[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79900-79901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28226]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2022-0143; FXES11140800000-234-FF08ECAR00]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take 
Permit Application; Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan Amendment for 
the Multiple Species Conservation Program County of San Diego Subarea 
Plan, County of San Diego, California

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have 
received an application to amend the incidental take permit (PRT-
840414) issued for the existing Multiple Species Conservation Program 
County of San Diego Subarea Plan (MSCP Subarea Plan). The County of San 
Diego (Applicant) has requested an amendment to the incidental take 
permit. The amendment would modify the MSCP Subarea Plan boundary to 
add approximately 77 acres of land solely for conservation purposes. If 
amended, no additional incidental take will be authorized. The 
Applicant will follow all other existing habitat conservation plan 
conditions. We also announce a public comment period. We invite 
comments from the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local 
governments.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by 
January 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: 
    Obtaining Documents: Electronic copies of the documents this notice

[[Page 79901]]

announces, along with public comments received, will be available 
online in Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2022-0143 at https://www.regulations.gov.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Please include ``MSCP 
Subarea Plan Boundary Line Amendment'' at the beginning of your 
comments.
     U.S. mail: Assistant Field Supervisor; Carlsbad Fish and 
Wildlife Office; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 2177 Salk Avenue, 
Suite 250; Carlsbad, CA 92008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jonathan Snyder, Assistant Field 
Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES); 
telephone: 760-431-9440, email at [email protected]. 
Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of 
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals 
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within 
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in 
the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), have received an application from the County of San Diego to 
amend the incidental take permit (PRT-840414) issued for the existing 
Multiple Species Conservation Program County of San Diego Subarea Plan 
(MSCP Subarea Plan). We also announce a public comment period. We 
invite comments from the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local 
governments.
    We have made a preliminary determination that amendment of the 
permit is neither a major Federal action that will significantly affect 
the quality of the human environment within the meaning of section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.), nor will it individually or cumulatively have more than 
a negligible effect on the species covered in the MSCP Subarea Plan. 
Therefore, the permit amendment qualifies as a categorical exclusion 
under NEPA as provided by the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 
8.5(C)(2)).

Background

    On March 17, 1998, the Service issued an incidental take permit 
(PRT-840414), pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), for 85 species covered by the MSCP 
Subarea Plan. The MSCP Subarea Plan boundary encompasses 252,132 ac of 
unincorporated land in south San Diego County, California. Opportunity 
for public review of the original permit application and the habitat 
conservation plan was provided in the Federal Register on March 28, 
1997 (62 FR 14938) and November 14, 1997 (62 FR 61140).
    The applicant is seeking an amendment to their incidental take 
permit, consistent with section 1.14.2 of the MSCP Subarea Plan 
Implementing Agreement, to modify the MSCP Subarea Plan boundary to add 
77.02 acres of land for conservation purposes (i.e., a ``hardline 
preserve'') to be used as mitigation for projects impacting non-native 
grassland.
    The conservation lands are in an unincorporated portion of northern 
San Diego County in the community of Ramona, approximately 0.5 mile 
north of the existing MSCP Subarea Plan boundary. The conservation land 
consists of four parcels (Assessor's Parcel Numbers 283-055-28-00, 283-
055-29-00, 283-055-30-00, 283-055-31-00, and 283-055-31-00) located 
northeast of the intersection of Highland Valley and Dye roads, south 
of State Route 67 (SR-67), and west of Etcheverry Street. The parcels 
support vernal pool, southern willow scrub, freshwater marsh, and 
nonnative grassland vegetation communities, which include potential 
habitat for the federally listed endangered San Diego fairy shrimp 
(Branchinecta sandiegonensis) and the burrowing owl (Athene 
cunicularia), both MSCP Subarea Plan covered species. More details on 
the specific parcels and their locations are available in the permit 
amendment application (see ADDRESSES).

Public Comments

    If you wish to comment on the permit application, proposed HCP 
amendment, and associated documents, you may submit comments by any of 
the methods noted in the ADDRESSES section.

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 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.

Authority

    We provide this notice under section 10(c) of the Endangered 
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and National Environmental Policy 
Act regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

Scott Sobiech,
Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2022-28226 Filed 12-27-22; 8:45 am]
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