[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 116 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36413-36414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12929]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2020-N080; FXES11140800000-201-FF08EVEN00]
Draft Habitat Conservation Plan and Draft Categorical Exclusion
for the Singh Parcel, Los Osos, San Luis Obispo 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 (Service), announce the
availability of a draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and draft
categorical exclusion for activities described in an application for an
incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973,
as amended. The ITP would authorize take of a listed species incidental
to construction of a single-family residence. The applicant developed
the draft HCP in support of their application for an ITP. The Service
prepared a draft categorical exclusion 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 July 16, 2020.
ADDRESSES: To obtain documents: You may download a copy of the draft
HCP and categorical exclusion screening form at http://www.fws.gov/ventura/, available in ``Latest News Stories'' under the ``News Room''
tab, or you may request copies of the documents by sending U.S. mail to
our Ventura office, or by phone (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
To submit 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: amrita_duggal@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amrita Duggal, Biologist, by email at
amrita_duggal@fws.gov, by phone at 805-677-3346, or via the Federal
Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), announce the availability of a draft habitat conservation
plan (HCP) and the
[[Page 36414]]
associated draft categorical exclusion with an application for an
incidental take permit (ITP) from Stephanie Singh (applicant). The
permit would authorize take of the federally endangered Morro
shoulderband snail (Helminthoglypta walkeriana) incidental to
activities described in the HCP for the construction of a single-family
residence in Los Osos, San Luis Obispo County, California. The
applicant developed a draft HCP as part of her application for an 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 Service prepared a draft
categorical exclusion 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 these
documents.
Background
The Morro shoulderband snail was listed as endangered on December
15, 1994 (59 FR 64613). Section 9 of the ESA prohibits the ``take'' of
fish or wildlife species listed as endangered. ``Take'' is defined
under the ESA 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); however,
under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA, we may issue permits to authorize
incidental take of listed species. Incidental take is take that is
incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out of an otherwise
lawful activity. 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)).
Applicant's Proposed Activities
The applicant has applied for a permit for incidental take of the
Morro shoulderband snail. The take would occur in association with the
construction of a single-family home and associated activities, such as
vegetation removal, site grubbing, and grading for proposed
development. The proposed development, including the home,
infrastructure, future detached workshop and all associated disturbance
areas, would be sited on approximately 0.56 acre (ac) of the 4.7-ac
property. To mitigate the effects of the taking of Morro shoulderband
snail, the applicant proposes to set aside 2 ac of the 4.7-ac property
under a conservation easement that would be dedicated, in perpetuity,
to the County of San Luis Obispo.
The HCP includes avoidance and minimization measures for the Morro
shoulderband snail and mitigation for unavoidable loss of habitat. The
applicant's conservation strategy includes an on-site conservation area
that will be restored to coastal dune scrub habitat suitable for
occupation by Morro shoulderband snail through removal of non-native
plants, natural regeneration of native coastal scrub species, and
seeding with native species characteristic of coastal dune scrub
habitat.
Pursuant to the categorical exclusion determination, FWS concludes
that neither the permit nor the Federal action is anticipated to
significantly affect the quality of the human environment, due to the
small size of the proposed project located within an existing
residential neighborhood.
Public Comments
If you wish to comment on the draft HCP and low-effect ITP
screening form, you may submit comments by one of the methods in
ADDRESSES.
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 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.) and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
Stephen Henry,
Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, Ventura,
California.
[FR Doc. 2020-12929 Filed 6-15-20; 8:45 am]
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