[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 9093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4591]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Draft Environmental Impact 
Report, and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit for 
the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; reopening of comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the comment period 
on the draft Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan, draft 
Implementing Agreement, and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for an 
incidental take permit for 146 species in western Riverside County, 
California.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive written comments on or 
before March 14, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Mr. Jim Bartel, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, CA 92008. You 
also may submit comments by facsimile to (760) 431-9618.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Karen Evans, Assistant Field 
Supervisor, at the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES); 
telephone (760) 431-9440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The County of Riverside (County), Riverside 
County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Riverside County 
Transportation Commission, Riverside County Parks and Open Space 
District, Riverside County Waste Department, California Department of 
Transportation, California Department of Parks and Recreation, and 14 
western Riverside County cities (Applicants) have applied to the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an incidental take permit 
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
as amended (Act). The Applicants seek a permit to authorize incidental 
take of 146 species, including unlisted species that may become listed 
during the term of the permit. An incidental take permit is required to 
authorize take of listed species during urban and rural development in 
the approximately 5,095-square-kilometer (1.26-million-acre (1,967-
square-mile)) Plan Area in western Riverside County. The proposed term 
of the permit is 75 years.
    On November 15, 2002, we published ``Notice of Availability of a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report and 
Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit for the Western 
Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan'' (67 FR 
69236). In that notice, we requested public comment on the draft 
Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) and draft 
Implementing Agreement. We also made available for public review a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which is the Federal portion of 
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report 
(EIS/EIR), to analyze the impacts of the MSHCP. The analyses provided 
in the Draft EIS/EIR are intended to inform the public of our proposed 
action, alternatives, and associated impacts; address public comments 
received during the scoping period for the Draft EIS/EIR; disclose the 
direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of the proposed 
action and each of the alternatives; and indicate any irreversible 
commitment of resources that would result from implementation of the 
proposed action.
    The comment period for the November 15, 2002, notice closed on 
January 14, 2003. We are now reopening the comment period for 15 days 
on the draft MSHCP, draft Implementing Agreement, and Draft EIS. The 
County of Riverside has decided not to reopen the comment period on the 
Draft EIR. Comments already submitted on the Draft EIS/EIR, draft 
Implementing Agreement, and draft MSHCP need not be resubmitted, as 
they will be fully considered in the final documents.

    Authority: This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(a) of 
the Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and 
Service regulations (40 CFR 1506.6) for implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.).

    Dated: February 13, 2003.
Ken McDermond,
Deputy Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Sacramento, CA.
[FR Doc. 03-4591 Filed 2-24-03; 4:31 pm]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P