Incidental Take Permit Application for the Desert Tortoise; Draft Habitat Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment; Overnight Solar Energy Project, San Bernardino County, CA, 7154-7155 [2025-01340]
Download as PDF
7154
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices
Application No.
Applicant, city, state
PER0008917 .........
Institute for Applied Ecology, Corvallis, OR.
Species
Location
Take activity
Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha
taylori).
Oregon ...............................
Harass by captive propagation, transport, and release.
Public Availability of Comments
Written comments we receive become
part of the administrative record
associated with this action. Before
including your address, phone number,
email address, or other personal
identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can request in your comment
that we withhold your personal
identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so. All submissions
from organizations or businesses, and
from individuals identifying themselves
as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be
made available for public disclosure in
their entirety.
Next Steps
If we decide to issue a permit to any
of the applicants listed in this notice,
we will publish a notice in the Federal
Register.
Authority
We publish this notice under section
10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.).
Jesse D’Elia,
Acting Regional Program Manager for
Restoration and Endangered Species
Classification, Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2025–01344 Filed 1–17–25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
[FWS–R8–ES–2024–0160;
FXES11140800000–256–FF08ECAR00]
Incidental Take Permit Application for
the Desert Tortoise; Draft Habitat
Conservation Plan and Draft
Environmental Assessment; Overnight
Solar Energy Project, San Bernardino
County, CA
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for public comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), have received
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:56 Jan 18, 2025
Jkt 265001
an application from Overnight Solar,
LLC for an incidental take permit under
the Endangered Species Act. The permit
would authorize take of the federally
threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus
agassizii) incidental to otherwise lawful
activities associated with construction,
operation, maintenance, and
decommissioning of the Overnight Solar
Energy Project. We invite comments on
the applicant’s draft habitat
conservation plan and the draft
environmental assessment, which we
have prepared pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act. We will take
comments into consideration before
deciding whether to issue an incidental
take permit.
DATES: Submitting Comments: We must
receive any written comments on or
before February 20, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: The
application, application supporting
materials, and any comments and other
materials that we receive will be
available for public inspection at
https://www.regulations.gov in Docket
No. FWS–R8–ES–2024–0160.
Submitting Written Comments: You
may submit your written comments
using one of the following methods:
• Online: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments on Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–
2024–0160.
• U.S. Mail: Public Comments
Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R8–
ES–2024–0160; U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg
Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Tung, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, by email at richard_tung@
fws.gov or via phone at 760–322–2070.
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We have
received an application from Overnight
Solar, LLC (applicant) for an incidental
take permit under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA;
16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The application
addresses the potential take of the
PO 00000
Frm 00084
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Permit action
Amend.
federally threatened desert tortoise
(Gopherus agassizii), incidental to
otherwise lawful activities at the
Overnight Solar Energy Project (project),
as described in the applicant’s draft
habitat conservation plan. The proposed
project would be located north of the
town of Hinkley in San Bernardino
County, California.
Background
Section 9 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1538)
and Federal regulations promulgated
pursuant to section 4(d) of the ESA (16
U.S.C. 1533) prohibit the take of
endangered and threatened animals
without special exemption. Under
section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C.
1539), we may issue permits to
authorize take of listed fish and wildlife
species that is incidental to, and not the
purpose of, carrying out an otherwise
lawful activity. Regulations governing
permits for endangered and threatened
species are set forth in title 50 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at
part 17, sections 17.22 and 17.32.
The National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)
requires Federal agencies to analyze
their proposed actions to determine
whether the actions may significantly
affect the human environment. In the
NEPA analysis, the Federal agency will
identify the effects, as well as possible
mitigation for effects on environmental
resources, that could occur with the
implementation of the proposed action
and alternatives. The Federal action in
this case is the Service’s proposed
issuance of an incidental take permit for
the federally threatened desert tortoise.
Permit Application
The applicant has submitted a draft
habitat conservation plan that describes
the activities proposed to be covered by
the permit, such as the construction of
a solar field. To minimize the risk of
incidental take, the applicant would
employ qualified biologists to
translocate desert tortoises to a safe
location off site. To mitigate the impact
of the incidental take, the applicant
proposes to fund the preservation of
desert tortoise habitat through new
acquisition of suitable habitat or
purchase of applicable mitigation
credits from a Service approved
mitigation bank.
The draft conservation plan and the
draft environmental assessment
E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM
21JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 / Notices
consider alternatives to the proposed
action, including a no action alternative.
The Service prepared a draft
environmental assessment to evaluate
the impacts of issuing the proposed
incidental take permit on the human
environment, consistent with the
purpose and goals of NEPA and
pursuant to the Council on
Environmental Quality’s implementing
NEPA regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500
through 1508. Additionally, the draft
environmental assessment was prepared
consistent with the Department of the
Interior NEPA regulations (43 CFR part
46); longstanding Federal judicial and
regulatory interpretations; and
Administration priorities and policies,
including Secretary’s Order No. 3399.
Public Comments
If you wish to comment on the draft
conservation plan and draft
environmental assessment, you may
submit comments by one of the methods
in ADDRESSES.
Public Availability of Comments
All comments and materials we
receive in response to this request will
become part of the decision record
associated with this action.
If you submit a comment at https://
www.regulations.gov, your entire
comment, including any personal
identifying information, will be posted
on the website.
If you submit a hardcopy comment
that includes personal identifying
information, such as your address,
phone number, or email address, 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 hardcopy
document to withhold your personal
identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
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 and the
National Environmental Policy Act (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its
implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500
through 1508 and 43 CFR part 46).
Scott Sobiech,
Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife
Office, Carlsbad, California.
[FR Doc. 2025–01340 Filed 1–17–25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:56 Jan 18, 2025
Jkt 265001
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
[GX20EG31DW50100; OMB Control Number
1028–0129]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget for Review
and Approval; Hydrography
Addressing Tool
U.S. Geological Survey,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection;
request for comment.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995, the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) is proposing to renew an
information collection with revisions.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before February
20, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection request (ICR) by
selecting ‘‘Currently under Review—
Open for Public Comments’’ or by using
the search function. Please provide a
copy of your comments by mail to U.S.
Geological Survey, Information
Collections Officer, 12201 Sunrise
Valley Drive MS 159, Reston, VA 20192:
or by email to gs-info_collections@
usgs.gov. Please reference OMB Control
Number 1028–0129 in the subject line of
your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Tinker by email at mdtinker@
usgs.gov or by telephone at 303–202–
4476. 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. You may
also view the ICR at https://
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with the PRA of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR
1320.8(d)(1), we provide the general
public and other Federal agencies with
an opportunity to comment on new,
proposed, revised, and continuing
collections of information. This helps us
assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00085
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
7155
the public’s reporting burden. It also
helps the public understand our
information collection requirements and
provide the requested data in the
desired format.
A Federal Register notice with a 60day public comment period soliciting
comments on this collection of
information was published on October
1, 2024, 89 FR 79945. No comments
were received.
As part of our continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we are again soliciting
comments from the public and other
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR
that is described below. We are
especially interested in public comment
addressing the following:
(1) Whether or not the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether or not the
information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the
burden for this collection of
information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(4) How the agency might minimize
the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to
respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of response.
Comments that you submit in
response to this notice are a matter of
public record. Before including your
address, phone number, email address,
or other personally identifiable
information (PII) in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire
comment—including your PII—may be
made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your PII from public review,
we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Abstract: This 30-day notice is a
renewal, with revisions, for the
Hydrography Addressing Tool
(HydroAdd), a website developed by the
USGS National Geospatial Program,
National Geospatial Technical
Operations Center (NGTOC).
HydroAdd supports users by
providing a mechanism for addressing
(or referencing) diverse external datasets
to the National Hydrography Dataset
(NHD). For example, a user can utilize
HydroAdd to reference the geographic
locations of field observations of fish
presence to the NHD. HydroAdd
provides a framework for the
E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM
21JAN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7154-7155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01340]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2024-0160; FXES11140800000-256-FF08ECAR00]
Incidental Take Permit Application for the Desert Tortoise; Draft
Habitat Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment; Overnight
Solar Energy Project, San Bernardino County, CA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have
received an application from Overnight Solar, LLC for an incidental
take permit under the Endangered Species Act. The permit would
authorize take of the federally threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus
agassizii) incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with
construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of the
Overnight Solar Energy Project. We invite comments on the applicant's
draft habitat conservation plan and the draft environmental assessment,
which we have prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy
Act. We will take comments into consideration before deciding whether
to issue an incidental take permit.
DATES: Submitting Comments: We must receive any written comments on or
before February 20, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: The application, application supporting
materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be
available for public inspection at https://www.regulations.gov in
Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2024-0160.
Submitting Written Comments: You may submit your written comments
using one of the following methods:
Online: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2024-0160.
U.S. Mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No.
FWS-R8-ES-2024-0160; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Tung, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, by email at [email protected] or via phone at 760-322-
2070. 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 have received an application from
Overnight Solar, LLC (applicant) for an incidental take permit under
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.). The application addresses the potential take of the federally
threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), incidental to
otherwise lawful activities at the Overnight Solar Energy Project
(project), as described in the applicant's draft habitat conservation
plan. The proposed project would be located north of the town of
Hinkley in San Bernardino County, California.
Background
Section 9 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1538) and Federal regulations
promulgated pursuant to section 4(d) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1533)
prohibit the take of endangered and threatened animals without special
exemption. Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539), we
may issue permits to authorize take of listed fish and wildlife species
that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an
otherwise lawful activity. Regulations governing permits for endangered
and threatened species are set forth in title 50 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at part 17, sections 17.22 and 17.32.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.) requires Federal agencies to analyze their proposed actions to
determine whether the actions may significantly affect the human
environment. In the NEPA analysis, the Federal agency will identify the
effects, as well as possible mitigation for effects on environmental
resources, that could occur with the implementation of the proposed
action and alternatives. The Federal action in this case is the
Service's proposed issuance of an incidental take permit for the
federally threatened desert tortoise.
Permit Application
The applicant has submitted a draft habitat conservation plan that
describes the activities proposed to be covered by the permit, such as
the construction of a solar field. To minimize the risk of incidental
take, the applicant would employ qualified biologists to translocate
desert tortoises to a safe location off site. To mitigate the impact of
the incidental take, the applicant proposes to fund the preservation of
desert tortoise habitat through new acquisition of suitable habitat or
purchase of applicable mitigation credits from a Service approved
mitigation bank.
The draft conservation plan and the draft environmental assessment
[[Page 7155]]
consider alternatives to the proposed action, including a no action
alternative.
The Service prepared a draft environmental assessment to evaluate
the impacts of issuing the proposed incidental take permit on the human
environment, consistent with the purpose and goals of NEPA and pursuant
to the Council on Environmental Quality's implementing NEPA regulations
at 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508. Additionally, the draft
environmental assessment was prepared consistent with the Department of
the Interior NEPA regulations (43 CFR part 46); longstanding Federal
judicial and regulatory interpretations; and Administration priorities
and policies, including Secretary's Order No. 3399.
Public Comments
If you wish to comment on the draft conservation plan and draft
environmental assessment, you may submit comments by one of the methods
in ADDRESSES.
Public Availability of Comments
All comments and materials we receive in response to this request
will become part of the decision record associated with this action.
If you submit a comment at https://www.regulations.gov, your entire
comment, including any personal identifying information, will be posted
on the website.
If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal identifying
information, such as your address, phone number, or email address, 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 hardcopy document to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, 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 and the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321
et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500 through 1508 and
43 CFR part 46).
Scott Sobiech,
Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad,
California.
[FR Doc. 2025-01340 Filed 1-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P