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

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (Services) advise interested parties of their intent to conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to gather information to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) related to a permit application from Lewis County, Washington for the incidental take of listed species. The permit application would be associated with the Family Forest Habitat Conservation Plan in the Chehalis and Cowlitz River watersheds located in Lewis County, Washington.

Results Home Buyer Inc. (Applicant) requests an incidental take permit (ITP) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as amended (Act). The Applicant anticipates removal of about 0.18 acre of Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) (scrub-jay) foraging, sheltering, and possibly nesting habitat, incidental to lot preparation for the construction of a single-family residence and supporting infrastructure in Venice, Sarasota County, Florida (project). The take of one family of scrub-jays, consisting of up to four individuals, could occur as a result of the Applicant's proposed activities. The Applicant's Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) describes the mitigation and minimization measures proposed to address the effects of the project to the scrub-jay. These measures are outlined in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. The Service has determined that the Applicant's proposal, including the proposed mitigation and minimization measures, will individually and cumulatively have a minor or negligible effect on the species covered in the HCP. Therefore, the ITP is a ``low-effect'' project and qualifies as a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as provided by the Department of Interior Manual (516 DM 2, Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6, Appendix 1). The Service announces the availability of the ITP application, HCP, and Screening Form for Low-Effect HCP Determinations for this incidental take application. Copies of the ITP application, HCP, and Screening Form 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 Act and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).