Fish and Wildlife Service February 25, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The County of Volusia (Applicant) seeks to renew and amend incidental take permit (ITP) TE811813. The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issued this ITP on November 22, 1996, pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. The ITP authorizes take of loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles incidental to the Applicant's regulation of vehicular traffic on 35.6 linear miles of beaches under its jurisdiction in Volusia County, Florida. Among the proposed amendments to the ITP, the Applicant requests incidental take authority for the piping plover (Charadrius melodus). The mitigation and minimization measures outlined in the Applicant's amended Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to address the effects of vehicle beach access and related activities on federally listed species are described further in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. The Service announces the availability of the HCP and our Environmental Assessment (EA) for the incidental take renewal and amendment application. Copies of the HCP and EA may be obtained by making a request to the Regional Office (see ADDRESSES). Requests must be in writing to be processed. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10 of the Endangered Species Act and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).