Fish and Wildlife Service April 30, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) for public review and comment. In this Draft CCP/ EA, we describe the alternative we propose to use to manage this refuge for the 15 years following approval of the final CCP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received applications from William Menchine and Alicia Stanton and the San Lorenzo Valley Water District (applicants) for incidental take permits under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are considering issuing permits that would authorize the applicants' take of the Federally endangered Mount Hermon June beetle (Polyphylla barbata) incidental to otherwise lawful activities that would result in the permanent loss of 0.05 acre (2,182 square feet (sq ft)) of Mount Hermon June beetle habitat near Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California. We invite comments from the public on the applications, which include Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) that fully describe the proposed projects and measures the applicants would undertake to minimize and mitigate anticipated take of the species. We also invite comments on our preliminary determination that the HCPs qualify as ``low-effect'' plans, eligible for categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. We explain the basis for this determination in our draft Environmental Action Statements and associated Low-Effect Screening Forms, both of which are also available for review.