Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 24, 2001 / Notices 20675

Dated: March 9, 2001.

Rowan W. Gould,

Acting Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife

Service, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 01–10066 Filed 4–23–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Environmental Statements; Availability

etc: Incidental Take Permits—Bastrop

County, TX; Houston Toad and Bald

Eagle

Notice of Availability of a Revised

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan for Permit Numbers

TE–025997–0 and TE–025965–0 for

Issuance of Endangered Species Act

Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permits for the

Incidental Take of the Endangered

Houston Toad and the Threatened Bald

Eagle During the Construction and

Occupation of Single Family Residences

or Other Similar Structures (each on

approximately 0.5 acres or less) in 46

Subdivisions in Bastrop County, Texas.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service has prepared a revised

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan (EA/HCP) for

issuance of Endangered Species Act

Section 10(a)(1)(B) permits (numbers

TE–025997–0 and TE–025965–0) for the

incidental take of the endangered

Houston toad (Bufo houstonensis) and

threatened bald eagle (Haliaeetus

leucocephalus). The revised EA/HCP

adds the bald eagle to the existing 46-

subdivision EA/HCP that currently only

covers the Houston toad. In addition,

the proposed EA/HCP would allow for

the construction of other similar

structures, as long as the action on the

property disturbs no more than

approximately 0.5 acres of habitat

within each eligible lot. The Service

proposes issuing endangered species

permits to individual lot owners under

an EA/HCP, where each permit would

authorize the incidental take of the

Houston toad and bald eagle, directly or

indirectly, from the construction and

occupation of a single-family residence

or other similar structure on an

undeveloped lot in the 46 subdivisions

covered under this EA/HCP. This

revised EA/HCP will allow for

responsible development of the lots

while minimizing and offsetting impacts

to the Houston toad and bald eagle by

providing for on-site and off-site

conservation measures that will be used

to promote the long-term survival of the

species. It is also considered to provide

the most simplified, expeditious, and

effective process by which landowners

can comply with the provisions of the

Endangered Species Act in a more

efficient manner. The revised EA/HCP

requires the same avoidance,

minimization, and mitigation efforts

from every lot owner, within their

respective category. Issuance of

incidental take permits for the Houston

toad and bald eagle will be conducted

as they are currently for the Houston

toad.

DATES: Written comments on the

revision are being accepted and should

be received on or before June 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the revised EA/HCP may obtain a copy

by contacting: the Austin Office of the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 10711

Burnet Road, Suite 200, Austin, Texas

78758 (512/490–0057). Documents will

be available for public inspection by

written request, or by appointment only,

during normal business hours (8 to 4:30)

at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Austin, Texas. Written data or

comments concerning the proposed

revisions should be submitted to the

Field Supervisor, Austin Field Office of

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at

the above address. Please refer to permit

numbers TE–025997–0 and TE–025965–

0 when submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact the Austin Office of the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service at the above

address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9

of the Act prohibits the ‘‘taking’’ of

endangered and threatened species such

as the Houston toad and bald eagle.

However, the Service, under limited

circumstances, may issue permits to

take threatened and 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 Service has divided the 46

subdivisions into two categories, those

in low/marginal quality Houston toad

habitat, and those in medium quality

Houston toad habitat. The revised EA/

HCP and associated permits (TE–

025997–0 and TE–025965–0) will be in

effect for a period of 5 years, and

authorize the incidental take of the

Houston toad and bald eagle. The

proposed take to the Houston toad

would occur as a result of the possible

construction and occupation of

undeveloped lots, utilizing no more

than approximately 0.5 acres per

eligible property, in 46 subdivisions in

Bastrop County, Texas. The proposed

take to the bald eagle is anticipated to

occur only in the form of harassment,

such as an increase in noise generated

from the 46 subdivisions and increased

recreational use of area lakes and the

Colorado River. This notice is provided

pursuant to Section 10(c) of the Act and

National Environmental Policy Act

regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

Geoffrey L. Haskett,

Acting Regional Director, Region 2,

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[FR Doc. 01–10062 Filed 4–23–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Environmental Statements;

Availability, etc: Incidental Take

Permits—Travis County, TX; Golden

Cheeked Warbler

Notice of Availability of an

Environmental Assessment/Habitat

Conservation Plan and Receipt of

Application for Incidental Take Permit

for Construction and Occupation of

Residential and Commercial

Development on Portions of the

Approximately 740-acre Ribelin Ranch

Property, Austin, Travis County, Texas.

SUMMARY: Ribelin Ranch Partners, Ltd.,

Lucia Francis, and Charles Ribelin

(Applicants) have applied to the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for

an incidental take permit pursuant to

Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species

Act (Act). The Application has been

assigned permit number TE–040090–0.

The requested permit, which is for a

period of 30 years, would authorize the

incidental take of the endangered

golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica

chrysoparia). The proposed take would

occur as a result of the construction and

occupation of residential and

commercial development on portions of

the approximately 740-acre Ribelin

Ranch Property on R.M. 2222, Austin,

Travis County, Texas.

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 60 days

from the date of publication of this

notice. 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

application should be received on or

before June 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review

the application may obtain a copy by

writing to the Regional Director, U.S.