[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 82 (Friday, April 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18616-18617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10360]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service


Endangered and Threatened Species Permit Application

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an 
Application for a Permit to Authorize Incidental Take of Threatened and 
Endangered Species by Port Blakely Tree Farms, L. P., on the Robert B. 
Eddy Tree Farm, Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties, Washington.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that Port Blakely Tree Farms, 
L. P., of Seattle, Washington (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (FWS) for an incidental take permit pursuant to 
section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Act). The application has been assigned permit number PRT-813744. The 
Applicant has also requested to enter into a consensual agreement with 
the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to address the needs 
of anadromous salmonids being considered for listing under the Act, and 
with the FWS to conserve other fish and wildlife species which may be 
associated with habitats on their Robert B. Eddy Tree Farm in Pacific 
and Grays Harbor Counties, Washington (Tree Farm). The requested permit 
would authorize the incidental take of northern spotted owls (Strix 
occidentalis caurina), marbled

[[Page 18617]]

murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus marmoratus), bald eagles 
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and American peregrine falcons (Falco 
peregrinus anatum) that may occur on the Applicant's Tree Farm. The 
proposed incidental take may occur as a result of timber harvest 
activities, and road construction and maintenance in the various 
habitat types that occur now, and will occur on the Tree Farm during 
the 50-year term of the proposed permit. The application includes a 
Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), which the Applicant proposes to 
implement as a condition of the permit, and an Implementation Agreement 
(IA) which identifies the responsibilities of the parties under the 
HCP. The IA would provide for the issuance of additional permits under 
certain conditions for the incidental take of species not presently 
listed under the Act, but which may become listed during the term of 
the proposed permit, and which may occur in habitats on the Tree Farm.
    The FWS, in conjunction with NMFS, announces the availability of an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed issuance of the 
incidental take permit and signing of the IA. The agencies are also 
making draft permit conditions available for public review and comment 
should the permit be issued. The FWS is taking administrative 
responsibility for announcing the availability of the aforementioned 
documents. All comments received will become part of the public record 
and may be released. 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, EA, and draft permit 
conditions should be received on or before May 28, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the application or EA should be addressed 
to Mr. Curt Smitch, Assistant Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 3704 Griffin Lane, SE, Suite 102 Olympia, Washington 98501 
(360-753-9440). Please refer to permit PRT-813744 when submitting 
comments. Individuals wishing copies of the application, EA, or draft 
permit conditions, for review should immediately contact the above 
office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Bogaczyk, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service at (360) 753-5824, or Matt Longenbaugh, National Marine 
Fisheries Service at (360) 753-7761, at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under section 9 of the Act, and its implementing regulations, 
``take'' of a threatened or endangered species is prohibited. However, 
the FWS and NMFS, under limited circumstances, may issue permits to 
take threatened and endangered wildlife species if such taking is 
incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. 
Regulations governing permits for threatened species are in 50 CFR 
17.32 and in 50 CFR 17.22 for endangered species.
    The Applicant proposes to implement the HCP containing conservation 
measures for the northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet, bald eagle, 
peregrine falcon, and other currently unlisted species, as a condition 
of the permit which would authorize the incidental take of listed 
species during timber harvest activities on the approximately 7,485-
acre Tree Farm. The Applicant's proposed timber harvest may result in 
the take, as defined in the Act and its implementing regulations, of 
listed species. The term of the proposed HCP and permit is 50 years.
    The Applicant proposes to mitigate for the impacts of any 
incidental take by maintaining the best late successional habitat (>80 
years old) on the Tree Farm in harvest deferrals until ingrowth of 
additional older, higher quality habitat occurs. Measures to maintain 
important habitat structures such as wildlife trees, snags and downed 
logs would be implemented on all harvest units. Further, riparian 
measures designed to protect stream associated amphibians, and 
anadromous and resident fish would be implemented along streams. 
Additional benefits to these riparian species would be provided by 
improvements to road construction and maintenance techniques. 
Implementation of all measures would be initiated immediately upon 
issuance of the permit, and would continue for the term of the permit.
    The EA considers the environmental consequences of 3 alternatives, 
including the proposed action and no-action alternatives. The proposed 
action alternative is the issuance of the permit under section 10(a) of 
the Act that would authorize incidental take of listed species, and 
signing of the IA to cover currently unlisted species, that may occur 
in the habitats on the Applicant's Tree Farm. The proposed action would 
require the Applicant to implement the HCP. Under the no-action 
alternative, the Applicant would continue to abide by section 9 take 
prohibitions under the Act; an incidental take permit would not be 
issued. The third alternative is to manage the Tree Farm according to 
the standards and guidelines described in the Northwest Forest Plan, 
which would maintain approximately 61 percent of the Tree Farm in 
reserves.


    Dated: April 22, 1996.
Thomas Dwyer,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 96-10360 Filed 4-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P