Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 239 / Friday, December 12, 1997 / Notices 65437

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

extension of the comment period on the

application from the County of San

Diego, California, for an incidental take

permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of

the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended (Act). Because of an

administrative error, the original public

comment period that closes December

15, 1997 (62 FR 61140) is extended to

allow adequate time for review and

response by the public. This notice is

provided pursuant to section 10(c) of

the Act. All comments received will

become part of the public record and

may be released.

DATES: Written comments should be

received on or before January 12, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

addressed to Mr. Gail Kobetich, Field

Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife

Office, 2730 Loker Avenue West,

Carlsbad, California 92008. Comments

may be sent by facsimile to telephone

(760) 431–9618.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

Sherry Barrett, Assistant Field

Supervisor, at the above address;

telephone (760) 431–9440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Availability of Documents

The application includes the County

of San Diego Subarea Plan and an

Implementing Agreement, both of which

were prepared in accordance with the

regional Multiple Species Conservation

Program. Persons wishing to obtain

copies of the documents or additional

background material should contact the

County of San Diego, Department of

Planning and Land Use, 5201 Ruffin

Road, Suite B, Mail Station 0650, San

Diego, California 92123; telephone (619)

260–8316. Documents will be available

for public inspection, by appointment,

during normal business hours (8 a.m. to

12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.), Monday

through Friday, at the above County

office and at the Carlsbad Fish and

Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES).

Dated: December 8, 1997.

Thomas Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland,

Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97–32513 Filed 12–11–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement to

Allow Incidental Take of Species on

Lands Administered by Plum Creek

Timber Company, L.P., in the States of

Idaho, Montana, and Washington

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior; National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, Commerce.

ACTION: Notce of intent.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public

that the Fish and Wildlife Service and

National Marine Fisheries Service

(collectively, the ‘‘Services’’) intend to

gather information necessary to prepare

an Environmental Impact Statement and

to conduct public scoping meetings.

Plum Creek Timber Company, L.P.

(Plum Creek) has informed the Services

that it is preparing an application for a

permit and approval of a Conservation

Plan (Plan) covering bull trout

(Salvelinus confluentus) and possibly

other native salmonids, including

steelhead trout (Onchorynchus mykiss

ssp.), pursuant to section 10(a) of the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended (Act). The proposed Plan

would be designed to address the effects

of Plum Creek activities that may have

an impact on bull trout and possibly

other aquatic species not currently

listed under the Act. As a part of its

application, Plum Creek may be seeking

a permit that would authorize incidental

take of steelhead trout, an aquatic

species presently listed under the Act.

Plum Creek would also be seeking

future incidental take authority, subject

to certain conditions, for other species

adequately covered by the Plan should

those species subsequently be listed

under the Act during the term of the

Plan. The Plan would be in the form of

a Candidate Conservation Agreement or

a Habitat Conservation Plan, depending

upon whether it includes species

currently listed under the Act.

In compliance with their

responsibilities under the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as

amended, and its implementing

regulations (40 CFR 1500, et. seq.) the

Services jointly announce their intent to

prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement for the proposed action of

approving the proposed Plan and

issuing the permit. This notice is

furnished to solicit suggestions and

information from tribes, other agencies,

and the public to determine the scope

of issues and alternatives to be

considered in preparation of the

Environmental Impact Statement. The

Services jointly announce their intent to

hold scoping meetings, the date, time,

and place of which are provided in this

notice, below. This notice is provided

pursuant to section 10(c) of the

Endangered Species Act and the

National Environmental Policy Act

implementing regulations (40 CFR

1506.6.

DATES: Scoping will commence as of the

date of publication of this notice in the

Federal Register. Written comments on

the scope of the proposed action, the

approval of the Plan and issuance of the

permit should be received on or before

February 27, 1998. A total of six scoping

meetings will be held in each of the

three states, on January 14, 15, 21, 22,

28, and 29, 1998. Each meeting will run

from 3:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. The

Services will use an open house format

for the meetings, allowing interested

members of the public to drop by at any

point during the meeting to gather

information and/or provide comments.

ADDRESSES: Meeting locations are

scheduled as follows: January 14—

Venture Motor Inn, 443 Highway 2

West, Libby, Montana; January 15—

Outlaw Inn, 1701 U.S. 93 South,

Kalispell, Montana; January 21—Shilo

Inn, 702 West Appleway, Coeur

d’Alene, Idaho; January 22—Holiday

Inn Parkside, 200 South Pattee,

Missoula, Montana; January 28,

Doubletree Inn, 510 Kelso Drive, Kelso,

Washington; and January 29,

Cavanaugh’s Gateway, 9 North 9th

Street, Yakima, Washington, Written

comments regarding the proposed

action and the proposed Environmental

Impact Statement should be addressed

to Robert G. Ruesink, Supervisor, Snake

River Basin Fish and Wildlife Office,

1387 South Vinnell Way, Room 368,

Boise, Idaho 83709.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ted Koch, at the address above, (208)

378–5293; Bill Vogel, Western

Washington Fish and Wildlife Office,

510 Desmond Drive, Suite 102, Lacey,

Washington, 98503–1273 (360) 753–

4367; or Bob Ries, National Marine

Fisheries Service, 1387 S. Vinnell Way,

Room 377, Boise, Idaho, 83709 (208)

378–5647.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under section 9 of the Act and its

implementing regulations, ‘‘taking’’ of a

threatened or endangered species, is

prohibited. However, under certain

circumstances the Services may issue

permits to take these wildlife species if

such taking is incidental to, and not the

purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.
65438 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 239 / Friday, December 12, 1997 / Notices

Regulations governing permits for taking

of threatened or endangered species are

found at 50 CFR 17.22, 50 CFR 17.32,

50 CFR 222.22, 50 CFR 222.23, and 50

CFR 227.21. According to the Services’

draft policy and proposed rule for

Candidate Conservation Agreements,

the Services may also issue permits,

under certain circumstances, in

connection with a Candidate

Conservation Agreement (see 62 FR

32183–32188, June 12, 1997).

Plum Creek proposes to develop the

Plan employing the technical assistance

of the Services. Plum Creek has

identified the goals of their Plan as:

1. To the maximum extent

practicable, minimize and mitigate the

impacts of Plum Creek’s activities on all

species covered by the Plan.

2. Provide habitat conditions that are

necessary and advisable to conserve and

enhance species populations, and allow

for the long-term survival of species

covered by the Plan.

To the extent that unlisted species are

covered by the Plan, Plum Creek’s

objective is to address the listing factors

under its control such that the listing of

such species would be unnecessary,

assuming the measures in the Plan were

implemented by similarly situated

landowners through a species’ range.

3. Provide Plum Creek will

predictability and flexibility to manage

its timberlands economically. Plum

Creek’s objective is that the Plan would

meet or exceed the standards set forth

in the Services’ ‘‘No Surprises’’ Policy

proposed rule such that Plum Creek

would be entitled to the assurances

provided thereunder (see FR 29091,

May 29, 1997).

The terms of any permit that the

Services may issue in connection with

Plum Creek’s Plan, will be governed by

the Services’ final policy and rules for

Candidate Conservation Agreements, or

the final ‘‘No Surprises’’ rule,

depending upon which is applicable.

The Scope of the Agreement

As currently envisioned, the Plan

would involve a multi-year agreement

covering approximately 1.7 million

acres of Plum Creek ownership in the

Pacific Northwest, including 1,462,000

acres in Montana, 132,000 acres in

Idaho, and 85,000 acres in Washington.

These acres include all Plum Creek

ownership in Idaho and Montana, and

those acres in Washington which are

tributary to the Columbia River and not

included in Plum Creek’s approved

Cascades Habitat Conservation Plan. In

addition, the Plan might include 71,000

acres of Plum Creek ownership in the

Puget Sound Basin that are presently

not addressed in the company’s

Cascades Habitat Conservation Plan.

Plum Creek is currently considering an

agreement term of 30 years for the Plan.

The Services specifically request

comment on the term of the agreement.

Plum Creek has indicated that the

Plan will adopt a multi-species, aquaticecosystem approach spanning all

watersheds in the planning area in order

to protect bull trout specifically, as well

as other aquatic species. Bull trout are

currently proposed for listing under the

Act.

The intent of employing an aquaticecosystem approach would be to

address biological concerns of fish

species present in the area and remove

threats to the species and/or their

habitat. Other species besides bull trout

which could be included in the plan

include westslope cutthroat trout

(Onchorynchus clarki lewisi), redband

trout (Onchorynchus mykiss ssp.), and

steelhead trout. Other aquatic species

may also be included. Except for

steelhead trout, which is listed as

threatened under the Act, all of these

species are currently unlisted. The

Service specifically requests comment

on the aquatic ecosystem approach to

Plan development, and the possibility of

inclusion of these and other species in

the Plan and permit.

A key assumption for species

protection in the Plan may be that

actions taken to address the biological

needs of bull trout would be beneficial

to other fish species in the area. For

planning purposes, the Plan and

environmental analysis may rely, in

part, on a classification of watershed

units based on bull trout biology. In

addition, the conservation needs of

other fish species to be included in the

Plan would be fully and independently

identified and analyzed, and any

additional actions necessary for their

conservation would be included in the

Plan.

The Plan may use a two-tier bull trout

habitat classification system. Tier 1

watersheds would include Plum Creek

lands within catchment areas

(drainages) tributary to 1st, 2nd, 3rd,

and 4th order watercourses known or

suspected to support spawning and

juvenile rearing of bull trout. Tier 2

watersheds would include Plum Creek

lands within catchment areas tributary

to all other watercourses within the

Columbia River basin, within the project

area. Some of these areas are known or

are suspected to provide migratory,

foraging, and over-wintering habitat for

adult and sub-adult bull trout. Tier 2

watersheds may also provide the

majority of available habitat (on Plum

Creek lands), for other native salmonids

such as westslope cutthroat trout,

redband trout, and steelhead trout.

Fish habitat management, mitigation

and restoration activities in Tier 1

watersheds would focus on protection

of habitat for spawning and rearing of

bull trout and other fish species

included in the plan. Conservation

measures in Tier 2 watersheds would be

designed to protect migration, foraging,

and overwintering habitat for bull trout

and other fish species, and possibly

spawning and rearing habitat for other

fish species. The Services will evaluate

the conservation needs of bull trout and

other fish species throughout their

ranges to ensure that conservation

measures in the Plan are adequate to

allow for long-term survival of each

species.

As a component of this planning

process, the Services seek to identify

fish habitat conditions and land

management actions on lands adjacent

to those owned and managed by Plum

Creek. In many cases, these lands may

be managed by the U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Forest Service. In such

cases the Services will seek to work

with the Forest Service under existing

authorities to develop and implement

management actions that are

complementary to those developed for

Plum Creek lands. This approach to

habitat conservation planning will help

ensure that adequate conservation of

bull trout habitat, and habitat for other

fish species, is achieved in the planning

area.

Plum Creek management activities

that might impact fish species covered

under the Plan include commercial

forestry and associated activities (such

as logging road construction, logging

road maintenance, gravel quarrying

primarily for the purposes of logging

road construction, and silvicultural

activities including tree planting, site

preparation, pesticide application,

fertilization, and prescribed burning).

Other activities which could also be

addressed include forest fire

suppression, open range cattle grazing,

miscellaneous forest and land product

sales (such as gravel and landscape

stones). Non-forestry related activities

also addressed would include special

forest use permits for commercial

outfitting, special recreation permits

(such as club activities on Plum Creek

land), electronic facility sites,

manufacturing of forest products, and

other activities common to commercial

forestry and the forest products

business.

Proposed Conservation Measures

For the proposed Plan, Plum Creek

would develop specific conservation
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 239 / Friday, December 12, 1997 / Notices 65439

measures to be implemented under the

umbrella of the company’s

‘‘environmental principles.’’ The

measures would be developed under the

following general categories:

1. Riparian Management Areas.

Conservation measures would be

developed to regulate activities in

riparian areas. Such measures would

address habitat needs by providing

adequate wood for habitat complexity,

adequate canopy cover for temperature

management, and adequate filtration for

the prevention of sediment delivery to

streams.

2. Forest Road Management.

Sediment from forest roads is

recognized as having the potential to

significantly impact fish habitat.

Conservation measures would be

developed to minimize the delivery of

sediment from forest roads to streams.

3. Grazing. Livestock grazing

(primarily cattle) occurs on over 40% of

Plum Creek ownership in the planning

area. Intensive grazing on many of these

acres has occurred annually for decades,

and for over a century in some

locations. Conservation measures would

be developed to manage riparian

impacts resulting from grazing.

4. Land-Use Planning. Plum Creek

owns property in the planning area that

may ultimately have long-term uses

other than forestry. Plum Creek also

buys and sells land in the planning area.

Land Use Planning measures would be

developed to mitigate the impacts of

future development or land ownership

adjustments.

5. Legacy Management and Other

Restoration Opportunities. On Plum

Creek ownership, the legacy impacts of

a variety of past management activities

may have a greater bearing on fish

habitat health than current practices

under well-informed land-management

policies and regulations. Restoration

and legacy-management projects

designed to remove threats to fish

habitat may be identified as a part of

this Plan.

6. Administration and

Implementation. Plum Creek would

initiate a program to monitor significant

elements of the Plan and develop a

program to inform and educate

contractors and employees on standards

and practices to be implemented.

Monitoring and Adaptive Management

As currently envisioned, the Plan

would incorporate active adaptive

management features, including

watershed analysis. Research and

monitoring would help determine the

effectiveness of the Plan, validate

models used to develop the Plan, and

provide the basic information used to

implement ‘‘mid-course corrections’’ if

necessary.

Dated: December 8, 1997.

Thomas Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland,

Oregon.

[FR Doc. 97–32512 Filed 12–11–07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

Request for Public Comments on

Information Collection Submitted to

the Office of Management and Budget

for Review Under the Paperwork

Reduction Act

A request revising and extending the

collection of information listed below

has been submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget for approval

below has been submitted to the Office

of Management and Budget for approval

under the provisions of the Paperwork

Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Copies of the proposed collection of

information and related forms may be

obtained by contacting the Bureau’s

Clearance Officer at the phone number

listed below. Comments and suggestions

on the requirement should be made

within 30 days directly to the Desk

Officer for the Interior Department,

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, Washington, DC 20503 and to

the Bureau Clearance Officer, U.S.

Geological Survey, 807 National Center,

Reston, VA 20192.

As required by OMB regulations at 5

CFR 1320.8(d)(1), the U.S. Geological

Survey solicits specific public

comments regarding the proposed

information collection as to:

1. Whether the collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

bureau, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

2. The accuracy of the bureau’s

estimate of the burden of the collection

of information, including the validity of

the methodology and assumptions used;

3. The utility, quality, and clarity of

the information to be collected; and,

4. How to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including the use of

appropriate automated electronic,

mechanical, or other forms of

information technology.

Title: Lime.

Current OMB approval number: 1032–

0038.

Abstract: Respondents supply the

U.S. Geological Survey with domestic

production, values, end-use data, and

capacity information on the domestic

lime industry. This information will be

published as an Annual Report for use

by Government agencies, industry, and

the general public.

Bureau form number: 6–1221–A.

Frequency: Annual.

Description of respondents:

Commercial and captive producers of

quicklime, hydrated lime, and deadburned dolomite.

Annual Responses: 110.

Annual burden hours: 165.

Bureau clearance officer: John E.

Cordyack, Jr., 703–648–7313.

John H. DeYoung, Jr.,

Acting Chief Scientist, Minerals Information

Team.

[FR Doc. 97–32514 Filed 12–11–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–31–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

Request for Public Comments on

Information Collection To Be

Submitted to the Office of Management

and Budget for Review Under the

Paperwork Reduction Act

A request revising and extending the

collection of information listed below

will be submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget for approval

under the provisions of the Paperwork

Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Copies of the proposed collection of

information and related forms may be

obtained by contacting the Bureau’s

Clearance Officer at the phone number

listed below. Comments and suggestions

on the requirement should be made

within 30 days directly to the Desk

Officer for the Interior Department,

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, Washington DC 20503 and to

the Bureau Clearance Officer, U.S.

Geological Survey, 807 National Center,

Reston, VA 20192.

As required by OMB regulations at 5

CFR 1320.8(d)(1), the U.S. Geological

Survey solicits specific public

comments regarding the proposed

information collection as to:

1. Whether the collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

bureau, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

2. The accuracy of the bureau’s

estimate of the burden of the collection

of information, including the validity of

the methodology and assumptions used;

3. The utility, quality, and clarity of

the information to be collected; and,