[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40344-40345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14623]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2016-N068; FVES59420300000F2-14X-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Receipt of 
Application for Renewal of Incidental Take Permit; Enbridge Pipelines 
(Lakehead) LLC

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, USFWS), have 
received an application from Enbridge Pipelines (Lakehead) L.L.C. 
(applicant) to renew an incidental take permit (ITP) under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 for incidental take of the federally 
endangered Hine's emerald dragonfly. The applicant has requested 
renewal without change of the ITP, which expired on December 31, 2015. 
We invite comments on the applicant's application, including written 
data, views, or arguments with respect to the application.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments on or 
before July 21, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments by one of the following methods:
     U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, Attn: Jack Dingledine, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2651 Coolidge Road East, Ste. 101, Lansing, 
MI 48823.
     Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Dingledine, by mail at the East 
Lansing Field Office (see ADDRESSES); by telephone (517-351-6320), or 
by facsimile (517-351-1443). If you use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD), please call the Federal Information Relay Service at 
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service, USFWS), have received an application from Enbridge Pipelines 
(Lakehead) L.L.C. (applicant) to renew an incidental take permit (ITP), 
TE03689B-1, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.; ESA). In 2013, the applicant received an ITP for incidental take 
of the federally endangered Hine's emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora 
hineana) (78 FR 15374; March 11, 2013). That permit expired on December 
31, 2015. As part of the initial permit process, the applicant prepared 
a low-effect habitat conservation plan (HCP) to cover activities 
associated with pipeline maintenance work in Garfield Township, 
Mackinac County, Michigan. The pipeline inspection and maintenance have 
been completed per the HCP. The mitigation measures required in the HCP 
have been met; however, performance and success criteria for 
restoration of the site have been only partially met. The applicant has 
requested renewal of the ITP, without change, to continue monitoring of 
the restoration and implement any remedial measures, if necessary, 
until December 31, 2017. We invite comments on the applicant's 
application for renewal.

[[Page 40345]]

Background

    On December 12, 2013, Enbridge Pipelines (Lakehead) L.L.C. 
(Enbridge) received an ITP for take of the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly 
(Somatochlora hineana) that may occur during inspection and repair of 
three sections of Enbridge's Line 5 (30-inch diameter) pipeline in 
Garfield Township, Mackinac County. The permit was amended on January 
25, 2015, to include a fourth section of pipeline within the original 
HCP boundaries (2.64 acres). The project is located approximately 1 
mile east of the City of Engadine, Michigan, along the Enbridge right-
of-way (ROW).

Applicant's Proposed Action

    Enbridge has completed the pipeline inspection and maintenance and 
all required mitigation measures, per the HCP. Enbridge has also 
conducted annual monitoring and submitted annual reports. The 
monitoring indicates that the performance and success criteria for 
restoration of the site have been only partially met. Enbridge requests 
renewal of the ITP to continue monitoring of the restoration and 
implement any remedial measures, if necessary, until December 31, 2017.

Reviewing Documents and Submitting Comments

    Please refer to permit number TE03689B-1 when submitting comments. 
The permit application and supporting documents may be obtained on the 
Internet at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/permits/hcp/r3hcps.html. Persons without access to the Internet may obtain copies 
of the permit application by contacting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (ADDRESSES). The permit application and supporting documents 
will also be available for public inspection, by appointment, during 
normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the USFWS Lansing office 
(see ADDRESSES). Written comments will be accepted as described under 
ADDRESSES.

Public Availability of Comments

    Written comments we receive become part of the public record 
associated with this action. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that the entire comment, including 
your personal identifying information, may be made 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.

Next Steps

    We will evaluate the permit application, including comments we 
receive, to determine whether the application meets the requirements of 
section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. We will also evaluate whether renewal 
of the ITP would comply with section 7(a)(2) of the Act by conducting 
an intra-Service Section 7 consultation. We will use the results of our 
internal Service consultation, in combination with the above findings, 
in our final analysis to determine whether to renew the permit. If the 
requirements are met, we will renew the ITP. We will make the final 
permit decision no sooner than 30 days after the date of this notice.

Authority

    We provide this notice under section 10 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.), section 668a of the Eagle Act (16 U.S.C. 668a-668d), NEPA (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1501.7, 1506.5, 
1506.6 and 1508.22).

    Dated: June 15, 2016.
Sean Marsan,
Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-14623 Filed 6-20-16; 8:45 am]
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