[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 58 (Monday, March 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16387-16388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06454]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2020-N132; FXES11140800000-201-FF08EVEN00]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Habitat
Conservation Plan and Draft Categorical Exclusion for the Santa Barbara
County Distinct Population Segment of the California Tiger Salamander;
Santa Maria Public Airport District Santa Maria Airport Commercial
Center Project, Santa Barbara County, California
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the
availability of a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) and draft
categorical exclusion (CatEx) for activities associated with an
application for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended. The ITP would authorize take of the
Santa Barbara County distinct population segment of the California
tiger salamander incidental to activities associated with construction
near the Santa Maria Airport in Santa Barbara County, California. The
applicant developed the draft HCP as part of their application for an
ITP. The Service prepared a draft low-effect screening form and
environmental action statement in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act to evaluate the potential effects to the
natural and human environment resulting from issuing an ITP to the
applicant. We invite public comment on these documents.
DATES: Written comments should be received on or before April 28, 2021.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may download a copy of the draft HCP and
draft CatEx at http://www.fws.gov/ventura/, or you may request copies
of the documents by U.S. mail (below) or by phone (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT).
Submitting Written Comments: Please send us your written comments
using one of the following methods:
U.S. mail: Stephen P. Henry, Field Supervisor, Ventura
Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola
Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003.
Email: joseph_brandt@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Brandt, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, by email (see ADDRESSES), via phone at (805) 677-3324, via
the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance, or by
mail (see ADDRESSES).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), announce the availability of a draft habitat conservation
plan (HCP) and draft low-effect screening form and environmental action
statement for activities associated with an application for an
incidental take permit (ITP) under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.). The ITP would authorize take of the Santa Barbara County
distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander
(Ambystoma californiense) incidental to activities associated with the
construction of commercial urban developed uses over an 28-acre project
site near the Santa Maria Airport in Santa Barbara County, California.
The site would be fully developed with urban uses and a water detention
basin. The applicant developed the draft HCP as part of their
application for an ITP. The Service prepared a draft low-effect
screening form and environmental action statement in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.) to evaluate the potential effects to the natural and human
environment resulting from issuing an ITP to the applicant. We invite
public comment on all of these documents.
Background
The Service listed the Santa Barbara County DPS of the California
tiger salamander as endangered on September 21, 2000 (65 FR 57242).
[[Page 16388]]
Section 9 of the ESA prohibits take of fish and wildlife species listed
as endangered (16 U.S.C. 1538). Under the ESA, ``take'' is defined to
include the following activities: ``to harass, harm, pursue, hunt,
shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage
in any such conduct'' (16 U.S.C. 1532). Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of
the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(B)), we may issue permits to authorize
take of listed fish and wildlife species that is incidental to, and not
the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity. Regulations
governing incidental take permits for endangered species are in the
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17.22. Issuance of an ITP
also must not jeopardize the existence of federally listed fish,
wildlife, or plant species, pursuant to section 7 of the ESA and 50 CFR
402.02. The permittee would receive assurances under our ``No
Surprises'' regulations (50 CFR 17.22(b)(5)).
Proposed Activities
The applicant has applied for a permit for incidental take of the
Santa Barbara County DPS of the California tiger salamander. The take
would occur in association with the construction of commercial urban
developed uses over an 28-acre project site near the Santa Maria
Airport in Santa Barbara County, California.
The HCP includes avoidance and minimization measures for the Santa
Barbara County DPS of the California tiger salamander and mitigation
for unavoidable loss of habitat. As mitigation, the applicant proposes
to purchase credits from a Service-approved conservation bank.
Public Availability of Comments
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 view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able
to do so.
Authority
We provide this notice under section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22) and NEPA
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR
1506.6).
Stephen Henry,
Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, Ventura,
California.
[FR Doc. 2021-06454 Filed 3-26-21; 8:45 am]
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