[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 57 (Friday, March 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11859-11860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6804]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of Final 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, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Final 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 
from 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, 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

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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 April 22, 1996.

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, Austin Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200; Austin, 
Texas 78758, telephone: (512) 490-0063; facsimile (505) 490-0974.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A limited number of individual copies of the 
Final EIS/Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) may be obtained by Notices of 
Availability of the Final EIS/HCP 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 final EIS/HCP are available for inspection at Travis 
County Precinct offices; City of Austin Municipal Building, Town Lake 
Center on Barton Springs Road, and Two Commodore Plaza; and the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service at the above Address.

    Dated: March 12, 1996.
Nancy M. Kaufman,
Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 96-6804 Filed 3-21-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M