[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7152-7153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01341]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-ES-2024-0133; FXES11140800000-223-FF08ECAR00]
Incidental Take Permit Application for the Quino Checkerspot
Butterfly and Western Spadefoot; Draft Habitat Conservation Plan and
Draft Environmental Assessment; Alpine Park Project, Community of
Alpine, San Diego County, CA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have
received an application from the County of San Diego for an incidental
take permit under the Endangered Species Act. If granted, the permit
would authorize take of the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas
editha quino), federally listed as endangered, and the western
spadefoot (Spea hammondii), an amphibian species federally proposed as
threatened, incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with
construction and operation of a 25-acre active recreation park and
habitat restoration and management within mitigation areas associated
with the project. We invite comments from the public and local, State,
Tribal, and Federal agencies on the applicant's draft habitat
conservation plan and the draft environmental assessment, which we have
prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. We will
take comments into consideration before deciding whether to issue an
incidental take permit.
DATES: Submitting Comments: We must receive any written comments on or
before February 20, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: The application, application supporting
materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be
available for public inspection at https://www.regulations.gov in
Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2024-0133.
Submitting Written Comments: You may submit your written comments
using one of the following methods:
Online: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2024-0133.
U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-
2024-0133; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg
Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This
generally means that we will post online any personal information that
you provide. We request that you submit comments by only one of the
methods above. For additional information about submitting comments,
see Public Availability of Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Porter, Fish and Wildlife
Biologist, by email at [email protected] or via phone at 442-287-
2203. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, blind, 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 have received an application from the
County of San Diego (applicant) for an incidental take permit under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.). The application addresses the potential take of the Quino
checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino), federally listed as
endangered, and the western spadefoot (Spea hammondii), an amphibian
species federally proposed as threatened, incidental to otherwise
lawful activities at the Alpine Park (project) site, as described in
the applicant's draft habitat conservation plan (conservation plan).
The proposed project would be located in the community of Alpine in San
Diego County, California.
Background
Section 9 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1538) and Federal regulations
promulgated pursuant to section 4(d) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1533)
prohibit the take of endangered and threatened animals without special
exemption. Under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1539), we
may issue permits to authorize take of listed fish and wildlife species
that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an
otherwise lawful activity. Regulations governing permits for endangered
and threatened species are set forth in title 50 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at part 17, sections 17.22 and 17.32.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.) requires Federal agencies to analyze their proposed actions to
determine whether the actions may significantly affect the human
environment. In the NEPA analysis, the Federal agency will identify the
effects, as well as possible mitigation for effects on environmental
resources, that could occur with the implementation of the proposed
action and alternatives. The Federal action in this case is the
Service's proposed issuance of an incidental take permit for the
federally endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly and the federally
proposed threatened western spadefoot.
Permit Application
The applicant has submitted a draft conservation plan that
describes the activities that would be covered by the permit, including
construction of the active recreation park and impacts associated with
habitat maintenance and restoration. To minimize the risk of incidental
take, the applicant would employ seasonal restrictions and
preconstruction surveys and potential translocation. To mitigate the
impact of the incidental take, the applicant proposes to protect and
manage the 67.5-acre Alpine Park Preserve, enhance
[[Page 7153]]
Quino checkerspot butterfly habitat, and create breeding pools for
western spadefoot.
The draft conservation plan and the draft environmental assessment
consider alternatives to the proposed action, including a no action
alternative. The Service prepared a draft environmental assessment to
evaluate the impacts of issuing the proposed incidental take permit on
the human environment, consistent with the purpose and goals of NEPA
and pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's implementing
NEPA regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508. Additionally, the
draft environmental assessment was prepared consistent with the
Department of the Interior's NEPA regulations (43 CFR part 46);
longstanding Federal judicial and regulatory interpretations; and
Administration priorities and policies, including Secretary's Order No.
3399.
Public Availability of Comments
All comments and materials we receive will become part of the
decision record associated with this action. If you submit a comment
via https://www.regulations.gov, your entire comment, including any
personal identifying information such as your address, phone number,
and email address, will be posted on the website.
If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal identifying
information, you may request at the top of your document that we
withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hardcopy
comments on https://www.regulations.gov.
Authority
The Service provides this notice under section 10(c) of the
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing
regulations and the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321
et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500 through 1508 and
43 CFR part 46).
Scott Sobiech,
Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad,
California.
[FR Doc. 2025-01341 Filed 1-17-25; 8:45 am]
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