Department of the Interior November 2, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Sundown Development and Realty (Applicant) is requesting an incidental take permit (ITP) for a period of five years, pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The Applicant anticipates take of three federally threatened Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) (scrub-jay) incidental to clearing approximately 0.70 acre of scrub-jay foraging and roosting habitat in preparation for construction of a combination of office space and three-story townhomes on a 5.25-acre parcel (project). The anticipated take would occur in section 30, Township 40 South, Range 43 East, Village of Tequesta, Palm Beach County, Florida. The Applicant's Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) describes the mitigation and minimization measures proposed to address the effects of the project on the scrub-jay. These measures are also outlined in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. The Service announces the availability of the Applicant's ITP application, HCP and Environmental Assessment (EA). Copies of the application, HCP and EA may be obtained by making a request to the Southeast Regional Office (see ADDRESSES). Requests must be in writing to be processed. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10 of the Act and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service announces a meeting designed to foster partnerships to enhance public awareness of the importance of aquatic resources and the social and economic benefits of recreational fishing and boating in the United States. This meeting, sponsored by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council), is open to the public, and interested persons may make oral statements to the Council or may file written statements for consideration.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are soliciting project proposals for Federal assistance under the Tribal Wildlife Grants program (TWG). The Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 authorized an appropriation of $68,174,000 (subject to potential rescission to meet other important national priorities) for wildlife conservation grants to States and to the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and Tribes under provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, for the development and implementation of programs for the benefit of wildlife and their habitat, including species that are not hunted or fished. The Act further specified that the Service use $5,971,000 of the funds for a competitive grant program available to federally recognized Indian Tribes. This allows the Secretary, through the Director of the Service, to manage a separate Tribal grant program not subject to the provisions of the formula-based State Wildlife Grants program, or other requirements of the State Wildlife Grants portion of Public Law 107-63.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), list the Gila chub (Gila intermedia) as endangered with critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Gila chub were historically found throughout the Gila River basin in southern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northeastern Sonora, Mexico. The Gila chub has been reduced in numbers and distribution in the majority of its historical range (Minckley 1973; Weedman et al. 1996). Where it is still present, populations are often small, fragmented, and at risk from known and potential threats and from random events such as drought, flood events, and wildfire. The primary threats to Gila chub include predation by and competition with nonnative organisms, including fish in the family Centrarchidae (Micropterus spp., Lepomis spp.), other fish species, bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), and crayfish (Orconectes virilis), and habitat degradation from surface water diversions and ground water withdrawals. Secondary threats include habitat alteration, destruction, and fragmentation resulting from numerous factors that are discussed in this final rule. The current status of the Gila chub is much degraded from historical levels. The species exists as a few, small isolated, populations. The small size of these populations, and their degree of fragmentation and isolation, cause them to be highly susceptible to threats. We believe that due to the current reduced status of the Gila chub and the severity of threats, including nonnative species predation and habitat destruction, the Gila chub is likely to become extinct throughout all or a significant portion of its range. This final rule will implement the Federal protection and recovery provisions of the Act for this species. We are also designating approximately 160.3 river miles (mi) (258.1 kilometers (km)) of critical habitat located in Grant County, New Mexico, and Yavapai, Gila, Greenlee, Graham, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Pima, and Pinal Counties in Arizona.