Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 2 / Monday, January 5, 1998 / Notices 249

the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl

(Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum) on

the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range

in Yuma, Maricopa, and Pima Counties,

Arizona.

Permit No. PRT–819538

Applicant: Paul Sawyer, Bureau of

Land Management, Phoenix, Arizona.

Applicant requests authorization to

conduct presence/absence surveys for

cactus ferruginous pygmy-owls

(Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum) in

Arizona.

Permit No. PRT–802956

Applicant: John O. Mills, Walcoff &

Associates, White Sands Missile Range,

New Mexico.

Applicant requests authorization to

conduct presence/absence surveys for

the following endangered/threatened

species:

Mexican gray wolves (Canis lupus)

whooping cranes (Grus americana)

Arctic peregrine falcons (Falco

peregrinus tundrius)

bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes)

peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)

interior least terns (Sterna antillarum)

aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis)

southwestern willow flycatcher

(Empidonax traillii extimus)

Mexican spotted owls (Strix

occidentalis lucida)

piping plovers (Charadrius melodus)

Kuenzler hedgehog (Echinocereus

fendleri var. kuenzeri)

Sneed pincushion cactus (Coryphantha

sneedii var. sneedii)

Todsen’s pennyroyal (Hedeoma

todsenii)

Sacramento Mountains thistle (Cirsium

vinaceum)

Permit No. PRT–837577

Applicant: Laura R. Duncan, SEC,

Sedona, Arizona.

Applicant requests authorization to

conduct presence/absence surveys for

southwestern willow flycatchers

(Empidonax traillii extimus) and

peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) in

Arizona and New Mexico.

Permit No. PRT–689914

Applicant: Donna J. Shaver, Padre

Island National Seashore, Corpus

Christi, Texas.

Applicant requests authorization to

take necessary measures to protect

naturally occurring sea turtle nests on

all Texas beaches, not limited to but

including the following species for

scientific research and recovery

purposes:

Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)

leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)

loggerhead (Caretta caretta)

green (Chelonia mydas)

Permit No. PRT–835115

Applicant: Loretta A. Pressly, Corpus

Christi, Texas.

Applicant requests authorization to

conduct activities for scientific research

and recovery purposes for the slender

rush-pea (Hoffmannseggia tenella) in

Corpus Christi, Texas.

Permit No. PRT–799099

Applicant: Dale W. Stahlecker, Santa

Fe, New Mexico.

Applicant request authorization to

conduct presence/absence surveys for,

measure, weigh and band for bald eagles

(Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in New

Mexico.

DATES: Written comments on these

permit applications must be received on

or before February 4, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written data or comments

should be submitted to the Legal

Instruments Examiner, Division of

Endangered Species/Permits, Ecological

Services, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque,

New Mexico 87103. Please refer to the

respective permit number for each

application when submitting comments.

All comments received, including

names and addresses, will become part

of the official administrative record and

may be made available to the public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological

Services, Division of Endangered

Species/Permits, P.O. Box 1306,

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103.

Please refer to the respective permit

number for each application when

requesting copies of documents.

Documents and other information

submitted with these applications are

available for review, subject to the

requirements of the Privacy Act and

Freedom of Information Act, by any

party who submits a written request for

a copy of such documents within 30

days of the date of publication of this

notice, to the address above.

Renee Lohoefener,

Regional Director, Region 2, Albuquerque,

New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 98–77 Filed 1–2–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of an Environmental

Assessment/Habitat Conservation Plan

and Receipt of Application for

Incidental Take Permit for Ranching

and Related Activities on El Coronado

Ranch (1,920 Acres) and Associated

Grazing Allotments (13,284

Acres)(PRT–837858), on West Turkey

Creek, Cochise County, Arizona

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The El Coronado Ranch

(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 (Act). The Applicant has

also requested unlisted-species

provisions in an Implementing

Agreement (Agreement) to cover species

of concern found in the planning area.

The Applicant has been assigned permit

number PRT–837858. The requested

permit, which is for a period of 25 years,

would authorize incidental take of the

endangered Yaqui chub (Gila purpurea)

and the threatened Yaqui catfish

(Ictalurus pricei). The unlisted species

provision provides for the issuance of

further permits for the incidental take of

species not presently listed under the

Act, but which might become listed

during the term of the proposed permit.

The unlisted species covered by the

Habitat Conservation Plan is the Yaqui

form of longfin dace (Agosia

chrysogaster). The proposed take is on

the 1,920 acres of private land and

would occur from ranching and related

activities on the El Coronado Ranch,

Cochise County, Arizona. 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 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 February 4, 1998.

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 Doug

Duncan, Tucson Suboffice, Arizona
250 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 2 / Monday, January 5, 1998 / Notices

Ecological Services Field Office, 300

West Congress, Room 4D, Tucson,

Arizona 85701 (520–670–4860), or

Angie Brooks, Arizona Ecological

Services Field Office, 2321 West Royal

Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix, Arizona

85021, (602–640–2720; Fax 602–640–

2730). Documents will be available for

public inspection by written request, by

appointment only, during normal

business hours (7:30 to 4:30), U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, Tucson or

Phoenix, Arizona. Written data or

comments concerning the application

and EA/HCP should be submitted to the

Field Supervisor, Ecological Services

Field Office, Phoenix, Arizona (see

address above). Please refer to permit

number PRT–837858 when submitting

comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doug Duncan at the above Tucson

Suboffice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the Act prohibits the ‘‘taking’’ of

threatened and endangered species such

as the Yaqui catfish and Yaqui chub.

However, the Service, under limited

circumstances, may issue permits to

take threatened or 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.

The EA considers the environmental

consequences of two alternatives,

including the proposed action. Three

other alternatives were explored, but

were rejected as unworkable. The

proposed action alternative is issuance

of the incidental take permit and

implementation of the HCP as submitted

by the Applicant. The HCP provides for

a strategy to conserve the listed and

unlisted Plan Species and to restore

watershed health in the West Turkey

Creek drainage. The HCP is designed to

provide a net benefit to the Plan

Species. The HCP has stipulations for

monitoring of species populations and

habitats and functioning of the HCP.

The HCP also provides for funding the

mitigation measures and monitoring.

The Service specifically requests

comment on the appropriateness of the

‘‘No Surprises’’ assurances contained in

this application.

Applicant: El Coronado Ranch plans

to pursue ranching and related activities

on 1,920 acres of private land and

13,284 acres of leased grazing

allotments. The anticipated incidental

take will occur on ponds, ditches, and

associated structures on private land. El

Coronado Ranch is located in the West

Turkey Creek watershed of the

Chiricahua Mountains, Cochise County,

Arizona.

Renne Lohoefener,

Acting Regional Director, Region 2,

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 98–078 Filed 1–2–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–55–P

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 the collection of

information listed 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: Industrial Minerals Surveys.

Current OMB approval number: 1032–

0038.

Abstract: Respondents supply the

U.S. Geological Survey with domestic

production and consumption data on

nonfuel mineral commodities. This

information is published as Annual

Reports, Mineral Industry Surveys, and

in Mineral Commodity Summaries for

use by Government agencies, industry,

and the general public.

Bureau form numbers: Pending OMB

information collection approval. (37

forms)

Frequency: Monthly, Quarterly,

Semiannual, and Annual.

Description of respondents: Producers

and consumers of Industrial Minerals.

Annual Responses: 15,162.

Annual burden hours: 10,203.

Bureau clearance officer: John E.

Cordyack, Jr., 703–648–7313.

K.W. Mlynarski,

Acting Chief Scientist, Minerals Information

Team.

[FR Doc. 98–22 Filed 1–2–98; 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 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,

4. How to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including the use of