[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54701-54702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26441]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed 
Issuance of a Permit to Allow Incidental Take of Golden-Cheeked 
Warbler, Black-Capped Vireo, and Six Karst Invertebrates in Travis 
County, Texas

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service. Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the proposed issuance of a section 10(a)(1)(B) 
permit to allow the incidental take of golden-cheeked warblers, black-
capped vireos, and six karst invertebrates for land development on 
private lands in Travis County, Texas.

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SUMMARY: The city of Austin and Travis County have applied for a permit 
for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow for incidental take of 
federally-listed endangered species black-capped vireo, golden-cheeked 
warbler, and six karst invertebrates under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the 
Endangered Species Act. This will be incidental to otherwise lawful 
activities that would occur as a result of clearing of vegetation and 
grading or other earth-moving activities necessary for residential, 
commercial, and industrial construction and infrastructure projects 
within Travis County, Texas.
    The proposed permit will allow approved incidental take outside of 
proposed preserve lands within the proposed permit boundaries. In 
general, 

[[Page 54702]]
this area includes all of the lands within Travis County, excluding 
that portion of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge that 
falls within Travis County, and the city limits and planning 
jurisdictions of municipalities not participating in the Balcones 
Canyonlands Conservation Plan. The permit period is 30 years. Potential 
development for this time period is estimated to affect between 30,000 
and 60,000 acres within the permit area. Of the approximately 2,000 
acres of known occupied black-capped vireo habitat located within 
Travis County, 933 acres will be preserved within the Conservation Plan 
area and approximately 1,000 acres will be subject to incidental take 
in the permit area. For the golden-cheeked warbler, approximately 
26,753 acres of potential habitat is located within the permit area and 
may be subject to incidental take. This potential warbler habitat could 
support from 1,605 to 3,210 pairs of warblers. Of the 45,368 acres of 
potential karst invertebrate habitat occurring in the permit area, 
approximately 38,349 acres will be unprotected by the proposed 
Conservation Plan.
    To minimize and mitigate the impacts of take, the applicants 
propose to conserve a minimum of 30,428 acres of black-capped vireo and 
golden-cheeked warbler habitat in a preserve system; provide for the 
ongoing maintenance, patrol, and biological management of the conserved 
habitat; conduct the biological monitoring and research activities in 
support of the Conservation Plan; and provide funds to implement the 
habitat Conservation Plan. Alternatives considered include no action; 
issuance of the permit with the submitted Balcones Canyonlands 
Conservation Plan and a 30,428 acre preserve; and issuance of the 
permit with the submitted Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan and a 
35,428 acre preserve.

DATES: Comments will be accepted until 60-days from the date of 
publication of the Notice of Availability by the Environmental 
Protection Agency in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200; Austin Texas 78758.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joseph E. Johnston, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services 
Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200; Austin, Texas (telephone 
(512) 490-0063; facsimile (505) 490-0974.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A limited number of individual copies of the 
draft EIS may be obtained by contacting the above address. Copies of 
the draft EIS summary will be sent to everyone currently on the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service's mailing list for information on the 
Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan. Copies of the draft EIS summary 
are available upon request.
    Copies of the draft EIS are available for inspection at public 
locations throughout Travis County. For specific locations contact 
Joseph E. Johnston at the above address.
    A public hearing is scheduled to be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on 
Tuesday November 14, 1995, at the Lake Travis District Auditorium, 3323 
Ranch Road 620 South, Austin, Texas, 78734.

    Dated: October 6, 1995.
Lynn B. Starnes,
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-26441 Filed 10-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M