[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 19, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4851-4852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02632]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R1-ES-2018-N147]; [FXES11140100000-189-FF01E00000]


Proposed Green Diamond Resource Company Candidate Conservation 
Agreement With Assurances for Fisher in Oregon

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have 
received an enhancement of survival permit application from Green 
Diamond Resource Company pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 
The requested permit would authorize the incidental take of fisher 
should the species become federally listed in the future under the ESA. 
The permit application is associated with a template candidate 
conservation agreement with assurances (CCAA) previously developed for 
the conservation of the fisher. We also have prepared a draft 
environment action statement (EAS) pursuant to the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for the potential 
issuance of this individual permit. We are making the permit 
application package and draft EAS available for public review and 
comment.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be received from 
interested parties no later than March 21, 2019.

ADDRESSES: To request further information or submit written comments, 
please use one of the following methods, and note that your information 
request or comments are in reference to the ``Green Diamond CCAA.''
     Internet: Documents may be viewed on the internet at 
http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/.
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``Green 
Diamond CCAA'' in the subject line of the message or comments.
     U.S. Mail: State Supervisor, Oregon Fish and Wildlife 
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 2600 SE 98th Avenue, Suite 100 
Portland, OR 97266.
     Fax: 503-231-6195, Attn: Green Diamond CCAA.
     In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Comments and 
materials received will be available for public inspection, by 
appointment (necessary for viewing or picking up documents only), 
during normal business hours at the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office (at 
the above address); call 503-231-6179 to make an appointment. Written 
comments can be dropped off during regular business hours at the above 
address on or before the closing date of the public comment period (see 
DATES).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Szlemp (see ADDRESSES); 
telephone: 503-231-6179; facsimile: 503-231- 6195. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf, please call the Federal Relay 
Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), have received an enhancement of survival permit application 
from Green Diamond Resource Company pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.). The requested permit would authorize the incidental take of 
fisher (Pekania pennanti) during

[[Page 4852]]

Green Diamond Resource's routine forest-related management activities 
for a period of 29 years should the fisher become federally listed in 
the future under the ESA. The permit application is associated with a 
template candidate conservation agreement with assurances (CCAA) 
previously developed for the conservation of the fisher.

Background

    A CCAA is a voluntary agreement whereby landowners agree to manage 
their lands to remove or reduce threats to species that may become 
listed under the ESA (64 FR 32726; June 17, 1999). CCAAs are intended 
to facilitate the conservation of proposed and candidate species, and 
species likely to become candidates in the near future by giving non-
Federal property owners incentives to implement conservation measures 
for declining species by providing certainty with regard to land, 
water, or resource use restrictions that might be imposed should the 
species later become listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA. 
In return for managing their lands to the benefit of the covered 
species, enrolled landowners receive assurances that additional 
regulatory requirements pertaining to the covered species will not be 
required if the covered species becomes listed as threatened or 
endangered under the ESA, so long as the CCAA remains in place and is 
being fully implemented.
    A CCAA serves as the basis for the Service to issue enhancement of 
survival permits to non-Federal participants pursuant to section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA. Application requirements and issuance criteria 
for permits under CCAAs are found in the Code of Regulations (CFR) at 
50 CFR 17.22(d) and 17.32(d). The Service developed a template CCAA for 
the West Coast Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the fisher in 
Oregon and a draft EAS for future permit issuance under the finalized 
template to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 
as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The template CCAA and the EAS were 
noticed for comment in the Federal Register (81 FR 15737; March 24, 
2016). The template CCAA and EAS were finalized and signed by the 
Service on June 20, 2018.
    The CCAA template established general guidelines and identified 
minimum conservation measures for potential participants in the CCAA. 
Interested participants can voluntarily enroll their property under the 
CCAA through individual ``site plans'' that are submitted as part of 
their permit applications. The permits would authorize incidental take 
with assurances to qualifying landowners who carry out conservation 
measures that would benefit the West Coast DPS of the fisher.

Proposed Action

    Pursuant to the ESA, we have received an application for an 
enhancement of survival permit from Green Diamond Resource Company 
under the template CCAA for their lands in Oregon. The requested permit 
would authorize the incidental take of fisher, should it become 
federally listed, during Green Diamond Resource's routine forest-
related management activities on their properties in Jackson, Klamath, 
and Lake Counties, Oregon for a period of 29 years, which is the 
current time remaining under the template CCAA. Approximately 491,544 
acres of Green Diamond Resource lands would be covered under the CCAA. 
The permit application includes a (1) proposed site plan that describes 
the lands to be covered by the permit and (2) the required conservation 
measures of the template CCAA.
    We are making the permit application package, including the site 
plan, as well as the draft EAS, available for public review and comment 
(see ADDRESSES). The final template CCAA and prior EAS are also 
available for reference.

Public Comments

    You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods 
listed in the ADDRESSES section. We request data, comments, new 
information, or suggestions from the public, other concerned 
governmental agencies, the scientific community, Tribes, industry, or 
any other interested party on our proposed Federal action, including 
adequacy of the site plan in relation to the template CCAA pursuant to 
the requirements for permits at 50 CFR parts 13 and 17.

Public Availability of Comments

    All comments and materials 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 comments, 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. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their 
entirety. Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting 
documentation, will be available for public inspection by appointment, 
during normal business hours, at our Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office 
(see ADDRESSES).

Authority

    We provide this notice in accordance with the requirements of 
section 10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.) and their implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22, and 40 
CFR 1506.6, respectively).

Kevin S. Foerster,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-02632 Filed 2-15-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P