[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7958-7959]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2965]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for Issuance of 
an Incidental Take Permit Associated With a Habitat Conservation Plan 
for the California Department of Parks and Recreation's Operation of 
Certain San Luis Obispo Coast District Parks and the Oceano Dunes State 
Vehicular Recreation Area in San Luis Obispo County, CA

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 
U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or 
``we'') advises the public that we intend to gather information 
necessary to prepare, in coordination with the California Department of 
Fish and Game (CDFG) and the California Department of Parks and 
Recreation (CDPR), a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental 
Impact Report (EIS/EIR) on the proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for 
the San Luis Obispo Coast District and Oceano Dunes State Vehicular 
Recreation Area (HCP). The proposed HCP is being prepared under section 
10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as amended, (ESA) (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The incidental take permit is needed to authorize 
the incidental take of listed species as a result of implementing 
activities covered under the proposed HCP.
    We provide this notice to: (1) Describe the proposed action and 
possible alternatives; (2) advise other Federal and State agencies, 
affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to prepare an EIS/EIR; 
(3) announce the initiation of a 30-day public scoping period; and (4) 
obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues and 
alternatives to be included in the EIS/EIR.

DATES: Public meetings will be held on: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 
from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Written comments should be 
received on or before March 18, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 will 
both be held at the Morro Bay Natural History Museum, 20 State Park 
Road, Morro Bay, CA 93442. Information, written comments, or questions 
related to the preparation of the EIS/EIR and the NEPA process should 
be submitted to Diane Noda, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, 
Ventura, California 93003; [email protected]; or FAX (805) 644-3958.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Henry (see ADDRESSES) at (805) 
644-1766.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Reasonable Accommodation

    Persons needing reasonable accommodations in order to attend and 
participate in the public meeting should contact Max Mora (see 
ADDRESSES) at (805) 644-1766 as soon as possible. In order to allow 
sufficient time to process requests, please call no later than one week 
before the public meeting. Information regarding this proposed action 
is available in alternative formats upon request.

Background

    Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations prohibit the ``take'' 
of a fish or wildlife species listed as endangered or threatened. Under 
the ESA, the following activities are defined as take: harass, harm, 
pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect listed 
animal species, or attempt to engage in such conduct (16 U.S.C. 1538). 
However, under section 10(a) of the ESA, we may issue permits to 
authorize ``incidental take'' of listed species. Incidental take is 
defined by the ESA as take that is incidental to, and not the purpose 
of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity. Regulations governing 
permits for threatened and endangered species are at 50 CFR 13 and 50 
CFR 17.
    Take of listed plant species is not prohibited under the ESA and 
cannot be authorized under an ESA section 10 permit. We propose to 
include plant species on the permit in recognition of the conservation 
benefits provided for them under the HCP. All species included on the 
permit would receive assurances under the Service's ``No Surprises'' 
regulation, if at the time of issuance of the incidental take permit 
the ``No Surprises'' regulation is in effect (63 FR 8859).
    CDPR intends to request a permit authorizing the incidental take of 
4 animal species for approximately 15

[[Page 7959]]

years during the course of conducting otherwise lawful land use 
activities on public land. The permit would also cover 8 federally 
listed plants and 2 currently unlisted plants. Listed species proposed 
to be covered are the federally-endangered California least tern 
(Sterna antillarum browni), Morro shoulderband snail (Helminthoglypta 
walkeriana), marsh sandwort (Arenaria paludicola), La Graciosa thistle 
(Cirsium loncholepis), salt marsh bird's-beak (Cordylanthus maritimus 
ssp. maritimus), Indian Knob mountainbalm (Eriodictyon altissimum), 
Nipomo Mesa lupine (Lupinus nipomoensis), Gambel's water cress (Rorippa 
gambellii), California seablite (Suaeda californica); the federally-
threatened western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus), 
California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii), and Morro manzanita 
(Arcotostaphylos morroensis). Unlisted species proposed to be covered 
are the State-threatened surf thistle (Cirsium rhothophilum) and beach 
spectacle pod (Dithyrea maritima).
    Currently, CDPR is requesting a permit for incidental take of the 
covered animal species on six park units, or portions thereof, in the 
Estero Bay and Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes areas of San Luis Obispo County. 
From north to south, the park units are: Estero Bluffs, Morro Strand 
State Beach, Morro Bay State Park, Monta[ntilde]a De Oro State Park, 
Pismo Dunes Natural Preserve (a subunit of Pismo State Beach), and 
Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. Together, the covered 
units encompass approximately 24 square miles. The proposed HCP would 
be designed principally to avoid the take of the Covered Species, but 
it also would include provisions to minimize and mitigate the impacts 
of any take that may occur.
    Activities proposed to be covered by the HCP (Covered Activities) 
are generally activities that result from visitor use, ongoing 
operations of the State Parks, or from the resource protection measures 
needed to avoid and minimize the impacts of park use on the covered 
species. Covered Activities fall into five broad categories: park 
visitor activities, general park maintenance and operations, natural 
resource management, special projects, and special events.
    The proposed HCP would describe how the effects of the Covered 
Activities would be minimized and mitigated under the conservation 
program. Program components would likely include: avoidance and 
minimization measures; monitoring; adaptive management; predator 
control; and mitigation measures consisting of habitat restoration and 
enhancement.

Environmental Impact Statement

    CDPR and the Service have selected Thomas Reid Associates (TRA) to 
prepare the EIS/EIR. The document will be prepared in compliance with 
NEPA and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). TRA will 
prepare the EIS/EIR under the supervision of the Service, which will be 
responsible for the scope and content of the NEPA document. CDPR will 
be responsible for the scope and content of the CEQA document.
    The EIS/EIR will consider the proposed action, the issuance of a 
Section 10(a)(1)(B) permit under the ESA, no action (no permit), and a 
reasonable range of alternatives. A detailed description of the impacts 
of the proposed action and each alternative will be included in the 
EIS/EIR. The alternatives to be considered for analysis in the EIS/EIR 
may include: variations in the scope of covered activities; variations 
in the location, amount and type of conservation; variations in permit 
duration; or, a combination of these elements.
    The EIS will also identify potentially significant direct, 
indirect, and cumulative impacts on biological resources, land use, air 
quality, water quality, water resources, socioeconomics, and other 
environmental issues that could occur with the implementation of the 
proposed actions and alternatives. For all potentially significant 
impacts, the EIS will identify avoidance, minimization, and mitigation 
measures to reduce these impacts, where feasible, to a level below 
significance.
    Review of the EIS will be conducted in accordance with the 
requirements of NEPA, Council on the Environmental Quality Regulations 
(40 CFR 1500-1508), the Administrative Procedures Act, other applicable 
regulations, and the Service's procedures for compliance with those 
regulations. This notice is being furnished in accordance with 40 CFR 
1501.7 of NEPA to obtain suggestions and information from other 
agencies and the public on the scope of issues and alternatives to be 
addressed in the EIS. The primary purpose of the scoping process is to 
identify important issues and alternatives raised by the public, 
related to the proposed action. Written comments from interested 
parties are welcome to ensure that the full range of issues related to 
the permit request is identified. Comments will only be accepted in 
written form. You may submit written comments by mail, e-mail, or 
facsimile transmission (see ADDRESSES). All comments received, 
including names and addresses, will become part of the official 
administrative record and may be made available to the public.

    Dated: February 10, 2005.
Ken McDermond,
Deputy Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 05-2965 Filed 2-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P