[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 180 (Monday, September 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-23076]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 19, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

 

Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an 
Application for an Incidental Take Permit for a Residential Development 
called Bal Harbour subdivision, in Brevard County, FL

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Gen Real Estate and Management Company (Applicant), is seeking 
an incidental take permit from the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), 
pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
(Act) as amended. The permit would authorize the take of the Florida 
scrub jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens, a threatened species, 
in Brevard County, Florida, for a period of 5 years. The proposed 
taking is incidental to construction of 60 single family 
homes including the necessary infrastructure on approximately 15.1 
acres (Project), all of which contains occupied Florida scrub jay 
habitat to be permanently altered. The Project is called Bal Harbour, 
and is located along State Road A1A south of the city of Melbourne, in 
the Coconut Point area of Brevard County, Florida.
    The Service also announces the availability of an environmental 
assessment (EA) and habitat conservation plan (HCP) for the incidental 
take application. Copies of the EA or HCP may be obtained by making a 
request to the Regional Office address below. This notice also advises 
the public that the Service has made a preliminary determination that 
issuing the incidental take permit is not a major Federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the 
meaning of Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, as amended. The Finding of No Significant Impact is based on 
information contained in the EA and HCP. The final determination will 
be made no sooner than 30 days from the date 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 permit application, EA and HCP should be 
received on or before October 19, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the application, HCP, and EA may 
obtain a copy by writing the Service's Southeast Regional Office, 
Atlanta, Georgia. Documents will also be available for public 
inspection by appointment during normal business hours at the Regional 
Office, or the Jacksonville, Florida, Field Office. Written data or 
comments concerning the application, EA, or HCP should be submitted to 
the Regional Office. Please reference permit under PRT-794539 in such 
comments:

Regional Permit Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875 
Century Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia 30345, (telephone 404/
679-7110, fax 404/679-7081).
Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint 
Drive, South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216-0912, (telephone 
904/232-2580, fax 904/232-2404).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dawn Zattau at the Jacksonville, 
Florida, Field Office, or Rick G. Gooch at the Atlanta, Georgia, 
Regional Office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens is 
geographically isolated from other subspecies of scrub jays found in 
Mexico and the Western United States. The scrub jay is found almost 
exclusively in peninsular Florida and is restricted to scrub habitat. 
The total estimated population is between 7,000 and 11,000 individuals. 
Due to habitat loss and degradation throughout the State of Florida, it 
has been estimated that the scrub jay population has been reduced by at 
least half in the last 100 years.
    The scrub jay survey provided by the Applicant indicates that two 
families currently use the suitable habitats within the Project. The 
Applicant proposes to impact the territories of both families. Initial 
construction of roads and utilities and subsequent development of 
individual homesites may therefore result in death of, or injury to, 
scrub jays incidental to the carrying out of these otherwise lawful 
activities. Habitat alteration associated with property development may 
reduce the availability of feeding, shelter, and nesting habitat. To 
minimize the mitigate the impacts of the loss of 15.1 acres of scrub 
jay habitat, the Applicant will purchase 30.63 acres of scrub habitat 
known to support the scrub jay, deed the property to Brevard County, 
and provide a management endowment of $30,630 to ensure management of 
the site in perpetuity. Other measures proposed by the Applicant 
include control of invasive plant species from the Project, and 
protection of active nests, if discovered, during the nesting season.
    The EA considers the environmental consequences of three 
alternatives, including acceptance of the HCP as submitted, 
consideration of management of surrounding publicly-owned lands as 
mitigation in lieu of offsite purchase, and no action.

(Notice: Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of 
an Application for a Section 10(a)(1)(B) Incidental Take Permit of 
the Endangered Species Act)

    Dated: September 12, 1994.
Richard G. Gooch,
Acting Chief, Division of Endangered Species.
[FR Doc. 94-23076 Filed 9-16-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P