[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 72 (Monday, April 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18155-18156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07676]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-ES-2017-N019; FXES11140400000-178-FF04E00000]
Threatened Wildlife; Incidental Take Permit Application and
Environmental Assessment for Road Construction Activities; Hernando and
Citrus Counties, FL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act),
we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the receipt and
availability of a proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and
accompanying documents for activities associated with the construction
of the Suncoast Parkway 2, a four-lane limited-access toll facility
(project) in Citrus and Hernando Counties, Florida. If issued, the
permit would authorize take of the federally threatened eastern indigo
snake (indigo snake) and the Federal candidate gopher tortoise
incidental to project construction. We invite the public to comment on
these documents.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
May 17, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: Documents are available for public
inspection by appointment during regular business hours at either of
the following locations:
Atlanta Regional Office, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30345.
North Florida Ecological Services Office, Fish and
Wildlife Service, 7915 Baymeadows Way, Suite 200, Jacksonville, FL
32256-7517.
Submitting Comments: Submit comments by one of the following
methods. Please reference TE97201B-0 in all comments. For additional
guidance, please see Public Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
U.S. mail: You may mail comments to the Fish and Wildlife Service's
Atlanta Regional Office.
Hand-delivery: You may hand-deliver comments to the Atlanta or the
Jacksonville Office.
Email: You may email comments to david_dell@fws.gov. Please include
your name and return address in your email message. If you do not
receive a confirmation from us that we have received your email
message, contact us directly at either telephone number in FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Dell, Regional HCP
Coordinator, (see ADDRESSES), telephone: 404-679-7313; or Jay
Herrington, Field Supervisor, at the North Florida Ecological Services
Office (see ADDRESSES), telephone: 904-731-3191. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), please call the Federal
Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the
receipt and availability of a proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP),
accompanying incidental take permit (ITP) application, and
environmental assessment (EA) related to an application from Florida's
Turnpike Enterprise (applicant), a unit of the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT), for a permit associated with construction of the
Suncoast Parkway 2, a limited-access toll facility (project) in
Hernando and Citrus Counties, Florida. We invite the public to comment
on these documents.
The applicant's proposed HCP describes the mitigation and
minimization measures proposed to address the impacts resulting from
take of the eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon courais cooperi) and
gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), the covered species, incidental
to the project. Per the
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National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; NEPA), the
EA analyzes the take of the covered species and the environment. The
applicant requests a 10-year ITP under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act,
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Environmental Assessment
The EA assesses the likely environmental impacts associated with
the project, including the environmental consequences of the no-action
alternative and the proposed action alternative. The proposed action
alternative is issuance of the ITP and implementation of the HCP as
submitted by the applicant. The applicant anticipates direct impacts to
approximately 700 acres of indigo snake and gopher tortoise suitable
habitat incidental to project construction.
Habitat Conservation Plan
The minimization and mitigation measures proposed in the HCP
include an extensive network of wildlife fencing and crossings to
improve habitat connectivity and minimize wildlife mortality associated
with the roadway; multiple safety features to support implementation of
the Florida Forest Service (FFS) Resource Management Plan; various
avoidance and minimization measures to reduce direct and indirect
impacts to the covered species; a monetary contribution to the Friends
of the Florida State Forests, Inc. for land management activities; and
the purchase of high-quality, regionally significant mitigation parcels
approved by the FFS and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) prior to the completion of the project. Upon
acquisition, each mitigation parcel would be transferred to the State
of Florida for management by FFS or FWC. In accordance with FWC
permitting guidelines, gopher tortoises within the approximately 1,300-
acre proposed project area will be relocated prior to construction
activities, and therefore are not expected to be subject to take via
injury, mortality, or harassment during project construction.
Public Comments
We specifically request information, views, and opinions from the
public on our proposed Federal action, including but not limited to
identification of any other aspects of the human environment not
already identified in the EA pursuant to the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
at 40 CFR 1506.6. Further, we specifically solicit information
regarding the adequacy of the HCP per 50 CFR parts 13 and 17.
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.
Covered Area
Indigo snakes and gopher tortoises historically occurred in
longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) sandhill habitats found throughout the
proposed project area. The area encompassed by the HCP and ITP
application consists of public, private, and applicant-owned lands
currently occupied by the species or suitable for occupancy by
restoration as indigo snake and gopher tortoise habitat.
Next Steps
We will evaluate the ITP application, including the HCP, and any
comments we receive to determine whether the application meets the
requirements of section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. We will also conduct an
intra-Service section 7 consultation to evaluate whether to issue the
requested section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP. 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 ITP. If we determine
that the requirements are met, we will issue the ITP for the incidental
take of the eastern indigo snake and gopher tortoise.
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: February 15, 2017.
Mike Oetker,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2017-07676 Filed 4-14-17; 8:45 am]
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