[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 34978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12825]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE221


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of one enhancement of survival permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued Permit 20032 to 
Sonoma County Water Agency.

ADDRESSES: The application, issued permit, and supporting documents are 
available upon written request or by appointment: California Coastal 
Office, NMFS, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, ph: 
(707)-387-0737, fax: (707) 578-3435).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Wilson, Santa Rosa, CA (ph.: 707-
578-8555, Fax: 707-578-3435, email: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (ESA), is 
based on a finding that such permits/modifications: (1) Are applied for 
in good faith; (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of the listed 
species which are the subject of the permits; and (3) are consistent 
with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. 
Authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set forth in 
the permits. Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with 
and are subject to the ESA and NMFS regulations (50 CFR parts 222-226) 
governing listed fish and wildlife permits.

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following listed species are covered in this notice:
    Threatened California Coastal (CC) Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus 
tshawytscha), Endangered Central California Coast (CCC) Coho salmon (O. 
kisutch), and
    Threatened CCC Steelhead (O. mykiss).

Permits Issued

Permit 20032

    A notice of receipt of an application for an enhancement of 
survival permit (20032) was published in the Federal Register on 
November 18, 2015 (80 FR 72047). Permit 20032 was issued to the Permit 
Holder, Sonoma County Water Agency, on March 3, 2016, and expires on 
March 3, 2051.
    Permit 20032 facilitates the implementation of the Dry Creek Valley 
Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement) that is expected to 
promote the recovery of the Covered Species on non-federal properties 
within Dry Creek below Warm Springs Dam, a tributary to the Russian 
River in Sonoma County, California. The duration of the Agreement and 
Permit 20032 is 35 years.
    Permit 20032 authorizes the incidental taking of the Covered 
Species associated with routine viticulture activities and the 
potential future return of any property included in the Agreement to 
the Elevated Baseline Condition. Under this Agreement, individual 
landowners (Cooperators) may include their properties by entering into 
a Cooperative Agreement with the Permit Holder. Each Cooperative 
Agreement will specify the restoration and/or enhancement, and 
management activities to be carried out on that specific property and a 
timetable for implementing those activities. All Cooperative Agreements 
will be reviewed by NMFS to determine whether the proposed activities 
will result in a net conservation benefit for the Covered Species and 
meet all required standards of the Safe Harbor Policy (64 FR 32717). 
Upon NMFS approval, the Permit Holder will issue a Certificate of 
Inclusion to the Cooperator. Each Certificate of Inclusion will extend 
the incidental take coverage conferred by the Enhancement of Survival 
permit to the Cooperator. Certificates of Inclusion will be valid for a 
minimum of 10 years, but no longer than the term of Permit 20032. The 
Agreement requires that each enrolled property adopt an Elevated 
Baseline Condition. Elevated Baseline levels for the Covered Species 
will be determined by completing the Elevated Baseline Habitat 
Worksheet (Table 1 in Attachment 3 of the Agreement), which will be 
completed by the Permit Holder. NMFS will review each Elevated Baseline 
determination prior to the Permit Holder issuing a Certificate of 
Inclusion to the Cooperator. The Agreement also contains a monitoring 
component that requires the Permit Holder to ensure that the 
Cooperators are in compliance with the terms and conditions of the 
Agreement, and that the Elevated Baseline levels of habitat for the 
Covered Species occur on the Enrolled Property. Results of these 
monitoring efforts will be provided to NMFS by the Permit Holder in 
annual reports for the duration of the 35-year permit term.
    Permit 20032 authorizes those Cooperators who have been issued a 
Certificate of Inclusion to take Covered Species incidental to the 
implementation of the management activities specified in the Agreement, 
incidental to other lawful uses of the property including routine 
viticulture activities, and to return to Elevated Baseline Conditions 
if desired.

    Dated: May 26, 2016.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-12825 Filed 5-31-16; 8:45 am]
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