[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 118 (Thursday, June 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36829-36831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15457]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) Related to the Horseshoe and Bartlett Habitat Conservation Plan 
(HCP) by the Salt River Project in Arizona

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent; notice of public scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this 
notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service) intends to prepare an EIS to evaluate the impacts of and 
alternatives to the issuance of an incidental take permit (ITP), 
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 
as amended (Act), to the Salt River Project (SRP). SRP proposes to 
apply for an ITP, through development and implementation of the HCP, as 
required by the Act. The HCP will provide the measures to minimize and 
mitigate the impacts of the proposed taking of listed

[[Page 36830]]

and sensitive species and the habitats upon which they depend.

DATES: We must receive written comments on alternatives and issues to 
be addressed in the EIS are requested by August 15, 2003. We will hold 
a public scoping meeting on July 15, 2003, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the 
offices of the Salt River Project. We will accept oral and written 
comments at this meeting.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mr. Steve Spangle, Field 
Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, 
Suite 103, Phoenix, AZ 85021. The public scoping meeting will take 
place at the offices of the Salt River Project, 1521 Project Drive, 
Tempe, Arizona.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the EIS, 
contact Ms. Debra Bills, Arizona State Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix, AZ 85021 at 
602/242-0210.
    For further information on the HCP, contact Ms. Ruth Valencia, 
Senior Environmental Scientist, Salt River Project, P.O. Box 52025, 
PAB352, Phoenix, AZ 85072-2025 at 602/236-2830, or Mr. Craig Sommers, 
President, ERO Resources Corporation, 1842 Clarkson Street, Denver, CO 
80218 at (303) 830-1188.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice advises the public that the 
Service intends to gather information necessary to determine impacts 
and formulate alternatives for the EIS related to the potential 
issuance of an ITP to SRP and the development and implementation of the 
HCP, which will provide measures to minimize and mitigate the effects 
of the incidental take of federally listed species.
    Background: Horseshoe Dam and Reservoir and Bartlett Dam and 
Reservoir (Horseshoe and Bartlett) are operated by SRP on the Verde 
River in central Arizona. SRP operates Horseshoe and Bartlett in 
conjunction with four reservoirs on the Salt River as integral features 
of the Salt River Reclamation Project (Project), authorized by the 
Reclamation Act of 1902, 43 U.S.C. 371 et seq. SRP's reservoirs impound 
runoff from a 13,000-square mile watershed in central Arizona. The 
water stored in these six reservoirs is delivered via SRP canals, 
laterals, and pipelines to municipal, industrial, and agricultural 
water users in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
    SRP reservoirs supply water to the cities of Phoenix, Mesa, 
Chandler, Tempe, Glendale, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Tolleson, Peoria, and 
Avondale. Water from SRP reservoirs is also used within the Project for 
the irrigation of agricultural lands and for other purposes. 
Additionally, water from SRP reservoirs is delivered to the Salt River 
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Fort McDowell Indian Community, Gila 
River Indian Community, Buckeye Irrigation Company, Roosevelt 
Irrigation District, Roosevelt Water Conservation District, and others.
    Horseshoe and Bartlett were constructed during the 1930s and 1940s. 
SRP operates Horseshoe and Bartlett pursuant to contracts with the 
United States and others dated 1917, 1935, 1946, 1948, 1988 and 1993. 
Like the four other reservoirs in SRP's system, Horseshoe and Bartlett 
supply water to lands within the Phoenix metropolitan area for 
irrigation, municipal, and other purposes. Horseshoe and Bartlett also 
provide a variety of recreational uses and environmental benefits in 
central Arizona.
    Due to dry conditions in central Arizona for the past several 
years, the reservoir level behind Horseshoe and Bartlett dams has been 
below normal. As a result, riparian trees and shrubs have grown in the 
Horseshoe storage space. Wildlife that use riparian habitat have 
followed the vegetation growth and now occupy areas within the 
reservoir. In particular, a population of southwestern willow 
flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus), which is listed as endangered 
under the Act, was found in habitat within the storage space at 
Horseshoe and along the Verde River below the reservoir in 2002. Thus, 
periodic refilling of the reservoir may adversely affect the habitat 
and nesting of the southwestern willow flycatcher and other sensitive 
species.
    Purpose and Need for Action: Section 9 of the Act prohibits the 
``taking'' of threatened and endangered species. The Service may, 
however, under limited circumstances, issue permits to take federally 
listed and candidate species, when such a taking is incidental to, and 
not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. Regulations governing 
permits for endangered species are at 50 CFR 17.22. The term ``take'' 
under the Act means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, 
trap, capture, or collect, or attempt to engage in any such conduct. 
The application for an ITP will seek approval for incidental take of 
named species associated with SRP's operation of Horseshoe and 
Bartlett, consistent with their purpose as water storage facilities.
    Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act and regulations at 50 CFR 17.32 
contain provisions for issuing ITPs to non-federal entities for the 
take of endangered and threatened species, provided the Service 
determines the following criteria are met:
    1. The taking will be incidental;
    2. The applicant will, to the maximum extent practicable, minimize 
and mitigate the impacts of such taking;
    3. The applicant will develop an HCP and ensure that adequate 
funding for the HCP will be provided;
    4. The taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the 
survival and recovery of the species in the wild; and
    5. Any other measures that the Service may require as being 
necessary or appropriate for the purposes of the HCP to be met.
    Proposed Action: The proposed action by the Service is the issuance 
of an ITP for listed and sensitive species for SRP's operation of 
Horseshoe and Bartlett, pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. SRP 
will develop and implement the HCP, as required by section 10(a)(1)(B) 
of the Act. The HCP will provide measures to minimize and mitigate the 
impacts of the proposed taking of listed and sensitive species and the 
habitats upon which they depend. The biological goal of the HCP is to 
ensure that any take of listed species will not appreciably reduce the 
likelihood of the survival and recovery of the species in the wild.
    The ITP, if issued, would enable SRP to continue the operation of 
Horseshoe and Bartlett to store and release water, and to perform 
associated activities.
    SRP is expected to apply for an ITP for the following federally 
listed and candidate species: the endangered southwestern willow 
flycatcher and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), the threatened 
bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and the candidate yellow-billed 
cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), should it be listed in the future.
    SRP is also seeking to cover any other rare and/or sensitive 
species that may be affected by SRP's operation of Horseshoe and 
Bartlett. The ITP would take effect for unlisted species that are 
adequately covered by the HCP upon listing of such species as 
threatened or endangered by the Service. Other listed species for which 
SRP is not seeking permit coverage may also benefit from the 
conservation measures provided in the HCP.
    Alternatives: Alternatives currently being considered by the 
Service include the following:
    1. Proposed Action by the Service--Issuance of an ITP by the 
Service authorizing the operation of the full capacity of Horseshoe and 
Bartlett by SRP, possibly with modified operating goals, along with 
implementation of the

[[Page 36831]]

HCP involving measures to minimize and mitigate the impacts of 
incidental take of federally listed and candidate species.
    2. No Action by the Service--No issuance of an ITP by the Service; 
this would require SRP to do everything within its control to avoid any 
take of federally listed species associated with its operation of 
Horseshoe and Bartlett.
    3. Other Section 10 Alternatives--Issuance of an ITP by the Service 
for an HCP involving the operation of Horseshoe and Bartlett under 
various combinations of storage capacity and operating goals, along 
with additional measures to minimize and mitigate the impacts of 
potential take of federally listed and candidate species. It is 
anticipated that the EIS will consider one or two alternatives of 
reservoir capacity and operation in addition to the Proposed Action and 
the No Action alternatives.
    Additional Information: The Service anticipates that SRP will 
request a permit duration of 50 years. Implementation of the HCP will 
result in the establishment of measures that will provide for the 
conservation of covered species and their habitats in perpetuity. 
Research and monitoring, in combination with adaptive management, will 
be used to facilitate accomplishment of these measures.
    The Service will conduct an environmental review that analyzes the 
proposed action, as well as a range of reasonable alternatives and the 
associated impact of each. The EIS will be the basis for the Service's 
evaluation of impacts to the species and to the environment, including 
the range of alternatives to be evaluated. The EIS is expected to 
provide biological descriptions of species and habitats as well as the 
effects of the proposed action on: vegetation, wetlands, wildlife, 
threatened or endangered species and species of concern, geology and 
soils, visual resources, air quality, water resources, flood control, 
water quality, archaeology, historic structures, traditional cultural 
properties, land use, recreation, water use, local economy, and 
environmental justice.
    Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties to 
ensure that a range of issues and alternatives related to the proposed 
action are identified. The review of this project will be conducted 
according to the requirements of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA 
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and other appropriate federal 
laws, regulations, policies, and guidance. Written comments received by 
the Service become part of the public record associated with this 
action. Those comments, as well as the names and addresses of 
commenters, may be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act 
unless a commenter gives a privacy or other exemption justification.
    Related Project Documentation: It is anticipated that the EIS 
process will make full use (including incorporation by reference, as 
appropriate, pursuant to NEPA) of documents prepared by other entities 
regarding the environmental and socioeconomic issues in the project 
area, copies of which will be available for public inspection, by 
appointment, at the office of Ms. Ruth Valencia, Senior Environmental 
Scientist, Salt River Project, PO Box 52025, PAB352, Phoenix, AZ 85072-
2025 at (602) 236-2830.
    After the environmental review is completed, the Service will 
publish a notice of availability and a request for comment on the draft 
EIS and SRP's permit application, which will include the draft HCP.
    The draft EIS is expected to be completed by February 2004.

Bryan Arroyo,
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[FR Doc. 03-15457 Filed 6-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-55-P