[Federal Register: May 16, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 96)]
[Notices]
[Page 28498-28499]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16my08-103]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R2-ES-2008-N0024]; [20124-1113-0000-F2]
Williamson County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: draft environmental impact statement,
draft habitat conservation plan, and permit application; announcement
of a public hearing.
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SUMMARY: Williamson County, Texas (Applicant), has applied to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an incidental take permit (TE-
181840-0) under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (Act)
of 1973, as amended. The requested permit, which would be in effect for
a period of 30 years, if granted, would authorize incidental take of
the following federally listed species: Golden-cheeked warbler
(Dendroica chrysoparia), black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla), Bone
Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi), and Coffin Cave mold beetle
(Batrisodes texanus). The proposed take would occur in Williamson
County, Texas, as a result of activities including, but not limited to,
road construction, maintenance, and improvement projects; utility
construction and maintenance; school development and construction;
public or private construction and development; and land clearing. Such
actions cause effects to upland (bird) and underground (karst)
habitats. Williamson County has completed a draft Habitat Conservation
Plan (dHCP) as part of the application package. We have issued a draft
environmental impact statement (dEIS) that evaluates the impacts of,
and alternatives to, possible issuance of an incidental take permit
(ITP).
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive written comments on or
before close of business (4:30 p.m. CST) July 15, 2008. We will also
accept oral and written comments at a public hearing to be held on June
16, 2008, 5 p.m.to 8 p.m., Williamson County
[[Page 28499]]
Courthouse, Commissioners Court--2nd Floor West, 710 Austin Avenue,
Georgetown, Texas 78626.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of the dEIS and dHCP by going to the
Williamson County Conservation Foundation Web site at http://
wilcogov.org/wccf/report.htm. Alternatively, you may obtain compact
disks with electronic copies of these documents by writing to Mr. Adam
Zerrenner, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 10711
Burnet Road, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78758; calling (512) 490-0057; or
faxing (512) 490-0974. A limited number of printed copies of the dEIS
and dHCP are also available, by request, from Mr. Zerrenner. Copies of
the dEIS and dHCP are also available for public inspection and review
at the following locations (by appointment only at government offices):
--Department of the Interior, Natural Resources Library, 1849 C.
St., NW., Washington, DC 20240.
--U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 500 Gold Avenue, SW., Room 4012,
Albuquerque, NM 87102.
--U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200,
Austin, TX 78758.
Persons wishing to review the application may obtain a copy by
writing to the Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O.
Box 1306, Room 4012, Albuquerque, NM 87103.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Adam Zerrenner, Field Supervisor,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200, Austin,
TX 78758 or (512) 490-0057.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written comments may be submitted to Mr.
Adam Zerrenner (see above). We will also accept written and oral
comments at a public hearing (see DATES).
Public Availability of Comments
Written comments we receive become part of the public record
associated with this action. 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 request in your comment that we withhold
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will not consider anonymous
comments. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be made available for public
disclosure in their entirety.
Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this notice
advises the public that we have gathered the information necessary to
determine impacts and formulate alternatives for the EIS related to the
potential issuance of an ITP to Williamson County; and that the
Applicant has developed an HCP which describes the measures the
applicant has agreed to undertake to minimize and mitigate the effects
of incidental take of federally listed species to the maximum extent
practicable, pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act.
Background
Our initial notice of intent to prepare an EIS and hold public
scoping meetings published in the Federal Register on June 1, 2007 (64
FR 30604). A summary of comments provided during the 2007 scoping
periods, which included a public meeting held June 14, 2007, in
Georgetown, Texas, is available on the Williamson County Conservation
Foundation Web site at http://wilcogov.org/wccf/report.htm.
The Williamson County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (WCRHCP)
and the conservation program described in the plan were developed in a
process involving participants and stakeholders from potentially
affected or interested groups in Williamson County. The groups are
organized into a Citizens Advisory Committee and a Biological Advisory
Team that have overseen the development of the WCRHCP. The Williamson
County Conservation Foundation Web site contains information on
meetings, documents, and the status of the process.
Proposed Action
The proposed action involves the issuance of an ITP by the Service
for covered activities in Williamson County, pursuant to section
10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. The activities that would be covered by the ITP
are road construction, maintenance, and improvement projects; utility
construction and maintenance; school development and construction;
public or private construction and development; and land clearing. The
ITP will cover Williamson County, Texas, within the range of the
covered species.
The requested term of the permit is 30 years. To meet the
requirements of a section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP, the Applicant has developed
and will implement the WCRHCP, which describes the conservation
measures the Applicant has agreed to undertake to minimize and mitigate
for incidental take of golden-cheeked warbler, black-capped vireo, Bone
Cave harvestman, and Coffin Cave mold beetle to the maximum extent
practicable, and ensures that incidental take will not appreciably
reduce the likelihood of the survival and recovery of these species in
the wild.
Alternatives: Two alternatives to the proposed action we are
considering as part of this process are:
1. No Action--No ITP would be issued. This alternative would
require individuals to seek authorization through section 7 or section
10(a)(1)(B) to address incidental take resulting from their actions in
Williamson County or avoid taking actions that would result in
incidental take.
2. Modified (Reduced Take and Mitigation) WCRHCP--This alternative
would only cover take of the golden-cheeked warbler and Bone Cave
harvestman. The amount of authorized take and mitigation would be
reduced for both species.
Section 9 of the Act and its implementing regulations prohibit the
``taking'' of threatened and endangered species. However, under limited
circumstances, we may issue permits to take listed wildlife species
incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.
We provide this notice under section 10(c) of the Act (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22) and NEPA
(42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR
1506.6). In addition, Chapter 83 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code
places State-law requirements on the development of regional HCPs. In
accordance with Chapter 83.015(f) of the Code, after notice and
hearing, a regional HCP, including any mitigation fee, and the size of
the habitat preserves may be based on any recovery criteria applicable
to each endangered species to be covered by the regional HCP.
Christopher T. Jones,
Regional Director, Southwest Region, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[FR Doc. E8-10942 Filed 5-15-08; 8:45 am]
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