82_FR_60453 82 FR 60211 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take Permit Application; Draft Range-Wide General Conservation Plan for Utah Prairie Dogs and Environmental Assessment

82 FR 60211 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take Permit Application; Draft Range-Wide General Conservation Plan for Utah Prairie Dogs and Environmental Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 242 (December 19, 2017)

Page Range60211-60212
FR Document2017-27250

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the following documents for review and comment by the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments: <bullet> Draft Range-wide General Conservation Plan for Utah Prairie Dogs (GCP); <bullet> Draft Implementing Agreement for the GCP; and <bullet> Draft Environment Assessment of the GCP (EA). We prepared the draft GCP to fulfill the requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for issuing permits to authorize take of Utah prairie dogs incidental to development activities within the range of the species in Utah. The draft GCP is designed to streamline incidental take permit authorization for many types of development activities while conserving the species. As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we also prepared a draft EA that analyzes the potential effects to the natural and human environment from issuing permits to Iron, Beaver, and Garfield Counties and from overall implementation of the GCP, including potential issuance of master or individual permits over the 10-year term of the proposed GCP.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60211-60212]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27250]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2017-0073; FF06E23000-178-FXES11140600000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take 
Permit Application; Draft Range-Wide General Conservation Plan for Utah 
Prairie Dogs and Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
availability of the following documents for review and comment by the 
public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments:
     Draft Range-wide General Conservation Plan for Utah 
Prairie Dogs (GCP);
     Draft Implementing Agreement for the GCP; and
     Draft Environment Assessment of the GCP (EA).
    We prepared the draft GCP to fulfill the requirements of the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) for issuing permits to authorize take of 
Utah prairie dogs incidental to development activities within the range 
of the species in Utah. The draft GCP is designed to streamline 
incidental take permit authorization for many types of development 
activities while conserving the species. As required by the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we also prepared a draft EA that 
analyzes the potential effects to the natural and human environment 
from issuing permits to Iron, Beaver, and Garfield Counties and from 
overall implementation of the GCP, including potential issuance of 
master or individual permits over the 10-year term of the proposed GCP.

DATES: Comment submission: To ensure consideration in our analyses, 
comments must be submitted or postmarked by January 18, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Document availability: The draft GCP, EA, and Implementing 
Agreement are available via the internet at the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal (www.regulations.gov) in Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2017-0073. 
Information regarding these documents is available in alternative 
formats upon request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Documents 
will also be available for public inspection by appointment (call 801-
975-3330) during normal business hours at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Utah Ecological Services Field Office, 2369 W. Orton Circle, 
#50, West Valley City, UT 84119.
    Submitting comments: To send written comments, please use one of 
the following methods, and note that your information requests or 
comments are in reference to the draft GCP. Please specify which of the 
documents your comment addresses.
     Internet: Submit comments at http://www.regulations.gov to 
Docket Number FWS-R6-ES-2017-0073.
     U.S. Mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. 
FWS-R6-ES-2017-0073; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: 
BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Romin, 801-975-3330, extension 
142 (phone), or [email protected] (email). If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech 
disabled, please call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), announce the availability of the following documents for 
review and comment by the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local 
governments:
     Draft Range-wide General Conservation Plan for Utah 
Prairie Dogs (GCP);
     Draft Implementing Agreement for the GCP; and
     Draft Environment Assessment of the GCP (EA).
    We prepared the draft GCP to fulfill the requirements of the 
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA) for issuing 
permits to authorize take of Utah prairie dogs incidental to 
development activities within the range of the species in Utah. The 
draft GCP is designed to streamline take authorization for many types 
of development activities while conserving the species. Iron, Beaver, 
and Garfield Counties, in Utah, are applying for master incidental take 
permits under the GCP for development activities in those counties. 
Under their master permits, each county would provide take 
authorization through certificates of inclusion to project proponents 
who agree to adhere to the conditions of the GCP and the relevant 
county's master permit. Project proponents in other counties within the 
GCP's plan area would apply directly to the Service for their own 
incidental take permits. Other counties and municipalities may apply to 
the Service for a master permit for their area of jurisdiction.
    The Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens) is listed as threatened 
under the ESA and is the sole species covered by the GCP. The draft GCP 
incorporates elements of the Utah Division of Resources' Utah Prairie 
Dog Management Plan for Non-Federal Lands, as well as other 
conservation measures to meet ESA requirements for issuing incidental 
take permits.
    As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.; NEPA), we prepared a draft EA that analyzes the potential 
effects to the natural and human environment from issuing permits to 
Iron, Beaver, and Garfield Counties and overall implementation of the 
GCP, including potential issuance of other master or individual permits 
over the 10-year term of the proposed GCP. For future decisions to 
issue permits under the GCP, we would use the analysis in this EA, as 
appropriate, in accordance with NEPA and relevant case law. As required 
by the ESA, we would make any future master or individual permit 
applications under the GCP available for public comment. In the draft 
EA, we also analyze the potential impacts to the natural and human 
environment from issuing permits in the future for projects outside 
Iron, Beaver, and Garfield Counties, and from implementing two 
alternatives to the proposed action. The draft EA also identifies 
alternatives that we considered but eliminated from further analysis.

Background

    Section 9 of the ESA prohibits take of fish and wildlife species 
listed as endangered (16 U.S.C. 1538). Under section 3 of the ESA, the 
term ``take'' means to ``harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, 
kill, trap, capture, or collect, or attempt to engage in any such 
conduct'' (16 U.S.C. 1532(19)). The term ``harm'' is defined in title 
50 of the Code of Federal Regulations as ``an act which actually kills 
or injures wildlife. Such acts may include significant habitat 
modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures wildlife 
by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including 
breeding, feeding, or sheltering'' (50 CFR 17.3). The term ``harass'' 
is defined in the regulations as to carry out ``an intentional or 
negligent act or omission which creates the likelihood of injury to 
wildlife by annoying it to such an extent as to significantly disrupt 
normal behavioral patterns which include, but

[[Page 60212]]

are not limited to, breeding, feeding, or sheltering'' (50 CFR 17.3).
    Under section 10(a) of the ESA, the Service may issue permits to 
authorize incidental take of listed fish and wildlife species. 
``Incidental take'' is defined by the ESA as take that is incidental 
to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity. 
Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA contains provisions for issuing 
incidental take permits to non-Federal entities for the incidental take 
of endangered and threatened species, provided the following criteria 
are met:
     The taking will be incidental.
     The applicant will minimize and mitigate, to the maximum 
extent practicable, the impact of such taking.
     The applicant will develop an HCP and ensure that adequate 
funding for the plan will be provided.
     The taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of 
the survival and recovery of the species in the wild.
     The applicant will carry out any other measures that the 
Secretary of the Interior may require as being necessary or appropriate 
for the purposes of the HCP.
    Regulations governing permits for threatened species are at 50 CFR 
17.32.
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.) requires that Federal agencies conduct an environmental analysis 
of their proposed actions to determine whether the actions may 
significantly affect the human environment. Under NEPA and its 
implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500 et seq.; 43 CFR 46), Federal 
agencies must also compare effects of a reasonable range of 
alternatives to the proposed action. In these analyses, the Federal 
agency will identify potentially significant direct, indirect, and 
cumulative effects, as well as possible mitigation for any significant 
effects, on biological resources, land uses, and other human and 
environmental resources that could occur with the implementation of the 
proposed action and alternatives. In accordance with NEPA, we prepared 
a draft EA to analyze the impacts to the natural and human environment 
that may occur if the Service were to issue master permits to Iron, 
Beaver, and Garfield Counties and individual permits to project 
proponents outside these counties and from implementation of the GCP 
across the range of the Utah prairie dog.

Proposed Action

    We propose to make the GCP available to non-Federal parties within 
the range of the Utah prairie dog for use when they are applying for 
incidental take permits for development activities. We also propose, at 
this time, to issue 10-year master permits for incidental take of the 
Utah prairie dog to Iron, Beaver, and Garfield Counties, if 
applications from these counties demonstrate commitments to implement 
the requirements of the GCP to meet all the ESA section 10(a)(1)(B) 
permit issuance criteria. The master permits would authorize take of 
the Utah prairie dog incidental to activities associated with 
residential and commercial development and infrastructure construction, 
operations, and maintenance. Each county would convey take 
authorization under its permit to individual project proponents who 
apply for certificates of inclusion under the GCP. We also propose to 
issue individual permits to project proponents and master permits to 
other counties and municipalities as they submit applications over the 
10-year term of the GCP.
    The GCP's plan area encompasses the entire current range of the 
Utah prairie dog, which includes all or parts of Iron, Garfield, Wayne, 
Beaver, Piute, Sevier, and Kane Counties. Individual permits we issue 
under the GCP would cover the area within which take is expected to 
occur from each project. The master permits for Iron, Beaver, and 
Garfield Counties would include any areas where take may occur from 
covered activities within those counties.
    The GCP identifies two zones where take would be authorized for 
development activities: (1) Major development areas--Non-Federal lands 
that are already built out or adjacent to built-out areas, and (2) 
Minor Development Areas--Non-Federal lands that are less likely than 
the major development areas to have large-scale human development 
growth over the term of the GCP.
    The GCP's measures to minimize and mitigate the impacts of the take 
include prairie dog translocations, habitat and plague management at 
translocation sites, and the protection of occupied Utah prairie dog 
habitats, all of which are consistent with our recovery objectives for 
this species. The overall conservation goals include: (1) Establishing 
and augmenting prairie dog colonies on Federal and other protected 
lands through translocations, and (2) Establishing conservation 
easements or acquiring lands from willing sellers to protect existing 
prairie dog colonies on private other non-Federal lands to support 
connectivity and metapopulation viability. Implementation of the 
conservation measures would rely on a combination of efforts by the 
Utah Division of Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest 
Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. State funds and fees paid 
by developers obtaining a permit or certificate of inclusion would pay 
for implementation of the conservation measures.

Alternatives Analyzed in the Draft Environmental Assessment

    In the draft EA, we evaluate the effects on the natural and human 
environment from two alternatives to the proposed action: (1) No action 
(i.e., no GCP), and (2) Issuing a master permit to each county that 
prepares an HCP with a permit application.
    The draft EA considers the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects 
of the two action alternatives, including measures intended to avoid, 
minimize, and mitigate such impacts.

Public Comments

    We request information, views, and opinions from the public 
specifically on our proposed Federal action, including but not limited 
to any other aspects of the human environment not already identified in 
the draft EA. We also solicit information regarding the adequacy of the 
GCP in meeting the requirements of 50 CFR parts 13 and 17.
    Written comments received 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 may 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. 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 for 
incidental take permits (50 CFR 17.22) and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6; 43 CFR part 
46).

    Dated: October 2, 2017.
Michael G. Thabault,
Assistant Regional Director-Ecological Services, Mountain-Prairie 
Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 2017-27250 Filed 12-18-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P



                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 19, 2017 / Notices                                            60211

                                                  Dated: December 13, 2017.                             regarding these documents is available                would apply directly to the Service for
                                                Melanie J. Pantoja,                                     in alternative formats upon request (see              their own incidental take permits. Other
                                                Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory             FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).                     counties and municipalities may apply
                                                Committee Policy.                                       Documents will also be available for                  to the Service for a master permit for
                                                [FR Doc. 2017–27225 Filed 12–18–17; 8:45 am]            public inspection by appointment (call                their area of jurisdiction.
                                                BILLING CODE 4140–01–P                                  801–975–3330) during normal business                     The Utah prairie dog (Cynomys
                                                                                                        hours at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife                   parvidens) is listed as threatened under
                                                                                                        Service, Utah Ecological Services Field               the ESA and is the sole species covered
                                                                                                        Office, 2369 W. Orton Circle, #50, West               by the GCP. The draft GCP incorporates
                                                DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
                                                                                                        Valley City, UT 84119.                                elements of the Utah Division of
                                                Fish and Wildlife Service                                 Submitting comments: To send                        Resources’ Utah Prairie Dog
                                                                                                        written comments, please use one of the               Management Plan for Non-Federal
                                                [Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2017–0073;                        following methods, and note that your                 Lands, as well as other conservation
                                                FF06E23000–178–FXES11140600000]                                                                               measures to meet ESA requirements for
                                                                                                        information requests or comments are in
                                                                                                        reference to the draft GCP. Please                    issuing incidental take permits.
                                                Endangered and Threatened Wildlife                                                                               As required by the National
                                                and Plants; Incidental Take Permit                      specify which of the documents your
                                                                                                        comment addresses.                                    Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C.
                                                Application; Draft Range-Wide General                                                                         4321 et seq.; NEPA), we prepared a draft
                                                Conservation Plan for Utah Prairie                        • Internet: Submit comments at
                                                                                                        http://www.regulations.gov to Docket                  EA that analyzes the potential effects to
                                                Dogs and Environmental Assessment                                                                             the natural and human environment
                                                                                                        Number FWS–R6–ES–2017–0073.
                                                AGENCY:   Fish and Wildlife Service,                      • U.S. Mail: Public Comments                        from issuing permits to Iron, Beaver,
                                                Interior.                                               Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R6–                  and Garfield Counties and overall
                                                ACTION: Notice of availability; request                 ES–2017–0073; U.S. Fish and Wildlife                  implementation of the GCP, including
                                                for comments.                                           Service Headquarters, MS: BPHC; 5275                  potential issuance of other master or
                                                                                                        Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–                individual permits over the 10-year term
                                                SUMMARY:    We, the U.S. Fish and                       3803.                                                 of the proposed GCP. For future
                                                Wildlife Service, announce the                                                                                decisions to issue permits under the
                                                                                                        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                availability of the following documents                                                                       GCP, we would use the analysis in this
                                                                                                        Laura Romin, 801–975–3330, extension
                                                for review and comment by the public                                                                          EA, as appropriate, in accordance with
                                                                                                        142 (phone), or laura_romin@fws.gov
                                                and Federal, Tribal, State, and local                                                                         NEPA and relevant case law. As
                                                                                                        (email). If you use a telecommunications
                                                governments:                                                                                                  required by the ESA, we would make
                                                                                                        device for the deaf, hard-of-hearing, or              any future master or individual permit
                                                   • Draft Range-wide General                           speech disabled, please call the Federal
                                                Conservation Plan for Utah Prairie Dogs                                                                       applications under the GCP available for
                                                                                                        Relay Service at 800–877–8339.                        public comment. In the draft EA, we
                                                (GCP);
                                                                                                        SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the                    also analyze the potential impacts to the
                                                   • Draft Implementing Agreement for
                                                                                                        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),             natural and human environment from
                                                the GCP; and
                                                                                                        announce the availability of the                      issuing permits in the future for projects
                                                   • Draft Environment Assessment of
                                                                                                        following documents for review and                    outside Iron, Beaver, and Garfield
                                                the GCP (EA).
                                                                                                        comment by the public and Federal,                    Counties, and from implementing two
                                                   We prepared the draft GCP to fulfill
                                                                                                        Tribal, State, and local governments:                 alternatives to the proposed action. The
                                                the requirements of the Endangered
                                                                                                          • Draft Range-wide General                          draft EA also identifies alternatives that
                                                Species Act (ESA) for issuing permits to
                                                                                                        Conservation Plan for Utah Prairie Dogs               we considered but eliminated from
                                                authorize take of Utah prairie dogs
                                                                                                        (GCP);                                                further analysis.
                                                incidental to development activities                      • Draft Implementing Agreement for
                                                within the range of the species in Utah.                the GCP; and                                          Background
                                                The draft GCP is designed to streamline                   • Draft Environment Assessment of                      Section 9 of the ESA prohibits take of
                                                incidental take permit authorization for                the GCP (EA).                                         fish and wildlife species listed as
                                                many types of development activities                      We prepared the draft GCP to fulfill                endangered (16 U.S.C. 1538). Under
                                                while conserving the species. As                        the requirements of the Endangered                    section 3 of the ESA, the term ‘‘take’’
                                                required by the National Environmental                  Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.;                  means to ‘‘harass, harm, pursue, hunt,
                                                Policy Act (NEPA), we also prepared a                   ESA) for issuing permits to authorize                 shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or
                                                draft EA that analyzes the potential                    take of Utah prairie dogs incidental to               collect, or attempt to engage in any such
                                                effects to the natural and human                        development activities within the range               conduct’’ (16 U.S.C. 1532(19)). The term
                                                environment from issuing permits to                     of the species in Utah. The draft GCP is              ‘‘harm’’ is defined in title 50 of the Code
                                                Iron, Beaver, and Garfield Counties and                 designed to streamline take                           of Federal Regulations as ‘‘an act which
                                                from overall implementation of the GCP,                 authorization for many types of                       actually kills or injures wildlife. Such
                                                including potential issuance of master                  development activities while conserving               acts may include significant habitat
                                                or individual permits over the 10-year                  the species. Iron, Beaver, and Garfield               modification or degradation where it
                                                term of the proposed GCP.                               Counties, in Utah, are applying for                   actually kills or injures wildlife by
                                                DATES: Comment submission: To ensure                    master incidental take permits under the              significantly impairing essential
                                                consideration in our analyses,                          GCP for development activities in those               behavioral patterns, including breeding,
                                                comments must be submitted or                           counties. Under their master permits,                 feeding, or sheltering’’ (50 CFR 17.3).
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                                                postmarked by January 18, 2018.                         each county would provide take                        The term ‘‘harass’’ is defined in the
                                                ADDRESSES: Document availability: The                   authorization through certificates of                 regulations as to carry out ‘‘an
                                                draft GCP, EA, and Implementing                         inclusion to project proponents who                   intentional or negligent act or omission
                                                Agreement are available via the internet                agree to adhere to the conditions of the              which creates the likelihood of injury to
                                                at the Federal eRulemaking Portal                       GCP and the relevant county’s master                  wildlife by annoying it to such an extent
                                                (www.regulations.gov) in Docket No.                     permit. Project proponents in other                   as to significantly disrupt normal
                                                FWS–R6–ES–2017–0073. Information                        counties within the GCP’s plan area                   behavioral patterns which include, but


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:47 Dec 18, 2017   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00039   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\19DEN1.SGM   19DEN1


                                                60212                      Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 19, 2017 / Notices

                                                are not limited to, breeding, feeding, or               We also propose, at this time, to issue               U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and
                                                sheltering’’ (50 CFR 17.3).                             10-year master permits for incidental                 Wildlife Service. State funds and fees
                                                   Under section 10(a) of the ESA, the                  take of the Utah prairie dog to Iron,                 paid by developers obtaining a permit or
                                                Service may issue permits to authorize                  Beaver, and Garfield Counties, if                     certificate of inclusion would pay for
                                                incidental take of listed fish and                      applications from these counties                      implementation of the conservation
                                                wildlife species. ‘‘Incidental take’’ is                demonstrate commitments to implement                  measures.
                                                defined by the ESA as take that is                      the requirements of the GCP to meet all
                                                incidental to, and not the purpose of,                  the ESA section 10(a)(1)(B) permit                    Alternatives Analyzed in the Draft
                                                carrying out an otherwise lawful                        issuance criteria. The master permits                 Environmental Assessment
                                                activity. Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA                would authorize take of the Utah prairie                 In the draft EA, we evaluate the
                                                contains provisions for issuing                         dog incidental to activities associated               effects on the natural and human
                                                incidental take permits to non-Federal                  with residential and commercial                       environment from two alternatives to
                                                entities for the incidental take of                     development and infrastructure                        the proposed action: (1) No action (i.e.,
                                                endangered and threatened species,                      construction, operations, and                         no GCP), and (2) Issuing a master permit
                                                provided the following criteria are met:                maintenance. Each county would                        to each county that prepares an HCP
                                                   • The taking will be incidental.                     convey take authorization under its                   with a permit application.
                                                   • The applicant will minimize and                    permit to individual project proponents
                                                mitigate, to the maximum extent                         who apply for certificates of inclusion                  The draft EA considers the direct,
                                                practicable, the impact of such taking.                 under the GCP. We also propose to issue               indirect, and cumulative effects of the
                                                   • The applicant will develop an HCP                  individual permits to project                         two action alternatives, including
                                                and ensure that adequate funding for the                proponents and master permits to other                measures intended to avoid, minimize,
                                                plan will be provided.                                  counties and municipalities as they                   and mitigate such impacts.
                                                   • The taking will not appreciably                    submit applications over the 10-year                  Public Comments
                                                reduce the likelihood of the survival                   term of the GCP.
                                                and recovery of the species in the wild.                   The GCP’s plan area encompasses the                  We request information, views, and
                                                   • The applicant will carry out any                   entire current range of the Utah prairie              opinions from the public specifically on
                                                other measures that the Secretary of the                dog, which includes all or parts of Iron,             our proposed Federal action, including
                                                Interior may require as being necessary                 Garfield, Wayne, Beaver, Piute, Sevier,               but not limited to any other aspects of
                                                or appropriate for the purposes of the                  and Kane Counties. Individual permits                 the human environment not already
                                                HCP.                                                    we issue under the GCP would cover the                identified in the draft EA. We also
                                                   Regulations governing permits for                    area within which take is expected to                 solicit information regarding the
                                                threatened species are at 50 CFR 17.32.                 occur from each project. The master                   adequacy of the GCP in meeting the
                                                   The National Environmental Policy                    permits for Iron, Beaver, and Garfield                requirements of 50 CFR parts 13 and 17.
                                                Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)                      Counties would include any areas
                                                requires that Federal agencies conduct                                                                          Written comments received become
                                                                                                        where take may occur from covered                     part of the public record associated with
                                                an environmental analysis of their                      activities within those counties.
                                                proposed actions to determine whether                                                                         this action. Before including your
                                                                                                           The GCP identifies two zones where
                                                the actions may significantly affect the                                                                      address, phone number, email address,
                                                                                                        take would be authorized for
                                                human environment. Under NEPA and                                                                             or other personal identifying
                                                                                                        development activities: (1) Major
                                                its implementing regulations (40 CFR                                                                          information in your comment, you
                                                                                                        development areas—Non-Federal lands
                                                1500 et seq.; 43 CFR 46), Federal                                                                             should be aware that your entire
                                                                                                        that are already built out or adjacent to
                                                agencies must also compare effects of a                                                                       comment—including your personal
                                                                                                        built-out areas, and (2) Minor
                                                reasonable range of alternatives to the                 Development Areas—Non-Federal lands                   identifying information—may be made
                                                proposed action. In these analyses, the                 that are less likely than the major                   publicly available at any time. While
                                                Federal agency will identify potentially                development areas to have large-scale                 you may request in your comment that
                                                significant direct, indirect, and                       human development growth over the                     we withhold your personal identifying
                                                cumulative effects, as well as possible                 term of the GCP.                                      information from public review, we
                                                mitigation for any significant effects, on                 The GCP’s measures to minimize and                 cannot guarantee that we will be able to
                                                biological resources, land uses, and                    mitigate the impacts of the take include              do so. All submissions from
                                                other human and environmental                           prairie dog translocations, habitat and               organizations or businesses and from
                                                resources that could occur with the                     plague management at translocation                    individuals identifying themselves as
                                                implementation of the proposed action                   sites, and the protection of occupied                 representatives or officials of
                                                and alternatives. In accordance with                    Utah prairie dog habitats, all of which               organizations or businesses will be
                                                NEPA, we prepared a draft EA to                         are consistent with our recovery                      made available for public disclosure in
                                                analyze the impacts to the natural and                  objectives for this species. The overall              their entirety.
                                                human environment that may occur if                     conservation goals include: (1)                         Authority: We provide this notice under
                                                the Service were to issue master permits                Establishing and augmenting prairie dog               section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
                                                to Iron, Beaver, and Garfield Counties                  colonies on Federal and other protected               seq.) and its implementing regulations for
                                                and individual permits to project                       lands through translocations, and (2)                 incidental take permits (50 CFR 17.22) and
                                                                                                        Establishing conservation easements or                NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its
                                                proponents outside these counties and                                                                         implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6; 43
                                                from implementation of the GCP across                   acquiring lands from willing sellers to
                                                                                                                                                              CFR part 46).
                                                                                                        protect existing prairie dog colonies on
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                the range of the Utah prairie dog.
                                                                                                        private other non-Federal lands to                      Dated: October 2, 2017.
                                                Proposed Action                                         support connectivity and                              Michael G. Thabault,
                                                  We propose to make the GCP                            metapopulation viability.                             Assistant Regional Director–Ecological
                                                available to non-Federal parties within                 Implementation of the conservation                    Services, Mountain-Prairie Region, U.S. Fish
                                                the range of the Utah prairie dog for use               measures would rely on a combination                  and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, Colorado.
                                                when they are applying for incidental                   of efforts by the Utah Division of                    [FR Doc. 2017–27250 Filed 12–18–17; 8:45 am]
                                                take permits for development activities.                Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management,                  BILLING CODE 4333–15–P




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Document Created: 2017-12-19 01:31:07
Document Modified: 2017-12-19 01:31:07
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 comments.
DatesComment submission: To ensure consideration in our analyses, comments must be submitted or postmarked by January 18, 2018.
ContactLaura Romin, 801-975-3330, extension 142 (phone), or [email protected] (email). If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech disabled, please call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
FR Citation82 FR 60211 

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