METC NEPA
Public Input Sought on Low Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for Proposed Low Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC
Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC (Applicant) has applied to the Service for a 5-year incidental take permit for one covered species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for "take" of the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) associated with reconductoring a 4.07-mile segment of electric power transmission line within this right-of-way segment running from east-central Muskegon County into the southwest corner of Newaygo County, Michigan. A conservation program to mitigate for the project activities would be implemented as described in the proposed Cobb to Brickyard Reconductoring Low Effect Habitat Conservation Plan (proposed Plan), which would be implemented by the Applicant. We are requesting comments on the permit application and on the preliminary determination that the proposed Plan qualifies as a "Low-Effect" Habitat Conservation Plan, eligible for a categorical exclusion, Department of Interior Manual (516 DM 6, Appendix 1, Section 1.4C(2)).
The Service has made a preliminary determination that approval of the proposed Plan qualifies as a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and provided by the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 6, Appendix 1, Section 1.4C(2)) and as a "low-effect" plan as defined by the Habitat Conservation Planning Handbook (November 1996). Determination of Low-effect Habitat Conservation Plans is based on the following three criteria: (1) Implementation of the proposed Plan would result in minor or negligible effects on federally listed, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; (2) implementation of the proposed Plan would result in minor or negligible effects on other environmental values or resources; and (3) impacts of the proposed Plan, considered together with the impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable similarly situated projects, would not result in cumulative effects to environmental values or resources which would be considered significant.
Based upon this preliminary determination, we do not intend to prepare further NEPA documentation. We will consider public comments in making the final determination on whether to prepare such additional documentation.The draft Habitat Conservation Plan and Low Effect Determination are available below. Copies may also be obtained from by contacting Peter Fasbender via telephone at (612)713-5343, by e-mail at peter_fasbender@fws.gov or by writing to Mr. Fasbender at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, Minnesota 55111-4056. Written comments on the Habitat Conservation Plan and the preliminary determination that the Plan qualifies as a "Low-Effect" Habitat Conservation Plan, eligible for a categorical exclusion are welcome. Comments should be submitted to the mailing or e-mail address above or via fax to (612)713-5292 not later than March 24, 2005.
Draft Habitat Conservation Plan
Figure 3C for HCP (seed areas)
Figure 3D for HCP (seed areas)
