[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2197-2198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00368]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2013-N263; 81420-1113-0000-F3]


Proposed Safe Harbor Agreement With the California Department of 
Fish and Wildlife for the Abbott Lake Unit of the Feather River 
Wildlife Area in Sutter County, California

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the California Department 
of Fish and Wildlife (Department) has applied to the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit under 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The permit 
application includes a proposed safe harbor agreement (agreement) 
between the Department and the Service for the federally-threatened 
valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus) 
(beetle). The Agreement is available for public comment.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by 
February 12, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Mr. Rick Kuyper, via U.S. Mail at U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage 
Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rick Kuyper, Sacramento Fish and 
Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES); telephone: (916) 414-6600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Availability of Documents

    You may obtain copies of the document for review by contacting the 
individual named above (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). You may 
also make an appointment to view the document at the above address

[[Page 2198]]

during normal business hours (see ADDRESSES).

Background

    Under a Safe Harbor Agreement, participating landowners voluntarily 
undertake management activities on their property to enhance, restore, 
or maintain habitat benefiting species listed under the Act (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.). Safe Harbor Agreements and the subsequent enhancement of 
survival permits, issued pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act, 
encourage private and other non-Federal property owners to implement 
conservation efforts for listed species by assuring property owners 
that they will not be subjected to increased property use restrictions 
as a result of their efforts to attract listed species to their 
property, to increase the numbers or distribution of listed species 
already on their property. Application requirements and issuance 
criteria for enhancement of survival permits through Safe Harbor 
Agreements are found in 50 CFR 17.22(c) and 17.32(c). These permits 
allow any necessary future incidental take of covered species above the 
mutually agreed upon baseline conditions for those species in 
accordance with the terms and conditions of the permits and 
accompanying agreements.
    The Agreement is expected to promote the recovery of the beetle 
within the Abbott Lake Unit of the Feather River Wildlife Area, Sutter 
County, which is owned and managed by the Department. The proposed 
duration of the Agreement is 20 years. The enhancement of survival 
permit would authorize the incidental taking of the beetle associated 
with: the restoration, enhancement, and maintenance of suitable habitat 
for the beetle; routine activities associated with routine and ongoing 
lands management within the Abbott Lake Unit; and the potential future 
return of the property to baseline conditions. The Department would 
receive assurances under our ``no surprises'' regulations (50 CFR 
17.22(c)(5) and 17.32(c)(5)) for the beetle. In addition to meeting 
other criteria, actions to be performed under the enhancement of 
survival permit must not jeopardize the existence of federally listed 
fish, wildlife, or plants.

Public Review and Comments

    The Service has made a preliminary determination that the proposed 
Agreement and permit application are eligible for categorical exclusion 
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). We explain 
the basis for this determination in an Environmental Action Statement 
that is also available for public review.
    Individuals wishing copies of the Environmental Action Statement, 
and/or copies of the full text of the Agreement should contact the 
office and personnel listed in the ADDRESSES section above.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    The Service will evaluate this permit application, associated 
documents, and comments submitted to determine whether the permit 
application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the Act and NEPA 
regulations. If the Service determines that the requirements are met, 
we will sign the proposed Agreement and issue an enhancement of 
survival permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act to the Department 
for take of the beetle incidental to otherwise lawful activities in 
accordance with the terms of the Agreement. The Service will not make 
our final decision until after the end of the 30-day comment period and 
will fully consider all comments received during the comment period.
    The Service provides this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the 
Act and pursuant to implementing regulations for NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6).

     Dated: January 7, 2014.
Jennifer M. Norris,
Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2014-00368 Filed 1-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P