[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7577-7578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3079]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service


Endangered and Threatened Species Permit Application; Notice of 
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement To Allow Incidental 
Take of Four Threatened Species on Lands Administered by Plum Creek 
Timber Company, L.P. in the State of Washington

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to gather 
information necessary for the preparation of an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS). The EIS will consider a permit application by Plum 
Creek Timber Company, L.P. (applicant) to take federally listed 
species, under the provisions of section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. It will also consider the 
development of an unlisted species agreement. The Service is conducting 
scoping and hereby encourages [[Page 7578]] interested agencies, 
organizations, and individuals to provide comments on the issues which 
should be addressed in the EIS.

DATES: Written comments regarding the scope of the EIS should be 
received on or before March 10, 1995. A scoping workshop will be held 
on February 22, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Mr. Curt Smitch; 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 3773 Martin Way East; Building C, Suite 
101; Olympia, Washington 98501. Comments received will be available for 
public inspection by appointment during normal business hours (8:00 
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday). A scoping workshop will be 
held from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the Bellevue Red Lion Hotel; Overlake Room; 
300 112th Avenue S.E.; Bellevue, Washington 98004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Vogel, Wildlife Biologist; 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 3773 Martin Way East; Building C, Suite 
101; Olympia, Washington 98501, (360) 534-9330.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant has launched an effort to 
address species conservation and ecosystem management on approximately 
171,000 acres of private land in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. 
The subject ownership occurs in a ``checkerboard'' pattern in an area 
commonly referred to as the I-90 Corridor. The term ``checkerboard'' 
refers to alternate sections of public and private land. This effort 
will include the development of a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and 
application for an incidental take permit as authorized under section 
10 of the Act. The applicant intends to request permits for the 
incidental take of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis 
caurina) which would occur as a result of timber harvest within a 
portion of the owl sites present on the subject property. There are 
currently more than 100 owl sites present within the larger 419,000-
acre planning area.
    The applicant plans to avoid the take of marbled murrelets 
(Brachyramphus marmoratus marmoratus), but will likely include 
murrelets in the incidental-take permit application in the event take 
occurs accidentally. The applicant also plans to include grizzly bear 
(Ursus arctos = U.a. horribilis) and gray wolf (Canis lupus) in the 
permit application to cover circumstances where these species may occur 
on the subject property in the future and may at some point be subject 
to disturbance. The applicant is also addressing numerous other species 
in the HCP and intends to request an unlisted species agreement.
    As a further opportunity for interested persons to comment on these 
and other issues associated with this planning effort, a scoping 
workshop is scheduled for 6:00-9:00 p.m. on February 22, 1995. The 
workshop location will be the Overlake Room of the Bellevue Red Lion 
Hotel, 300 112th Avenue S.E.; Bellevue, Washington 98004.
    Interested parties may contact the Service at the address listed 
above to receive additional information, including a map for the 
workshop location.

    Dated: February 1, 1995.
Thomas Dwyer,
Deputy Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 95-3079 Filed 2-7-95; 8:45 am]
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