Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 149 / Monday, August 4, 1997 / Notices 41969

management plan. An open house will

be held in Alameda on August 12, 1997.

Issues and concerns expressed by the

public at this meeting will be

considered in the development of the

CMP and NEPA documentation. The

Service will inform interested parties of

the open house through a ‘‘Planning

Update,’’ news release, and legal notice.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policy

is to have all lands within the National

Wildlife Refuge System managed in

accordance with an approved CMP. The

CMP guides management decisions and

identifies refuge goals, long-range

objectives, and strategies for achieving

refuge purposes. Public input into this

planning process is encouraged. The

CMP will provide other agencies and

the public with a clear understanding of

the desired conditions for the Refuge

and how the Service will implement

management strategies.

The 2,796-acre Naval Air Station

Alameda was closed on April 25, 1997.

The Service has requested 900 acres

(525 acres of land and 375 acres of open

water) for use as a wildlife refuge.

A CMP is needed because no formal,

long-term management direction exists

for managing the proposed Alameda

NWR. Until the CMP is completed,

Refuge management will be guided by

official Refuge purposes; Executive

Order 8104; Federal legislation

regarding management of national

wildlife refuges; and other legal,

regulatory, and policy guidance.

Upon implementation, the CMP

would apply only to Federal lands

within the proposed boundaries of the

Alameda NWR. Issues to be addressed

in the plan include habitat management,

public use, nuisance species

management, and secondary uses, such

as a limited-use airport. The plan will

include the following topics:

(a) Population monitoring of the

California least terns an endangered

species;

(b) Wildlife habitat management

including control of exotic vegetation;

maintenance, habitat enhancement, and

expansion of the existing California

Least tern breeding site; installation of

additional electric fence around tern

nesting sites; and construction and

maintenance of a chain-link perimeter

fence to protect terns from terrestrial

predators, human trespass, and other

disturbance;

(c) Nuisance species management

including the reduction of predator

habitat and raptor perches immediately

adjacent to the tern nesting site;

trapping and removal of nonnative

target animals;

(d) Public use including

environmental education, docent-led

tours, perimeter trail, interpretive signs

and panels, viewing platform;

(e) Non-recreational uses, such as a

limited-use private airport;

(f) Road access to pedestrians and

bicycles;

(g) Law enforcement;

(h) Facilities management including

existing bunkers and small supply

buildings.

Alternatives that address the issues

and management strategies associated

with these topics will be included in the

environmental document.

With the publication of this notice,

the public is encouraged to send written

comments on these and other issues,

courses of action that the Service should

consider, and potential impacts that

could result from CMP implementation

on the proposed Alameda NWR.

Comments already received are on

record and need not be resubmitted.

The environmental review of this

project will be conducted in accordance

with the requirements of the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as

amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA

regulations (40 CFR 1500–1509), other

appropriate Federal laws and

regulations, Executive Order 12996, and

Service policies and procedures for

compliance with those regulations.

We estimate that the draft

environmental document will be

available in November 1997.

Electronic Access and Filing Address

You may submit comments by

sending electronic mail (e-mail) to

r1planninglguest@fws.gov (with

‘‘Alameda NWR’’ typed in the subject

line). Submit comments as an ASCII file,

avoiding the use of special characters

and any form of encryption.

Dated: July 28, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland,

Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97–20436 Filed 8–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of an Environmental

Assessment, Finding of No Significant

Impact, and Receipt of an Application

for an Incidental Take Permit for

Construction of a Single Family

Residence in Charlotte County, Florida

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: Mr. E.J. Mouhot (Applicant),

is seeking an incidental take permit

(ITP) from the Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service), pursuant to Section

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

Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. The ITP

would authorize the take of one family

of the threatened Florida scrub jay (FSJ),

Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens

for a period of six months. The

proposed taking is incidental to

construction of a single family home on

about 0.69 acres (Project) in section 9,

Township 40 South, Range 19 East,

Charlotte County, Florida. The

Applicant’s Project is located within an

existing (though incomplete) residential

subdivision known as Manasota

Gardens. A description of the mitigation

and minimization measures outlined in

the Applicant’s Habitat Conservation

Plan (HCP) to address the effects of the

Project to the protected species is as

described further in the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section below.

The Service also announces the

availability of an environmental

assessment (EA) and HCP for the

incidental take application. Copies of

the 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 (NEPA), as amended. The Finding

of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is

based on information contained in the

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 comment on the

appropriateness of the ‘‘No Surprises’’

assurances should the Service

determine that an ITP will be granted

and based upon the submitted HCP.

Although not explicitly stated in the

HCP, the Service has, since August

1994, announced its intention to honor

a ‘‘No Surprises’’ Policy for applicants

seeking ITPs. Copies of the Service’s

‘‘No Surprises’’ Policy may be obtained

by making a written request to the

Regional Office (see ADDRESSES). The

Service is soliciting public comments

and review of the applicability of the

‘‘No Surprises’’ Policy to this

application and HCP.

DATES: Written comments on the permit

application, EA, and HCP should be

sent to the Service’s Regional Office (see
41970 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 149 / Monday, August 4, 1997 / Notices

ADDRESSES) and should be received on

or before September 3, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the application, HCP, and EA may

obtain a copy by writing the Service’s

Southeast Regional Office, Atlanta,

Georgia. Documents will also be

available for public inspection by

appointment during normal business

hours at the Regional Office, 1875

Century Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta,

Georgia 30345 (Attn: Endangered

Species Permits), or Field Supervisor,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, South

Florida Ecosystem Office, Post Office

Box 2676, Vero Beach, Florida 32961–

2676. Written data or comments

concerning the application, EA, or HCP

should be submitted to the Regional

Office. Requests for the documentation

must be in writing to be processed.

Comments must be submitted in writing

to be processed. Please reference permit

number PRT–832536 in such comments,

or in requests of the documents

discussed herein.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Rick G. Gooch, Regional Permit

Coordinator, (see ADDRESSES above),

telephone: 404/679–7110; or Mr. Mike

Jennings, Fish and Wildlife Biologist,

South Florida Ecosystem Office , (see

ADDRESSES above), telephone: 561/

562–3909.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens

is geographically isolated from other

subspecies of scrub jays found in

Mexico and the Western United States.

The FSJ is found almost exclusively in

peninsular Florida and is restricted to

scrub habitat. The total estimated

population is between 7,000 and 11,000

individuals. Due to habitat loss and

degradation throughout the State of

Florida, it has been estimated that the

FSJ has been reduced by at least half in

the last 100 years.

The status of FSJs in southwest

Florida cannot accurately be estimated

because no historical biological data

exists with which to compare current

species status. Based on the information

identified in the Service’s EA, the

Service concludes that xeric habitats

have been destroyed or degraded

because of agricultural and urban uses,

but FSJ responses to habitat

disturbances are not well documented.

However, based on existing soils data,

the Service believes that much of the

FSJ habitat that was once widespread

along a narrow strip along coastal and

riverine portions of Lee, Charlotte, and

Sarasota counties has been lost. Because

of the loss in habitat, the Service

concludes that the number and

distribution of FSJs has also declined.

FSJ families occupying the Project site

and Manasota Gardens Subdivision are

part of a larger complex of FSJ families

that persist in southwest Sarasota and

northwest Charlotte counties. FSJ

inhabiting the Project site represent one

of eight confirmed FSJ families that

reside within the Manasota Gardens

Subdivision. The status of FSJ within

the Project site and adjacent areas is not

secure over the long term. Recent

biological studies of the FSJ population

suggests that FSJ families within

Manasota Gardens Subdivision will

likely decline in the future due to

decreasing habitat quality and

availability because of habitat

fragmentation associated with

residential development. The Service,

through consultation with other experts,

believes that FSJs will decline, over

time, in residential settings.

Construction of the Project’s

infrastructure and subsequent

construction of the individual homesites

will likely result in death of, or injury

to, Aphelocoma coerulescens

coerulescens incidental to the carrying

out of these otherwise lawful activities.

Habitat alteration associated with

property development will reduce the

availability of feeding, shelter, and

nesting habitat.

The EA considers the environmental

consequences of two alternatives. The

no action alternative may result in loss

of habitat for Aphelocoma coerulescens

coerulescens and exposure of the

Applicant under Section 9 of the Act.

The proposed action alternative is

issuance of the ITP. To compensate for

the destruction of 0.59 acres of FSJ

habitat and the take of one FSJ family,

the Applicant has proposed to preserve

0.10 acres of scrub on the Project site.

Further, clearing of vegetation and/or

construction would not be allowed

within 46 meters of any active FSJ nest

during the nesting season,

approximately March 1 to June 30 to

comply with State law. Based on the

Applicant’s HCP, financial

compensation was also offered to the

local chapter of the Audubon Society to

be used for FSJ monitoring in southern

Sarasota County, but the Audubon

Society rejected the offer. The Service

did not specifically request other

mitigation for the Project’s impacts and

no other compensation was offered by

the Applicant.

As stated above, the Service has made

a preliminary determination that the

issuance of 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 NEPA. This preliminary information

may be revised due to public comment

received in response to this notice and

is based on information contained in the

EA and HCP. An appropriate excerpt

from the FONSI reflecting the Service’s

finding on the application is provided

below:

Based on the analysis conducted by

the Service, it has been determined that:

1. Issuance of an ITP would not have

significant effects on the human

environment in the project area.

2. The proposed take is incidental to

an otherwise lawful activity.

3. The Applicant has minimized

impacts on the project site to the extent

practicable.

4. Other than impacts to the

threatened species as outlined in the

documentation of this decision, the

indirect impacts which may result from

issuance of the ITP are addressed by

other regulations and statutes under the

jurisdiction of other government

entities. The validity of the Service’s

ITP is contingent upon the Applicant’s

compliance with the terms of the permit

and all other laws and regulations under

the control of State, local, and other

Federal governmental entities.

The Service will also evaluate

whether the issuance of a Section

10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with Section 7

of the Act by conducting an intraService Section 7 consultation. The

results of the biological opinion, in

combination with the above findings,

will be used in the final analysis to

determine whether or not to issue the

ITP.

Dated: July 25, 1997.

H. Dale Hall,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 97–20433 Filed 8–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

Fish and Wildlife Service

[OR–015–97–1020–00: G7–0140]

Plan Amendment to the Warner Lakes

Management Framework Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management

(BLM) and Fish and Wildlife Service

(USFWS), DOI.

ACTION: Notice of Intent, Plan

Amendment to the Warner Lake

Management Framework Plan and

Jurisdictional Land Exchange with the

Hart Mountain National Antelope

Refuge.

SUMMARY: The Lakeview District (BLM)

and Hart Mountain National Antelope