[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 1818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-614]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Notice of 
Availability and Opening of Comment Period for an Application for 
Incidental Take Permit to Allow Take of an Endangered Species by the 
Town of Rome, Adams County, Wisconsin, and National Environmental 
Policy Act Determination

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides notice 
of the availability of a Habitat Conservation Plan/Incidental Take 
Permit Application from the Town of Rome, Adams County, Wisconsin, and 
the Service's National Environmental Policy Act Determination for the 
proposed action of permit issuance. The Applicant proposes to 
reconstruct approximately 4.25 miles of an existing roadway (Badger 
Avenue) which includes construction work in the associated road rights-
of-way. An approximately 2.5-mile segment of the roadway project area 
includes patches of habitat occupied by the endangered Karner blue 
butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis). Construction activities that 
may impact the Karner blue butterfly include clearing, grubbing, and 
grading operations. Post construction right-of-way mowing may also 
result in the take of the Karner blue butterfly. The applicant has 
prepared a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the project area which 
includes measures to minimize, mitigate and monitor impacts to the 
butterfly and its habitat. Due to the nature of the proposed action, 
the Service proposes to issue a permit for a period of 20 years to 
include the limited take of occupied habitat for the road construction 
project and subsequent mowing program, compensation for take through 
appropriate minimization and mitigation measures, and implementation of 
a post-construction monitoring program to assure the success of the 
minimization and mitigation measures. The HCP and Incidental Take 
Permit Application are available for public review and comment for a 
period of 30 days. All comments received, including commentors names 
and addresses, will become part of the Service's Administrative Record 
and may be made available to the public.

DATES: Written comments on the Habitat Conservation Plan/Incidental 
Take Permit Application and the Service's NEPA Determination should be 
received on or before February 11, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the application and associated 
documents may obtain copies by writing to the Regional HCP/NEPA 
Coordinator, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, 
Minnesota 55111-4056. Documents will be available for public inspection 
by appointment only, during normal business hours (8:00-4:30), at the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, 
Minnesota, (612-713-5350) and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
1015 Challenger Court, Green Bay, Wisconsin (920-465-7440). Written 
comments should be submitted to the Regional HCP/NEPA Coordinator at 
the address listed above or via FAX at 612-713-5292. Please refer to 
permit number TE006295 when submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Ms. Lisa Mandell, Regional HCP/NEPA 
Coordinator, at (612) 713-5350.

    Dated: January 5, 1999.
Charles M. Wooley,
Program Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3, 
Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 99-614 Filed 1-11-99; 8:45 am]
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