5654 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 24 / Friday, February 4, 2000 / Notices

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tannika Engelhard at the above Austin

Ecological Service Field Office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the Act prohibits the ‘‘taking’’ of

endangered species such as the Houston

toad. However, the Service, under

limited circumstances, may issue

permits to take endangered wildlife

species incidental to, and not the

purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.

Regulations governing permits for

endangered species are at 50 CFR 17.22.

Applicant

Cornerstone Construction plans to

construct one single family residence

each on Lot 17, Section 5 and Lot 21,

Section 6 in the Circle D Country Acres

Subdivision, Bastrop County, Texas.

This action will eliminate less than one

acre of habitat and result in an

unquantifiable amount of indirect

impact. The applicant proposes to

compensate for this incidental take of

the Houston Toad by contributing

$3,000.00 ($1,500.00 for each homesite)

to the National Fish and Wildlife

Foundation for the specific purpose of

land acquisition and management

within Houston toad habitat, as

identified by the Service.

Alternatives to this action were

rejected because not developing the

subject property with federally listed

species present was not economically

feasible and alteration of the project

design would not alter the level of

impacts.

Thomas L. Bauer,

Regional Director, Region 2, Albuquerque,

New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 00–2462 Filed 2–3–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–55–U

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of an

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan for Issuance of an

Endangered Species Act Section

10(a)(1)(B) Permit for the Incidental

Take of the Houston Toad During

Construction of a Single Family

Residence on 0.75-acre Lot 141 in the

Pine View Estates Subdivision,

Bastrop County, Texas

SUMMARY: Miguel Sanchez (Applicant)

has applied to the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service (Service) for an

incidental take permit pursuant to

Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species

Act (Act). The Applicant has been

assigned permit number TE–021792.

The requested permit, which is for a

period of 5 years, would authorize the

incidental take of the endangered

Houston Toad (Bufo houstonensis). The

proposed take would occur as a result

of the construction and occupation of

one single family residence on Lot 141

in the Pine View Estates Subdivision,

Bastrop County, Texas.

The Service has prepared the

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan (EA/HCP) for the

incidental take application. A

determination of jeopardy to the species

or a Finding of No Significant Impact

(FONSI) will not be made before 30 days

from the date of publication of this

notice. This notice is provided pursuant

to Section 10(c) of the Act and National

Environmental Policy Act regulations

(40 CFR 1506.6).

DATES: Written comments on the

application should be received on or

before March 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the application may obtain a copy by

writing to the Regional Director, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box

1306, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103.

Persons wishing to review the EA/HCP

may obtain a copy by contacting

Tannika Engelhard, Ecological Services

Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite

200, Austin, Texas 78758 (512/490–

0057). Documents will be available for

public inspection by written request or

by appointment only during normal

business hours (8:00 to 4:30) at U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin,

Texas. Written data or comments

concerning the application and EA/HCP

should be submitted to the Field

Supervisor, Ecological Services Field

Office, Austin, Texas at the above

address. Please refer to permit number

TE–021792 when submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tannika Engelhard at the above Austin

Ecological Service Field Office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the Act prohibits the ‘‘taking’’ of

endangered species such as the Houston

toad. However, the Service, under

limited circumstances, may issue

permits to take endangered wildlife

species incidental to, and not the

purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.

Regulations governing permits for

endangered species are at 50 CFR 17.22.

Applicant

Miguel Sanchez plans to construct

one single family residence on 0.75

acres platted as Lot 141 in the Pine

View Estates Subdivision, Bastrop

County, Texas. This action will

eliminate less than one acre of habitat

and result in an unquantifiable amount

of indirect impact. The applicant

proposes to compensate for this

incidental take of the Houston Toad by

contributing $1,500.00 to the National

Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the

specific purpose of land acquisition and

management within Houston toad

habitat, as identified by the Service.

Alternatives to this action were

rejected because not developing the

subject property with federally listed

species present was not economically

feasible and alteration of the project

design would not alter the level of

impacts.

Thomas L. Bauer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 2,

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 00–2463 Filed 2–3–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–55–U

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of an

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan and Receipt of an

Application for Incidental Take Permit

for Houston Toad (Bufo houstonensis)

During Construction of a Single Family

Residence on 5.0 acres on Lot 6 in the

Pine Ridge Farm Subdivision, Bastrop

County, TX

SUMMARY: Cory Ehrler (Applicant) has

applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) for an incidental take

permit pursuant to Section 10(a) of the

Endangered Species Act (Act). The

Applicant has been assigned permit

number TE–021561–0. The requested

permit, which is for a period of 5 years,

would authorize the incidental take of

the endangered Houston toad (Bufo

houstonensis). The proposed take would

occur as a result of the construction of

a single family residence on Lot 6 in the

Pine Ridge Farm Subdivision, Bastrop

County, Texas.

The Service has prepared the

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan (EA/HCP) for the

incidental take application. A

determination of jeopardy to the species

or a Finding of No Significant Impact

(FONSI) will not be made until at least

30 days from the date of publication of

this notice. This notice is provided

pursuant to section 10(c), of the Act and

National Environmental Policy Act

regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

DATES: Written comments on the

application should be received on or

before March 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the application may obtain a copy by

writing to the Regional Director, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box