Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 95 / Tuesday, May 16, 2000 / Notices 31185

impacts within the lot. The applicants

propose to compensate for this

incidental take of the Houston toad by

providing $1,500 to the National Fish

and Wildlife Foundation for the specific

purpose of land acquisition and

management within Houston toad

habitat, as identified by the Service.

Frank S. Shoemaker, Jr.,

Acting Regional Director, Region 2,

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 00–12244 Filed 5–15–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of an

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan and Receipt of

Application for an Incidental Take

Permit for the Construction and

Operation of a Mixed-Use Development

on a Portion of the 201.7-Acre

Crossings Property, Travis County,

Texas

SUMMARY: Kenneth Beck (Applicant) has

applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) for an incidental take

permit pursuant to Section 10(a) of the

Endangered Species Act (Act). The

Applicant has been assigned permit

number TE–024619–0. The requested

permit, which is for a period of 30 years,

would authorize the incidental take of

the endangered golden-cheeked warbler

(Dendroica chrysoparia). The proposed

take would occur as a result of the

construction and operation of a

conference and retreat complex on a

portion of the 201.7-acre Crossings

property, Travis County, Texas.

The Service has prepared the

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan (EA/HCP) for the

incidental take application. A

determination of jeopardy to the species

or a Finding of No Significant Impact

(FONSI) will not be made until at least

30 days from the date of publication of

this notice. This notice is provided

pursuant to Section 10(c) of the Act and

National Environment Policy Act

regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

DATES: Written comments on the

application and the EA/HCP should be

received on or before June 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the application may obtain a copy by

writing to the Regional Director, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box

1306, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103.

Persons wishing to review the EA/HCP

may obtain a copy by written or

telephone request to Scott Rowin, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological

Services Office, 10711 Burnet Road,

Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78758 (512/

490–0063). Documents will be available

for public inspection by written request

or by appointment only during normal

business hours (8:00 to 4:30) at the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service Office,

Austin, Texas. Data or comments

concerning the application and EA/HCP

should be submitted in writing to the

Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service Office, Austin, Texas at the

above address. Please refer to permit

number TE–024619–0 when submitting

comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Scott Rowin, at the above U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service Office, Austin, TX.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the Act prohibits the ‘‘taking’’ of

endangered species such as the goldencheeked warbler. However, the Service,

under limited circumstances, may issue

permits to take endangered wildlife

species incidental to, and not the

purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.

Regulations governing permits for

endangered species are at 50 CFR 17.22.

Applicant

Kenneth Beck plans to construct and

operate a private conference and retreat

complex on 26.05 acres of the 201.7-acre

Crossings property, Travis County,

Texas. This action will eliminate

approximately 26.05 acres of habitat and

indirectly impact 36.65 additional acres

of golden-cheeked warbler habitat. The

Applicant proposes to compensate for

this incidental take of golden-cheeked

warbler habitat by donating through fee

simple or conservation easement to

Travis County the remaining 175.7 acres

of the Crossings property, which

includes approximately 128 acres of

golden-cheeked warbler habitat. This

land is adjacent to existing Balconies

Canyonlands Preserve land and will be

managed by Travis County as such.

Alternatives to this action were

rejected because not developing the

subject property with federally listed

species present was not economically

feasible, no mitigation or preservation of

habitat in perpetuity would take place,

and alteration of the project design

would increase the level of impacts to

the warbler.

Frank S. Shoemaker, Jr.,

Acting Regional Director, Region 2,

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 00–12245 Filed 5–15–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of an

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan for Issuance of an

Endangered Species Act Section

10(a)(1)(B) Permit for the Incidental

Take of the Houston Toad (Bufo

houstonensis) During Construction of

One Single Family Residence on 0.5

Acres of Each of 3 Lots in the Circle

D Country Acres Subdivision, Bastrop

County, Texas

SUMMARY: Cornerstone Construction

Company (Applicant) has applied to the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)

for an incidental take permit pursuant to

Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species

Act (Act). The Applicant has been

assigned permit number TE–26687–0.

The requested permit, which is for a

period of 5 years, would authorize the

incidental take of the endangered

Houston toad (Bufo houstonensis). The

proposed take would occur as a result

of the construction and occupation of

one single family residence on 0.5 acres

of each of three lots (Lot 20, Section 5;

Lot 49, Section 7; Lot 38, Section 8 in

the Circle D Country Acres Subdivision,

Bastrop County, Texas.

The Service has prepared the

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan (EA/HCP) for the

incidental take application. A

determination of jeopardy to the species

or a Finding of No Significant Impact

(FONSI) will not be made until at least

30 days from the date of publication of

this notice. This notice is provided

pursuant to Section 10(c) of the Act and

National Environmental Policy Act

regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

DATES: Written comments on the

application and the EA/HCP should be

received on or before June 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the application may obtain a copy by

writing to the Regional Director, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box

1306, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103.

Persons wishing to review the EA/HCP

may obtain a copy by contacting

Tannika Engelhard, Ecological Services

Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite

200, Austin, Texas 78758 (512/490–

0057). Documents will be available for

public inspection by written request, by

appointment only, during normal

business hours (8:00 to 4:30) at the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin,

Texas. Written data or comments

concerning the application and EA/HCP

should be submitted to the Field

Supervisor, Ecological Services Field

Office, Austin, Texas, at the above