16854 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 56 / Thursday, March 22, 2012 / Notices 

plan qualifies as low-effect under the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA). To make this determination, we 

used our environmental action 

statement and low-effect screening form, 

which are also available for review. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, please 

send your written comments by April 

23, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the 

application and HCP, you may request 

documents by email, U.S. mail, or 

phone (see below). These documents are 

also available for public inspection by 

appointment during normal business 

hours at the office below. Send your 

comments or requests by any one of the 

following methods. 

Email: northflorida@fws.gov. Use 

‘‘Attn: Permit number TE65123A–0’’ as 

your message subject line. 

Fax: David L. Hankla, Field 

Supervisor, (904) 731–3045, Attn.: 

Permit number TE65123A–0. 

U.S. mail: David L. Hankla, Field 

Supervisor, Jacksonville Ecological 

Services Field Office, Attn: Permit 

number TE65123A–0, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, 7915 Baymeadows 

Way, Suite 200, Jacksonville, FL 32256. 

In-person drop-off: You may drop off 

information during regular business 

hours at the above office address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin 

M. Gawera, telephone: (904) 731–3121; 

email: erin_gawera@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Section 9 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.) and our implementing Federal 

regulations in the Code of Federal 

Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17 prohibit 

the ‘‘take’’ of fish or wildlife species 

listed as endangered or threatened. Take 

of listed fish or wildlife is defined under 

the Act as ‘‘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 limited circumstances, 

we issue permits to authorize incidental 

take—i.e., take that is incidental to, and 

not the purpose of, the carrying out of 

an otherwise lawful activity. 

Regulations governing incidental take 

permits for threatened and endangered 

species are at 50 CFR 17.32 and 17.22, 

respectively. The Act’s take prohibitions 

do not apply to federally listed plants 

on private lands unless such take would 

violate State law. In addition to meeting 

other criteria, an incidental take 

permit’s proposed actions must not 

jeopardize the existence of federally 

listed fish, wildlife, or plants. 

Applicant’s Proposal 

The applicant is requesting take of 

approximately 1.57 ac of occupied sand 

skink foraging and sheltering habitat 

incidental to construction of a 

commercial development, and seeks a 5- 

year permit. The 7.7-ac project is 

located on parcel #09–22–26– 

110000900000 within Section 09, 

Township 22 South, Range 26 East, Lake 

County, Florida. The project includes 

construction of a commercial 

development and the associated 

infrastructure, and landscaping. The 

applicant proposes to mitigate for the 

take of the sand skink by the purchase 

of 3.14 mitigation credits within the 

Hatchineha Ranch Conservation Bank. 

Our Preliminary Determination 

We have determined that the 

applicant’s proposal, including the 

proposed mitigation and minimization 

measures, would have minor or 

negligible effects on the species covered 

in the HCP. Therefore, we determined 

that the ITP is a ‘‘low-effect’’ project and 

qualifies for categorical exclusion under 

the National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA), as provided by the Department 

of the Interior Manual (516 DM 2 

Appendix 1 and 516 DM 6 Appendix 1). 

A low-effect HCP is one involving (1) 

Minor or negligible effects on federally 

listed or candidate species and their 

habitats, and (2) minor or negligible 

effects on other environmental values or 

resources. 

Next Steps 

We will evaluate the HCP and 

comments we receive to determine 

whether the ITP application meets the 

requirements of section 10(a) of the Act 

(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). If we determine 

that the application meets these 

requirements, we will issue ITP 

#TE65123A–0. We will also evaluate 

whether issuance of the section 

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

of the Act by conducting an intraService section 7 consultation. We will 

use the results of this consultation, in 

combination with the above findings, in 

our final analysis to determine whether 

or not to issue the ITP. If the 

requirements are met, we will issue the 

permit to the applicant. 

Public Comments 

If you wish to comment on the permit 

application, HCP, and associated 

documents, you may submit comments 

by any one of the methods in 

ADDRESSES. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, email address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comments, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Authority 

We provide this notice under Section 

10 of the Act and NEPA regulations (40 

CFR 1506.6). 

Dated: March 16, 2012. 

David L. Hankla, 

Field Supervisor, Jacksonville Field Office, 

Southeast Region. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6891 Filed 3–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R5–R–2011–N196; BAC–4311–K9–S3] 

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at 

Tinicum, Delaware and Philadelphia 

Counties, PA; Draft Comprehensive 

Conservation Plan and Environmental 

Assessment 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (we, the Service), 

announce the availability of a draft 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment (CCP/EA) for 

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge 

(NWR) at Tinicum, located in Delaware 

and Philadelphia Counties, 

Pennsylvania, for public review and 

comment. The draft CCP/EA describes 

our proposal for managing the refuge for 

the next 15 years. 

Also available for public review and 

comment are the draft findings of 

appropriateness and draft compatibility 

determinations for uses to be allowed 

upon initial completion of the plan, if 

alternative B is selected, and the draft 

habitat management plan. These are 

included as appendix B and appendix 

C, respectively, in the draft CCP/EA. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, please 

send your comments no later than April 

23, 2012. We will announce upcoming 

public meetings in local news media, 

via our project mailing list, and on our 

regional planning Web site: http:// 

www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/ 

John%20Heinz/ccphome.html. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 56 / Thursday, March 22, 2012 / Notices 16855 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

or requests for copies or more 

information by any of the following 

methods. You may request hard copies 

or a CD–ROM of the documents. 

Email: northeastplanning@fws.gov. 

Please include ‘‘John Heinz NWR Draft 

CCP’’ in the subject line of the message. 

Fax: Attn: Lia McLaughlin, 413–253– 

8468. 

U.S. Mail: Lia McLaughlin, Natural 

Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center 

Drive, Hadley, MA 01035. 

In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or 

Pickup: Call 215–365–3118 to make an 

appointment (necessary for view/pickup 

only) during regular business hours at 

8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, 

Philadelphia, PA 19152. [For more 

information on locations for viewing or 

obtaining documents, see ‘‘Public 

Availability of Documents’’ under 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.] 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary 

Stolz, Refuge Manager, phone: 215–365– 

3118, or Lia McLaughlin, Planning 

Team Leader, phone: 413–253–8575; 

email: northeastplanning@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we continue the CCP 

process for John Heinz NWR. We started 

this process through a notice in the 

Federal Register (75 FR 25285; May 7, 

2010). 

John Heinz NWR was established in 

1972 to preserve and restore the natural 

area known as Tinicum Marsh, to 

promote environmental education, and 

to afford visitors an opportunity to 

study wildlife in its natural habitat. The 

total approved acquisition boundary 

encompasses 1,200 acres along the 

Delaware River in Pennsylvania. 

Currently, John Heinz NWR includes 

993 acres of freshwater tidal marsh, 

open water, grassland, and forest 

habitats. It is an important migratory 

stopover for birds along the Atlantic 

Flyway, and provides habitat for Statelisted threatened and endangered 

species such as the red-bellied turtle 

(Pseudemys rubriventris). The refuge 

offers unique opportunities for 

environmental education and 

interpretation in an urban setting. 

Visitors to the refuge also participate in 

wildlife observation, photography, and 

fishing. 

Background 

The CCP Process 

The National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd–668ee) (Refuge Administration 

Act), as amended by the National 

Wildlife Refuge System Improvement 

Act of 1997, requires us to develop a 

CCP for each national wildlife refuge. 

The purpose for developing a CCP is to 

provide refuge managers with a 15-year 

plan for achieving refuge purposes and 

contributing toward the mission of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System, 

consistent with sound principles of fish 

and wildlife management, conservation, 

legal mandates, and our policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public, including 

opportunities for hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation and photography, 

and environmental education and 

interpretation. We will review and 

update the CCP at least every 15 years 

in accordance with the Refuge 

Administration Act. 

Public Outreach 

We started pre-planning for the John 

Heinz NWR CCP in January 2010. In 

April 2010, we distributed our first 

newsletter and press release announcing 

our intent to prepare a CCP for the 

refuge. In May through June 2010, we 

had a formal public scoping period. The 

purpose of the public scoping period 

was to solicit comments from the 

community and other interested parties 

on the issues and impacts that should be 

evaluated in the draft CCP/EA. To help 

solicit public comments, we held two 

public meetings at the refuge during the 

formal public scoping period. 

Throughout the rest of the planning 

process, we have conducted additional 

outreach by participating in community 

meetings, events, and other public 

forums, and by requesting public input 

on managing the refuge and its 

programs. We received comments on 

topics such as the potential effects of 

climate change, improving biological 

connectivity, invasive species control, 

environmental contaminants, 

environmental education programs, and 

other public uses of the refuge. 

CCP Alternatives We Are Considering 

During the public scoping process, 

we, the Pennsylvania Game 

Commission, other governmental 

partners, and the public, raised several 

issues. To address these issues, we 

developed and evaluated three 

alternatives in the draft CCP/EA. Here 

we present a brief summary of each of 

the alternatives; a full description of 

each alternative is in the draft CCP/EA. 

Alternative A (Current Management) 

Alternative A (current management) 

satisfies the National Environmental 

Policy Act (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) 

requirement of a ‘‘No Action’’ 

alternative, which we define as 

‘‘continuing current management.’’ It 

describes our existing management 

priorities and activities, and serves as a 

baseline for comparing and contrasting 

alternatives B and C. It would maintain 

our present levels of approved refuge 

staffing and the biological and visitor 

programs now in place. We would 

continue to focus on providing native 

tidal marsh habitat for migrating and 

nesting wading birds; wintering 

marshbirds, waterfowl, and shorebirds; 

and other wildlife. We would also 

continue to actively control invasive 

species, manage grassland habitats, and 

maintain dikes and water levels in the 

impoundment. Our environmental 

education program would continue to 

focus on providing training for teachers 

so they could guide field trips on refuge 

property. 

Alternative B (Focus on Environmental 

Education for Urban Youth) 

This alternative is the Servicepreferred alternative. It combines the 

actions we believe would most 

effectively achieve the refuge’s 

purposes, vision, and goals, and 

respond to the issues raised during the 

scoping period. Under alternative B, we 

would expand our freshwater tidal 

marsh restoration efforts, implement 

additional forest habitat restoration and 

management efforts, and increase 

monitoring efforts for species and for 

climate change effects. Our 

environmental education program 

would focus on expanding staff-led and 

volunteer-led programs for urban youth. 

We would also develop environmental 

education programs that focus on this 

audience, and work to develop longterm relationships with schools and 

school districts. We would work to 

expand environmental interpretation 

opportunities and infrastructure on the 

refuge as well. 

Alternative C 

Alternative C would focus on 

restoring degraded forests and 

converting specific grassland areas to 

shrubland habitat. As in alternative B, 

we would emphasize invasive species 

management, freshwater tidal marsh 

restoration, and monitoring for climate 

change adaptation. However, under 

alternative C, we would delay much of 

these efforts to more fully assess the 

potential effects of climate change and 

propose restoring all of the 

impoundment to tidal marsh. Under 

alternative C, environmental 

educational programming would 

concentrate on providing high school 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
16856 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 56 / Thursday, March 22, 2012 / Notices 

and college-level programs focused on 

encouraging and training the next 

generation of conservation professionals 

and environmentally concerned 

citizens. We would also focus on 

playing a more regional role in 

conservation efforts. 

Public Availability of Documents 

In addition to any methods in 

ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain 

documents at the following locations: 

• Our Web site: http://www.fws.gov/ 

northeast/planning/John%20Heinz/ 

ccphome.html. 

• Public Library: the Northeast 

Regional Library, located at 2228 

Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, 

Pennsylvania 19149, during regular 

library hours. 

Submitting Comments/Issues for 

Comment 

We are seeking substantive comments, 

particularly on the following issues: 

• Issue 1—Our environmental 

education program; 

• Issue 2—Management and 

restoration options for the refuge’s 

impoundment; and, 

• Issue 3—Partnership opportunities. 

We consider comments substantive if 

they: 

• Question, with reasonable basis, the 

accuracy of the information in the 

document; 

• Question, with reasonable basis, the 

adequacy of the EA; 

• Present reasonable alternatives 

other than those presented in the EA; 

and/or 

• Provide new or additional 

information relevant to the EA. 

Next Steps 

After this comment period ends, we 

will analyze the comments and address 

them in the form of a final CCP and 

finding of no significant impact. 

Public Availability of Comments 

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 ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Dated: January 25, 2012. 

Wendi Weber, 

Regional Director, Northeast Region, U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, Hadley, MA 01035. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6892 Filed 3–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLNMP0000 L13110000.XH0000] 

Notice of Public Meeting, Pecos 

District Resource Advisory Council 

Meeting, New Mexico 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act and the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM), Pecos District 

Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will 

meet as indicated below. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

April 11, 2012, from 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 

and April 12, 2012, from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be at the 

Bureau of Land Management Pecos 

District Office, 2909 W. 2nd Street, 

Roswell, NM, on April 11, with a tour 

for RAC members of Restore New 

Mexico vegetative treatment and 

reclamation sites on April 12, 2012. The 

public may send written comments to 

the RAC, 2909 W. 2nd Street, Roswell, 

NM 88201. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Betty Hicks, Pecos District, Bureau of 

Land Management, 2909 W. 2nd Street, 

Roswell, NM 88201, 575–627–0242. 

Persons who use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) may call the 

Federal Information Relay Service 

(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8229 to contact the 

above individual during normal 

business hours. The FIRS is available 24 

hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a 

message or question with the above 

individual. You will receive a reply 

during normal business hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 10- 

member RAC advises the Secretary of 

the Interior, through the Bureau of Land 

Management, on a variety of planning 

and management issues associated with 

public land management in New 

Mexico. Planned agenda items include: 

Discussion on candidate species (Dunes 

Sagebrush Lizard and Lesser-prairie 

chicken) and Restore New Mexico 

processes. 

A half-hour public comment period 

during which the public may address 

the Council is scheduled to begin at 3:30 

p.m. on April 11. All RAC meetings are 

open to the public. Depending on the 

number of individuals wishing to 

comment and time available, the time 

for individual oral comments may be 

limited. 

Douglas J. Burger, 

District Manager. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6885 Filed 3–21–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–VA–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLAK910000–L13100000.PP0000– 

L.X.SS.052L0000] 

Notice of Public Meeting, BLM-Alaska 

Resource Advisory Council 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Alaska State Office, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM) Alaska 

Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will 

meet as indicated below. 

DATES: The meeting will be held April 

18, 19 and 20, 2012. On April 18, the 

meeting will be at the Office of Aircraft 

Services, Alaska Regional Office, 4405 

Lear Court, Anchorage, Alaska 99502 

starting at 9 a.m. in the first floor 

conference room. The council will 

accept public comment on April 18 

from 3 to 4 p.m. On April 19 and 20, 

the meeting location changes to the 

Borealis Conference Room at the Crown 

Plaza Hotel, 109 W. International 

Airport Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99518 

and begins at 8:30 a.m. each day. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thom Jennings, RAC Coordinator; 

BLM–Alaska State Office; 222 W. 7th 

Avenue #13, Anchorage, AK 99513. 

Telephone 907–271–3335 or email 

tjenning@blm.gov. Persons who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

to contact the above individual during 

normal business hours. The FIRS is 

available 24 hours a day, seven days a 

week, to leave a message or question 

with the above individual. You will 

receive a reply during normal business 

hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 15- 

member Council advises the Secretary 

of the Interior, through the Bureau of 

Land Management, on a variety of 

planning and management issues 

associated with public land 

management in Alaska. At this meeting, 

topics planned for discussion include: 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES