[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 222 (Friday, November 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57722-57724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27962]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and
Receipt of an Application for the Proposed Issuance of a Permit To
Allow Incidental Take of Threatened and Endangered Species on Plum
Creek Timber Company, L.P., Lands in the I-90 Corridor, King and
Kittitas Counties, WA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that Plum Creek Timber Company,
L.P. (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
the National Marine Fisheries Service (together Services) for an
incidental take permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Applicant has
also requested unlisted-species and safe-harbor provisions in an
Implementation Agreement (Agreement) to cover vertebrate species which
may be found in the planning area. The application has been assigned
permit number PRT-808398. The requested permit would
[[Page 57723]]
authorize incidental take of currently listed threatened or endangered
species that may occur within the planning area in King and Kittitas
Counties, Washington, as a result of the Applicant's timber management
activities. The unlisted-species provision provides for the issuance of
further permits for the incidental take of species not presently listed
under the Act, but which might become listed during the term of the
proposed permit, and which might occur within the planning area.
The Services also announce the availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed issuance of the
incidental take permit and approval of the Agreement. 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 and DEIS should be
received on or before January 7, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the application or DEIS, or requests for
those documents, should be addressed to William Vogel, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Pacific Northwest Habitat Conservation Plan Program,
3773 Martin Way East, Building C--Suite 101, Olympia, Washington 98501;
(360) 534-9330. Please refer to permit No. PRT-808398 when submitting
comments. Individuals wishing copies of the documents for review should
immediately contact the office listed above. Copies of the documents
are also available at the following libraries:
Wenatchee Public Library, Attention: Joy, 310 Douglas Street,
Wenatchee, Washington 98801
University of Washington Library, Attention: Carolyn Aamot, Government
Publications Department, 170 Suzzallo Library, Seattle, Washington
98195-2900
Seattle Public Library, Attention: Jeanette Voiland, Government
Publications Department, 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98104
Evergreen State College, Attention: Lee Lyttle, Library Campus
Parkway--L23100H, Olympia, Washington 98505
Central Washington University, Attention: Dr. Patrick McLaughlin,
Library Collection Development, Ellensburg, Washington 98926
King County Library System, Attention: Cheryl Standley, Documents
Department, 1111 110th Avenue Northeast, Bellevue, Washington 98004
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Vogel, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, or Steve Landino, National Marine Fisheries Service, at the
office listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under section 9 of the Act and its implementing regulations,
``taking'' of threatened and endangered species is prohibited. However,
the Service, under limited circumstances, may issue permits to take
threatened or endangered wildlife species if such taking is incidental
to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. Regulations
governing permits for threatened and endangered species are in 50 CFR
17.32 and 17.22.
The permit application includes a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)
and the Agreement. In the HCP, the Applicant has addressed species
conservation and ecosystem management on approximately 170,000 acres of
its private land in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. The
Applicant's 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. The
``checkerboard'' HCP planning area is approximately 419,000 acres in
size. The term of the proposed permit is 50 years from the date of
issuance, with a possible extension of an additional 50 years for safe-
harbor provision purposes.
The Applicant is requesting a permit for the incidental take of
northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) (owls) which may
occur as a result of timber harvest and related activities within a
portion of the owl sites present on the Applicant's property. There are
currently more than 100 owl sites that impact operations within the
planning area. The Applicant plans to avoid the take of marbled
murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus marmoratus), but has included
murrelets in the incidental take permit application in case some
incidental take occurs. The Applicant has also included grizzly bears
(Ursus arctos = U.a. horribilis) and gray wolves (Canis lupus) in the
permit application to cover the circumstance where these species may
occur on the subject property in the future and may at some point be
subject to take. The Applicant has addressed numerous other species in
their HCP and is requesting the unlisted-species and safe-harbor
provisions in the Agreement for vertebrate species which may be found
in habitats within the planning area. At the time of termination for
the HCP phase of the permit, the safe-harbor provision would provide
the Applicant relief from regulatory restrictions on timber-management
activities in habitats provided for listed species which are greater
than the habitat amounts required under the HCP.
The HCP is designed to complement the Federal Northwest Forest
Plan, and includes various forms of mitigation which are integral parts
of the HCP. Mitigation includes a schedule of habitat amounts to be
provided for each decade of the 50-year HCP. These habitats include
eight stand-structure types (ranging from early-successional stages,
such as stand initiation, to late-successional stages, such as old
growth) and habitat for owls. Owl-habitat projections include
projections for nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat, and for
foraging and dispersal habitat. Mitigation for gray wolves and grizzly
bears include avoidance of timber harvest and road construction in
certain habitats, limits to road densities, provision of visual cover,
and other specific management prescriptions. Minimum prescriptions are
also provided for riparian and wetland areas, and Watershed Analysis
will be completed on an accelerated basis. Specific prescriptions to
minimize and mitigate impacts will also be implemented for other
species and special habitats.
The DEIS considers four alternatives, including the Proposed Action
and the No-action Alternatives. Under the No-action Alternative, the
Applicant would avoid the take of all Federally listed species and no
permit would be issued. Under the Riparian Alternative, emphasis for
conservation of fish and wildlife species would be placed in riparian
and wetland areas; other portions of the ownership would be managed for
aggressive timber harvest. Under the Dispersal Alternative, riparian
areas would be managed for fish and wildlife, but, in addition, upland
areas would be managed to provide dispersal habitat for owls. The
Proposed Action builds upon the benefits of the previous alternatives.
It places emphasis for conservation on riparian and wetland areas, but,
also, commits to implementation of the Applicant's Environmental
Principles; provides for nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for
owls, and provides for habitat deferrals for owls and goshawks. The
Proposed Action includes specific mitigation for other currently listed
and unlisted wildlife species such as the gray wolf, grizzly bear,
Larch Mountain salamander, and
[[Page 57724]]
other vertebrate species and special habitats.
Dated: November 6, 1995.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 95-27962 Filed 11-16-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P