[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 209 (Friday, October 29, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66781-66786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-27338]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-ES-2010-N186; 1112-0000-81420-F2]


Habitat Conservation Plan for Pacific Gas & Electric Company's 
Operation, Maintenance, and Minor New Construction Activities in the 
North Coast, Central Coast, Sacramento Valley, Sierra, and Mojave 
Regions, CA

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement and notice of public scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to 
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regarding an expected application from 
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) for a permit authorizing 
incidental take

[[Page 66782]]

of Federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
as amended (ESA).We are revising our previous notice of intent (NOI) of 
November 2008 in order to gather information necessary to prepare a 
joint EIS/environmental impact report (EIR) on the habitat conservation 
plan (HCP) for PG&E's operation, maintenance, and minor new 
construction activities in the North Coast, Central Coast, Sacramento 
Valley, and Sierra regions.

DATES: Please send written comments on or before November 29, 2010. A 
public meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 1 p.m. to 
3 p.m., Sacramento, CA.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the South Notamas 
Community Center--Conference Room, 2921 Truxel Road, Sacramento, CA. 
Submit information, written comments, or questions related to the 
preparation of the EIS/EIR and NEPA process by U.S. mail to Mike 
Thomas, Branch Chief, Conservation Planning, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, 
Sacramento, CA 95825; or by facsimile to (916) 414-6713.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Thomas, Branch Chief, 
Conservation Planning; or Eric Tattersall, Deputy Assistant Field 
Supervisor/Division Chief, Conservation Planning and Recovery, at the 
address above or at (916) 414-6600 (telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We intend to prepare an EIS under NEPA 
regarding an expected application from PG&E for a permit authorizing 
incidental take of Federally listed species under the ESA. We are 
revising our previously published NOI (November 25, 2008; 73 FR 71668) 
to gather information necessary to prepare, in coordination with the 
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and PG&E, a joint EIS/EIR 
on the HCP for PG&E's operation, maintenance, and minor new 
construction activities in the North Coast, Central Coast, Sacramento 
Valley, and Sierra regions. This revised notice describes the two main 
changes to the proposed action, which are the addition of the Mojave 
Region (Figure 1) to the study area and a change in proposed covered 
species list (Table 1).
    We are providing this notice to: (1) Describe revisions to the 
proposed action; (2) update other Federal and State agencies, affected 
Tribes, and the public of the revised scope of the environmental review 
for this EIS/EIR; (3) announce the initiation of a new public scoping 
period; and (4) obtain suggestions and information on the scope of 
issues and alternatives to be included in the EIS/EIR.
    The following table (Table 1) shows the changes by status and 
number of proposed covered species for which PG&E is anticipating 
requesting a permit:

              Table 1--Changes in Proposed Covered Species
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Numbers of species
                                                   ---------------------
                 Species category                    November
                                                       2008     Revised
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federally listed as threatened or endangered......         75         85
Candidates........................................          0          4
Unlisted species that may become listed during             34         91
 permit term......................................
    Total numbers of species......................        109        180
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background Information

    The 2008 NOI specified that the plan area encompassed approximately 
550,000 acres, including the right of way surrounding PG&E's gas and 
electric transmission and distribution facilities, lands owned by PG&E 
and/or subject to PG&E easements for these facilities, private access 
routes associated with PG&E's activities, future minor new construction 
areas, and mitigation areas for impacts resulting from PG&E's covered 
activities. The plan area included the network of PG&E facilities in 36 
counties, including 18 counties within the Sacramento Valley Region, 20 
counties within the Sierra Region (of which 12 overlap with the 
Sacramento Valley), 6 counties within the Central Coast Region, and 4 
counties within the North Coast Region (of which 1 overlaps with the 
Sacramento Valley). PG&E originally intended to request a permit for 
109 species under the HCP: 75 Federally listed and 34 unlisted species 
(covered species). We anticipated that PG&E would request a permit 
duration of 50 years. We held a public scoping meeting and Web 
conference in Sacramento, California, on December 4, 2008. We received 
public and agency comments through December 26, 2008.

Revisions to Project/Proposed Action

    PG&E proposes to add approximately 23,000 acres to the plan area 
with the inclusion of the Mojave Region, which would increase the total 
plan area to approximately 573,000 acres in 36 counties. Within the 
23,000 acres of the Mohave Region, PG&E proposes to implement 
operations and maintenance activities along an existing gas 
transmission line, which stretches from central Kern County to eastern 
San Bernardino County. A map of the new region to be added is attached 
(see Figure 1). Activities that may be covered under the HCP in the 
Mojave Region include a variety of tasks associated with the operation 
and maintenance of PG&E's gas transmission system, as mandated for 
public safety by the California Public Utilities Commission, the 
California Energy Commission, and the California Department of 
Transportation. More specifically, these activities would be restricted 
to: Gas pipeline protection, recoating, repair, and replacement, and 
vegetation management to maintain clearances around facilities. 
Preliminary analysis conducted by PG&E to date suggests that up to 5 
acres of permanent impacts and 555 acres of temporary impacts are 
likely to occur as a result of proposed covered activities in the 
Mojave Region over a 50-year timeframe.
    Because some species were inadvertently omitted from the original 
NOI and the present addition of the Mojave Region to the proposed 
action, PG&E added 71 species to the proposed covered species list 
since the 2008 NOI. The proposed covered species list has increased 
from a total of 109 species to 180 species. The 180 species PG&E 
currently proposes to address in the HCP include 57 animal species and 
123 plant species (Table 2). Additional changes to the proposed covered 
species list may occur during the development of the HCP.

                                 TABLE 2--Revised Proposed Covered Species List
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Scientific name                                Common name                      Federal Status
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invertebrates:
    Branchinectaconservatio................  Conservancy fairy shrimp...................  E
    Branchinectalongiantenna...............  Longhorn fairy shrimp......................  E
    Branchinectalynchi.....................  Vernal pool fairy shrimp...................  T

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    Branchinectamesovallensis..............  Midvalley fairy shrimp.....................  --
    Desmoceruscalifornicusdimorphus........  Valley elderberry longhorn beetle..........  T
    Euphilotesenoptessmithi................  Smith's blue butterfly.....................  E
    Euproserpinuseuterpe...................  Kern primrose sphinx moth..................  T
    Helminthoglyptawalkeriana..............  Morro shoulderband.........................  E
    Lepiduruspackardi......................  Vernal pool tadpole shrimp.................  E
    Lycaeidesargyrognomonlotis.............  Lotis blue butterfly.......................  E
    Pacifastacusfortis.....................  Shasta crayfish............................  E
    Polyphyllabarbata......................  Mount Hermon (=barbate) june beetle........  E
    Speyeriazerenebehrensii................  Behren's silverspot butterfly..............  E
    Trimerotropisinfantilis................  Zayante band-winged grasshopper............  E
Amphibians:
    Ambystomacaliforniense.................  California tiger salamander--Central         T
                                              Distinct Population Segment.
    Ambystomacaliforniense.................  California tiger salamander--Santa Barbara   E
                                              County Distinct Population Segment.
    Ambystomamacrodactylumcroceum..........  Santa Cruz long-toed salamander............  E
    Anaxyruscalifornicus...................  Arroyo toad................................  E
    Batrachosepsstebbinsi..................  Tehachapi slender salamander...............  --
    Bufocanorus............................  Yosemite toad..............................  C
    Hydromantesshastae.....................  Shasta salamander..........................  --
    Ranaboylii.............................  Foothill yellow-legged frog................  --
    Ranadraytonii..........................  California red-legged frog.................  T
    Ranamuscosa............................  Southern mountain (=Sierra Madre) yellow-    E
                                              legged frog.
    Ranasierrae............................  Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog...........  C
    Rhyacotritonvariegatus.................  Southern torrent salamander................  --
    Scaphiopushammondi.....................  Western spadefoot toad.....................  --
Reptiles:
    Emys(=Clemmys)marmorata................  Western pond turtle........................  --
    Gambeliasila...........................  Blunt-nosed leopard lizard.................  E
    Gopherusagassizii......................  Desert tortoise............................  T
    Thamnophisgigas........................  Giant garter snake.........................  T
    Thamnophissirtalistetrataenia..........  San Francisco garter snake.................  E
Birds:
    Agelaius tricolor......................  Tricolored blackbird.......................  --
    Aquila chrysaetos......................  Golden eagle...............................  --
    Athenecunicularia......................  Western burrowing owl......................  --
    Brachyramphusmarmoratus................  Marbled murrelet...........................  T
    Buteoswainsoni.........................  Swainson's hawk............................  --
    Coccyzusamericanusoccidentalis.........  Western yellow-billed cuckoo...............  C
    Empidonaxtraillii......................  Willow flycatcher..........................  --
    Empidonaxtrailliiextimus...............  Southwestern willow flycatcher (CA)........  E
    Falco peregrinusanatum.................  American peregrine falcon..................  --
    Gruscanadensistabida...................  Greater sandhill crane.....................  --
    Haliaeetusleucocephalus................  Bald eagle.................................  --
    Laterallusjamaicensiscoturniculus......  Black rail (CA)............................  --
    Prognesubis............................  Purple martin..............................  --
    Strixnebulosa..........................  Great gray owl.............................  --
    Strixoccidentaliscaurina...............  Northern spotted owl.......................  T
    Vireo belliipusillus...................  Least Bell's vireo.........................  E
Mammals:
    Ammospermophilus nelson................  Nelson's antelope squirrel.................  --
    Aplodontiarufaniger....................  Point Arena mountain beaver................  E
    Dipodomysingens........................  Giant kangaroo rat.........................  E
    Dipodomysnitratoidesnitratoides........  Tipton kangaroo rat........................  E
    Martesamericanahumboldtensis...........  Humboldt marten............................  --
    Martespennanti.........................  Fisher--west coast Distinct Population       C
                                              Segment.
    Vulpesmacrotismutica...................  San Joaquin kit fox........................  E
    Vulpesvulpesnecator....................  Sierra Nevada red fox......................  --
    Xerospermophilusmohavensis.............  Mohave ground squirrel.....................  --
Plants:
    Abroniaumbellata ssp. breviflora.......  Pink sand-verbena..........................  --
    Ancistrocarphuskeilii..................  Santa Ynezgroundstar.......................  --
    Arabisconstancei.......................  Constance's rock cress.....................  --
    Arctostaphyloshookeri ssp. hearstiorum.  Hearst's manzanita.........................  --
    Arctostaphylosmorroensis...............  Morro manzanita............................  T
    Arctostaphylosmyrtifolia...............  Ione manzanita.............................  T
    Arctostaphylospajaroensis..............  Pajaromanzanita............................  --
    Arctostaphylospurissima................  La Purisimamanzanita.......................  --
    Arctostaphylosstanfordiana ssp. raichei  Raiche's manzanita.........................  --
    Arctostaphylostomentosa ssp. daciticola  Dacitemanzanita............................  --
    Arctostaphyloswellsii..................  Wells' manzanita...........................  --

[[Page 66784]]

 
    Astragalusagnicidus....................  Humboldt milk-vetch........................  --
    Astragalusalbens.......................  Cushenbury milk-vetch......................  E
    Astragalustener var. ferrisiae.........  Ferris' milk-vetch.........................  --
    Atriplexparishii.......................  Parish's brittlescale......................  --
    Bensoniellaoregona.....................  Bensoniella................................  --
    California macrophylla.................  Round-leaved filaree.......................  --
    Calycadeniavillosa.....................  Dwarf calycadenia..........................  --
    Calystegiastebbinsii...................  Stebbins' morning-glory....................  E
    Camissoniabenitensis...................  San Benito evening-primrose................  T
    Carpenteriacalifornica.................  Tree-anemone...............................  --
    Caulanthuscalifornicus.................  California jewel-flower....................  E
    Ceanothusconfusus......................  Rincon Ridge ceanothus.....................  --
    Ceanothusmaritimus.....................  Maritime ceanothus.........................  --
    Ceanothusroderickii....................  Pine Hill ceanothus........................  E
    Chamaesycehooveri......................  Hoover's spurge............................  T
    Chlorogalumpurpureum var. purpureum....  Purple amole...............................  T
    Chorizanthehowellii....................  Howell's spineflower.......................  E
    Chorizanthepungens var. hartwegiana....  Ben Lomond spineflower.....................  E
    Chorizanthepungens var. pungens........  Monterey spineflower.......................  T
    Chorizantherobusta var. robusta........  Robust spineflower.........................  E
    Cirsiumfontinale var.obispoense........  San Luis Obispo fountain thistle...........  E
    Cirsiumrhothophilum....................  Surf thistle...............................  --
    Clarkia amoena ssp. whitneyi...........  Whitney's farewell-to-spring...............  --
    Clarkia borealis ssp. arida............  Shasta clarkia.............................  --
    Clarkia mosquinii......................  Mosquin's clarkia..........................  --
    Clarkia speciosa ssp. immaculata.......  Pismo clarkia..............................  E
    Cordylanthusmollis ssp. hispidus.......  Hispid bird's-beak.........................  --
    Cordylanthuspalmatus...................  Palmate-bracted bird's-beak................  E
    Cordylanthusrigidus ssp. littoralis....  Seaside bird's-beak........................  --
    Cryptanthaclevelandii var. dissita.....  Serpentine cryptantha......................  --
    Cupressusabramsiana....................  Santa Cruz cypress.........................  E
    Cupressusgoveniana ssp. goveniana......  Gowen cypress..............................  T
    Deinandrahalliana......................  Hall's tarplant............................  --
    Dithyreamaritima.......................  Beach spectaclepod.........................  --
    Dudleyablochmaniae ssp.  blochmaniae...  Blochman's dudleya.........................  --
    Eriastrumtracyi........................  Tracy's eriastrum..........................  --
    Ericameriafasciculata..................  Eastwood's goldenbush......................  --
    Erigeron parishii......................  Parish's daisy.............................  T
    Eriodictyoncapitatum...................  Lompoc yerba santa.........................  E
    Eriogonumapricum var. apricum..........  Ione buckwheat.............................  E
    Eriogonumnudum var. decurrens..........  Ben Lomond buckwheat.......................  --
    Eryngiumaristulatum var. hooveri.......  Hoover's button-celery.....................  --
    Eryngiumconstancei.....................  Loch Lomond button-celery..................  E
    Eryngiumracemosum......................  Delta button-celery........................  --
    Erysimummenziesii ssp. eurekense.......  Humboldt Bay wallflower....................  E
    Erysimummenziesii ssp. menziesii.......  Menzies' wallflower........................  E
    Erysimumteretifolium...................  Santa Cruz wallflower......................  E
    Eschscholziarhombipetala...............  Diamond-petaled California poppy...........  --
    Fremontodendrondecumbens...............  Pine Hill flannelbush......................  E
    Fritillariaroderickii..................  Roderick's fritillary......................  --
    Galiumcalifornicum ssp. sierrae........  El Dorado bedstraw.........................  E
    Giliatenuiflora ssp. arenaria..........  Sand gilia.................................  E
    Gratiolaheterosepala...................  Boggs Lake hedge-hyssop....................  --
    Guggolz' harmonia......................  Harmoniaguggolziorum.......................  --
    Holocarphamacradenia...................  Santa Cruz tarplant........................  T
    Horkeliacuneata ssp. puberula..........  Mesa horkelia..............................  --
    Horkeliacuneata ssp. sericea...........  Kellogg's horkelia.........................  --
    Juncusleiospermus var. leiospermus.....  Red Bluff dwarf rush.......................  --
    Lastheniaburkei........................  Burke's goldfields.........................  E
    Lastheniaconjugens.....................  Contra Costa goldfields....................  E
    Lastheniaglabrata ssp. coulteri........  Coulter's goldfields.......................  --
    Layiacarnosa...........................  Beach layia................................  E
    Layiadiscoidea.........................  Rayless layia..............................  --
    Layiaheterotricha......................  Pale-yellow layia..........................  --
    Legenerelimosa.........................  Legenere...................................  --
    Lilaeopsismasonii......................  Mason's lilaeopsis.........................  --
    Liliummaritimum........................  Coast lily.................................  --
    Liliumoccidentale......................  Western lily...............................  E
    Limnanthesbakeri.......................  Baker's meadowfoam.........................  --
    Limnanthesfloccosa ssp. californica....  Butte County meadowfoam....................  E
    Lomatiumstebbinsii.....................  Stebbins' lomatium.........................  --

[[Page 66785]]

 
    Lotus rubriflorus......................  Red-flowered lotus.........................  --
    Lupinus milo-bakeri....................  Milo Baker's lupine........................  --
    Lupinusnipomensis......................  Nipomo Mesa lupine.........................  E
    Lupinustidestromii.....................  Tidestrom's lupine.........................  E
    Madiaradiata...........................  Showy madia................................  --
    Malacothamnusabbottii..................  Abbott's bush mallow.......................  --
    Monardelladouglasii ssp.  venosa.......  Veiny monardella...........................  --
    Monolopiacongdonii.....................  San Joaquin woollythreads..................  E
    Navarretialeucocephala ssp. bakeri.....  Baker's navarretia.........................  --
    Navarretialeucocephala ssp. pauciflora.  Few-flowered navarretia....................  E
    Navarretialeucocephala ssp. plieantha..  Many-flowered navarretia...................  E
    Navarretiamyersii ssp. deminuta........  Small pincushion navarretia................  --
    Navarretiamyersii ssp. myersii.........  Pincushion navarretia......................  --
    Navarretiaprostrata....................  Prostrate navarretia.......................  --
    Oenotheradeltoidesssp. howellii........  Antioch Dunes evening-primrose.............  E
    Oenotherawolfii........................  Wolf's evening-primrose....................  --
    Orcuttiapilosa.........................  Hairy orcutt grass.........................  E
    Orcuttiatenuis.........................  Slender orcutt grass.......................  T
    Orcuttiaviscida........................  Sacramento orcutt grass....................  E
    Packeralayneae.........................  Layne's ragwort............................  T
    Paronychia ahartii.....................  Ahart's paronychia.........................  --
    Pentachaetabellidiflora................  White-rayed pentachaeta....................  E
    Pinusradiata...........................  Monterey pine..............................  --
    Piperiayadonii.........................  Yadon's rein orchid........................  E
    Pleuropogonhooverianus.................  North Coast semaphore grass................  --
    Polygonumhickmanii.....................  Scotts Valley polygonum....................  E
    Pseudobahiabahiifolia..................  Hartweg's golden sunburst..................  E
    Puccinelliahowellii....................  Howell's alkali grass......................  --
    Rhynchosporacalifornica................  California beaked-rush.....................  --
    Saniculamaritima.......................  Adobe sanicle..............................  --
    Sedellaleiocarpa.......................  Lake County stonecrop......................  E
    Sidalceahickmanii ssp. anomala.........  Cuesta Pass checkerbloom...................  --
    Styloclinemasonii......................  Mason's neststraw..........................  --
    Suaedacalifornica......................  California seablite........................  E
    Thlaspicalifornicum (=Noccaeafendleri    Kneeland Prairie pennycress................  E
     ssp. californicum).
    Trifoliumbuckwestiorum.................  Santa Cruz clover..........................  --
    Trifoliumpolyodon......................  Pacific Grove clover.......................  --
    Trifoliumtrichocalyx...................  Monterey clover............................  E
    Tropidocarpumcapparideum...............  Caper-fruited tropidocarpum................  --
    Tuctoriagreenei........................  Greene's tuctoria..........................  E
    Verbena californica....................  California vervain.........................  T
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E = Federally listed as Endangered.
T = Federally listed as Threatened.
C = Federal candidate species.
-- = no Federal listing status.

Comments

    Please direct any comments to the Service contact listed in the 
ADDRESSES section, and any questions to the Service contacts listed in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. All comments and materials 
we receive, including names and addresses, will become part of the 
administrative record and may be released to the public. Before 
including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your 
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your 
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Reasonable Accommodation

    Persons needing reasonable accommodations in order to attend and 
participate in the public meeting should contact Mike Thomas at 916-
414-6600 as soon as possible. In order to allow sufficient time to 
process requests, please call no later than 1 week before the public 
meeting. Information regarding this proposed action is available in 
alternative formats upon request. Persons needing reasonable 
accommodations in order to view the proposed action should contact Mike 
Thomas at (916) 414-6600 as soon as possible.

    Authority:  This notice is provided under Section 10(a) of the 
Act and Service regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6).

    Dated: October 22, 2010.
Alexander Pitts,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, 
California.
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[FR Doc. 2010-27338 Filed 10-28-10; 8:45 am]
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