[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14239-14240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04959]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-ES-2020-N030; FXES11140400000-178-FF04E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; Incidental Take Permit
Application, Habitat Conservation Plan for the Alabama Beach Mouse,
Gulf Shores, AL; Categorical Exclusion
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments and information.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt
of an application from the City of Gulf Shores, Alabama (applicant), to
modify incidental take permit TE84363C-0 (ITP) under the Endangered
Species Act. The ITP authorizes take of the federally listed Alabama
beach mouse incidental to construction in Gulf Shores, Alabama. We
request public comment on the application, which includes the
applicant's proposed modified habitat conservation plan (HCP), and the
Service's preliminary determination that the HCP qualifies as ``low-
effect,'' categorically excluded, under the National Environmental
Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental
action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also
available for public review.
DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before April 10,
2020.
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.
Alabama Ecological Services Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 1208 Main Street, Daphne, AL 36526.
Email a request to William_Lynn@fws.gov, please reference
TE84363C-1 in the subject line.
Submitting Comments: If you wish to submit comments on any of the
documents, you may do so in writing by either of the following methods.
Please reference TE84363C-1 in all comments.
U.S. Mail: You may mail comments to either of the Fish and Wildlife
Service Offices listed above.
Hand-Delivery: You may hand-deliver comments to either of the Fish
and Wildlife Service Offices listed above.
Email: You may email comments to david_dell@fws.gov. Please include
your name and email address in your email. If you do not receive an
email from us confirming that we have received your message, contact us
directly at either telephone number in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Dell, Regional HCP and Safe
Harbors Coordinator, at the Atlanta Regional Office (see ADDRESSES) or
by telephone at 404-679-7313 or William Lynn, Project Manager, at the
Alabama Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES) or by telephone at
251-441-5868. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD), please call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce
receipt of an application from the City of Gulf Shores, Alabama
(applicant), to modify an existing 50-year incidental take permit (ITP)
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.). The applicant requests to take the federally listed
Alabama beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates) incidental to the
construction of a parking lot with associated facilities (project) in
Gulf Shores, Alabama. The ITP modification would reduce the amount of
take from
[[Page 14240]]
0.89 to 0.86 acres of occupied ABM habitat. We request public comment
on the application, which includes the proposed modified habitat
conservation plan (HCP) and the Service's preliminary determination
that the HCP qualifies as ``low-effect,'' categorically excluded, under
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.).
To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement
and low-effect screening form, both of which are also available for
public review.
Project
The applicant requests to modify its ITP to authorize take of the
ABM via conversion of approximately 0.86 acres of the species' occupied
associated with construction of a parking lot with amenities on 1.37
acres of a 5.1-acre parcel in Baldwin County, Alabama. The applicant
proposes to implement standard ABM minimization and mitigation measures
to mitigate for take of the species. The standard minimization and
mitigation measures include, but are not limited to, reducing the
construction footprint, shifting the project to the west and north to
increase habitat continuity for the species, installing sea turtle-
friendly exterior lighting and tinted windows, planting landscaping
with native vegetation, and constructing a driveway with materials that
will not disperse in a storm surge. The applicant will utilize refuse
control measures during construction, as well as restore species'
habitat after tropical storms. Free-roaming cats and use of exterior
rodenticide also would be prohibited on the parcel. The applicant will
conduct on-site monitoring of the Alabama beach mouse population via
fall and spring trapping surveys (twice a year) over the remaining term
of the ITP. Other minimization and mitigation measures include trapping
and relocating ABM, dune enhancement, and restoration and installation
of sand fencing. The applicant also would create and contribute to a
dune enhancement fund to which future developers could also contribute.
The applicant would make an annual contribution to the fund over the
span of the ITP. The proceeds from the fund would be used to enhance
habitat elsewhere within the city limits where ABM might be found.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that
your entire comment including your personal identifying information may
be made available to the public. While you may request that we withhold
your information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Our Preliminary Determination
The Service has made a preliminary determination that the
applicant's project, including the proposed minimization and mitigation
measures, would have a minor or negligible effect on the Alabama beach
mouse and the environment. Therefore, we have preliminarily determined
that modification of the incidental take permit would qualify for
categorical exclusion and the modified HCP would be ``low effect'' and
categorically excluded under our NEPA regulations at 43 CFR 46.205 and
46.210. A low-effect HCP is one that would result in (1) minor or
negligible effects on federally listed, proposed, and candidate species
and their habitats; (2) minor or negligible effects on other
environmental values or resources; and, (3) impacts that, when
considered together with those of other past, present, and reasonably
foreseeable similarly situated projects, would not over time result in
significant individual or cumulative effects to environmental values or
resources.
Next Steps
The Service will evaluate the application and comments to determine
whether to issue the requested modified permit. We will also conduct an
intra-Service consultation pursuant to section 7 of the ESA to evaluate
the effects of the proposed take. After considering the preceding
findings, we will determine whether to modify the ITP and issue ITP
number TE84363C-1 to the City of Gulf Shores.
Authority
The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) (16 U.S.C.
1539(c)) of the ESA and NEPA regulation 40 CFR 1506.6.
William Pearson,
Field Supervisor, Alabama Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-04959 Filed 3-10-20; 8:45 am]
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