Fish and Wildlife Service June 10, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) we, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the public that we intend to gather information necessary to prepare, in coordination with the County of Sacramento (the County), a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR). The EIS/EIR will analyze the environmental effects of the Service's proposed issuance of an incidental take permit under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 as amended (ESA), for a habitat conservation plan (HCP) within a portion of south Sacramento County, California. The County, along with their local partners (the cities of Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Galt, the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, and the Sacramento County Water Agency), is facilitating the preparation of the South Sacramento HCP (SSHCP) in compliance with section 10(a)(2) of the ESA. The County and their local partners intend to apply to the Service for a 30-year permit that would authorized the incidental take of 40 species due to ground-disturbing private activities implemented under the SSHCP. The County, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and with 40 CFR 1506.6(b)(3), has published a similar notice of preparation for this EIS/EIR with the State Clearinghouse. We provide this notice to (1) Describe the proposed action and possible alternatives; (2) announce the initiation of a public scoping period, including when and where scoping meetings will be held; (3) advise other interested Federal, State, and local agencies, affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to prepare an EIS/EIR and invite their participation in the scoping process and; (4) obtain suggestions, comments, and useful information from interested parties and other agencies on the range of actions, the significant issues, range of alternatives, and impacts to be considered in the EIS/EIR document. We invite written comments on this notice from any interested party.