Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 109 / Wednesday, June 6, 2018 / Notices 26303 

Permit application No. Applicant Species/numbers Location Activity Type of take Permit action 

TE 84861C–0 .... Power South Energy 

Cooperative, Andalusia, AL.

Choctaw bean (Villosa 

choctawensis), fuzzy 

pigtoe (Pleurobema 

strodeanum), narrow 

pigtoe (Fusconaia 

escambia), southern 

kidneyshell 

(Ptychobranchus 

jonesi), and southern 

sandshell (Hamiota 

australis).

Alabama ...................... Presence/absence surveys.Remove from the substrate, handle, identify, return to substrate, and salvage 

relic shells.

New. 

TE 61981B–3 .... The Peregrine Fund, 

Boise, ID.

Puerto Rican sharpshinned hawk 

(Accipiter striatus 

venator).

Puerto Rico .................. Captive propagation 

and reintroduction.

Collect eggs and 

nestlings for captive 

propagation.

Amendment. 

Authority: We provide this notice under 

the authority of section 10(c) of the ESA. 

Aaron Valenta, 

Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological 

Services, Southeast Region. 

[FR Doc. 2018–12134 Filed 6–5–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4333–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R8–ES–2018–N047; 

FXES11130800000–189–FF08EVEN00] 

Two Low-Effect Habitat Conservation 

Plans and Categorical Exclusions for 

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Gas 

Pipeline Vegetation Management, 

Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, 

California 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comment. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, have received two 

applications from Pacific Gas and 

Electric Company for two 20-year 

incidental take permits under the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (ESA). The applications 

address the potential for ‘‘take’’ of the 

federally endangered Mount Hermon 

June beetle and Santa Cruz long-toed 

salamander, as well as the federally 

threatened California red-legged frog, 

that is likely to occur incidental to the 

removal of vegetation along two natural 

gas pipelines that traverse Santa Cruz 

and Monterey Counties, California. We 

invite comments from the public on the 

application packages, which include 

two low-effect habitat conservation 

plans. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, please 

send your written comments by July 6, 

2018. 

ADDRESSES: 

Obtaining Documents: You may 

download copies of the habitat 

conservation plans, draft environmental 

action statements, low-effect screening 

forms, and related documents on the 

internet at http://www.fws.gov/ventura/, 

or you may request copies by U.S. mail 

to our Ventura office (below) or by 

phone (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT). 

Submitting Comments: Please address 

written comments to Stephen P. Henry, 

Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and 

Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, 

Ventura, CA 93003. You alternatively 

may send comments by facsimile to 

(805) 644–3958. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Chad Mitcham, Fish and Wildlife 

Biologist, by U.S. mail to the Ventura 

office, or by telephone at (805) 677– 

3328. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We have 

received two applications from Pacific 

Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for 

two 20-year incidental take permits 

(ITPs) under the Endangered Species 

Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The applications 

address the potential for ‘‘take’’ of the 

federally endangered Mount Hermon 

June beetle (Polyphylla barbata) and 

Santa Cruz long-toed salamander 

(Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum), 

and the federally threatened California 

red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) likely 

to occur incidental to the initial removal 

and ongoing periodic management of 

vegetation that occurs over and along 

two separate natural gas pipelines. The 

first proposed habitat conservation plan 

(HCP), referred to in this document as 

the Sandhills HCP, concerns the natural 

gas pipeline located along Graham Hill 

Road, Santa Cruz County, California, 

and occurs within habitat for the Mount 

Hermon June beetle. The second HCP, 

referred to as the North Coast HCP, 

concerns a natural gas pipeline that 

traverses portions of Santa Cruz and 

Monterey Counties and occurs within 

habitat of the Santa Cruz long-toed 

salamander and California red-legged 

frog. We invite comments from the 

public on the application packages, 

which include two proposed low-effect 

HCPs. The proposed actions have been 

determined to be eligible for categorical 

exclusions under the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

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

amended. 

Background 

Section 9 of the ESA and its 

implementing regulations prohibit the 

take of fish or wildlife species listed as 

endangered or threatened. ‘‘Take’’ is 

defined under the ESA to include the 

following activities: ‘‘to harass, harm, 

pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, 

capture, or collect, or to attempt to 

engage in any such conduct’’ (16 U.S.C. 

1532); however, under section 

10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA, we may issue 

permits to authorize incidental take of 

listed species. ‘‘Incidental Take’’ is 

defined as take that is incidental to, and 

not the purpose of, the carrying out of 

an otherwise lawful activity (50 CFR 

17.3). Regulations governing incidental 

take permits for threatened and 

endangered species are provided at 50 

CFR 17.32 and 17.22, respectively. 

Issuance of an incidental take permit 

must not jeopardize the existence of 

federally listed fish, wildlife, or plant 

species. 

Applicant’s Proposal 

PG&E (hereafter, the applicant) has 

submitted two low-effect HCPs in 

support of their applications for 

incidental take permits (ITPs) to address 

take of the Mount Hermon June beetle, 

Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, and 

the California red-legged frog. The 

Sandhills HCP addresses take of the 

Mount Hermon June beetle that is likely 

to occur as the result of direct impacts 

on up to 2.9 acres (ac) of habitat that is 

occupied by the species. The North 


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26304 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 109 / Wednesday, June 6, 2018 / Notices 

Coast HCP addresses take that is likely 

to occur as the result of direct impacts 

on up to 4.472 ac of Santa Cruz longtoed salamander habitat and up to 6.997 

ac of California red-legged frog habitat, 

occupied by the species. Take for both 

HCPs would be associated with the 

initial removal of vegetation and twenty 

years of periodic vegetation 

management along two natural gas 

pipelines. The Sandhills HCP is located 

in Santa Cruz County, while the North 

Coast HCP is located in both Santa Cruz 

and Monterey Counties. The applicant 

is requesting permits for take of the 

Mount Hermon June beetle (Sandhills 

HCP), and the Santa Cruz long-toed 

salamander, and California red-legged 

frog (North Coast HCP) that would result 

from ‘‘covered activities’’ that are 

related to the removal of vegetation. 

The applicant proposes to avoid, 

minimize, and mitigate impacts to the 

Mount Hermon June beetle associated 

with the covered activities by fully 

implementing the Sandhills HCP. The 

following measures will be 

implemented: (1) Vegetation 

management will take place outside of 

the flight season (May 1 through August 

31) of the Mount Hermon June beetle; 

(2) a biological monitor will be present 

during all work activities to identify 

appropriate access and work areas to 

minimize impacts to sandhills habitat; 

(3) if any life stage of the Mount Hermon 

June beetle is encountered during work 

activities, work will cease and a Serviceapproved biologist will be notified and 

the individual(s) will be relocated to 

suitable habitat not affected by work 

activities; (4) all cut stumps will be left 

intact to reduce ground disturbance; (5) 

all workers will participate in awareness 

training to inform them about the Mount 

Hermon June beetle and associated 

conservation measures to be followed; 

and (6) permanently protect habitat for 

the Mount Hermon June beetle through 

the purchase of 2.9 ac of conservation 

credits at the Zayante Sandhills 

Conservation Bank. The applicant will 

fund up to $795,735 to ensure 

implementation of all minimization 

measures, monitoring, and reporting 

requirements identified in the HCP. 

The applicant proposes to avoid, 

minimize, and mitigate impacts to the 

Santa Cruz long-toed salamander and 

California red-legged frog associated 

with the covered activities by fully 

implementing the North Coast HCP. The 

following measures will be 

implemented: (1) All workers will 

participate in awareness training to 

inform them about the Santa Cruz longtoed salamander and California redlegged frog and associated conservation 

measures to be followed; (2) vegetation 

management activities will take place 

between April 15 and September 15, to 

minimize impacts to the species; (3) 

impacts to small mammal burrows will 

be avoided to the maximum extent 

practicable; (4) a qualified biologist will 

monitor all vegetation removal activities 

to ensure compliance with required 

avoidance and minimization measures; 

(5) if a Santa Cruz long-toed salamander 

or California red-legged frog is 

encountered in an area to be impacted, 

work in that area will cease until the 

animal moves from the area or a 

Service-approved biologist captures and 

relocates the individual outside of the 

work area; (6) permanently protect 

habitat for the Santa Cruz long-toed 

salamander through the dedication of a 

7.2-ac conservation easement at the 

Tucker Property in Santa Cruz County; 

and (7) provide $342,432 to fund the 

creation, management and monitoring of 

1.75 ac of California red-legged frog 

aquatic breeding habitat at Yellowbank 

Creek, near the town of Davenport in 

Santa Cruz County. The applicant will 

fund up to $1,424,432 to ensure 

implementation of all minimization 

measures, monitoring, and reporting 

requirements identified in the HCP. 

In each of the two proposed HCPs, the 

applicant considers two alternatives to 

the proposed action: ‘‘No Action’’ and 

‘‘Original Project.’’ Under the ‘‘No 

Action’’ alternative, an ITP for the 

proposed project would not be issued. 

The proposed conservation strategies 

would not be provided to effect recovery 

actions for the impacted species. The 

‘‘No Action’’ alternative would not 

achieve vegetation management 

guidelines for PG&E infrastructure and 

would not result in benefits for the 

covered species; therefore, for each of 

the proposed HCPs, the applicant has 

rejected the ‘‘No Action’’ alternative. 

Under each of the two ‘‘Original 

Project’’ alternatives, the applicant 

would remove considerably more 

habitat along the subject natural gas 

pipeline, resulting in greater impacts to 

the covered species. Through 

coordination with the Service, PG&E 

revised the projects in a way that could 

still achieve desired vegetation 

management goals, while reducing 

impacts to the covered species. 

Therefore, the applicant has also 

rejected both of the ‘‘Original Project’’ 

alternatives. 

Our Preliminary Determination 

The Service has made preliminary 

determinations that issuance of both 

incidental take permits is neither a 

major Federal action that will 

significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment within the meaning 

of section 102(2)(C) of NEPA, nor that it 

will, individually or cumulatively, have 

more than a negligible effect on the 

Mount Hermon June beetle, Santa Cruz 

long-toed salamander, and California 

red-legged frog. Therefore, in 

accordance with these preliminary 

determinations, both permits qualify for 

a categorical exclusion under NEPA. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Written comments we receive become 

part of the public record associated with 

this action. Before including your 

address, phone number, email address, 

or other personal identifying 

information in your comment, you 

should be aware that your entire 

comment—including your personal 

identifying information—may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you can request in your comment that 

we withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. All submissions from 

organizations or businesses, and from 

individuals identifying themselves as 

representatives or officials of 

organizations or businesses, will be 

made available for public disclosure in 

their entirety. 

Authority 

We provide this notice under the 

ESA, section 10(c) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 

seq.) and its implementing regulations 

(50 CFR 17.22) and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.) and its implementing 

regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). 

Dated: May 25, 2018. 

Stephen P. Henry, 

Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife 

Office, Ventura, California. 

[FR Doc. 2018–12133 Filed 6–5–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4333–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of the Secretary 

[RR04073000/XXXR4081X3/ 

RX.05940913.7000000] 

Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive 

Management Work Group; Request for 

Nominations 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

nominations. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the 

Interior proposes to appoint members to 

the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive 

Management Work Group (AMWG). The 

Secretary of the Interior, acting as 

administrative lead, is requesting 


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