Fish and Wildlife Service February 4, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

This notice announces the availability of the draft Tehachapi Uplands Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP), draft Implementing Agreement (IA), and draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for public review and comment. We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are considering the issuance of a 50-year incidental take permit (permit) for 27 species in response to receipt of an application prepared by Tejon Ranch Corporation (Tejon or Applicant) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The permit is needed because take of species could occur within 141,886 acres of covered lands on the Tejon Ranch as the result of on- going ranch activities and approximately 5,533 acres of mountain resort and other development within and adjacent to the Interstate 5 corridor and Lebec community in Kern County, California. The MSHCP proposes a conservation strategy to minimize and mitigate to the maximum extent practicable any impacts that could occur to covered species as the result of the covered activities.