[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 30191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13799]
[[Page 30191]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-ES-2018-N046; FXES11130400000EA-123-FF04EF1000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Availability of
Proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink, Lake,
County, FL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment/information.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an
application for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended. The City of Groveland is requesting a
10-year ITP for take of the sand skink. We request public comment on
the permit application, which includes the proposed habitat
conservation plan, as well as on our preliminary determination that the
plan qualifies as low-effect under the National Environmental Policy
Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action
statement and low-effect screening form, which are also available for
review.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
July 27, 2018.
ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the application, including the HCP, as
well as our environmental action statement or low-effect screening
form, you may request the documents by email, U.S. mail, or phone.
These documents are also available for public inspection by appointment
during normal business hours at the office below. Send your comments or
requests by any one of the following methods.
Email: northflorida@fws.gov. Use ``Attn: TE69161C-0.''
Fax: Field Supervisor, (904) 731-3191, ``Attn: TE69161C-0.''
U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, Jacksonville Ecological Services Field
Office, Attn: TE69161C-0, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 7915
Baymeadows Way, Suite 200, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
In-person drop-off: You may drop off information during regular
business hours at the above office address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin M. Gawera, telephone: (904) 731-
3121; email: erin_gawera@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.) and our implementing regulations in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR part 17 prohibit the ``take'' of fish and
wildlife species listed as endangered or threatened. Take of listed
fish or wildlife is defined under the ESA as ``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(19)). However, under
limited circumstances, we issue permits to authorize incidental take,
i.e., take that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, the carrying
out of an otherwise lawful activity.
Regulations governing incidental take permits for endangered and
threatened species are at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, respectively. In
addition to meeting other criteria, an incidental take permit's
proposed actions must not jeopardize the existence of federally listed
fish, wildlife, or plants.
Applicant's Proposal
The City of Groveland is requesting a 10-year ITP to take
approximately 1.57 acres (ac) of occupied sand skink (Neoseps
reynoldsi) foraging and sheltering habitat incidental to construction
of a fire station. The 5.0-ac project site is parcel Number 19-22-25-
000100005200, located within Section 19, Township 22 South, Range 25
East in Lake County, Florida. The project includes the clearing,
infrastructure building, and landscaping associated with construction.
The applicant proposes to mitigate for the take of the threatened sand
skink by purchasing 3.14 mitigation credits within Backbone
Conservation Bank or another Service-approved sand skink conservation
bank.
Our Preliminary Determination
We have determined that the applicant's proposal, including the
proposed mitigation and minimization measures, would have minor or
negligible effects on the species covered in the HCP. Therefore, we
have determined that the incidental take permit for this project would
be ``low effect'' and qualify for categorical exclusion under the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as provided by 43 CFR 46.205
and 43 CFR 46.210. A low-effect HCP is one involving (1) minor or
negligible effects on federally listed or candidate species and their
habitats, and (2) minor or negligible effects on other environmental
values or resources.
Next Steps
We will evaluate the HCP and comments we receive to determine
whether the ITP application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of
the ESA. We will also conduct an intra-Service consultation to evaluate
whether issuance of the ITP would comply with section 7 of the ESA. 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 the requirements are met, we will issue ITP number
TE69161C-0 to the applicant.
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 review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Authority
We provide this notice under section 10 of the ESA and NEPA
regulation 40 CFR 1506.6.
Jay B. Herrington,
Field Supervisor, Jacksonville Field Office, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2018-13799 Filed 6-26-18; 8:45 am]
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