31226 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 109 / Monday, June 8, 1998 / Notices

further isolate the habitat. Under this

alternative, no contribution to the

acquisition, preservation, and

management of high-quality offsite

Morro shoulderband snail habitat would

occur.

The Alternate Site Alternative

involves the use of a site for a

commercial development project that

does not support any listed species;

therefore, the project would not result in

the incidental take of a listed species.

This alternative is considered to be

unfeasible from a business and

commercial standpoint given market,

development, and private contractual

constraints. Although this alternative

would result in no impact at the

proposed project site, it would not

substantially benefit the Morro

shoulderband snail. The project site

contains marginal snail habitat,

including non-native plants. Human

disturbances to the project site would

likely continue. Under this alternative,

no contribution to the acquisition,

preservation, and management of highquality offsite Morro shoulderband snail

habitat would occur.

This notice is provided pursuant to

Section 10(c) of the Act and Service

regulations for implementing the

National Environmental Policy Act of

1969 (40 CFR 1506.6). The Service will

evaluate the application, its associated

documents, and submitted comments to

determine whether the application

meets the requirements of law. If the

Service determines that the

requirements are met, a permit will be

issued for the incidental take of the

Morro shoulderband snail. A final

decision on permit issuance will be

made no sooner than 30 days from the

date of this notice.

Dated: June 1, 1998.

Thomas Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland,

Oregon.

[FR Doc. 98–15069 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of a Revised Application

for an Incidental Take Permit and

Revised Environmental Assessment

for Obyan Beach Resort Associates,

Saipan, Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands and the

Commonwealth of the Northern

Mariana Islands Department of Lands

and Natural Resources

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public

that the Obyan Beach Resort Associates

and the Commonwealth of the Northern

Mariana Islands (Commonwealth)

Department of Lands and Natural

Resources (Applicants) have applied to

the Fish and Wildlife Service for an

incidental take permit (PRT–824821)

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

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended (Act). The application package

includes a Habitat Conservation Plan

(Plan), Implementation Agreement, and

the Saipan Upland Mitigation Bank

Agreement (Agreement). The Service

also announces the availability of an

Environmental Assessment for the

proposed issuance of the incidental take

permit. The proposed permit would

authorize the incidental take of the

federally listed endangered nightingale

reed-warbler (Acrocephalus luscinia)

and Micronesian megapode

(Megapodius laperouse), and/or their

habitat during the construction of a

proposed 36-hole golf course and resort.

Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) may

nest at the beach near the project site,

but outside of the project boundaries,

and are not expected to be impacted by

the project. The permit would be in

effect for 50 years.

The Plan, Implementation Agreement

and Environmental Assessment were

circulated for public review in February,

1997, in accordance with the Act and

the National Environmental Policy Act

(62 FR 7794). The original permit

application proposed establishment of a

mitigation bank on Saipan to

compensate for impacts to nightingale

reed-warblers. Since that time, the

proposed Saipan Upland Mitigation

Bank (Mitigation Bank) has been

developed, and a Mitigation Bank

Agreement has been prepared. This

Agreement is now included in the

permit application. Other than

development of the Mitigation Bank and

associated Agreement, no major

revisions have been made to the permit

application and Environmental

Assessment. This notice advises the

public that the revised Plan,

Implementation Agreement and

Environmental Assessment, and the

Agreement are available for review and

comment. All comments received,

including names and addresses, will

become part of the administrative record

and may be made available to the

public. 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 permit

application and Environmental

Assessment should be received on or

before June 23, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the

permit application, Plan, Agreement, or

Environmental Assessment, or requests

for these documents, should be

addressed to Brooks Harper, Field

Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service,

P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu, Hawaii

96850; Fax (808) 541–3470. Please refer

to permit number PRT–824821 when

submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brooks Harper or Gina Shultz, Pacific

Islands Fish and Wildlife Office,

telephone (808) 541–3441.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the Act prohibits the ‘‘taking’’ of a

species listed as threatened or

endangered. However, the Service,

under limited circumstances, may issue

permits to take listed species incidental

to, and not the purpose of, otherwise

lawful activities. 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.

Background

The Applicants propose to construct a

36-hole golf course and resort on the

southeastern part of Saipan,

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands. The Applicants seek coverage

for impacts to 814 acres that contain

nightingale reed-warbler and

Micronesian megapode habitat. To

compensate for project impacts, the

Applicants will: (1) Minimize on-site

impacts and maintain habitat on-site for

10 pairs of nightingale reed-warblers,

and (2) develop a Mitigation Bank and

purchase 24 nightingale reed-warbler

credits from the Mitigation Bank.

Purchase of 24 credits from the

Mitigation Bank will result in the

permanent protection of 24 existing

nightingale reed-warbler territories and

permanent protection and enhancement

of habitat to establish an additional 24

territories. Other measures are specified

in the Plan to minimize potential for

take during construction activities.

The Environmental Assessment

considers the environmental

consequences of three alternatives.

Alternative 3, the proposed action,

consists of the issuance of an incidental

take permit, development of the

Mitigation Bank, and implementation of

the Plan and its implementation

Agreement. This alternative is preferred

because: (1) It satisfies the purpose and

needs of the Service and Applicants; (2)

impacts are minimized during

construction; and (3) incidental take is
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 109 / Monday, June 8, 1998 / Notices 31227

mitigated by the development of a

Mitigation Bank, the purchase of 24

nightingale reed-warbler credits from

the Mitigation Bank, and other measures

specified in the Plan. Alternative 2

entails developing the project as

originally permitted by the local

government. The impacts to nightingale

reed-warblers on site would be greater

under this alternative and the protection

of 24 nightingale reed-warbler territories

and protection and enhancement of an

additional 24 nightingale reed-warbler

territories would not occur. Under

alternative 1, the no action alternative,

the Service would not issue an

incidental take permit. The area leased

would likely revert back to the

Commonwealth government. None of

the existing nightingale reed-warblers

would be lost, at least immediately.

After the land reverted back to the

Commonwealth, it would then be

available for other uses. These uses

could have greater impacts to

nightingale reed-warblers as a result of

subdivision and the subsequent habitat

fragmentation. Under the no action

alternative, the 24 existing territories

would not be preserved in the

Mitigation Bank, and habitat protection

and enhancement for the establishment

of 24 additional territories would not

occur.

Dated: June 2, 1998.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland,

Oregon.

[FR Doc. 98–15132 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Announcement of Meetings of the

Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task

Force on June 24, June 25, and June

26, 1998

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 10(a)(2) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5

U.S.C. App. I), this notice announces a

meeting of the Klamath River Basin

Fisheries Task Force, established under

the authority of the Klamath River Basin

Fishery Resources Restoration Act (16

U.S.C. 460ss et seq.). The meeting is

open to the public.

DATES: The Klamath River Basin

Fisheries Task Force (TF) will meet

from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on

Wednesday, June 24, 1998, from 8:00

a.m. to 12:00 noon on Thursday, June

25, 1998, and from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00

p.m. on Friday, June 26, 1998.

PLACE: The meeting will be held in the

Klamath Lake Room at the Shiloh Inn,

2500 Almond Street, Klamath Falls,

Oregon.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Ronald A. Iverson, Project Leader, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box

1006 (1215 South Main), Yreka,

California 96097–1006, telephone (530)

842–5763.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

principal agenda items at this meeting

will be: (1) The Mid-program review of

the Klamath Restoration Program; (2) a

status report on the 1998 Klamath

Project annual operations plan; (3) the

development of the Task Force Fiscal

Year 1999 workplan; (4) a report and

decision on scoping for the Klamath

River Basin Instream Flow Incremental

Methodology (IFIM) flow study; (5) a

report from the National Marine

Fisheries Service on recovery actions for

coho and steelhead and the relation to

the Klamath Fishery Management

Council, Task Force, and Tribal Trust

responsibilities; (6) a decision on

proceeding with the Upper Basin

Amendment and related assignments;

and (7) a report on the status of efforts

to pursue additional funding for the

Klamath Restoration Program.

For background information on the

TF, please refer to the notice of their

initial meeting that appeared in the

Federal Register on July 8, 1987 (52 FR

25639).

Dated: June 1, 1998.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 98–15131 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO220–1020–01–241A; OMB Approval

Number 1004–0051]

Information Collection Submitted to

the Office of Management and Budget

for Review Under the Paperwork

Reduction Act

The proposed collection of

information listed below has been

submitted to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for approval under

the provisions of the Paperwork

Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

On March 4, 1998, BLM published a

notice in the Federal Register (63 FR

10649) requesting comment on this

proposed collection. The comment

period ended on May 8, 1998. BLM

received no (0) comments from the

public in response to that notice. Copies

of the proposed collection of

information and related forms and

explanatory material may be obtained

by contacting the BLM clearance officer

at the telephone number listed below.

The Office of Management and Budget

is required to respond to this request

within 60 days but may respond after 30

days. For maximum consideration, your

comments and suggestions on the

requirement should be made directly to

the Office of Management and Budget,

Interior Department Desk Officer (1004–

0151), Office of information and

Regulatory Affairs, Washington, D.C.,

20503, telephone (202) 395–7340. Please

provide a copy of your comments to the

Bureau Clearance Officer (WO–630),

1849 C St. N.W., Mail Stop 204 LS,

Washington D.C. 20420.

Nature of Comments: We specifically

request your comments on the

following:

1. Whether the collection of

information is necessary for proper

functioning of the BLM, including

whether the information will have

practical utility;

2. The accuracy of BLM’s estimate of

the burden of collecting information,

including the validation of the

methodology and assumptions used;

3. The quality, utility and clarity of

the information to be collected; and

4. How to minimize the burden of

collecting the information on those who

are to respond, including the use of

appropriate automated electronic,

mechanical and other forms of

information technology.

Title: 43 CFR 4130.3–2(d), Actual

Grazing Use Report.

OMB approval number: 1004–0051.

Abstract: The Bureau of Land

Management is proposing to renew the

approval of an information collection or

an existing rule at 43 CFR 4130.3–2(d).

This form is used by grazing permittees

or lessees to provide information on the

actual amount of livestock grazing use

made on the public lands within a

specified time to the Bureau of Land

Management for billing purposes and

program monitoring.

Bureau Form Number: Form 4130–5.

Frequency: Annually reporting as

required.

Description of respondents:

Respondents are holders of grazing

permits or leases on the public lands

administered by the Bureau of Land

Management.

Estimated completion time: 25

minutes.

Annual responses: 15,000.

Annual burden hours: 6,250.

Collection Clearance Officer: Carole

Smith, (202) 452–0367.