[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 30191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13799]



[[Page 30191]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2018-N046; FXES11130400000EA-123-FF04EF1000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Availability of 
Proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink, Lake, 
County, FL

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment/information.

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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an 
application for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended. The City of Groveland is requesting a 
10-year ITP for take of the sand skink. We request public comment on 
the permit application, which includes the proposed habitat 
conservation plan, as well as on our preliminary determination that the 
plan qualifies as low-effect under the National Environmental Policy 
Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action 
statement and low-effect screening form, which are also available for 
review.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by 
July 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the application, including the HCP, as 
well as our environmental action statement or low-effect screening 
form, you may request the documents by email, U.S. mail, or phone. 
These documents are also available for public inspection by appointment 
during normal business hours at the office below. Send your comments or 
requests by any one of the following methods.
    Email: [email protected]. Use ``Attn: TE69161C-0.''
    Fax: Field Supervisor, (904) 731-3191, ``Attn: TE69161C-0.''
    U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, Jacksonville Ecological Services Field 
Office, Attn: TE69161C-0, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 7915 
Baymeadows Way, Suite 200, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
    In-person drop-off: You may drop off information during regular 
business hours at the above office address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin M. Gawera, telephone: (904) 731-
3121; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) and our implementing regulations in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR part 17 prohibit the ``take'' of fish and 
wildlife species listed as endangered or threatened. Take of listed 
fish or wildlife is defined under the ESA as ``to harass, harm, pursue, 
hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to 
engage in any such conduct'' (16 U.S.C. 1532(19)). However, under 
limited circumstances, we issue permits to authorize incidental take, 
i.e., take that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, the carrying 
out of an otherwise lawful activity.
    Regulations governing incidental take permits for endangered and 
threatened species are at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, respectively. In 
addition to meeting other criteria, an incidental take permit's 
proposed actions must not jeopardize the existence of federally listed 
fish, wildlife, or plants.

Applicant's Proposal

    The City of Groveland is requesting a 10-year ITP to take 
approximately 1.57 acres (ac) of occupied sand skink (Neoseps 
reynoldsi) foraging and sheltering habitat incidental to construction 
of a fire station. The 5.0-ac project site is parcel Number 19-22-25-
000100005200, located within Section 19, Township 22 South, Range 25 
East in Lake County, Florida. The project includes the clearing, 
infrastructure building, and landscaping associated with construction. 
The applicant proposes to mitigate for the take of the threatened sand 
skink by purchasing 3.14 mitigation credits within Backbone 
Conservation Bank or another Service-approved sand skink conservation 
bank.

Our Preliminary Determination

    We have determined that the applicant's proposal, including the 
proposed mitigation and minimization measures, would have minor or 
negligible effects on the species covered in the HCP. Therefore, we 
have determined that the incidental take permit for this project would 
be ``low effect'' and qualify for categorical exclusion under the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as provided by 43 CFR 46.205 
and 43 CFR 46.210. A low-effect HCP is one involving (1) minor or 
negligible effects on federally listed or candidate species and their 
habitats, and (2) minor or negligible effects on other environmental 
values or resources.

Next Steps

    We will evaluate the HCP and comments we receive to determine 
whether the ITP application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of 
the ESA. We will also conduct an intra-Service consultation to evaluate 
whether issuance of the ITP would comply with section 7 of the ESA. We 
will use the results of this consultation, in combination with the 
above findings, in our final analysis to determine whether or not to 
issue the ITP. If the requirements are met, we will issue ITP number 
TE69161C-0 to the applicant.

Public Availability of Comments

    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.

Authority

    We provide this notice under section 10 of the ESA and NEPA 
regulation 40 CFR 1506.6.

Jay B. Herrington,
Field Supervisor, Jacksonville Field Office, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2018-13799 Filed 6-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 43133-15-P