[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 11 (Thursday, January 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 2756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00631]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2020-N009; FXES11140400000-178-FF04EF2000]


Receipt of Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for Sand Skink and 
Blue-Tailed Mole-Skink and Application To Amend Incidental Take Permit; 
Osceola County, FL; Categorical Exclusion

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments and information.

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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt 
of an application to amend an incidental take permit (ITP) under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. K. Hovnanian at Mystic 
Dunes, LLC (applicant) is requesting to modify its 5-year ITP 
authorizing take of federally listed sand skink and blue-tailed mole 
skink incidental to construction in Osceola County, Florida. We request 
public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's 
proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and the Service's preliminary 
determination that this HCP qualifies as ``low-effect,'' categorically 
excluded, under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this 
determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-
effect screening form, both of which are also available for public 
review.

DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before February 18, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: 
    Obtaining Documents: You may obtain copies of the documents by any 
of the following methods:
     Telephone: Alfredo Begazo, 772-469-4234.
     Email: [email protected].
     U.S. mail: Alfredo Begazo, South Florida Ecological 
Services Office, Attn. Sunbeam Properties, Inc. Permit TE69951C-1, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960-3559.
     In-person: The documents may be reviewed by appointment 
during regular business hours at the above address. Please call to make 
an appointment.
     Fax: Alfredo Begazo, 772-562-4288, Attn: Permit number 
TE69951C-1.
    Submitting Comments: If you wish to submit comments on any of the 
documents, you may do so in writing via the above email address, U.S. 
mail address, or fax number, or you may hand-deliver comments to the 
above address during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alfredo Begazo, by U.S. mail (see 
ADDRESSES) or via phone at 772-469-4234. Individuals who are hearing 
impaired or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-
877-8339 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
announce receipt of an application from K. Hovnanian at Mystic Dunes, 
LLC to amend an existing 5-year incidental take permit (ITP) that was 
issued for take of the federally listed sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) 
and blue-tailed mole skink (Eumeces egregious) (skinks) incidental to 
construction of a residential development (project) in Osceola County, 
Florida. The applicant seeks to amend the ITP (ITP TE69951C-1) to 
account for take of 2.09 acres (ac) of occupied skink habitat rather 
the 6.7 ac currently authorized by the permit. We request public 
comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed 
habitat conservation plan (HCP) and the Service's preliminary 
determination that this HCP qualifies as ``low-effect,'' categorically 
excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). To make this determination, we used our environmental 
action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also 
available for public review.

Project

    The applicant requests to amend its ITP to account for take of 
skinks via the conversion of 2.09 ac of habitat occupied for foraging 
and sheltering. The take would be incidental to the construction of a 
residential development on a 9-ac parcel in Section 15, Township 25 
South, and Range 27 East, Osceola County, Florida. The applicant 
proposes to mitigate for the take by purchasing a number of credits 
equivalent to 4.18 ac of occupied skink habitat from a Service-approved 
conservation bank in Osceola County. The applicant would be required to 
purchase the credits prior to engaging in project activities on the 
parcel.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that 
your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--
may be made available to the public. While you may request that we 
withhold your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee 
that we will be able to do so.

Our Preliminary Determination

    The Service has made a preliminary determination that modification 
of the applicant's ITP and the project, including land clearing, 
construction of the residential development, and the proposed 
mitigation measure, would individually and cumulatively have a minor or 
negligible effect on skinks and the environment. Therefore, we have 
preliminarily concluded that the amended ITP would qualify for 
categorical exclusion and the HCP is low effect under our NEPA 
regulations at 43 CFR 46.205 and 46.210. A low-effect HCP is one that 
would result in (1) minor or negligible effects on federally listed, 
proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; (2) minor or 
negligible effects on other environmental values or resources; and (3) 
impacts that, when considered together with the impacts of other past, 
present, and reasonable foreseeable similarly situated projects, would 
not over time result in significant cumulative effects to environmental 
values or resources.

Next Steps

    The Service will evaluate the application and the comments to 
determine whether to amend the permit. We will also conduct an intra-
Service consultation pursuant to section 7 of the ESA to evaluate the 
effects of the revised take. After considering the preceding findings, 
we will determine whether the permit issuance criteria of section 
10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA have been met. If met, the Service will amend 
the current permit and issue ITP number TE69951C-1 to K. Hovnanian at 
Mystic Dunes, LLC for incidental take of the sand skink and blue-tailed 
skink.

Authority

    The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) (16 U.S.C. 
1539(c)) of the ESA and NEPA regulation 40 CFR 1506.6.

Roxanna Hinzman,
Field Supervisor, South Florida Ecological Services Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-00631 Filed 1-15-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P