[Federal Register: November 13, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 218)]
[Notices]
[Page 58653-58654]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13no09-88]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-ES-2009-N225; 40120-1112-0000-F2]
Receipt of 32 Applications for Incidental Take Permits for Single
Family and Duplex Residential Developments on the Fort Morgan
Peninsula, Baldwin County, AL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice: Receipt of applications for incidental take permits
(ITPs) for Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs); availability of proposed
HCPs and environmental assessment (EA); request for comment.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability
of proposed HCPs, 32 accompanying ITP applications, and an EA related
to proposed developments that would take the Alabama beach mouse
(Peromyscus polionotus ammobates) on Fort Morgan Peninsula, Baldwin
County, Alabama. The HCPs analyze the take of the federally endangered
Alabama beach mouse incidental to constructing 28 new single-family and
replacing four existing single-family homes with four duplex residences
(Projects). The 24 individual applicants request a total of 32 ITPs
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. The
Applicants' HCPs describe the mitigation and minimization measures
proposed to address the effects on the species.
DATES: We must receive any written comments on the ITP applications,
EA, and HCPs at our Regional Office (see ADDRESSES) on or before
December 14, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Documents will be available for public inspection by
appointment during normal business hours at the
[[Page 58654]]
Fish and Wildlife Service's Regional Office, 1875 Century Boulevard,
Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30345. Send your comments to the same address
(Attn: David Dell); or to Field Supervisor, 1208-B Main Street, Daphne,
Alabama 36526.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Dell, Regional HCP
Coordinator, (See ADDRESSES), telephone: 404/679-7313; or Mr. Darren
LeBlanc, Field Office Project Manager, at the Alabama Field Office (See
ADDRESSES), telephone: 251/441-5859.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We announce the availability of the proposed
HCPs, 32 accompanying ITP applications, and an EA, which analyzes the
take of the Alabama beach mouse incidental to the Projects. This group
of similar applications has been collected into what we refer to as
``ABM Batch V'' for efficiency in their review. The applicants request
50-year ITPs under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as amended.
We specifically request information and opinions from the public
via this notice on our proposed Federal action, including
identification of any other aspects of the human environment not
already identified in the EA pursuant to NEPA regulations (40 CFR
1506.6). Further, we specifically solicit information regarding the
adequacy of the HCPs per 50 CFR parts 13 and 17.
An assessment of the likely environmental impacts associated with
the implementation of the proposed projects, the EA considers the
environmental consequences of a no-action alternative, no-minimization,
and the proposed action. The proposed action alternative is issuance of
32 ITPs and implementation of the HCPs as submitted by the Applicants.
The HCP covers activities associated with the construction and
maintenance of residences on 32 discrete lots totaling 16.9 acres on
the Fort Morgan Peninsula. Under the preferred alternative, project
development would result in the overall loss of 3.58 acres of ABM
habitat. Avoidance, minimization and mitigation measures include a
reduced design footprint, on-site land management to maintain use of
the project sites by Alabama beach mice, and funding off-site habitat
acquisition and management.
Public Comments
If you wish to comment, you may submit comments by any one of
several methods. Please reference ``ABM Batch V'' in such comments. You
may mail comments to the Fish and Wildlife Service's Regional Office
(see ADDRESSES). You may also comment via the internet to david_
dell@fws.gov. Please include your name and return address in your
internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation from us that we
have received your internet message, contact us directly at either
telephone number listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to either of our offices
listed under ADDRESSES. 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.
Covered Area
The area encompassed under the HCP and ITP applications, the Fort
Morgan Peninsula, extends over 30 miles from the Alabama-Florida
border. Alabama beach mice historically ranged throughout the
peninsula, but are now largely restricted to the western half. The
following property owners have applied for ITPs in ABM Batch V:
Donald Dixon TE218224-0
Hogue Crossley TE218227-0
William Kenney TE218247-0
Harry Turpin TE218238-0
Aubrey Lucas TE218248-0, TE218249-0
Frances Bridges TE218251-0
Charles Minick TE218274-0
David Newton TE218275-0
Robert Fischer TE218276-0, TE218277-0
Boykin Properties TE218280-0
Becky Harris TE218281-0, TE218283-0
Spencer Harris TE218284-0, TE218285-0
Clinton Adams TE218288-0
Zachary Hutchens TE218291-0
Suzanne Wilcox TE218292-0
James Kastner TE218295-0
Timothy Kiely TE218326-0
Laureen Eick-Benson TE218329-0
Robert Prescott TE218330-0
Stuart Starrett TE218333-0
Christina Petrig TE218336-0, TE218354-0, TE218355-0, TE218356-0,
TE218357-0
Andrew Marcotte TE218358-0
Mark Link TE218359-0
Tom Martin Homebuilders TE218362-0.
Next Steps
We will evaluate these ITP applications, including the HCPs and any
comments we receive, to determine whether these applications meet the
requirements of section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. We will also evaluate
whether issuance of section 10(a)(1)(B) ITPs complies with section 7 of
the Endangered Species Act by conducting an intra-Service section 7
consultation. We will use the results of this consultation, in
combination with the above findings, in our final analysis to determine
whether or not to issue the 32 ITPs. If we determine that the
requirements are met, we will issue the ITPs for the incidental take of
the Alabama beach mouse.
Authority
We provide this notice under section 10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.) and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: October 5, 2009.
Mark Musaus,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. E9-27275 Filed 11-12-09; 8:45 am]
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