the
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing
regulations (50 CFR 17.32) and the National Environmental Policy Act
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
[[Page 46155]]
its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508 and 43 CFR 46).
Stephen P. Henry,
Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, Ventura,
California.
[FR Doc. 2024-11655 Filed 5-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
