30746 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2001 / Notices

way maintenance chemicals, and

overflow from campground toilets. This

Agreement provides a net conservation

benefit to Oregon chub by creating a

protected refugia for this segment of the

Oregon chub population and thereby

reducing risks of complete loss of the

donor population and thus loss of any

unique genetic material. The Agreement

is expected to contribute to recovery of

Oregon chub by reducing threats and

expanding Oregon chub populations.

Recovery of the species would be

further enhanced by increasing the

reproductive viability of the

populations.

Under the Agreement, consistent with

the Service’s Safe Harbor Policy,

published in the Federal Register on

June 17, 1999 (64 FR 32717), the Service

would issue a permit to the Applicant

authorizing incidental take of Oregon

chub as a result of activities outside of

the 15-meter (50-foot) buffer zone

around the perimeter of the pond. These

activities include: diversion of water for

irrigation or other purposes, grazing of

livestock upslope of the pond, stocking

of fish or amphibian species, logging

trees, removal of vegetation surrounding

the pond area, use of herbicide or

pesticide, and any earthmoving

activities upslope of the pond. We

expect that the maximum level of

incidental take authorized under the

proposed Agreement will never be

realized.

We are providing this notice pursuant

to section 10(c) of the Act and pursuant

to implementing regulations for NEPA

(40 CFR 1506.6). We will evaluate this

permit application, associated

documents, and comments submitted

thereon to determine whether the

permit application meets the

requirements of section 10(a) of the Act

and NEPA regulations. If, upon

completion of the 30-day comment

period, we determine that the

requirements are met, we will sign the

proposed Agreement and issue an

enhancement of survival permit under

section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act to the

Applicant for take of Oregon chub

incidental to otherwise lawful activities

in accordance with the terms of the

Agreement.

Public Review and Comments

Individuals wishing copies of the

permit application, the Environmental

Action Statement, or copies of the full

text of the Agreement, including a map

of the proposed permit area, references,

and legal descriptions of the proposed

permit area, should contact the office

and personnel listed in the ADDRESSES

section above.

If you wish to comment on the permit

application, the Environmental Action

Statement, or the Agreement, you may

submit your comments to the address

listed in the ADDRESSES section of this

document. Comments and materials

received, including names and

addresses of respondents, will be

available for public review, by

appointment, during normal business

hours at the address in the ADDRESSES

section above and will become part of

the public record, pursuant to section

10(c) of the Act.

Dated: May 24, 2001.

Rowan W. Gould,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland,

Oregon.

[FR Doc. 01–14323 Filed 6–6–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of an Environmental Action

Statement and Receipt of an

Application for a Permit To Enhance

the Survival of the Hawaiian Duck or

Koloa and Endangered Hawaiian

Goose or Nene through a Safe Harbor

Agreement for Umikoa Ranch, HI

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public

that Umikoa Ranch, Limited (Ranch) has

applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service

(we, the Service) for an enhancement of

survival permit pursuant to section

10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species

Act of 1973, as amended (Act) for

Hawaiian Duck or Koloa (Anas

wyvilliana) and Endangered Hawaiian

Goose or Nene (Branta sandvicensis).

The permit application includes a Safe

Harbor Agreement (Agreement) between

the Ranch, the Service, and the Hawaii

Department of Land and Natural

Resources. The proposed permit and

Agreement would become effective

upon initialization of the Agreement

and remain in effect for 20 years. The

Service has made a preliminary

determination that the proposed

Agreement and permit application are

eligible for categorical exclusion under

the National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969 (NEPA). We explain the basis

for this determination in an

Environmental Action Statement, which

also is available for public review.

We announce the opening of a 30-day

comment period to receive comments

from the public on the Applicant’s

enhancement of survival permit

application, the accompanying

proposed Agreement, and

Environmental Action Statement. For

further information and instruction on

the reviewing and commenting process,

see Public Review and Comment section

below.

DATES: Written comments must be

received by July 9, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

addressed to Mr. Paul Henson, Field

Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, PO Box 50088, Honolulu,

Hawaii 96850; facsimile (808) 541–3470.

(See Public Review and Comment

section below.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

Gina Shultz at the above address or

telephone 808–541–3441.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under a Safe Harbor Agreement,

participating property owners

voluntarily undertake management

activities on their property to enhance,

restore, or maintain habitat benefitting

species listed under the Act. Safe

Harbor Agreements encourage private

and other non-Federal property owners

to implement conservation efforts for

listed species by assuring property

owners they will not be subjected to

increased property use restrictions if

their efforts attract listed species to their

property or increase the numbers or

distribution of listed species already on

their property. Application

requirements and issuance criteria for

enhancement of survival permits

through Safe Harbor Agreements are

found in 50 CFR 17.22(c).

We have worked with the Ranch and

the Hawaii Department of Land and

Natural Resources to develop a Safe

Harbor Agreement for the creation and

enhancement of habitat for the

endangered Hawaiian duck or koloa and

Hawaiian goose or nene on Umikoa

Ranch, Hawaii. Under this Agreement,

the Ranch will: (1) Construct and

maintain wetland and associated upland

habitat for nene and koloa; (2) maintain

fences that exclude cattle from newly

created wetland and associated upland

habitats; (3) allow for controlled grazing

to prevent encroachment of kikuyu grass

and for maintenance of open, short grass

habitat for nene; (4) prevent the

establishment of problematic alien

invasive plant species; (5) implement a

program to control predators in and

around newly created habitats where

koloa and nene are likely to occur; (6)

prohibit hunting in areas within the

upper portion of the Ranch managed for

koloa and nene; and (7) prevent the

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2001 / Notices 30747

introduction and establishment of nonnative waterfowl.

We anticipate that this Agreement

will result in the following benefits: (1)

Establishment of a self-sustaining

population or expansion of core

populations for nene and koloa on the

island of Hawaii; (2) reduced likelihood

of hybridization of koloa with feral

mallards and preservation of genetic

integrity of koloa on the island of

Hawaii; (3) increased genetic diversity

of nene; (4) safe nesting sites that will

support reproduction and an increased

number of koloa and nene in the wild

(anticipated five pairs of koloa and ten

pairs of nene); (5) greater understanding

of the effectiveness of management

techniques for koloa and nene; (6) and

additional sources of koloa and nene for

future management activities.

Consistent with Safe Harbor policy,

we propose to issue a permit to the

Ranch authorizing incidental take of

koloa and nene which occur on the

enrolled lands, and their progeny, as a

result of lawful activities at the Ranch,

so long as baseline conditions are

maintained and terms of the Agreement

are implemented. These activities

include unintentional incidental take of

koloa and nene from: (1) Koa forestry;

(2) eco-tourism; (3) cultivation of

agricultural crops; and (4) cattle grazing.

We expect that the maximum level of

incidental take authorized under the

Agreement will never be realized. The

Ranch has no plans to change land uses.

Further, we anticipate that any koloa or

nene taken will not be injured or

harmed, but will be relocated, with

permission from landowners, to other

suitable lands. We expect that the

creation and enhancement of wetland

and associated upland habitat will

result in the establishment of a selfsustaining permanent population or

expansion of core populations for nene

and koloa on the island of Hawaii.

Therefore, the cumulative impact of the

Agreement and the activities it covers,

which are facilitated by the allowable

incidental take, will provide a net

conservation benefit to koloa and nene.

We provide this notice pursuant to

section 10(c) of the Act and pursuant to

implementing regulations for NEPA (40

CFR 1506.6). We will evaluate the

permit application, associated

documents, and comments submitted

thereon to determine whether the

permit application meets the

requirements of section 10(a) of the Act

and NEPA regulations. If, upon

completion of the 30-day comment

period, we determine that the

requirements are met, we will sign the

Agreement and issue an enhancement of

survival permit under section

10(a)(1)(A) of the Act to Umikoa Ranch

for take of koloa and nene incidental to

otherwise lawful activities in

accordance with the terms of the

Agreement.

Public Review and Comments

Individuals wishing copies of the

permit application, the Environmental

Action Statement, or copies of the full

text of the Agreement, including a map

of the proposed permit area, references,

and legal descriptions of the proposed

permit area, should contact the office

and personnel listed in the ADDRESSES

section above.

If you wish to comment on the permit

application, Environmental Action

Statement, or the Agreement, you may

submit your comments to the address

listed in the ADDRESSES section of this

document. Comments and materials

received, including names and

addresses of respondents, will be

available for public review, by

appointment, during normal business

hours at the address in the ADDRESSES

section above and will become part of

the public record, pursuant to section

10(c) of the Act.

Dated: May 23, 2001.

Anne Badgley,

Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 01–14324 Filed 6–6–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

North American Wetlands

Conservation Act: Request for Small

Grants Proposals for Year 2002

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals.

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is

to advise the public that we, the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and

the North American Wetlands

Conservation Council (Council), are

currently entertaining proposals that

request match funding for wetland and

wetland-associated upland conservation

projects under the Small Grants

program. Projects must meet the

purposes of the North American

Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989, as

amended. We will give funding priority

to projects from new grant applicants

with new partners, where the project

ensures long-term conservation benefits.

However, previous Act grantees are

eligible to receive funding and can

compete successfully on the basis of

strong project resource values.

DATES: Proposals must be postmarked

no later than Friday, November 30,

2001.

ADDRESSES: Address proposals to:

Division of Bird Habitat Conservation,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401

North Fairfax Drive, Suite 110,

Arlington, Virginia 22203, Attn: Small

Grants Coordinator.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Keith A. Morehouse, Small Grants

Coordinator, or Office Secretary,

Division of Bird Habitat Conservation,

703–358–1784; facsimile 703–358–2282.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The purpose of the 1989 North

American Wetlands Conservation Act

(NAWCA), as amended (16 U.S.C. 4401

et seq.) is, through partnerships, to

promote long-term conservation of

North American wetland ecosystems

and the waterfowl and other migratory

birds, fish and wildlife that depend

upon such habitats. Principal

conservation actions supported by

NAWCA are acquisition, enhancement

and restoration of wetlands and

wetlands-associated uplands habitat.

Initiated in 1996, the underlying

objective of the Small Grants program is

to promote long-term wetlands

conservation activities through

encouraging participation by new

grantees and partners who may not

otherwise be able to compete in the

regular grants program. We also hope

that successful participants in the Small

Grants program will be encouraged to

participate in the NAWCA-based

Standard Grants program. Over the first

six years of the program, about 472

proposals requesting a total of

approximately $16.2 million competed

for funding. Ultimately, 122 projects

were funded over this period for about

$4.7 million. For 2002, with the

approval of the Migratory Bird

Conservation Commission, we have

made the Small Grants program

operational at a base level of $1.0

million. Between $1.0 and $2.0 million

in Small Grants projects may be funded.

However, ultimately, the level of Small

Grant funding depends upon the quality

of the pool of grant proposals.

To be considered for funding in the

2002 cycle, proposals must have a grant

request no greater than $50,000. We will

accept all wetland conservation

proposals that meet the requirements of

the Act. However, considering

appropriate proposal resource values,

we will give funding priority to projects

from new grant applicants (individuals

or organizations who have never

received a NAWCA grant) with new

partners, where the project ensures

long-term conservation benefits. This