[Federal Register: June 11, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 113)]
[Notices]
[Page 33105-33106]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11jn08-77]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-ES-2008-N00135; ABC Code: F2]
Construction of Two Single-Family Homes in Volusia County, FL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice: receipt of application for an incidental take permit;
request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of two Incidental Take Permit (ITP) Applications and
Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs). Today Homes Development, Inc.
(applicant) requests two ITPs for a 1-year duration under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant
anticipates taking approximately 0.38 acre of Florida scrub-jay
(Alphelocoma coerulescens)-occupied habitat incidental to construction
of two single family homes in Volusia County, Florida (projects). The
applicant's HCPs describe the mitigation and minimization measures the
applicant proposes to address the effects of the projects to the scrub-
jay.
DATES: We must receive any written comments on the ITP applications and
HCPs on or before July 11, 2008.
ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the applications and HCPs, you may
write the Field Supervisor at our Jacksonville Field Office, 6620
Southpoint Drive South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, FL 32216, or make an
appointment to visit during normal business hours. If you wish to
comment, you may mail or hand deliver comments to the Jacksonville
Field Office, or you may e-mail comments to paula_sisson@fws.gov. For
more information on reviewing documents and public comments and
submitting comments, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paula Sisson, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, Jacksonville Field Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone: 904/
232-2580, ext. 126.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Please reference permit number TE171478-0 and TE176780-0 for Today
Homes Development, Inc. in all requests or comments. Please include
your name and return address in your e-mail message. If you do not
receive a confirmation from us that we have received your e-mail
message, contact us directly at the telephone number listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Background
The Florida scrub-jay is found exclusively in peninsular Florida
and is restricted to xeric upland communities (predominately in oak-
dominated scrub with open canopies) of the interior and Atlantic coast
sand ridges. Increasing urban and agricultural development has resulted
in habitat loss and fragmentation, which have adversely affected the
distribution and numbers of scrub-jays. Remaining habitat is largely
degraded due to the exclusion of fire, which is needed to maintain
xeric uplands in conditions suitable for scrub-jays. The total
estimated population is between 7,000 and 11,000 individuals.
Applicant's Proposal
The applicant is requesting take of approximately 0.38 ac of
occupied scrub-jay habitat incidental to the projects. Both proposed
projects are located in Section 09, Township 18, Range 30, in Orange
City, Florida. The proposed projects currently include residential
construction, including house pad, infrastructure, and landscaping. The
applicant proposes to mitigate for the take of the Florida scrub-jay at
a ratio of 2:1 based on Service Mitigation Guidelines. The applicant
proposes to mitigate for the loss of 0.38 ac of occupied scrub-jay
habitat by contributing a total of $20,589.92 to the Florida Scrub-jay
Conservation Fund administered by The Nature Conservancy. Funds in this
account are earmarked for use in the conservation and recovery of
scrub-jays and may include habitat acquisition, restoration, and/or
management. As minimization for impacts to the species, clearing
activities during project construction will occur outside the scrub-jay
nesting season (March 1--June 30).
We have determined that the applicant's proposal, including the
proposed mitigation and minimization measures, would have minor or
negligible effects on the species covered in the HCPs. Therefore, the
ITPs are ``low-effect'' projects and qualify for
[[Page 33106]]
categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), as provided by the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 2
Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6 Appendix 1). This preliminary information may
be revised based on our review of public comments that we receive in
response to this notice. A low-effect HCP is one involving (1) minor or
negligible effects on federally listed or candidate species and their
habitats, and (2) minor or negligible effects on other environmental
values or resources.
We will evaluate the HCPs and comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the applications meet the requirements of section
10(a) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If we determine that the
applications meet those requirements, we will issue the ITPs for
incidental take of the scrub-jay. We will also evaluate whether
issuance of the section 10(a)(1)(B) ITPs comply with section 7 of the
Act by conducting an intra-Service section 7 consultation. We will use
the results of this consultation, in combination with the above
findings, in the final analysis to determine whether or not to issue
the ITPs.
Authority: We provide this notice under Section 10 of the Act
and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: June 2, 2008.
David L. Hankla,
Field Supervisor, Jacksonville Field Office.
[FR Doc. E8-13045 Filed 6-10-08; 8:45 am]
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