Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 106 / Thursday, June 1, 2000 / Notices 35117

listed below (see FURTHER INFORMATION).

Finally, you may hand deliver

comments to the Service office listed

below (see ADDRESSES). Our practice is

to make comments, including names

and home addresses of respondents,

available for public review during

regular business hours. Individual

respondents may request that we

withhold their home address from the

administrative record. We will honor

such requests to the extent allowable by

law. There may also be other

circumstances in which we would

withhold from the administrative record

a respondent’s identity, as allowable by

law. If you wish us to withhold your

name and address, you must state this

prominently at the beginning of your

comments. We will not; however,

consider anonymous comments. We

will make all submissions from

organizations or businesses, and from

individuals identifying themselves as

representatives or officials of

organizations or businesses, available

for public inspection in their entirety.

DATES: Written data or comments on

these applications must be received, at

the address given below, by July 3,

2000.

ADDRESSES: Documents and other

information submitted with these

applications are available for review,

subject to the requirements of the

Privacy Act and Freedom of Information

Act, by any party who submits a written

request for a copy of such documents to

the following office within 30 days of

the date of publication of this notice:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875

Century Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta,

Georgia 30345 (Attn: Ken Graham,

Permits Biologist). Telephone: 404/679–

7358; Facsimile: 404/679–7081.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken

Graham, Telephone: 404/679–7358;

Facsimile: 404/679–7081.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Applicant: Christopher A. Taylor,

Illinois Natural History Survey,

Champaign, Illinois, TE027337–0

The applicant requests a permit to

capture the Nashville crayfish,

Orconectes shoupi, and to collect one

specimen for genetic/systematics

research on the species, in order to

clarify species classification and for

enhancement of management and

survival of the species.

Applicant: Dr. Paul Yokely, Jr.,

Florence, Alabama, TE027307–0

The applicant requests authorization

to take (capture, identify, release, collect

dead freshwater snail and mussel shells,

and to relocate captured specimens

upstream away from potential harm due

to construction activities) federallylisted fish, snails, and mussels during

the course of aquatic surveys throughout

Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and

Tennessee. Any taking would occur

during routine biological surveys and

monitoring, for the purpose of

enhancement of survival of the species.

Applicant: Michael R. Hurst,

Chattahoochee-Oconee National

Forest, Gainesville, Georgia,

TE027344–0

The applicant requests authorization

to take (capture, band, and harass

during nest monitoring, construction of

artificial cavities, and placement of

restrictor plates) the endangered redcockaded woodpecker, Picoides

borealis, on and adjacent to the Oconee

National Forest in Georgia, for the

purpose of enhancement of survival of

the species.

Applicant: Stuart W. McGregor,

Geological Survey of Alabama,

Tuscaloosa, Alabama, TE027346–0

The applicant requests authorization

to take (survey for, capture, handle,

identify, and release) 44 species of

federally-listed freshwater mussels that

could be potentially encountered during

routine biological surveys throughout

Alabama and in the upper Tombigbee

River system in Mississippi, for the

purpose of conducting status surveys

and enhancement of survival of the

species.

Applicant: Steven D. Maloney, Griggs &

Maloney Incorporated, Murfreesboro,

Tennessee, TE027376–0

The applicant requests authorization

to take (capture, identify, and relocate)

the endangered Nashville Crayfish,

Orconectes shoupi, throughout the

species range in Tennessee, for the

purpose of enhancement of survival of

the species.

Dated: May 25, 2000.

H. Dale Hall,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 00–13656 Filed 5–31–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Safe Harbor

Agreement With Assurances and

Receipt of an Application for an

Incidental Take Permit for Activities on

Certain State Lands, by the Arizona

Department of Transportation

SUMMARY: The Arizona Department of

Transportation (Applicant) has applied

to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) for an enhancement of survival

permit pursuant to Section 10(a) of the

Endangered Species Act (Act). The

Applicant has been assigned permit

number TE–026887–0. The requested

permit, which is for a period of 10 years,

would authorize the incidental take of

the endangered Gila topminnow

(Poeciliopsis occidentalis) and the

endangered desert pupufish

(Cyprinodon macularius). The proposed

take may occur on certain State Lands

owned by the Arizona Department of

Transportation in the State of Arizona.

Non-federal landowners, who commit

to implementing conservation for listed

species through a Safe Harbor

Agreement, will receive assurances from

the Service. The assurances are that

additional conservation measures will

not be required and additional land,

water, or resource use restrictions will

not be imposed. The Service has

prepared the Categorical Exclusion for

the enhancement of survival permit

application. A determination of whether

jeopardy to the species would occur 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 should be received on or

before July 3, 2000. The agreement,

along with any supporting

documentation, is available for public

review, subject to the requirements of

the Privacy Act and Freedom of

Information Act, by any party who

submits a written request for a copy of

such documents within the comment

period to the address specified below.

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 Safe

Harbor Agreement and Categorical

Exclusion may obtain a copy by

contacting Doug Duncan, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Ecological Services

Tucson Sub Office, 300 West Congress,

Room 6J, Tucson, AZ 85701 (520/670–

4860) or David Harlow, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Arizona Ecological

Services Field Office, 2321 West Royal

Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix, Arizona

85021 (602/640–2720; fax 602/640–

2730). Documents will be available for

public inspection by written request, by

appointment only, during normal

business hours (7:30 to 4:30) at the

offices above. Written data or comments

concerning the application, Safe Harbor

Agreement, and Categorical Exclusion

should be submitted to the Field

35118 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 106 / Thursday, June 1, 2000 / Notices

Supervisor, Ecological Services Field

Office, Phoenix, AZ, (see address

above). Please refer to permit number

TE–026887–0 when submitting

comments. All comments received,

including names and addresses, will

become part of the official

administrative record and may be made

available to the public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doug Duncan at the above Tucson Sub

Office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the Act prohibits the ‘‘taking’’ of

threatened and endangered species such

as the Gila topminnow and desert

pupfish. However, the Service, under

limited circumstances, may issue

permits to take threatened or

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.

The proposed action is issuance of an

enhancement of survival permit and

implementation of the Safe Harbor

Agreement as submitted by the

Applicant. The Safe Harbor Agreement

provides for actions that promote

conservation and recovery of the Gila

topminnow and desert pupfish by

providing refugia sites. One refugium

site in Tempe, Arizona, is proposed for

release of Gila topminnow and desert

pupfish. Other sites owned by the

Arizona Department of Transportation

within the natural ranges of the species

may be used as refugia for either

species. Sites will be determined

mutually by the Service and the Arizona

Department of Transportation. The Safe

Harbor Agreement is designed to

provide a net conservation benefit to the

Gila topminnow and desert pupfish.

The Safe Harbor Agreement has

stipulations for monitoring of species

populations and habitats and

functioning of the Safe Harbor

Agreement. The Safe Harbor Agreement

also provides for funding the mitigation

measures and monitoring.

APPLICANT: The Arizona Department of

Transportation intends to manage

certain retention basins and other sites

for Gila topminnow and desert pupfish.

The incidental take of these fish may

occur at the release sites during certain

management activities. The Service

anticipates that this Safe Harbor

Agreement will provide a net

conservation benefit for these two

species of native Arizona fish.

Geoffrey L. Haskett,

Regional Director, Region 2, Albuquerque,

New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 00–13691 Filed 5–31–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of a Draft Environmental

Assessment and Preliminary Finding

of No Significant Impact, and Receipt

of an Application for an Incidental Take

Permit for Residential, Commercial,

and School Board Development in

Northern Indian River County, FL

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

Indian River County Board of County

Commissioners and City of Sebastian

City Council (Applicants) request an

incidental take permit (ITP) pursuant to

section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered

Species Act of 1973 (U.S.C. 1531 et

seq.), as amended (Act). The Applicants

anticipate taking up to seven families of

the threatened Florida scrub-jay

(Aphelocoma coerulescens) (scrub-jay),

over the next 30 years incidental to the

clearing of land associated with

residential construction in northern

Indian River County, including infill in

the existing Sebastian Highlands

subdivision located within the city

limits of Sebastian. Take is also

requested for commercial development

on about 88 acres of property owned by

the City of Sebastian. Indian River

County School Board anticipates that

take of scrub-jays may also occur in the

future due to expansion of school

facilities on about four acres. The

anticipated take and measures to

minimize and mitigate these takings

will occur in sections 18, 19, 20, 29, and

30, Township 31 South, Range 39 East

and sections 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, and 26,

Township 31 South, Range 38 East,

northern Indian River County, Florida.

The issuance of land clearing permits

by the City of Sebastian will destroy

about 79 acres of habitat occupied by

the scrub-jay in residential areas.

Another 88 acres of habitat within

commercial property owned by the City

of Sebastian and about 4 acres of

property owned by the School Board is

currently unoccupied by scrub-jays, but

may become occupied due to proposed

habitat management activities. Future

development within these parcels may

also result in take of scrub-jays.

Measures to mitigate for taking of scrubjays are proposed by the Applicants. A

more detailed description of the

mitigation and minimization measures

to address the effects of the Project to

the scrub-jay are outlined in the

Applicant’s Habitat Conservation Plan

(HCP), the Service’s draft Environmental

Assessment (EA), and in the

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section

below.

The Service also announces the

availability of a draft EA and HCP for

the incidental take application. Copies

of the draft EA and/or HCP may be

obtained by making a request to the

Regional Office (see ADDRESSES).

Requests must be in writing to be

processed. This notice also advises the

public that the Service has made a

preliminary determination that issuing

the ITP is not a major Federal action

significantly affecting the quality of the

human environment within the meaning

of Section 102(2)(C) of the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as

amended (NEPA). The preliminary

Finding of No Significant Impact

(FONSI) is based on information

contained in the draft EA and HCP. The

final determination will be made no

sooner than 30 days from the date of

this notice. This notice is provided

pursuant to Section 10 of the Act and

NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

The Service specifically requests

information, views, and opinions from

the public via this Notice on the federal

action, including the identification of

any other aspects of the human

environment not already identified in

the Service’s draft EA. Further, the

Service is specifically soliciting

information regarding the adequacy of

the HCP as measured against the

Service’s ITP issuance criteria found in

50 CFR parts 13 and 17.

If you wish to comment, you may

submit comments by any one of several

methods. You may mail comments to

the Service’s Regional Office (see

ADDRESSES). You may also comment via

the internet to ‘‘david_dell@fws.gov’’.

Please submit comments over the

internet as an ASCII file avoiding the

use of special characters and any form

of encryption. Please also include your

name and return address in your

internet message. If you do not receive

a confirmation from the Service that we

have received your internet message,

contact us directly at either telephone

number listed below (see FURTHER

INFORMATION). Finally, you may hand

deliver comments to either Service

office listed below (see ADDRESSES). Our

practice is to make comments, including

names and home addresses of

respondents, available for public review