33348 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 100 / Tuesday, May 23, 2000 / Notices

approved CCP. The CCP will guide

management decisions for the next 15

years and identify refuge goals, longrange objectives, and management

strategies for achieving these objectives.

The planning process will consider

many elements, including habitat and

wildlife management, habitat

protection, recreational use, and

environmental effects. Public input into

this planning process is very important.

The CCP will provide other agencies

and the public with a clear

understanding of the desired conditions

for the refuges and how the Service will

implement management strategies.

The Service is soliciting information

from the public via written comments.

The Service will send out planning

updates to people who are interested in

the CCP process. These mailings will

provide information on how to

participate in the CCP process.

Comments received will be used to

develop goals, key issues evaluated in

the NEPA document, and habitat

management strategies. Additional

opportunities for public participation

will occur throughout the process. The

CCP is expected to be completed in

December 2000.

Background

The refuge is located 11 miles

northeast of the City of Monterey at the

confluence of the Salinas River and

Monterey Bay. The 366 acre refuge was

established in 1973 because of its

‘‘particular value in carrying out the

national migratory bird management

program’’. It was acquired by the

Service through a transfer of surplus

military land from the U.S. Army and

the U.S. Coast Guard. From 1974

through 1991 the area was operated as

a Wildlife Management Area under a

cooperative agreement with the

California Department of Fish and

Game. By the mid-1980s, the growing

importance of the refuge to sensitive

species prompted the need for more

active management and protection of its

natural resources. In 1991, the Service

began managing the area as a refuge

under the National Wildlife Refuge

System Administration Act and the

Refuge Recreation Act of 1962.

Management on the refuge emphasizes

threatened and endangered species and

sensitive migratory birds.

The primary purpose of the refuge is

to provide habitat for endangered,

threatened, and candidate species by

providing secure habitat (e.g., nesting,

feeding and roosting areas) for them.

Endangered species on the refuge

include Smith’s blue butterfly

(Euphilotes enoptes smithi), California

brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis),

and sand gilia (Gilia tenuiflora ssp.

arenaria); threatened species include

western snowy plover (Charadrius

alexandrinus nivosus), and southern sea

otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). The

endangered Menzies wallflower

(Erysimum menziesii) and threatened

Monterey spineflower (Chorizanthe

pungens var. pungens) may occur on the

refuge.

It is expected that a draft CCP and

NEPA document will be available for

public review and comment in fall 2000.

Dated: May 17, 2000.

Wayne S. White,

California/Nevada Operations Manager, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento,

California.

[FR Doc. 00–13024 Filed 5–22–00; 8:45 am]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of an

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan and Receipt of an

Application for a Permit for the

Incidental Take of the Houston Toad

(Bufo houstonensis) During

Construction of One Single Family

Residence on up to 0.5 Acres of the

0.5-Acre Lot 6, Section 8, in the Circle

D Country Acres Subdivision, Bastrop

County, TX.

SUMMARY: William and Johnna Cantrell

(Applicants) have 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 Applicants have been

assigned permit number TE–025654–0.

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 a

single family residence on up to 0.5

acres of the 0.5-acre Lot 6, Section 8, in

the Circle D Country Acres Subdivision

in 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 EA/HCP should be

received on or before June 22, 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 Englehard, Ecological Services

Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite

200, Austin, Texas 78758 (512/490–

0063). 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

address. Please refer to permit number

TE–025654–0 when submitting

comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tannika Englehard at the above Austin

Ecological Services Field Office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the Act prohibits the ‘‘taking’’ of

endangered species such as the Houston

toad. 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.

Applicants: William and Johnna

Cantrell plan to construct a single

family residence on up to 0.5 acres of

the 0.5-acre Lot 6, Section 8, in the

Circle D Country Acres Subdivision in

Bastrop County, Texas. This action will

eliminate less than 1 acre of habitat and

result in indirect 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.

Geoffrey L. Haskett,

Regional Director, Region 2, Albuquerque,

New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 00–12883 Filed 5–22–00; 8:45 am]

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