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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7152-7153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01341]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-ES-2024-0133; FXES11140800000-223-FF08ECAR00]

Incidental Take Permit Application for the Quino Checkerspot 
Butterfly and Western Spadefoot; Draft Habitat Conservation Plan and 
Draft Environmental Assessment; Alpine Park Project, Community of 
Alpine, San Diego County, CA

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have 
received an application from the County of San Diego for an incidental 
take permit under the Endangered Species Act. If granted, the permit 
would authorize take of the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas 
editha quino), federally listed as endangered, and the western 
spadefoot (Spea hammondii), an amphibian species federally proposed as 
threatened, incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with 
construction and operation of a 25-acre active recreation park and 
habitat restoration and management within mitigation areas associated 
with the project. We invite comments from the public and local, State, 
Tribal, and Federal agencies on the applicant's draft habitat 
conservation plan and the draft environmental assessment, which we have 
prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. We will 
take comments into consideration before deciding whether to issue an 
incidental take permit.

DATES: Submitting Comments: We must receive any written comments on or 
before February 20, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: The application, application supporting 
materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be 
available for public inspection at https://www.regulations.gov in 
Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2024-0133.
    Submitting Written Comments: You may submit your written comments 
using one of the following methods:
    Online: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2024-0133.
    U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-
2024-0133; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg 
Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally means that we will post online any personal information that 
you provide. We request that you submit comments by only one of the 
methods above. For additional information about submitting comments, 
see Public Availability of Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Porter, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, by email at [email protected] or via phone at 442-287-
2203. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, blind, hard of 
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals 
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within 
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in 
the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We have received an application from the 
County of San Diego (applicant) for an incidental take permit under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.). The application addresses the potential take of the Quino 
checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino), federally listed as 
endangered, and the western spadefoot (Spea hammondii), an amphibian 
species federally proposed as threatened, incidental to otherwise 
lawful activities at the Alpine Park (project) site, as described in 
the applicant's draft habitat conservation plan (conservation plan). 
The proposed project would be located in the community of Alpine in San 
Diego County, California.

Background

    Section 9 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1538) and Federal regulations 
promulgated pursuant to section 4(d) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1533) 
prohibit the take of endangered and threatened animals without special 
exemption. Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539), we 
may issue permits to authorize take of listed fish and wildlife species 
that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an 
otherwise lawful activity. Regulations governing permits for endangered 
and threatened species are set forth in title 50 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) at part 17, sections 17.22 and 17.32.
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.) requires Federal agencies to analyze their proposed actions to 
determine whether the actions may significantly affect the human 
environment. In the NEPA analysis, the Federal agency will identify the 
effects, as well as possible mitigation for effects on environmental 
resources, that could occur with the implementation of the proposed 
action and alternatives. The Federal action in this case is the 
Service's proposed issuance of an incidental take permit for the 
federally endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly and the federally 
proposed threatened western spadefoot.

Permit Application

    The applicant has submitted a draft conservation plan that 
describes the activities that would be covered by the permit, including 
construction of the active recreation park and impacts associated with 
habitat maintenance and restoration. To minimize the risk of incidental 
take, the applicant would employ seasonal restrictions and 
preconstruction surveys and potential translocation. To mitigate the 
impact of the incidental take, the applicant proposes to protect and 
manage the 67.5-acre Alpine Park Preserve, enhance

[[Page 7153]]

Quino checkerspot butterfly habitat, and create breeding pools for 
western spadefoot.
    The draft conservation plan and the draft environmental assessment 
consider alternatives to the proposed action, including a no action 
alternative. The Service prepared a draft environmental assessment to 
evaluate the impacts of issuing the proposed incidental take permit on 
the human environment, consistent with the purpose and goals of NEPA 
and pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's implementing 
NEPA regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508. Additionally, the 
draft environmental assessment was prepared consistent with the 
Department of the Interior's NEPA regulations (43 CFR part 46); 
longstanding Federal judicial and regulatory interpretations; and 
Administration priorities and policies, including Secretary's Order No. 
3399.

Public Availability of Comments

    All comments and materials we receive will become part of the 
decision record associated with this action. If you submit a comment 
via https://www.regulations.gov, your entire comment, including any 
personal identifying information such as your address, phone number, 
and email address, will be posted on the website.
    If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal identifying 
information, you may request at the top of your document that we 
withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hardcopy 
comments on https://www.regulations.gov.

Authority

    The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) of the 
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing 
regulations and the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500 through 1508 and 
43 CFR part 46).

Scott Sobiech,
Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2025-01341 Filed 1-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
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