Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 117 /Thursday, June 18, 1998 / Notices 33383

Fishers Lane, Room 9–101, Rockville, MD

20857, 301–443–3936.

This notice is being published less than 15

days prior to the meeting due to the timing

limitations imposed by the review and

funding cycle.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Nos. 93.242, Mental Health Research

Grants; 93.281, Scientist Development

Award, Scientist Development Award for

Clinicians, and Research Scientist Award;

93.282, Mental Health National Research

Service Awards for Research Training,

National Institutes of Health, HHS)

Dated: June 11, 1998.

LaVerne Y. Stringfield,

Committee Management Officer, NIH.

[FR Doc. 98–16236 Filed 6–17–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4140–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Receipt of Applications for

Permit

The following applicants have

applied for a permit to conduct certain

activities with endangered species. This

notice is provided pursuant to Section

10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531, et

seq.):

Applicant: Horseshoe Creek Wildlife

Foundation, Inc., Davenport, FL, PRT–

691840

The applicant requests a permit to reexport and re-import leopards (Panthera

pardus), tiger (Panthera tigris), and

progeny of the animals currently held

by the applicant and any animals

acquired in the United States by the

applicant to/from worldwide locations

to enhance the survival of the species

through conservation education. This

notification covers activities conducted

by the applicant over a three year

period.

Applicant: Exotic Endangered Cats of

World, Gibsonton, FL, PRT–798412.

The applicant requests a permit to reexport and re-import leopards (Panthera

pardus), tiger (Panthera tigris)(Panthera

tigris altaica) (Uncia uncia), and

progeny of the animals currently held

by the applicant and any animals

acquired in the United States by the

applicant to/from worldwide locations

to enhance the survival of the species

through conservation education. This

notification covers activities conducted

by the applicant over a three year

period.

Applicant: John Horton, McKenzie,

FL, PRT–843762.

The applicant requests a permit to

import the sport-hunted trophy of one

male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus

dorcas) culled from a captive herd

maintained under the management

program of the Republic of South Africa,

for the purpose of enhancement of the

survival of the species.

Applicant: Peter’s Taxidermy,

Graham, WA, PRT–840263.

The applicant requests a permit to

export one mounted jaguar (Panthera

onca) and the articulated skeleton of one

snow leopard (Unica unica) to a

museum in Japan for the purpose of

enhancement of the survival of the

species through conservation education.

Applicant: Kenneth Glander, Duke

University Primate Center, Durham, NC,

PRT–843817.

The applicant requests a permit to

import blood samples taken from wild

mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta

palliata) in Ecuador for the purpose of

genetic research.

Applicant: Richard H. Manly,

Augusta, GA, PRT–843737.

The applicant requests a permit to

import the sport-hunted trophy of one

male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus

dorcas) culled from a captive herd

maintained under the management

program of the Republic of South Africa,

for the purpose of enhancement of the

survival of the species.

Written data or comments should be

submitted to the Director, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Office of Management

Authority, 4401 North Fairfax Drive,

Room 700, Arlington, Virginia 22203

and must be received by the Director

within 30 days of the date of this

publication.

The public is invited to comment on

the following application for a permit to

conduct certain activities with marine

mammals. The application was

submitted to satisfy requirements of the

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,

as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and

the regulations governing marine

mammals (50 CFR 18).

Applicant: Mote Marine Laboratory,

Sarasota, FL, PRT–843809.

Permit Type: Take for Scientific

Research.

Name and Number of Animals:

Florida Manatee (Trichecus manatus

latirostris), 70.

Summary of Activity to be

Authorized: The applicant requests a

permit to conduct controlled

approaches to manatees using a variety

of vessels and operating conditions, as

part of a study of responses of manatees

to vessels.

Source of Marine Mammals: Manatees

occupying Sarasota Bay, Florida from

April through October.

Period of Activity: Up to 5 years from

issuance date of permit, if issued.

Concurrent with the publication of

this notice in the Federal Register, the

Office of Management Authority is

forwarding copies of this application to

the Marine Mammal Commission and

the Committee of Scientific Advisors for

their review.

Applicant: Dennis John Tucker,

Deforest, WI, PRT–843445.

The applicant requests a permit to

import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

sport-hunted from the Northern

Beaufort Sea polar bear population,

Northwest Territories, Canada for

personal use.

Applicant: Joseph J. Sisca, Jr.,

Brewster, NY, PRT–843452.

The applicant requests a permit to

import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

sport-hunted from the McClintock

Channel polar bear population,

Northwest Territories, Canada for

personal use.

Applicant: William F. Kneer, Jr.,

Whitehall, MI, PRT–843647.

The applicant requests a permit to

import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

sport-hunted from the McClintock

Channel polar bear population,

Northwest Territories, Canada for

personal use.

Applicant: Leroy M. Wurst, Pigeon,

MI, PRT–843726.

The applicant requests a permit to

import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

sport-hunted from the McClintock

Channel polar bear population,

Northwest Territories, Canada for

personal use.

Applicant: Ronald Guire, Los Gatos,

CA, PRT–843828.

The applicant requests a permit to

import a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

sport-hunted from the McClintock

Channel polar bear population,

Northwest Territories, Canada for

personal use.

Written data or comments, requests

for copies of the complete application,

or requests for a public hearing on this

application should be sent to the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of

Management Authority, 4401 N. Fairfax

Drive, Room 700, Arlington, Virginia

22203, telephone 703/358–2104 or fax

703/358–2281 and must be received

within 30 days of the date of publication

of this notice. Anyone requesting a

hearing should give specific reasons

why a hearing would be appropriate.

The holding of such a hearing is at the

discretion of the Director.

Documents and other information

submitted for these applications are

available for review by any party who

submits a written request to the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of

Management Authority, 4401 North
33384 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 117 /Thursday, June 18, 1998 / Notices

Fairfax Drive, Rm 700, Arlington,

Virginia 22203, phone (703) 358–2104

or Fax (703) 358–2281.

Dated: June 12, 1998.

MaryEllen Amtower,

Acting Chief, Branch of Permits, Office of

Management Authority.

[FR Doc. 98–16156 Filed 6–17–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior

Availability of an Environmental

Assessment and Receipt of an

Application for an Incidental Take

Permit for the Bonny Doon Quarries,

Santa Cruz County, CA

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: RMC Lonestar of Pleasanton,

California, has applied to the Fish and

Wildlife Service for an incidental take

permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B)

the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended. The proposed 10-year permit

would authorize the incidental take of

the California red-legged frog (Rana

aurora draytonii), federally listed as

threatened, during operation and

maintenance of settlement ponds in the

Bonny Doon Quarries in Santa Cruz

County, California.

This notice announces the availability

of the permit application and the

environmental assessment for public

comment. The permit application

includes a habitat conservation plan for

the Bonny Doon Quarries’ settlement

ponds and an implementation

agreement. All comments received,

including names and addresses, will

become part of the administrative record

and may be made available to the

public.

DATES: Written comments should be

received on or before July 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

addressed to Diane K. Noda, Field

Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service,

2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura,

California 93003. Written comments

also may be sent by facsimile to (805)

644–3958.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David Pereksta, Fish and Wildlife

Biologist, at the above address (805–

644–1766).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Availability of Documents

Individuals wishing copies of the

documents should immediately contact

the Service’s Ventura Fish and Wildlife

Office at the above referenced address or

telephone. Documents will also be

available for public inspection, by

appointment, during normal business

hours at the above address.

Background Information

RMC Lonestar proposes to continue

operation and maintenance of five of

seven settlement ponds and associated

culverts and open drains that serve

active and formerly active operational

areas, including both quarrying and

waste disposal areas, at the Bonny Doon

Quarries. The site is known to support

populations of the California red-legged

frog. As a component of recent

environmental review conducted by the

County of Santa Cruz (County) for RMC

Lonestar’s operations and as a condition

of RMC Lonestar’s mining permit, the

County now requires regular cleaning of

an engineered drainage system that

includes the five settlement ponds and

associated culverts and open drains

noted above. Operational areas are

either owned or leased by RMC Lonestar

and covered by the mining permit. The

County may add these maintenance

requirements to two additional ponds

and their associated culverts and drains.

At a minimum, each settlement pond

must have adequate capacity to hold

run-off from a 10-year, 2-hour rainfall

event falling in its catchment area. To

maintain this pond capacity, RMC

Lonestar must perform general

maintenance and remove accumulated

sediment each year from at least some

of the ponds in the late summer or early

fall. The pond maintenance cannot

begin before April 15 and must be

completed by October 15 to satisfy the

County’s objectives for the protection of

water quality.

RMC Lonestar needs an incidental

take permit from the Service because

listed wildlife species are protected

against ‘‘take’’ pursuant to section 9 of

the Endangered Species Act. That is, no

one may harass, harm, pursue, hunt,

shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or

collect listed animal species, or attempt

to engage in such conduct (16 USC

1538). The Service, however, may issue

permits to take listed animal species if

such taking is incidental to, and not the

purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.

Regulations governing permits for

threatened species are found at 50 CFR

17.32.

The Service proposes to issue a 10-

year permit to RMC Lonestar for

incidental take of California red-legged

frogs during operation and maintenance

of settlement ponds, associated culverts,

and open drains at the Bonny Doon

Quarries. The proposed project would

result in the loss of California red-legged

frogs and their habitat within the

settlement ponds, associated culverts,

and open drains as the natural

vegetation communities in which they

are found and the hydrological

conditions that provide suitable habitat

are removed or altered during operation

and maintenance activities.

The proposed action would authorize

the incidental take of California redlegged frogs within the 5-acre area of the

settlement ponds serving the 455-acre

Bonny Doon Quarries. During 1997,

California red-legged frogs were found

in three of the seven settlement ponds;

breeding occurred within two of those

three. California red-legged frogs also

were found along Liddell Creek and at

RMC Lonestar’s mitigation ponds along

Liddell Creek.

RMC Lonestar’s habitat conservation

plan contains the following measures to

minimize and mitigate impacts to the

California red-legged frog and its habitat

from the operation and maintenance of

the settlement ponds and to further the

conservation of the species: (1) training

programs to familiarize employees and

subcontractors of RMC Lonestar with

the biology of the species and the

protection provided to the frog under

the Endangered Species Act; (2) a

community outreach program for

distribution to local schools and

community associations in Davenport

and Bonny Doon; (3) annual breeding

surveys at all settlement ponds and

mitigation ponds; (4) pre-maintenance

activity surveys for California red-legged

frogs; (5) avoidance of impacts to or

removal from harm’s way of juvenile or

adult California red-legged frogs to the

greatest extent possible; (6) timing of

water releases to minimize impacts to

breeding populations of California redlegged frogs; (7) the use of speed limits,

trash control, and predator control as

necessary to protect California redlegged frogs; (8) minimization of

disturbance to and enhancement of

habitat within Settlement Pond 1,

consistent with other regulatory

objectives; (9) deepening and

maintaining the depth of the mitigation

ponds to provide benefits to the

California red-legged frog; (10)

monitoring of project impacts and

success of mitigation measures for the

term of this habitat conservation plan

and for 5 years following the term of the

permit; and (11) submission of an

annual report of the activities conducted

under this habitat conservation plan

during the previous year.

Environmental Assessment

The environmental assessment

considers the environmental

consequences of the proposed action