51130 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 189 / Tuesday, September 30, 1997 / Notices

threats, with a minimum of 100 mature

individuals per population for longlived perennials, a minimum of 300

mature individuals per population for

short-lived perennials, a minimum of

500 mature individuals per population

for the annual taxon. Each population

should persist at this level for a

minimum of 5 consecutive years before

downlisting is considered. For delisting,

a total of 8 to 10 populations of each

taxon should be documented on Kauai

where they now occur or occurred

historically. Each of these populations

must be naturally reproducing, stable or

increasing in number, and secure from

threats, with a minimum of 100 mature

individuals per population for longlived perennials, a minimum of 300

mature individuals per population for

short-lived perennials, and a minimum

of 500 mature individuals per

population for the annual taxon. Each

population should persist at this level

for a minimum of 5 consecutive years.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments

on the Addendum to the Recovery Plan

described. All comments received by

the date specified above will be

considered prior to approval of this

addendum.

Authority

The authority for this action is section

4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16

U.S.C. 1533(f).

Dated: September 24, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97–25847 Filed 9–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of an Environmental

Assessment and Finding of No

Significant Impact, and Receipt of an

Application for an Incidental Take

Permit for a Residential Development

Proposal called Tidewater

Condominiums, in the City of Orange

Beach, Baldwin County, Alabama

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

Tidewater Associates, L.L.C.

(Applicant), seeks 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 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as

amended (Act). The ITP would

authorize for a period of 30 years the

incidental take of an endangered

species, the Alabama beach mouse,

Peromyscus polionotus ammobates

(ABM). While surveys did not confirm

the presence of ABM on the Applicant’s

4.3-acre tract, ABM have been trapped

on land adjacent to the Applicant’s in

Orange Beach, Alabama. It was the

Applicant’s decision to go forward with

the Section 10 process. The project

would be called Tidewater

Condominiums and consists of 102

residential units. The residential

component will include a single, 12-

story condominium complex with 102

units. Associated landscaped grounds

and parking areas, recreational

amenities, and a dune walkover

structure would also be constructed. A

more detailed description of the

mitigation and minimization measures

to address the effects of the Project to

the protected species are outlined the

Applicant’s Habitat Conservation Plan

(HCP) and 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, as amended (NEPA). 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 ITP

application, EA, and HCP should be

sent to the Service’s Regional Office (see

ADDRESSES) and should be received on

or before October 30, 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, Post

Office Drawer 1190, Daphne, Alabama

36526. 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–832539 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 Ms. Celeste

South, Fish and Wildlife Biologist,

Daphne, Alabama, Field Office (see

ADDRESSES above), telephone: 334/441–

5181.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Alabama beach mouse (ABM),

Peromyscus polionotus ammobates, is a

subspecies of the common oldfield

mouse, Peromyscus polionotus, and is

restricted to the dune systems of the

Gulf Coast of Alabama. The known

current range of ABM extends from Fort

Morgan eastward to the western

terminus of Alabama Highway 182,

including the Perdue Unit on the Bon

Secour National Wildlife Refuge. The

sand dune systems inhabited by this

species are not uniform; several habitat

types are distinguishable. The species

inhabits primary dunes, interdune areas,

secondary dunes, and scrub dunes. The

depth and area of these habitats from

the beach inland varies. Population

surveys indicate that this subspecies is

usually more abundant in primary

dunes than in secondary dunes, and

usually more abundant in secondary

dunes than in scrub dunes. Optimal

habitat consists of dune systems with all

dune types. Though fewer ABM inhabit

scrub dunes, these high dunes can serve

as refugia during devastating hurricanes

that overwash, flood, and destroy or

alter secondary and frontal dunes. ABM
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 189 / Tuesday, September 30, 1997 / Notices 51131

surveys on the Applicant’s property did

not reveal habitat occupied by ABM;

however, the Applicant is seeking

compliance with the Act in an

abundance of caution. The Applicant’s

property does not contain designated

critical habitat for the ABM.

Construction of the Project may result in

the death of, or injury to, ABM. Habitat

alterations due to condominium

placement and subsequent human

habitation of the Project may reduce

available habitat for food, shelter, and

reproduction.

The EA considers the environmental

consequences of several alternatives.

One action proposed is the issuance of

the ITP based upon submittal of the

HCP as proposed. This alternative

provides for restrictions that include

conserving almost 75 percent of the

Project’s dune fields (essentially

primary and secondary dunes),

establishment of one walkover structure

across primary and secondary dune

features, a prohibition against housing

or keeping pet cats, ABM competitor

control and monitoring measures,

scavenger-proof garbage containers,

restoration of dune systems, the creation

of educational and information

brochures on ABM conservation, and

the minimization and control of outdoor

lighting. Further, the HCP proposes to

provide an endowment of $17,773 to

acquire ABM habitat offsite or otherwise

perform some other conservation

measure for the ABM. The HCP

provides a funding source for these

mitigation measures, as well as

monitoring of the HCP, should an ITP be

issued by the Service. Another

alternative is consideration of a different

project design that might result in more

impacts to the ABM and its habitat. A

third alternative is no-action, or deny

the request for authorization to

incidentally take the ABM.

As stated above, the Service has made

a preliminary determination that the

issuance of the ITP is not a major

Federal action significantly effecting 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:

• Issuance of the ITP will not

appreciably reduce the likelihood of

survival and recovery of the effected

species in the wild.

• The HCP contains provisions

which sufficiently minimize and/or

mitigate the impacts of issuing the ITP.

• Issuance of the ITP would not have

significant effects on the human

environment in the project area.

• The proposed take is incidental to

an otherwise lawful activity.

• Adequate funding will be provided

to implement the measures proposed in

the submitted HCP and authorizing ITP.

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: September 24, 1997.

H. Dale Hall,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 97–25835 Filed 9–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Meeting

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 10(a)(2) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5

U.S.C. App. I), this notice announces a

meeting of the Klamath River Basin

Fisheries Task Force, established under

the authority of the Klamath River Basin

Fishery Resources Restoration Act (16

U.S.C. 460ss et seq.). The meeting is

open to the public.

DATES: The Klamath River Basin

Fisheries Task Force (TF) will meet

from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on

Wednesday, October 15, 1997 and from

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday,

October 16, 1997.

PLACE: The meeting will be held in the

Windmill Ashland Hills Inn (2525

Ashland Street), Ashland, Oregon.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Ronald A. Iverson, Project Leader,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box

1006 (1030 South Main), Yreka,

California 96097–1006, telephone (916)

842–5763.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

principal agenda items at this meeting

will be (1) A decision on whether or

how to proceed with the Upper Basin

Amendment and assignments; (2) an

update on Klamath Compact

Commission water supply initiative; (3)

an update on subbasin planning; (4) a

report from National Marine Fisheries

Service and Siskiyou County regarding

the Five Counties Coho Initiative and

Plan; (5) a report on the American

Heritage Rivers Initiative; (6) private

landowner awards; and (7) an update on

scoping of the Klamath River Basin

Instream Flow Incremental

Methodology (IFIM) flow study.

For background information on the

TF, please refer to the notice of their

initial meeting that appeared in the

Federal Register on July 8, 1987 (52 FR

25639).

Dated: September 22, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 97–25833 Filed 9–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR–030–07–1120–00: GP7–0304]

Notice of Meetings of Southeast

Oregon Resource Advisory Council

AGENCY: Vale District, Bureau of Land

Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

SUMMARY: Notice is given that there will

be meetings of the Southeast Oregon

Resource Advisory Council.

DATES: The Southeast Oregon Resource

Advisory Council meetings will begin at

8:00 a.m. and run to 5:00 p.m. October

27, 1997. Public comments are

scheduled from 12:00 noon to 12:15

p.m., October 27, 1997. On October 28,

1997, the meeting will run from 8:00

a.m. to 12:00 noon. At an appropriate

time, the council will recess for

approximately one hour for lunch.

Topics to be discussed during the

meeting are administrative activities of

the Council, the workload for fiscal year

1998, noxious weeds, fuels and

prescribed fire, water quality issues, and

such other issues as to properly come

before the Council.

ADDRESSES: The Southeast Oregon

Resource Advisory Council meetings

will take place at the Malheur National

Forest Headquarters, Federal Building,

431 Patterson Bridge Road, John Day,

Oregon 97845.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jonne Hower, Bureau of Land

Management, Vale District, 100 Oregon