82 FR 56261 - Notice of Availability; Draft Environmental Assessment for a Draft Amendment To Add the Northern Mexican Gartersnake to the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 227 (November 28, 2017)
Fish and Wildlife Service
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 227 (November 28, 2017)
| Page Range | 56261-56262 | |
| FR Document | 2017-25650 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 28, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 56261-56262] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-25650] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R2-ES-2017-N108; FXES11140200000-178-FF02ENEH00] Notice of Availability; Draft Environmental Assessment for a Draft Amendment To Add the Northern Mexican Gartersnake to the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability of documents; request for public comment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as the lead Federal agency, along with the Bureau of Reclamation as a cooperating agency and the implementing agency for the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP), announce the availability of a draft environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act. The draft EA evaluates the impacts of, and alternatives to, amendment of the existing Endangered Species Act permit for the LCR MSCP, in order to add the northern Mexican gartersnake as a covered species, and the impacts of implementation of the amended LCR MSCP. DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be received or postmarked on or before December 28, 2017. Any comments we receive after the closing date or not postmarked by the closing date may not be considered in the final decision on this action. ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents:Internet: You may obtain copies of the draft EA, which includes the draft amendment to the LCR MSCP, on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Web site at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/. U.S. Mail: A limited number of CD-ROM and printed copies of the draft EA and associated draft amendment to the LCR MSCP are available, by request, from the Field Supervisor, Arizona Ecological Services Field Office, 9828 N. 31st Avenue #C3, Phoenix, AZ 85051; by phone at 602-242-0210; or by fax at 602-242-2513. Please note that your request is in reference to the draft amended LCR MSCP for northern Mexican gartersnake. In-Person: Copies of the draft EA and associated draft amendment to the LCR MSCP are also available for public inspection and review at the following locations, by appointment and written request only, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: [cir] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 500 Gold Avenue SW., Room 6034, Albuquerque, NM 87102. [cir] Arizona Ecological Services Office (Phoenix; see information under U.S. Mail, above). Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods. U.S. Mail: Arizona Ecological Services Office (Phoenix; see information under U.S. Mail, Obtaining Documents, above). Electronically: [email protected] or [email protected]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Spangle, Field Supervisor (see contact information for Arizona Ecological Services Field Office (Phoenix) in ADDRESSES. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), as the lead Federal agency, along with the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) as a cooperating agency and the implementing agency for the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP), announce the availability of a draft environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; NEPA). The draft EA evaluates the impacts of, and alternatives to, amendment of an existing permit for the LCR MSCP under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), in order to add the northern Mexican gartersnake (Thamnophis eques) as a covered species, as well as the impacts of implementation of the amended LCR MSCP. Under the proposed amendment, there are no proposed changes to covered actions; no changes to the covered area; and no extension of the time period of permit coverage. Permittees with existing LCR MSCP certificates of inclusion are bound by the terms and conditions of their existing requirements. The amendment is not expected to trigger any new environmental consequences that were not identified in the LCR MSCP final programmatic environmental impact statement/environmental impact report (LCR MSCP EIS/EIR), which was prepared for the original LCR MSCP, or any new impacts to local economies or cultural resources. Nor are there any expected changes to direct, indirect, and cumulative effects, beyond those identified for biological resources. Coverage for incidental take of the northern Mexican gartersnake will include the entire program area, as defined in the record of decision (ROD) for the LCR MSCP EIS/EIR, dated April 2005. This includes areas up to and including the full-pool elevation of Lakes Mead, Mohave, and Havasu and the historical floodplain of the Colorado River to the Southerly International Boundary with Mexico. The ROD also included off-site conservation areas for implementing the LCR MSCP. The LCR MSCP, with Reclamation as the implementing agency, will manage 512 acres of LCR MSCP-created marsh for the northern Mexican gartersnake. Of the 5,940 acres of LCR MSCP-created cottonwood-willow, 984 acres will be managed near marshes for the northern Mexican gartersnake. Background The original LCR MSCP permit was approved on April 4, 2005 (69 FR 75556), and extends through April 30, 2055. The LCR MSCP is a combined ESA section 10(a)(1)(B) and ESA section 7 approach to ESA compliance for implementation of covered activities for non-Federal (section 10) and Federal (section 7) participants. The LCR MSCP is a habitat-based program that is responsible for the creation and management of land-cover types that benefit multiple covered species, including 5,940 acres of cottonwood-willow; 1,320 acres of honey mesquite; 512 acres of marsh; and 360 acres of backwater. The LCR MSCP currently includes measures necessary to minimize and mitigate impacts to the 26 listed and unlisted species and their habitats covered by the plan. Take of covered species is incidental to covered activities associated with river operations and, water and power [[Page 56262]] delivery to Arizona, California, and Nevada. The LCR MSCP provides incidental take coverage to the following listed species; Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) Endangered Bonytail chub (Gila elegans) Endangered Humpback chub (Gila cypha) Endangered Yuma Ridgway's (clapper) rail (Rallus obsoletus [=longirostris] yumanensis) Endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) Endangered Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) Threatened During the initial development of the LCR MSCP in 2005, the northern Mexican gartersnake was not considered for coverage, because the species was believed to be extirpated within the planning area. However, subsequently, the species was found to be present. On July 8, 2014, the Service listed the northern Mexican gartersnake as threatened under the ESA, and critical habitat was proposed, including portions of the Bill Williams River. In 2012, northern Mexican gartersnakes were detected in portions of the Bill Williams River, between Alamo Dam and the Colorado River. In 2015, the northern Mexican gartersnake was confirmed at the LCR MSCP's Beal Lake Conservation Area on Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, on the east side of the Colorado River, where it had been considered extirpated. Public Availability of Comments Written comments we receive become part of the public record associated with this action. 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 request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will not consider anonymous comments. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety. Authority We provide this notice under section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22) and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). Amy Lueders, Regional Director, Southwest Region, Albuquerque, New Mexico. [FR Doc. 2017-25650 Filed 11-27-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 28, 2017 / Notices 56261
Commission Act of 2007 (9/11 Act).1 ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: Under the proposed amendment,
These statutory programs led to the • Internet: You may obtain copies of there are no proposed changes to
development of the Intermodal Security the draft EA, which includes the draft covered actions; no changes to the
Training Exercise Program (I–STEP) for amendment to the LCR MSCP, on the covered area; and no extension of the
the Transportation Systems Sector U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Web time period of permit coverage.
(TSS). Within the I–STEP program, EXIS site at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/ Permittees with existing LCR MSCP
is an interactive resource for the TSS. es/arizona/. certificates of inclusion are bound by
Number of Respondents: 9,551. • U.S. Mail: A limited number of CD– the terms and conditions of their
Estimated Annual Burden Hours: An ROM and printed copies of the draft EA existing requirements. The amendment
estimated 4,804 hours annually.2 and associated draft amendment to the is not expected to trigger any new
Dated: November 22, 2017. LCR MSCP are available, by request, environmental consequences that were
Christina A. Walsh, from the Field Supervisor, Arizona not identified in the LCR MSCP final
Ecological Services Field Office, 9828 N. programmatic environmental impact
TSA Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office
31st Avenue #C3, Phoenix, AZ 85051; statement/environmental impact report
of Information Technology.
by phone at 602–242–0210; or by fax at (LCR MSCP EIS/EIR), which was
[FR Doc. 2017–25669 Filed 11–27–17; 8:45 am]
602–242–2513. Please note that your prepared for the original LCR MSCP, or
BILLING CODE 9110–05–P
request is in reference to the draft any new impacts to local economies or
amended LCR MSCP for northern cultural resources. Nor are there any
Mexican gartersnake. expected changes to direct, indirect, and
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR • In-Person: Copies of the draft EA cumulative effects, beyond those
and associated draft amendment to the identified for biological resources.
Fish and Wildlife Service Coverage for incidental take of the
LCR MSCP are also available for public
[FWS–R2–ES–2017–N108; inspection and review at the following northern Mexican gartersnake will
FXES11140200000–178–FF02ENEH00] locations, by appointment and written include the entire program area, as
request only, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: defined in the record of decision (ROD)
Notice of Availability; Draft Æ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 500 for the LCR MSCP EIS/EIR, dated April
Environmental Assessment for a Draft Gold Avenue SW., Room 6034, 2005. This includes areas up to and
Amendment To Add the Northern Albuquerque, NM 87102. including the full-pool elevation of
Mexican Gartersnake to the Lower Æ Arizona Ecological Services Office Lakes Mead, Mohave, and Havasu and
Colorado River Multi-Species (Phoenix; see information under U.S. the historical floodplain of the Colorado
Conservation Program Mail, above). River to the Southerly International
Submitting Comments: You may Boundary with Mexico. The ROD also
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,
submit comments by one of the included off-site conservation areas for
Interior.
following methods. implementing the LCR MSCP. The LCR
ACTION: Notice of availability of MSCP, with Reclamation as the
documents; request for public comment. • U.S. Mail: Arizona Ecological
Services Office (Phoenix; see implementing agency, will manage 512
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and information under U.S. Mail, Obtaining acres of LCR MSCP-created marsh for
Wildlife Service, as the lead Federal Documents, above). the northern Mexican gartersnake. Of
agency, along with the Bureau of • Electronically: incomingazcorr@ the 5,940 acres of LCR MSCP-created
Reclamation as a cooperating agency fws.gov or fw2_hcp_permits@fws.gov. cottonwood-willow, 984 acres will be
and the implementing agency for the managed near marshes for the northern
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Mexican gartersnake.
Steve Spangle, Field Supervisor (see
Conservation Program (LCR MSCP), contact information for Arizona Background
announce the availability of a draft Ecological Services Field Office The original LCR MSCP permit was
environmental assessment (EA) under (Phoenix) in ADDRESSES. approved on April 4, 2005 (69 FR
the National Environmental Policy Act. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the 75556), and extends through April 30,
The draft EA evaluates the impacts of, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), 2055. The LCR MSCP is a combined
and alternatives to, amendment of the as the lead Federal agency, along with ESA section 10(a)(1)(B) and ESA section
existing Endangered Species Act permit the Bureau of Reclamation 7 approach to ESA compliance for
for the LCR MSCP, in order to add the (Reclamation) as a cooperating agency implementation of covered activities for
northern Mexican gartersnake as a and the implementing agency for the non-Federal (section 10) and Federal
covered species, and the impacts of Lower Colorado River Multi-Species (section 7) participants.
implementation of the amended LCR Conservation Program (LCR MSCP), The LCR MSCP is a habitat-based
MSCP. announce the availability of a draft program that is responsible for the
DATES: To ensure consideration, written environmental assessment (EA) under creation and management of land-cover
comments must be received or the National Environmental Policy Act types that benefit multiple covered
postmarked on or before December 28, of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et species, including 5,940 acres of
2017. Any comments we receive after seq.; NEPA). The draft EA evaluates the cottonwood-willow; 1,320 acres of
the closing date or not postmarked by impacts of, and alternatives to, honey mesquite; 512 acres of marsh; and
the closing date may not be considered amendment of an existing permit for the 360 acres of backwater.
in the final decision on this action. LCR MSCP under section 10(a)(1)(B) of The LCR MSCP currently includes
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as measures necessary to minimize and
1 See 9/11 Act secs. 1407 (public transportation, amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), mitigate impacts to the 26 listed and
codified at 6 U.S.C. 1136(a)), 1516 (railroads, in order to add the northern Mexican unlisted species and their habitats
codified at 6 U.S.C. 1166), and 1533 (over-the-road gartersnake (Thamnophis eques) as a covered by the plan. Take of covered
buses, codified at 6 U.S.C. 1183).
2 TSA made an error in its calculations and covered species, as well as the impacts species is incidental to covered
reported the burden in the 60-day notice as 4,820 of implementation of the amended LCR activities associated with river
hours annually. The correct calculation is 4,804. MSCP. operations and, water and power
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![56262 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 28, 2017 / Notices
delivery to Arizona, California, and CFR 17.22) and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 might the USGS enhance the quality,
Nevada. The LCR MSCP provides et seq.) and its implementing utility, and clarity of the information to
incidental take coverage to the following regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). be collected; and (5) how might the
listed species; USGS minimize the burden of this
Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) Amy Lueders,
collection on the respondents, including
Endangered Regional Director, Southwest Region, through the use of information
Bonytail chub (Gila elegans) Albuquerque, New Mexico.
technology.
Endangered [FR Doc. 2017–25650 Filed 11–27–17; 8:45 am] Comments that you submit in
Humpback chub (Gila cypha) BILLING CODE 4333–15–P response to this notice are a matter of
Endangered public record. We will include or
Yuma Ridgway’s (clapper) rail (Rallus summarize each comment in our request
obsoletus [=longirostris] yumanensis) DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR to OMB to approve this IC. Before
Endangered including your address, phone number,
Southwestern willow flycatcher Geological Survey
email address, or other personal
(Empidonax traillii extimus) [GR17ND00GCT2800; OMB Control Number identifying information in your
Endangered 1028—New] comment, you should be aware that
Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus your entire comment—including your
americanus) Threatened Agency Information Collection personal identifying information—may
During the initial development of the Activities; Phragmites Adaptive be made publicly available at any time.
LCR MSCP in 2005, the northern Management Framework While you may ask us in your comment
Mexican gartersnake was not considered AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), to withhold your personal identifying
for coverage, because the species was Interior. information from public review, we
believed to be extirpated within the cannot guarantee that we will be able to
ACTION: Notice.
planning area. However, subsequently, do so.
the species was found to be present. On SUMMARY: In accordance with the Abstract: The Phragmites Adaptive
July 8, 2014, the Service listed the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Management Framework (PAMF) is a
northern Mexican gartersnake as USGS is proposing a new information collaborative effort to confront and
threatened under the ESA, and critical collection (IC). reduce the spread of invasive
habitat was proposed, including DATES: Interested persons are invited to Phragmites grass in the Great Lakes
portions of the Bill Williams River. In submit comments on or before January watershed. Phragmites is associated
2012, northern Mexican gartersnakes 29, 2018. with reduced water quality, loss of
were detected in portions of the Bill biodiversity, reduced recreational
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
Williams River, between Alamo Dam opportunities, and increased fire
on this information collection to the
and the Colorado River. In 2015, the hazards. Reducing or eliminating
Information Collection Clearance
northern Mexican gartersnake was Phragmites throughout the region will
Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201
confirmed at the LCR MSCP’s Beal Lake reverse these deleterious effects and
Sunrise Valley Drive MS 159, Reston,
Conservation Area on Havasu National help achieve the comprehensive
VA 20192 (mail); or gs-info_collections@
Wildlife Refuge, on the east side of the restoration goals for the Great Lakes
usgs.gov (email). Please reference
Colorado River, where it had been basin (see the Great Lakes Restoration
‘Information Collection 1028—NEW,
considered extirpated. Initiative at https://www.glri.us/). The
Phragmites Adaptive Management PAMF initiative uses the principles of
Public Availability of Comments Framework’ in all correspondence. adaptive management, a learning-based
Written comments we receive become FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: form of management in which data
part of the public record associated with Clint Moore, USGS Research Wildlife gathered following a treatment action
this action. Before including your Biologist, at (706) 542–1166 or cmoore@ are used to improve the predictive
address, phone number, email address, usgs.gov. models that inform the decision-making
or other personal identifying SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the process itself. Identified as a priority by
information in your comment, you USGS, in accordance with the the multi-national Great Lakes
should be aware that your entire Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Phragmites Collaborative (http://
comment—including your personal provide the general public and other www.greatlakesphragmites.net/), PAMF
identifying information—may be made Federal agencies with an opportunity to is a network of public and private
publicly available at any time. While comment on proposed, revised, and cooperators who share a common desire
you can request in your comment that continuing collections of information. to reduce or eradicate invasive
we withhold your personal identifying This helps us assess the impact of our Phragmites on lands that they manage.
information from public review, we information collection requirements and Membership in PAMF is voluntary and
cannot guarantee that we will be able to minimize the public’s reporting burden. occurs after the cooperator has decided
do so. We will not consider anonymous It also helps the public understand our to treat Phragmites. A process is being
comments. All submissions from information collection requirements and developed to deliver site-specific
organizations or businesses, and from provide the requested data in the guidance to participants that will both
individuals identifying themselves as desired format. help them understand what treatment
representatives or officials of We are soliciting comments on the approach is most likely to achieve their
organizations or businesses, will be proposed IC that is described below. We management objectives and support
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
made available for public disclosure in are especially interested in public regional adaptive learning through
their entirety. comment addressing the following improvements and feedbacks to
issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to underlying scientific models.
Authority the proper functions of the USGS; (2) Cooperators will monitor and report
We provide this notice under section will this information be processed and vegetation characteristics on lands
10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) used in a timely manner; (3) is the enrolled in the program, and they will
and its implementing regulations (50 estimate of burden accurate; (4) how report attributes about treatments
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Document Created: 2017-11-28 01:50:48
Document Modified: 2017-11-28 01:50:48
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of availability of documents; request for public comment. | |
| Dates | To ensure consideration, written comments must be received or postmarked on or before December 28, 2017. Any comments we receive after the closing date or not postmarked by the closing date may not be considered in the final decision on this action. | |
| Contact | Steve Spangle, Field Supervisor (see contact information for Arizona Ecological Services Field Office | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 56261 |
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