80_FR_78487 80 FR 78246 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of Application for an Incidental Take Permit; Availability of Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan and Associated Documents; Highlands County, FL

80 FR 78246 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of Application for an Incidental Take Permit; Availability of Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan and Associated Documents; Highlands County, FL

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 241 (December 16, 2015)

Page Range78246-78247
FR Document2015-31595

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) and a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Palmetto Lake Placid, LLC (applicant) requests ITP TE63688B-0 under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant anticipates taking about 0.87 acres of feeding, breeding, and sheltering habitat used by the sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) and blue-tailed mole skink (Eumeces egregius lividus) (skinks) incidental to land preparation and construction in Highlands County, Florida. The applicant's HCP describes proposed minimization measures and mitigation measures to address the effects of development on the covered species.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78246-78247]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31595]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2015-N231; FXES11120400000-167-FF04EF2000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of 
Application for an Incidental Take Permit; Availability of Low-Effect 
Habitat Conservation Plan and Associated Documents; Highlands County, 
FL

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment/information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) and a Habitat 
Conservation Plan (HCP). Palmetto Lake Placid, LLC (applicant) requests 
ITP TE63688B-0 under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Act). The applicant anticipates taking about 0.87 acres of feeding, 
breeding, and sheltering habitat used by the sand skink (Neoseps 
reynoldsi) and blue-tailed mole skink (Eumeces egregius lividus) 
(skinks) incidental to land preparation and construction in Highlands 
County, Florida. The applicant's HCP describes proposed minimization 
measures and mitigation measures to address the effects of development 
on the covered species.

DATES: We must receive your written comments on the ITP application and 
HCP on or before January 15, 2016.

ADDRESSES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for 
information on how to submit your comments on the ITP application and 
HCP. You may obtain a copy of the ITP application and HCP by writing 
the South Florida Ecological Services Office, Attn: Permit number 
TE63688B-0, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero 
Beach, FL 32960-3559. In addition, we will make the ITP application and 
HCP available for public inspection by appointment during normal 
business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elizabeth Landrum, South Florida 
Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone: 772-469-4304.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Submitting Comments

    If you wish to comment on the ITP application or HCP, you may 
submit comments by any one of the following methods:
    Email: elizabeth_landrum@fws.gov. Use ``Attn: Permit number 
``TE63688B-0'' as your message subject line.
    Fax: Elizabeth Landrum, 772-469-4304, Attn.: Permit number 
``TE63688B-0.''
    U.S. mail: Elizabeth Landrum, South Florida Ecological Services 
Field Office, Attn: Permit number ``TE63688B-0,'' U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960-3559.
    In-person drop-off: You may drop off comments or request 
information during regular business hours at the above office address.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comments, 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 comments that your personal identifying information be 
withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able 
to do so.

[[Page 78247]]

Applicant's Proposed Project

    We received an application from the applicant for an incidental 
take permit, along with a proposed habitat conservation plan. The 
applicant requests an ITP under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If we approve the application, the applicant 
anticipates taking a total of approximately 0.87 acres of skink 
breeding, feeding, and sheltering habitat, incidental to land 
preparation and construction in Section 17, Township 37 South, Range 30 
East, Highlands County, Florida. The applicant plans to begin 
construction as soon as the ITP is approved. Development of this parcel 
will include construction of one structure, parking areas, stormwater 
retention areas, and installation of associated utilities.
    The applicant proposes to minimize impacts to skinks by preserving 
a total of 1.80 acres of skink-occupied habitat at a Service-approved 
conservation bank. The Service listed the skinks as threatened in 1987 
(November 6, 1987; 52 FR 20715), effective December 7, 1987.

Our Preliminary Determination

    The Service has made a preliminary determination that the 
applicant's project, including the mitigation measures, will 
individually and cumulatively have a minor or negligible effect on the 
species covered in the HCP. Therefore, issuance of the ITP is a ``low-
effect'' action and qualifies as a categorical exclusion under the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6), as provided 
by the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 2 Appendix 1 and 516 
DM 6 Appendix 1). We base our preliminary determination that issuance 
of the ITP qualifies as a low-effect action on the following three 
criteria: (1) Implementation of the project would result in minor or 
negligible effects on federally listed, proposed, and candidate species 
and their habitats; (2) Implementation of the project would result in 
minor or negligible effects on other environmental values or resources; 
and (3) Impacts of the project, considered together with the impacts of 
other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable similarly situated 
projects, would not result, over time, in cumulative effects to 
environmental values or resources that would be considered significant. 
This preliminary determination may be revised based on our review of 
public comments that we receive in response to this notice.

Next Steps

    The Service will evaluate the HCP and comments submitted thereon to 
determine whether the application meets the requirements of section 
10(a) of the Act. The Service will also evaluate whether issuance of 
the section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with section 7 of the Act by 
conducting an intra-Service section 7 consultation. The results of this 
consultation, in combination with the above findings, will be used in 
the final analysis to determine whether or not to issue the ITP. If it 
is determined that the requirements of the Act are met, the ITP will be 
issued.

    Authority: We provide this notice under Section 10 of the 
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and NEPA regulations 
(40 CFR 1506.6).

    Dated: December 7, 2015.
Roxanna Hinzman,
Field Supervisor, South Florida Ecological Services Office.
[FR Doc. 2015-31595 Filed 12-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P



                                              78246                    Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 241 / Wednesday, December 16, 2015 / Notices

                                                Place: National Institutes of Health,                    Contact Person: Matthew J. Fenton, Ph.D.,          (Eumeces egregius lividus) (skinks)
                                              Natcher Building, Conference Rooms F1/F2,               Director, Division of Extramural Activities,          incidental to land preparation and
                                              45 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.                    National Institute of Allergy and Infectious          construction in Highlands County,
                                                Open: 1:00 p.m. to adjournment.                       Diseases, 5601 Fishers Lane, Rm 4F50,
                                                                                                                                                            Florida. The applicant’s HCP describes
                                                Agenda: Reports from the Division Director            Bethesda, MD 20892, 301–496–7291,
                                              and other staff.                                        fentonm@niaid.nih.gov.                                proposed minimization measures and
                                                Place: National Institutes of Health,                                                                       mitigation measures to address the
                                                                                                         Any interested person may file written
                                              Natcher Building, Conference Rooms F1/F2,               comments with the committee by forwarding             effects of development on the covered
                                              45 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.                    the statement to the Contact Person listed on         species.
                                                Contact Person: Matthew J. Fenton, Ph.D.,             this notice. The statement should include the         DATES:  We must receive your written
                                              Director, Division of Extramural Activities,            name, address, telephone number and when
                                              National Institute of Allergy and Infectious                                                                  comments on the ITP application and
                                                                                                      applicable, the business or professional
                                              Diseases, 5601 Fishers Lane, Rm 4F50,                   affiliation of the interested person.                 HCP on or before January 15, 2016.
                                              Bethesda, MD 20892, 301–496–7291,                          In the interest of security, NIH has               ADDRESSES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY
                                              fentonm@niaid.nih.gov.                                  instituted stringent procedures for entrance          INFORMATION section below for
                                                Name of Committee: National Advisory                  onto the NIH campus. All visitor vehicles,            information on how to submit your
                                              Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council;                including taxicabs, hotel, and airport shuttles       comments on the ITP application and
                                              Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation                 will be inspected before being allowed on
                                                                                                      campus. Visitors will be asked to show one
                                                                                                                                                            HCP. You may obtain a copy of the ITP
                                              Subcommittee.
                                                Date: September 12, 2016.                             form of identification (for example, a                application and HCP by writing the
                                                Closed: 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.                       government-issued photo ID, driver’s license,         South Florida Ecological Services
                                                Agenda: To review and evaluate grant                  or passport) and to state the purpose of their        Office, Attn: Permit number TE63688B–
                                              applications.                                           visit.                                                0, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339
                                                Place: National Institutes of Health,                    Information is also available on the               20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960–3559.
                                              Natcher Building, Conference Room D, 45                 Institute’s/Center’s home page:                       In addition, we will make the ITP
                                              Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.                       www.niaid.nih.gov/facts/facts.htm, where an           application and HCP available for
                                                Open: 1:00 p.m. to adjournment.                       agenda and any additional information for             public inspection by appointment
                                                Agenda: Reports from the Division Director            the meeting will be posted when available.
                                                                                                                                                            during normal business hours at the
                                              and other staff.                                        (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance
                                                Place: National Institutes of Health,
                                                                                                                                                            above address.
                                                                                                      Program Nos. 93.855, Allergy, Immunology,
                                              Natcher Building, Conference Room D, 45                 and Transplantation Research; 93.856,                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
                                              Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.                       Microbiology and Infectious Diseases                  Elizabeth Landrum, South Florida
                                                Contact Person: Matthew J. Fenton, Ph.D.,             Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS)         Ecological Services Office (see
                                              Director, Division of Extramural Activities,                                                                  ADDRESSES); telephone: 772–469–4304.
                                              National Institute of Allergy and Infectious              Dated: December 10, 2015.
                                              Diseases, 5601 Fishers Lane, Rm 4F50,                   Natasha M. Copeland,                                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                              Bethesda, MD 20892, 301–496–7291,                       Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory
                                              fentonm@niaid.nih.gov.                                  Committee Policy.
                                                                                                                                                            Submitting Comments
                                                Name of Committee: National Advisory                  [FR Doc. 2015–31548 Filed 12–15–15; 8:45 am]             If you wish to comment on the ITP
                                              Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council.                BILLING CODE 4140–01–P                                application or HCP, you may submit
                                                Date: September 12, 2016.                                                                                   comments by any one of the following
                                                Open: 10:30 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.                                                                              methods:
                                                Agenda: Report from the Institute Director.
                                                Place: National Institutes of Health,                 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                               Email: elizabeth_landrum@fws.gov.
                                              Natcher Building, Conference Rooms E1/E2,                                                                     Use ‘‘Attn: Permit number ‘‘TE63688B–
                                              45 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.                    Fish and Wildlife Service                             0’’ as your message subject line.
                                                Closed: 11:40 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.                      [FWS–R4–ES–2015–N231;                                    Fax: Elizabeth Landrum, 772–469–
                                                Agenda: To review and evaluate grant                  FXES11120400000–167–FF04EF2000]                       4304, Attn.: Permit number ‘‘TE63688B–
                                              applications.                                                                                                 0.’’
                                                Place: National Institutes of Health,                 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
                                              Natcher Building, Conference Rooms E1/E2,                                                                        U.S. mail: Elizabeth Landrum, South
                                                                                                      and Plants; Receipt of Application for                Florida Ecological Services Field Office,
                                              45 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.
                                                                                                      an Incidental Take Permit; Availability               Attn: Permit number ‘‘TE63688B–0,’’
                                                Contact Person: Matthew J. Fenton, Ph.D.,
                                              Director, Division of Extramural Activities,            of Low-Effect Habitat Conservation                    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339
                                              National Institute of Allergy and Infectious            Plan and Associated Documents;                        20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960–3559.
                                              Diseases, 5601 Fishers Lane, Rm 4F50,                   Highlands County, FL                                     In-person drop-off: You may drop off
                                              Bethesda, MD 20892, 301–496–7291,                                                                             comments or request information during
                                              fentonm@niaid.nih.gov.                                  AGENCY:   Fish and Wildlife Service,
                                                                                                      Interior.                                             regular business hours at the above
                                                Name of Committee: National Advisory                                                                        office address.
                                              Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council;                ACTION: Notice of availability; request
                                              Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome                      for comment/information.                              Public Availability of Comments
                                              Subcommittee.
                                                Date: September 12, 2016.                             SUMMARY:   We, the Fish and Wildlife                     Before including your address, phone
                                                Closed: 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.                       Service (Service), announce the                       number, email address, or other
                                                Agenda: To review and evaluate grant                  availability of an incidental take permit             personal identifying information in your
                                              applications.                                           (ITP) and a Habitat Conservation Plan                 comments, you should be aware that
                                                Place: National Institutes of Health,                 (HCP). Palmetto Lake Placid, LLC                      your entire comment—including your
                                              Natcher Building, Conference Room A, 45
tkelley on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                      (applicant) requests ITP TE63688B–0                   personal identifying information—may
                                              Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.
                                                                                                      under the Endangered Species Act of                   be made publicly available at any time.
                                                Open: 1:00 p.m. to adjournment.
                                                Agenda: Program advisory discussions and              1973, as amended (Act). The applicant                 While you can request in your
                                              reports from division staff.                            anticipates taking about 0.87 acres of                comments that your personal
                                                Place: National Institutes of Health,                 feeding, breeding, and sheltering habitat             identifying information be withheld
                                              Natcher Building, Conference Rooms E1/E2,               used by the sand skink (Neoseps                       from public review, we cannot
                                              45 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.                    reynoldsi) and blue-tailed mole skink                 guarantee that we will be able to do so.


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                                                                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 241 / Wednesday, December 16, 2015 / Notices                                            78247

                                              Applicant’s Proposed Project                            Next Steps                                            documents by email, U.S. mail, or
                                                                                                        The Service will evaluate the HCP                   phone (see below). These documents are
                                                 We received an application from the                                                                        also available for public inspection by
                                              applicant for an incidental take permit,                and comments submitted thereon to
                                                                                                      determine whether the application                     appointment during normal business
                                              along with a proposed habitat                                                                                 hours at the office below. Send your
                                                                                                      meets the requirements of section 10(a)
                                              conservation plan. The applicant                                                                              comments or requests by any one of the
                                                                                                      of the Act. The Service will also
                                              requests an ITP under section                                                                                 following methods.
                                                                                                      evaluate whether issuance of the section
                                              10(a)(1)(B) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et                                                                        Email: northflorida@fws.gov. Use
                                                                                                      10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with section 7
                                              seq.). If we approve the application, the                                                                     ‘‘Attn: Permit number TE82957B–0’’ as
                                                                                                      of the Act by conducting an intra-
                                              applicant anticipates taking a total of                 Service section 7 consultation. The                   your message subject line for Jellyfish
                                              approximately 0.87 acres of skink                       results of this consultation, in                      Realty, LLC; and ‘‘Attn: Permit number
                                              breeding, feeding, and sheltering                       combination with the above findings,                  TE82956B–0’’ for Vulcan Materials
                                              habitat, incidental to land preparation                 will be used in the final analysis to                 Company.
                                              and construction in Section 17,                         determine whether or not to issue the                    Fax: Field Supervisor, (904) 731–
                                              Township 37 South, Range 30 East,                       ITP. If it is determined that the                     3191, Attn: Permit number [Insert
                                              Highlands County, Florida. The                          requirements of the Act are met, the ITP              permit number].
                                              applicant plans to begin construction as                                                                         U.S. mail: Field Supervisor,
                                                                                                      will be issued.
                                              soon as the ITP is approved.                                                                                  Jacksonville Ecological Services Field
                                                                                                        Authority: We provide this notice under             Office, Attn: Permit number [Insert
                                              Development of this parcel will include
                                                                                                      Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act (16          permit number], U.S. Fish and Wildlife
                                              construction of one structure, parking                  U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and NEPA regulations
                                              areas, stormwater retention areas, and                                                                        Service, 7915 Baymeadows Way, Suite
                                                                                                      (40 CFR 1506.6).
                                              installation of associated utilities.                                                                         200, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
                                                                                                        Dated: December 7, 2015.                               In-person drop-off: You may drop off
                                                 The applicant proposes to minimize                   Roxanna Hinzman,                                      information during regular business
                                              impacts to skinks by preserving a total                 Field Supervisor, South Florida Ecological            hours at the above office address.
                                              of 1.80 acres of skink-occupied habitat                 Services Office.                                      FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin
                                              at a Service-approved conservation                      [FR Doc. 2015–31595 Filed 12–15–15; 8:45 am]          M. Gawera, telephone: (904) 731–3121;
                                              bank. The Service listed the skinks as                  BILLING CODE 4333–15–P                                email: erin_gawera@fws.gov.
                                              threatened in 1987 (November 6, 1987;
                                                                                                                                                            SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                              52 FR 20715), effective December 7,
                                              1987.                                                   DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                            Background
                                              Our Preliminary Determination                                                                                    Section 9 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531
                                                                                                      Fish and Wildlife Service                             et seq.) and our implementing Federal
                                                 The Service has made a preliminary                   [FWS–R4–ES–2015–N226;                                 regulations in the Code of Federal
                                              determination that the applicant’s                      FXES11130400000EA–123–FF04EF1000]                     Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17 prohibit
                                              project, including the mitigation                                                                             the ‘‘take’’ of fish or wildlife species
                                              measures, will individually and                         Endangered and Threatened Wildlife                    listed as endangered or threatened. Take
                                              cumulatively have a minor or negligible                 and Plants; Availability of Proposed                  of listed fish or wildlife is defined under
                                              effect on the species covered in the                    Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plans,                the Act as ‘‘to harass, harm, pursue,
                                              HCP. Therefore, issuance of the ITP is                  Brevard and Putnam Counties, FL                       hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture,
                                              a ‘‘low-effect’’ action and qualifies as a              AGENCY:   Fish and Wildlife Service,                  or collect, or to attempt to engage in any
                                              categorical exclusion under the National                Interior.                                             such conduct’’ (16 U.S.C. 1532).
                                              Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40                     ACTION: Notice of availability; request
                                                                                                                                                            However, under limited circumstances,
                                              CFR 1506.6), as provided by the                         for comment/information.                              we issue permits to authorize incidental
                                              Department of the Interior Manual (516                                                                        take—i.e., take that is incidental to, and
                                              DM 2 Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6                            SUMMARY:  We, the Fish and Wildlife                   not the purpose of, the carrying out of
                                              Appendix 1). We base our preliminary                    Service (Service), have received two                  an otherwise lawful activity.
                                              determination that issuance of the ITP                  applications for incidental take permits                 Regulations governing incidental take
                                              qualifies as a low-effect action on the                 (ITPs) under the Endangered Species                   permits for threatened and endangered
                                              following three criteria: (1)                           Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Jellyfish              species are at 50 CFR 17.32 and 17.22,
                                              Implementation of the project would                     Realty, LLC requests a 5-year ITP; and                respectively. The Act’s take prohibitions
                                              result in minor or negligible effects on                Vulcan Materials Company requests a                   do not apply to federally listed plants
                                              federally listed, proposed, and                         20-year ITP. We request public                        on private lands unless such take would
                                              candidate species and their habitats; (2)               comment on the permit applications                    violate State law. In addition to meeting
                                              Implementation of the project would                     and accompanying proposed habitat                     other criteria, an incidental take
                                              result in minor or negligible effects on                conservation plans (HCPs), as well as on              permit’s proposed actions must not
                                              other environmental values or                           our preliminary determination that the                jeopardize the existence of federally
                                              resources; and (3) Impacts of the project,              plans qualify as low-effect under the                 listed fish, wildlife, or plants.
                                              considered together with the impacts of                 National Environmental Policy Act                     Applicants’ Proposals
                                              other past, present, and reasonably                     (NEPA). To make this determination, we
                                              foreseeable similarly situated projects,                used our environmental action                         Jellyfish Realty, LLC
                                              would not result, over time, in                         statement and low-effect screening form,
tkelley on DSK9F6TC42PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                                               Jellyfish Realty, LLC is requesting take
                                              cumulative effects to environmental                     which are also available for review.                  of approximately .53 acre of occupied
                                              values or resources that would be                       DATES: To ensure consideration, please                Florida scrub-jay foraging and sheltering
                                              considered significant. This preliminary                send your written comments by January                 habitat incidental to construction of a
                                              determination may be revised based on                   15, 2016.                                             veterinary clinic, and they seek a 5-year
                                              our review of public comments that we                   ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the                  permit. The .54-acre project is located
                                              receive in response to this notice.                     applications and HCPs, you may request                on parcel number 27–37–06–25–


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Document Created: 2015-12-16 01:00:47
Document Modified: 2015-12-16 01:00:47
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of availability; request for comment/information.
DatesWe must receive your written comments on the ITP application and HCP on or before January 15, 2016.
ContactMs. Elizabeth Landrum, South Florida
FR Citation80 FR 78246 

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