5030 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 22 / Monday, February 3, 1997 / Notices

ACTION: Redelegation of Authority.

SUMMARY: This notice amends the field

reorganization Revocation and

Redelegation of Authority for the Office

of Housing, published on December 6,

1994, at 59 FR 62739, which was

amended by the Revocation and

Redelegation of Authority published on

June 26, 1996, at 59 FR 33130. This

notice redelegates certain Multifamily

Housing program functions to the

Director, Office of Housing, and the

Director, Multifamily Housing Division,

in the Atlanta, Georgia and Fort Worth,

Texas field offices.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 22, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William H. Melvin, Chief, Multifamily

Real Estate Owned Branch, Department

of Housing and Urban Development,

Georgia State Office, Richard B. Russell

Federal Building, Room 572, 75 Spring

Street, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30303–

3388, (Telephone (404) 331–5001, Ext.

2187), (TTY (404) 730–2654), or Alvin

E. Braggs, Chief, Multifamily Real Estate

Owned Branch, Department of Housing

and Urban Development, Texas State

Office, Department of Housing and

Urban Development, 12th Floor, 1600

Throckmorton Street, Post Office Box

2905, Fort Worth, Texas 76113–2905,

(Telephone (817) 978–9044), (TTY (817)

885–5447). All telephone and TTY

numbers listed are not toll-free

numbers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In

November of 1993, the Secretary

announced the reorganization of HUD’s

field structure to improve performance

and provide HUD’s customers—

members of the public and program

beneficiaries—more efficient service

and less bureaucracy by empowering

HUD’s employees to more effectively

serve these customers. As part of that

ongoing process, on December 6, 1994,

at 59 FR 62739, the Department

published a Notice of Revocation and

Redelegation of Authority pertaining to

authority in the field over Office of

Housing programs, which was amended

by the Revocation and Redelegation of

Authority published on June 26, 1996,

at 61 FR 33130.

With the decline of the Multifamily

Property Disposition inventory, many of

the offices with authority to administer

Multifamily Property Disposition

inventory are managing only a small

number of projects. Top maximize staff

resources, the Assistant Secretary for

Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner

determined to consolidate the

Multifamily Property Disposition

inventory into two ‘‘HUB’’ offices which

would have nationwide authority to

perform Multifamily Property

Management and Disposition functions.

In June, 1996, the Assistant Secretary

for Housing-Federal Housing

Commissioner selected the Atlanta,

Georgia and Fort Worth, Texas field

offices to serve as the two ‘‘HUB’’ offices

for certain Multifamily Housing

program functions. Implementation of

these HUBs will serve to free field office

staff, currently performing real estate

owned processing, to focus on loss

mitigation and servicing of troubled

properties to avoid future foreclosures,

as well as other critical field office

priorities.

As the Department strives to provide

increasingly efficient service, the ability

to do more with less is of crucial

importance. Through this Redelegation

of Authority, the Department seeks to

shift certain powers and authorities in

order to best utilize its finite resources

to the benefit of the customer.

Implementation of the two HUBs will

ensure that as staff resources continue to

decline, the Department will have staff

available to manage and dispose of

defaulted FHA-insured multifamily

properties that have reverted to HUD.

Accordingly, the Assistant Secretary

for Housing-Federal Housing

Commissioner redelegates authority as

follows:

Section A. Authority Redelegated

The Assistant Secretary for Housing—

Federal Housing Commissioner

redelegates to the Director, Office of

Housing, and the Director, Multifamily

Housing Division, in the Atlanta,

Georgia, and Fort Worth, Texas field

offices, nationwide authority over those

functions listed in the Revocation and

Redelegation of Authority published

December 6, 1994, at 59 FR 62739 at the

following sections:

• B., III., (a), (iii), A., 31; and

• B., III., (a), (iv).

Section B. Authority to Further

Redelegate

The authority redelegated above, in

Section A of the instant document, may

be further redelegated in writing to

appropriate field office staff so as to

maximize efficiency. In cases where

authority is redelegated to staff not

reporting to the redelegating field office

official, prior concurrence of the

Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal

Housing Commissioner, or appropriate

Deputy Assistant Secretary, is required.

Authority: Section 7(d), Department of

Housing and Urban Development Act, 42

U.S.C. § 3535(d).

Dated: January 22, 1997.

Stephanie A. Smith,

General Deputy Assistant Secretary for

Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner.

[FR Doc. 97–2595 Filed 1–31–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210–27–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Endangered and Threatened Species

Permit Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications.

SUMMARY: The following applicants have

applied for a permit to conduct certain

activities with endangered species. This

notice is provided pursuant to section

10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531, et

seq.).

Permit No. 821962

Applicant: Mark E. Angelos, Torrance,

California

The applicant requests a permit to

take (harass by survey, capture and

release, collect voucher specimens) the

Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus

wootoni) in Los Angeles, Riverside, and

San Diego Counties, California in

conjunction with presence or absence

surveys and aquatic insect research for

the purpose of enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 807055

Applicant: Justine Gibb, La Mesa,

California

The applicant requests an amendment

of her permit to include take (locate and

monitor nests) of the least Bell’s vireo

(Vireo bellii pusillus) in Los Angeles,

Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and San

Bernardino Counties, California in

conjunction with conducting surveys

and nest monitoring for the purpose of

enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 810313

Applicant: Stephen Eugene Leach,

Oakland, California

The applicant requests a permit to

take (harass by survey, capture and

release, collect voucher specimens) the

Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta

conservatio), longhorn fairy shrimp

(Branchinecta longiantenna), and vernal

pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus

packardi) in Shasta, Tehama, Butte,

Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Placer,

Yolo, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Madera,

Fresno, Contra Costa, Alameda, and

Solano Counties, California in

conjunction with presence or absence

surveys for the purpose of enhancing

their survival.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 22 / Monday, February 3, 1997 / Notices 5031

Permit No. 815144

Applicant: Rosemary Ann Thompson,

Santa Barbara, California

The applicant requests an amendment

of her permit to extend the area

authorized to take (harass by survey,

capture and release) the tidewater goby

(Eucyclogobius newberryi) to include its

entire range in California in conjunction

with presence or absence surveys for the

purpose of enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 821967

Applicant: J. Paul Galvin, Newport

Beach, California

The applicant requests a permit to

take (harass by survey, locate and

monitor nests) the least Bell’s vireo

(Vireo bellii pusillus) and southwestern

willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii

extimus) throughout the range of the

species in California in conjunction

with surveys and nest monitoring for

the purpose of enhancing their survival.

Permit No. 821229

Applicant: David Guy Crawford,

Camarillo, California

The applicant requests a permit to

take (harass by survey, capture and

release) the unarmored threespine

stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus

williamsoni) in Ventura and Los

Angeles Counties, California in

conjunction with surveys for the

purpose of enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 822468

Applicant: Redwood National and

State Parks, Orick, California

The applicant requests a permit to

take (harass by survey, capture and

release) the tidewater goby

(Eucyclogobius newberryi) in Humboldt

County, California in conjunction with

presence or absence surveys and long

term monitoring for the purpose of

enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 820805

Applicant: Philip Leitner, Orinda,

California

The applicant requests a permit to

take (capture and release) the salt marsh

harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys

raviventris) throughout the range of the

species in California in conjunction

with population monitoring for the

purpose of enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 812740

Applicant: Ingri S. Quon, San Diego,

California

The applicant requests an amendment

to her permit to include take (locate and

monitor nests) of the southwestern

willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii

extimus) in San Diego County,

California in conjunction with

population monitoring for the purpose

of enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 802445

Applicant: Elaine K. Harding-Smith,

Santa Cruz, California

The applicant requests an amendment

to her permit to take (tag) the salt marsh

harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys

raviventris) during an extended trapping

period and to extend the area authorized

to include the range of the species in

California in conjunction with

population studies for the purpose of

enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 823795

Applicant: Theresa Ann Cabrera,

Honolulu, Hawaii

The applicant requests a permit to

take (capture, band, radio-tag, and

release) the Hawaiian hoary bat

(Lasiurus cinereus semotus) in Hawaii

County, Hawaii in conjunction with

scientific research for the purpose of

enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 778195

Applicant: Sweetwater Environmental

Biologists, Inc., San Diego,

California

The applicant requests an amendment

of his permit to include take (harass by

survey, capture and release, collect

voucher specimens) of the Riverside

fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus woottoni)

in Riverside, Orange, and San Diego

Counties, California in conjunction with

presence or absence surveys for the

purpose of enhancing its survival.

Permit No. 820658

Applicant: EDAW, Sacramento,

California

The applicant requests a permit to

take (harass by survey) the southwestern

willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii

extimus), to take (locate and monitor

nests) the least Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii

pusillus), and to take (harass by survey;

capture and release; collect voucher

specimens) the conservancy fairy

shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio),

longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta

longiantenna), vernal pool tadpole

shrimp (Lepidurus packardi), and

Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus

woottoni) throughout the range of the

species in California in conjunction

with presence or absence surveys and

scientific research for the purpose of

enhancing their survival.

Permit No. 799561

Applicant: Entrix, Inc., Walnut Creek,

California

The applicant requests an amendment

to his permit to take (harass by survey,

locate and monitor nests, conduct

habitat studies) for the southwestern

willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii

extimus), California least tern (Sterna

albifrons browni) and least Bell’s vireo

(Vireo bellii pusillus) throughout the

range of the species in California in

conjunction with population and habitat

studies for the purpose of enhancing

their survival.

Permit No. 823990

Applicant: BioResources, Los Osos,

California

The applicant requests a permit to

take (harass by survey, locate and

monitor nests) the California least tern

(Sterna albifrons browni) along the

central California coast in conjunction

with surveys and population monitoring

for the purpose of enhancing its

survival.

Permit No. 787376

Peter Bloom, Camarillo, California

The applicant requests an amendment

to his permit to take (capture, band,

radio-tag, and release) the peregrine

falcon (Falco peregrinus) and to take

(harass by disturbance while conducting

trapping activities) the California least

tern (Sterna albifrons browni) and

western snowy plover (Charadrius

alexandrinus nivosus) along the

California coast from (and including)

San Luis Obispo County south to the

Mexican border, including the Channel

Islands, in conjunction with scientific

research on peregrine falcons, especially

with regard to their interactions with

California least tern colonies and

western snowy plovers, for the purpose

of enhancing their survival.

Permit No. 823806

Applicant: Pacific Estuarine Research

Laboratory, San Diego, California

The applicant requests a permit to

remove and reduce to possession

specimens of Cordylanthus maritimus

ssp. maritimus (salt marsh bird’s beak)

from Sweetwater Marsh National

Wildlife Refuge and Tijuana Estuary,

San Diego County, California in

conjunction with scientific research for

the purpose of enhancing its

propagation and survival.

Permit No. 824105

Applicant: Burl L. Mostul, Portland,

Oregon

The applicant requests an interstate

commerce permit to sell artificially

propagated Brighamia insignis (‘‘Olulu)

and Manihot walkeri (Walker’s manioc)

in order to enhance their propagation

and survival.

Permit No. 799558

Applicant: Idaho Power Company,

Boise, Idaho

The applicant requests an amendment

of their permit to extend the area

authorized to take (collect, release,

sacrifice voucher specimens) the Snake

River physa snail (Physa natricina),

Idaho springsnail (Fontelicella

idahoensis), Utah valvata snail (Valvata
5032 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 22 / Monday, February 3, 1997 / Notices

utahensis), and Banbury Springs Limpet

(Lanx n. sp.) in the Snake River, Idaho,

and its tributaries to (and including)

river mile 458 (Swan Falls) while

conducting presence or absence surveys

and various life history and ecological

studies for the purpose of enhancing

their survival.

DATES: Written comments on these

permit applications must be received on

or before March 5, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written data or comments

should be submitted to the Chief,

Division of Consultation and

Conservation Planning, Ecological

Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

911 N.E. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon

97232–4181. Please refer to the

respective permit number for each

application when submitting comments.

All comments, including names and

addresses, received will become part of

the official administrative record and

may be made available to the public.

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 within 30

days of the date of publication of this

notice, to the above office. Please refer

to the respective permit number for each

application when requesting copies of

documents.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Frie, Fish and Wildlife

Biologist, at the above address;

telephone (503) 231–6125.

Dated: January 22, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland,

Oregon

[FR Doc. 97–2572 Filed 1–31–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

Notice of Receipt of an Application,

and Availability of an Environmental

Assessment and Finding of No

Significant Impact for an Incidental

Take Permit for the Red Hills

Salamander by Wilmon Timberlands

for Forest Management in Southcentral

Alabama

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: Wilmon Timberlands 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.) (Act), as amended.

The ITP would authorize, for a period

of 30 years, the incidental take of a

threatened species, the Red Hills

salamander (Phaeognathus hubrichti).

The proposed take is incidental to forest

management activities on about 2,970

acres of Red Hills salamander habitat

managed by the Applicant in Monroe

County, Alabama. The Service also

announces the availability of an

Environmental Assessment (EA) and

Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for this

incidental take permit application. The

HCP, which is required by Section

10(a)(2)(A) of the Act, was prepared and

submitted by the Applicant with the

permit application. Copies of the EA

and/or HCP may be obtained by making

a request in writing to the Regional

Office (see ADDRESSES). This notice also

advises the public that the Service has

made preliminary determinations that

issuing an ITP to the Applicant 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).

DATES: Written comments on the

application, EA and HCP should be sent

to the Service’s Regional Office (see

ADDRESSES) and should be received on

or before March 5, 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 at the Jackson,

Mississippi, Field Office, 6578 Dogwood

View Parkway, Suite A, Jackson,

Mississippi 39213. Written data or

comments concerning the application,

EA, or HCP should be submitted to the

Regional Office. Comments must be

submitted in writing to be processed.

Please reference permit under PRT–

824543 in such comments, or in

requests for the documents discussed

herein. Requests for the documents

must be in writing to be adequately

processed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Rick G. Gooch, Regional Permit

Coordinator, Atlanta, Georgia (see

ADDRESSES above), telephone: 404/679–

7110; or Mr. Will McDearman at the

Jackson, Mississippi, Field Office (see

ADDRESSES above), telephone: 601/965–

4900, extension 24.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Red

Hills salamander (RHS), Phaeognathus

hubrichti, is a plethodontid salamander

known only from the Red Hills region

of southcentral Alabama in portions of

Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw,

and Monroe Counties. This

physiographic subdivision of the Gulf

Coastal Plain is distinguished by hilly,

dissected terrain, frequently with steep

side slopes extending 200 feet from the

ridge to the base of the lower slope.

Natural vegetation of these moist, steep,

sheltered slopes and ravines consists of

a beech-magnolia forest community.

Characteristic woody species in the

forest overstory include American beech

(Fagus grandifolia), bigleaf magnolia

(Magnolia macrophylla), southern

magnolia (M. grandiflora), white oak

(Quercus alba), and tulip tree

(Liriodendron tulipifera). Portions of

this and closely related forest types in

the Red Hills region are underlain by

clays, claystones, and siltstones of the

Tallahatta and Hatchetigbee formations.

RHS occupy subterranean burrows

within the fissures and channels of

these formations on relatively steep

slopes beneath undisturbed and

moderately disturbed hardwood and

hardwood-pine dominated forests. RHS,

which rarely leave their burrows, prey

upon ground-dwelling arthropods

located within burrows or outside

burrows near the burrow entrance.

Substrates of the Tallahatta and

Hatchetigbee formation apparently are

important for maintaining suitable

moisture required for these amphibians.

Other important factors preventing the

desiccation of RHS micro-habitat

include loamy soils, leaf litter from

deciduous trees, and a well developed

overstory canopy of hardwoods that

intercepts direct sunlight. Timber

management practices that reduce or

eliminate the forest canopy, disturb or

compact soils, and convert hardwooddominated forests to pine-dominated

forests can incidentally kill, injure, or

harm RHS in violation of Section 9 of

the Act. Such practices can involve

timber harvest, the operation of

vehicular logging equipment, timber

regeneration, and site preparation in

habitat occupied by RHS. Based on RHS

surveys conducted by the Applicant,

RHS may occur on about 2,970 acres

managed by Wilmon Timberlands. This

represents about five percent of the

range wide total habitat estimated to

remain in 1978.