[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2197-2198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00368]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2013-N263; 81420-1113-0000-F3]
Proposed Safe Harbor Agreement With the California Department of
Fish and Wildlife for the Abbott Lake Unit of the Feather River
Wildlife Area in Sutter County, California
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the California Department
of Fish and Wildlife (Department) has applied to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit under
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The permit
application includes a proposed safe harbor agreement (agreement)
between the Department and the Service for the federally-threatened
valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus)
(beetle). The Agreement is available for public comment.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
February 12, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Mr. Rick Kuyper, via U.S. Mail at U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage
Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rick Kuyper, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone: (916) 414-6600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Documents
You may obtain copies of the document for review by contacting the
individual named above (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). You may
also make an appointment to view the document at the above address
[[Page 2198]]
during normal business hours (see ADDRESSES).
Background
Under a Safe Harbor Agreement, participating landowners voluntarily
undertake management activities on their property to enhance, restore,
or maintain habitat benefiting species listed under the Act (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.). Safe Harbor Agreements and the subsequent enhancement of
survival permits, issued pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act,
encourage private and other non-Federal property owners to implement
conservation efforts for listed species by assuring property owners
that they will not be subjected to increased property use restrictions
as a result of their efforts to attract listed species to their
property, to increase the numbers or distribution of listed species
already on their property. Application requirements and issuance
criteria for enhancement of survival permits through Safe Harbor
Agreements are found in 50 CFR 17.22(c) and 17.32(c). These permits
allow any necessary future incidental take of covered species above the
mutually agreed upon baseline conditions for those species in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the permits and
accompanying agreements.
The Agreement is expected to promote the recovery of the beetle
within the Abbott Lake Unit of the Feather River Wildlife Area, Sutter
County, which is owned and managed by the Department. The proposed
duration of the Agreement is 20 years. The enhancement of survival
permit would authorize the incidental taking of the beetle associated
with: the restoration, enhancement, and maintenance of suitable habitat
for the beetle; routine activities associated with routine and ongoing
lands management within the Abbott Lake Unit; and the potential future
return of the property to baseline conditions. The Department would
receive assurances under our ``no surprises'' regulations (50 CFR
17.22(c)(5) and 17.32(c)(5)) for the beetle. In addition to meeting
other criteria, actions to be performed under the enhancement of
survival permit must not jeopardize the existence of federally listed
fish, wildlife, or plants.
Public Review and Comments
The Service has made a preliminary determination that the proposed
Agreement and permit application are eligible for categorical exclusion
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). We explain
the basis for this determination in an Environmental Action Statement
that is also available for public review.
Individuals wishing copies of the Environmental Action Statement,
and/or copies of the full text of the Agreement should contact the
office and personnel listed in the ADDRESSES section above.
Before including your address, phone number, email 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.
The Service will evaluate this permit application, associated
documents, and comments submitted to determine whether the permit
application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the Act and NEPA
regulations. If the Service determines that the requirements are met,
we will sign the proposed Agreement and issue an enhancement of
survival permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act to the Department
for take of the beetle incidental to otherwise lawful activities in
accordance with the terms of the Agreement. The Service will not make
our final decision until after the end of the 30-day comment period and
will fully consider all comments received during the comment period.
The Service provides this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the
Act and pursuant to implementing regulations for NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: January 7, 2014.
Jennifer M. Norris,
Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, Sacramento,
California.
[FR Doc. 2014-00368 Filed 1-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P