[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 55 (Thursday, March 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14908-14910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05767]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2016-N223]; [FXES11140400000-178-FF04E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take 
Permit Application and Environmental Assessment for Commercial Mixed-
Use Development; Miami-Dade County, FL

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act),

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we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the receipt and 
availability of a proposed habitat conservation plan and accompanying 
documents related to an application from four applicants for a permit 
associated with construction of the Coral Reef Commons mixed-use 
development (project) in Miami-Dade County, Florida. If issued, the 
permit would authorize take of three federally listed species, one 
Federal candidate, and two State-listed species, incidental to project 
development, occupation, and use. We invite the public to comment on 
these documents.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by 
May 22, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: Documents are available for public 
inspection by appointment during regular business hours at either of 
the following locations:
     Atlanta Regional Office, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30345.
     South Florida Ecological Services Office, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
    Submitting Comments: Submit comments by one of the following 
methods. Please reference TE15009C-0 in all comments. For additional 
guidance, please see Public Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    U.S. mail: You may mail comments to the Fish and Wildlife Service's 
Atlanta Regional Office.
    Hand-delivery: You may hand-deliver comments to the Atlanta or the 
Vero Beach Office.
    Email: You may email comments to [email protected]. Please include 
your name and return address in your email message. If you do not 
receive a confirmation from us that we have received your email 
message, contact us directly at either telephone number in FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Dell, Regional HCP 
Coordinator, Atlanta (see ADDRESSES), telephone: 404-679-7313; or 
Ashleigh Blackford, Supervisory Wildlife Biologist, at the South 
Florida Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES), telephone: 772-469-
4246. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), please 
call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the 
receipt and availability of a proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), 
accompanying incidental take permit (ITP) application, and 
environmental assessment (EA) related to an application from Coral Reef 
Retail LLC, Coral Reef Residential Phase I LLC, Ramdev LLC, and the 
University of Miami (applicants) for a permit associated with 
construction of the Coral Reef Commons mixed-use development (project) 
in Miami-Dade County, Florida. We invite the public to comment on these 
documents.
    The applicants' proposed HCP describes the mitigation and 
minimization measures proposed to address the impacts to the covered 
species. Per the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.; NEPA), the EA analyzes the take of the covered species and the 
environment. The applicants request a 30-year ITP under section 
10(a)(1)(B) of the Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Covered Species

    The covered species are the following:
    Federally listed as endangered: Bartram's scrub-hairstreak 
butterfly (Strymon acis bartrami), Florida leafwing butterfly (Anaea 
troglodyta floridalis), Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus), and 
Miami tiger beetle (Cicindela scabrosa floridana).
    Federally listed as threatened: Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon 
corais cooperi).
    Federal candidate: Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus).
    State-listed: Rim rock crowned snake (Tantilla oolitica) and white-
crowned pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala).
    Because the project would likely have adverse effects on several 
plant species, the HCP includes conservation measures for the following 
plant species:
    Federally listed as endangered: Tiny polygala (Polygala smallii), 
deltoid spurge (Chamaesyce deltoidea), crenulate lead-plant (Amorpha 
crenulata), Florida brickell bush (Brickelia mosieri), Small's milkpea 
(Galactia smallii), and Carter's small-flowered flax (Linum carteri 
var. carteri).
    Federally listed as threatened: Garber's spurge (Chamaesyce 
garberi).
    Federal candidates: Sand flax (Linum arenicola), Blodgett's silver 
bush (Argythamnia blodgettii), Florida prairie clover (Dalea 
carthagenensis var. floridana), Florida pineland crabgrass (Digitaria 
pauciflora), Everglades bully (Sideroxylon reclinatum ssp. 
austrofloridense), and Florida bristle fern (Trichomanes punctatum ssp. 
floridanum).
    State-listed: Clamshell orchid (Encyclia cochleata var. triandra).

Environmental Assessment

    The EA assesses the likely environmental impacts associated with 
the project, including the environmental consequences of the no-action 
and the proposed action alternatives. The proposed action alternative 
is issuance of the ITP and implementation of the HCP as submitted by 
the applicants. The HCP area is comprised of a 137.9-acre tract, of 
which 86.49 acres are proposed for development, in addition to a 
separate 50.96-acre tract proposed for off-site mitigation. These 
tracts lie in an area known as the Richmond Pine Rocklands. 
Construction of the project would impact 86.49 acres of pine rockland 
habitat and would take covered species that occupy the area.

Habitat Conservation Plan

    The minimization and mitigation measures proposed in the HCP 
include the setting aside and maintenance of 51.41 acres of 
conservation areas within the 137.9-acre tract, supplemented by 3.88 
acres of intermediate conservation ``stepping stones'' to provide for 
movement of covered species among the conservation areas. In addition 
to the conservation areas, the 50.96-acre tract would serve as off-site 
mitigation and be protected and maintained as habitat for the covered 
species. The conservation and off-site mitigation areas would be 
managed by prescribed fire, other vegetation control measures, and 
removal of exotic invasive species. The areas also would be protected, 
as appropriate, by association covenants, deed restrictions, and/or 
conservation easements.

Public Comments

    We specifically request information, views, and opinions from the 
public on our proposed Federal action, including identification of any 
other aspects of or impacts to the human environment not already 
identified in the EA prepared pursuant to the NEPA regulations at 40 
CFR 1506.6. Further, we specifically solicit information regarding the 
adequacy of the HCP per 50 CFR parts 13 and 17.
    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.

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Covered Area

    The covered species historically occurred in the Richmond pine 
rockland habitats. Portions of the HCP covered area consist of pine 
rockland habitat that is either currently occupied by the covered 
species or suitable for restoration as habitat for the species.

Next Steps

    We will evaluate the ITP application, including the HCP, and any 
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 a section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP should be issued, as well as conduct 
an intra-Service consultation pursuant to section 7 of the Act. We will 
use the results of this consultation and the above findings in our 
final analysis to determine whether to issue the ITP. If we determine 
that the requirements are met, we will issue the ITP for incidental 
take of the covered species.

Authority

    We provide this notice under section 10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.) and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

    Dated: March 3, 2017.
Mike Oetker,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2017-05767 Filed 3-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P