[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 82 (Friday, April 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18616-18617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10360]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Endangered and Threatened Species Permit Application
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability; request for comments.
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Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an
Application for a Permit to Authorize Incidental Take of Threatened and
Endangered Species by Port Blakely Tree Farms, L. P., on the Robert B.
Eddy Tree Farm, Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties, Washington.
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that Port Blakely Tree Farms,
L. P., of Seattle, Washington (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS) for an incidental take permit pursuant to
section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended
(Act). The application has been assigned permit number PRT-813744. The
Applicant has also requested to enter into a consensual agreement with
the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to address the needs
of anadromous salmonids being considered for listing under the Act, and
with the FWS to conserve other fish and wildlife species which may be
associated with habitats on their Robert B. Eddy Tree Farm in Pacific
and Grays Harbor Counties, Washington (Tree Farm). The requested permit
would authorize the incidental take of northern spotted owls (Strix
occidentalis caurina), marbled
[[Page 18617]]
murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus marmoratus), bald eagles
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and American peregrine falcons (Falco
peregrinus anatum) that may occur on the Applicant's Tree Farm. The
proposed incidental take may occur as a result of timber harvest
activities, and road construction and maintenance in the various
habitat types that occur now, and will occur on the Tree Farm during
the 50-year term of the proposed permit. The application includes a
Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), which the Applicant proposes to
implement as a condition of the permit, and an Implementation Agreement
(IA) which identifies the responsibilities of the parties under the
HCP. The IA would provide for the issuance of additional permits under
certain conditions for the incidental take of species not presently
listed under the Act, but which may become listed during the term of
the proposed permit, and which may occur in habitats on the Tree Farm.
The FWS, in conjunction with NMFS, announces the availability of an
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed issuance of the
incidental take permit and signing of the IA. The agencies are also
making draft permit conditions available for public review and comment
should the permit be issued. The FWS is taking administrative
responsibility for announcing the availability of the aforementioned
documents. 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, EA, and draft permit
conditions should be received on or before May 28, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the application or EA should be addressed
to Mr. Curt Smitch, Assistant Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 3704 Griffin Lane, SE, Suite 102 Olympia, Washington 98501
(360-753-9440). Please refer to permit PRT-813744 when submitting
comments. Individuals wishing copies of the application, EA, or draft
permit conditions, for review should immediately contact the above
office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Bogaczyk, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service at (360) 753-5824, or Matt Longenbaugh, National Marine
Fisheries Service at (360) 753-7761, at the address listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under section 9 of the Act, and its implementing regulations,
``take'' of a threatened or endangered species is prohibited. However,
the FWS and NMFS, under limited circumstances, may issue permits to
take threatened and endangered wildlife species if such taking is
incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities.
Regulations governing permits for threatened species are in 50 CFR
17.32 and in 50 CFR 17.22 for endangered species.
The Applicant proposes to implement the HCP containing conservation
measures for the northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet, bald eagle,
peregrine falcon, and other currently unlisted species, as a condition
of the permit which would authorize the incidental take of listed
species during timber harvest activities on the approximately 7,485-
acre Tree Farm. The Applicant's proposed timber harvest may result in
the take, as defined in the Act and its implementing regulations, of
listed species. The term of the proposed HCP and permit is 50 years.
The Applicant proposes to mitigate for the impacts of any
incidental take by maintaining the best late successional habitat (>80
years old) on the Tree Farm in harvest deferrals until ingrowth of
additional older, higher quality habitat occurs. Measures to maintain
important habitat structures such as wildlife trees, snags and downed
logs would be implemented on all harvest units. Further, riparian
measures designed to protect stream associated amphibians, and
anadromous and resident fish would be implemented along streams.
Additional benefits to these riparian species would be provided by
improvements to road construction and maintenance techniques.
Implementation of all measures would be initiated immediately upon
issuance of the permit, and would continue for the term of the permit.
The EA considers the environmental consequences of 3 alternatives,
including the proposed action and no-action alternatives. The proposed
action alternative is the issuance of the permit under section 10(a) of
the Act that would authorize incidental take of listed species, and
signing of the IA to cover currently unlisted species, that may occur
in the habitats on the Applicant's Tree Farm. The proposed action would
require the Applicant to implement the HCP. Under the no-action
alternative, the Applicant would continue to abide by section 9 take
prohibitions under the Act; an incidental take permit would not be
issued. The third alternative is to manage the Tree Farm according to
the standards and guidelines described in the Northwest Forest Plan,
which would maintain approximately 61 percent of the Tree Farm in
reserves.
Dated: April 22, 1996.
Thomas Dwyer,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service,
Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 96-10360 Filed 4-25-96; 8:45 am]
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