Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 226 / Wednesday, November 22, 2000 / Notices 70359

needs and developing information

products; (6) provides technical

assistance to Bureau program managers

in information and communications

product packaging, desktop publishing,

and media relations; (7) produces

reports, articles, briefings, speeches,

exhibits and other multi-media

communications on Bureau programs;

(8) develops and implements new and

innovative communication strategies

including utilization of automated

methods and electronic media in

carrying out its responsibilities

including managing and maintaining

content of the Bureau’s electronic web

site, and liaison with the HRSA

webmaster for technical support and

design; and participation, coordination

and content development in use of

technologies such as satellite

transmission and distance learning; (9)

functions as media advisor to the

Bureau Associate Administrator and

other senior program staff; (10) reviews

federal, state, and local legislation,

issues, programs and policies and their

impact on health care organization

financing and service delivery to special

populations served by Bureau programs;

(11) identifies issues and problems and

conducts appropriate analyses and

studies in order to develop technical

assistance products, presentations,

seminars, and communications for the

information and service needs of the

intended audience; and (12) serves as

principal liaison on behalf of MCHB in

coordinating with HRSA’s Office of

Communications; through appropriate

channels with other agency information,

communications, and/or clearinghouses;

with national constituency

organizations such as the Association of

Maternal and Child Health Programs,

the American Academy of Pediatrics;

with international organizations such as

the World Health Organization and the

Pan American Health Organization, and

with health planners, service providers,

and consumers, with respect to the

development and dissemination of

information on current and emerging

health care issues, trends and problems

affecting the services, program and

populations served by the MCHB.

Delegations of Authority

All delegations and redelegations of

authority which were in effect

immediately prior to the effective date

hereof have been continued in effect in

them or their successors pending further

redelegations.

This reorganization is effective upon

date of signature.

Dated: October 12, 2000.

Claude Earl Fox,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–29843 Filed 11–21–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–15–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of a Draft

Environmental Assessment and

Receipt of an Application for an

Incidental Take Permit for the Harding

Property, Douglas County, CO

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and

receipt of application.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public

that Susan K. Harding (Applicant) has

applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) for an incidental take permit

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

Endangered Species Act of 1973 as

amended. The Service proposes to issue

a 3-year permit to the Applicant that

would authorize the incidental take of

the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse

(Preble’s) (Zapus hudsonius preblei),

federally listed as threatened, and loss

and modification of its habitat

associated with construction of a singlefamily residence in Douglas County,

Colorado. Construction of the single

family residence will result in the loss

of up to 0.294 acres of grassland that

provides potential foraging and

hibernation habitat for the mouse. The

permit application includes a combined

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan (EA/HCP), which is

available for public review and

comment. The HCP fully describes the

proposed project and the measures the

Applicant would undertake to minimize

and mitigate project impacts to the

Preble’s.

The Service requests comments on the

EA/HCP for the proposed issuance of

the incidental take permit. We provide

this notice pursuant to section 10(a) of

the Endangered Species Act and

National Environmental Policy Act

regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). All

comments on the EA and permit

application will become part of the

administrative record and will be

available to the public.

DATES: Written comments on the permit

application and EA/HCP should be

received on or before December 22,

2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the

permit application or the EA/HCP, or

requests for the documents, should be

addressed to LeRoy Carlson, Field

Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service,

Colorado Field Office, 755 Parfet Street,

Suite 361, Lakewood, Colorado 80215.

Comments may be sent by facsimile to

(303) 275–2371. Please reference permit

number PRT–TE035844–0 in any

comments submitted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

Kathleen Linder, Fish and Wildlife

Biologist, Colorado Field Office,

telephone (303) 275–2370.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Document Availability

Individuals wishing copies of the EA/

HCP and associated documents for

review should immediately contact the

above office. Documents also will be

available for public inspection, by

appointment, during normal business

hours at the above address.

Background

Section 9 of the Endangered Species

Act and Federal regulation prohibit the

‘‘take’’ of a species listed as endangered

or threatened (take is defined under the

Endangered Species Act as to harass,

harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill,

trap, capture or collect, or to attempt to

engage in any such conduct). However,

the Service may issue permits to

authorize ‘‘incidental take’’ (defined by

the Endangered Species Act as take that

is incidental to, and not the purpose of,

the carrying out of an otherwise lawful

activity) of listed species under limited

circumstances. Regulations governing

permits for threatened species are

promulgated in 50 CFR 17.32.

Regulations governing permits for

endangered species are promulgated in

50 CFR 17.22.

The proposed action is the issuance of

a permit under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the

Endangered Species Act to allow the

incidental take of Preble’s during the

construction of a single family residence

at the site. The proposed project will

directly affect approximately 0.294 acres

of potential habitat for Preble’s. An HCP

has been developed as part of the

preferred alternative. The proposed HCP

will allow for the incidental take of the

Preble’s by permitting a single family

residence to be constructed in an area

that may be periodically used as

foraging or hibernation habitat.

Construction will result in about 0.12

acres of permanent habitat loss and

another 0.18 acres of temporary effects

to the habitat associated with this

localized disturbance.

Alternatives considered in addition to

the proposed action were; building at an

alternate location, waiting for the

70360 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 226 / Wednesday, November 22, 2000 / Notices

Douglas County Regional 10(a)(1)(B)

Permit, and no action. The draft EA

analyzes the onsite, offsite, and

cumulative impacts of the proposed

project and all associated development

and construction activities and

mitigation activities on the Preble’s,

other threatened or endangered species,

vegetation, wildlife, wetlands, geology/

soils, land use, water resources, air and

water quality, or cultural resources.

None of the proposed impacts occur

within the riparian corridor. All of the

proposed impacts are in upland areas

outside of the 100-year floodplain. The

Applicant, using the Service’s definition

of Preble’s habitat, has determined that

the proposed project would impact

approximately 0.294 acres of potential

Preble’s habitat. The mitigation for the

identified impacts may provide a net

benefit to the Preble’s and other wildlife

by improving riparian habitat through

planting of additional shrub vegetation.

The Preble’s is the only known

federally listed species that occurs on

site and has the potential to be directly

affected by the proposed project. The

Applicant has agreed to implement the

following measures to minimize and

mitigate impacts that may result from

incidental take of Preble’s:

In order to compensate for the loss of

Preble’s habitat, a 0.59-acre area in the

northeast corner of the property will be

preserved and enhanced at a ratio of 2.0

to 1 by planting shrubs.

This notice is provided pursuant to

section 10(c) of the Endangered Species

Act. The Service will evaluate the

permit application, the EA/HCP, and

comments submitted therein to

determine whether the application

meets the requirements of section 10(a)

of the Endangered Species Act. If it is

determined that those requirements are

met, a permit will be issued for the

incidental take of Preble’s. The final

permit decision will be made no sooner

than December 22, 2000.

Dated: November 15, 2000.

Elliott Sutta,

Acting Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.

[FR Doc. 00–29830 Filed 11–21–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AK–023–00–1310-MQ–029L–241A]

Establishment of the National

Petroleum Reserve—Alaska Research

and Monitoring Advisory Team

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management

(BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Establishment of the

National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska

Research and Monitoring Advisory

Team

SUMMARY: This notice is published in

accordance with section 9(a) of the

Federal Advisory Committee Act of

1972 (Pub. L. 92–463). Following

consultation with the General Services

Administration, notice is hereby given

that the Secretary of the Interior has

established the National Petroleum

Reserve—Alaska Research and

Monitoring Advisory Team. The

purpose of the Team will be to advise

and assist the Manager of the Bureau of

Land Management’s Northern Field

Office on issues pertaining to the

adequacy and appropriateness of

mitigative stipulations established in

the Northeast National Petroleum

Reserve—Alaska Integrated Activity

Plan/Environmental Impact Statement,

Record of Decision of 1998.

The Team will be comprised of 11

members from the Bureau of Land

Management; Minerals Management

Service; Department of Energy, Office of

Fossil Energy; U.S. Fish & Wildlife

Service; U.S. Geological Survey—

Biological Resources Division; Alaska

Department of Fish and Game; North

Slope Borough, Department of Wildlife

Management; oil and gas, or related,

industry; nationally or regionally

recognized environmental or resource

conservation organization; academicians

employed in natural resource

management or the natural sciences;

and the public at large.

The duties of the Team will include

identification of research and

monitoring needs; recommendations on

priorities for these needs;

recommendations on standards and

guidance as to what constitutes

acceptable, valid studies; review of

proposals for studies or actions to meet

identified needs; review and evaluation

of results and interpretations of ongoing

and recently completed studies;

synthesis of information gained; review

of the BLM’s mitigation plan for

effectiveness and appropriateness;

recommendations to the BLM on

mitigation plan improvement; and

evaluation of the adequacy of

compliance with stipulations,

determination of the reasons for

observed inadequacies, and

recommendations for change to the

BLM.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

David A. Yokel, Bureau of Land

Management, Northern Field Office,

1150 University Avenue, Fairbanks,

Alaska 99709, (907) 474–2314.

Certification Statement: I hereby

certify that the National Petroleum

Reserve—Alaska Research and

Monitoring Advisory Team is in the

public interest in connection with the

Secretary of the Interior’s

responsibilities to manage the National

Petroleum Reserve—Alaska,

administered by the Bureau of Land

Management.

Dated: November 6, 2000.

Bruce Babbitt,

Secretary of the Interior.

[FR Doc. 00–29922 Filed 11–21–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–JA–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV–056–1430–ES; N–60868]

Notice of Realty Action: Segregation

Terminated, Lease/Conveyance for

Recreation and Public Purposes

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Segregation terminated,

recreation and public purpose lease/

conveyance.

SUMMARY: The following described

public land in Las Vegas, Clark County,

Nevada was segregated for exchange

purposes on September 10, 1991 under

serial number N–54981; on September

9, 1993 under serial number N–57773;

on October 19, 1995 under serial

number N–60073; on July 23, 1997

under serial number N–61855; and on

July 23, 1997 under serial number N–

66364. These exchange segregations will

be terminated on November 22, 2001.

The land has been examined and found

suitable for lease/conveyance for

recreational or public purposes under

the provisions of the Recreation and

Public Purposes Act, as amended (43

U.S.C. 869 et seq.). Clark County School

District proposes to use the land for a

high school.

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada

T. 22 S., R. 61 E.,

Sec. 34, S1⁄2NW1⁄4SW1⁄4,

N1⁄2N1⁄2SW1⁄4SW1⁄4, SW1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4,

N1⁄2NW1⁄4SE1⁄4SW1⁄4.

Containing 45.0 acres, more or less, located

at Bermuda Road and W. Maryland Parkway.

The land is not required for any

federal purpose. The lease/conveyance

is consistent with current Bureau

planning for this area and would be in

the public interest. The lease/patents,

when issued, will be subject to the

provisions of the Recreation and Public

Purposes Act and applicable regulations

of the Secretary of the Interior, and will