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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
FWS ID: [FWS-R2-ES-2008-N0205; 20124-1113-0000-F2]
NOTICE: NOTICES
ACTION: Environmental Impact Statements; Availability, etc.:
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of availability: Final Environmental Impact Statement and Final Regional Habitat Conservation Plan.
SUBJECT CATEGORY: Williamson County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan, Williamson County, TX
DATES: A final decision on ITP issuance will be made October 16, 2008 or later.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY: Williamson County (Applicant) submitted an application (TE- 1818400) for an incidental take permit (ITP) to cover four species currently listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposed take would occur as a result of proposed road construction, maintenance, and improvement projects; utility construction and maintenance; school development and construction; public or private construction and development; and land clearing within western Williamson County, Texas. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued a final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to evaluate the impacts of and alternatives for the possible issuance of an ITP. The Applicant completed a final Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (RHCP), as required by the Act, which provides measures to minimize and mitigate the effects of the proposed taking of covered species and effects to the habitats upon which they depend.
SUMMARY: Williamson County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan, Williamson County, TX,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
We provide this notice under section 10(c) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22) and the National Environmental Policy Act NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).Section 9 of the Act and Federal regulations prohibit the taking of fish and wildlife species listed as endangered or threatened (16 U.S.C. 1538). Under limited circumstances, the Service may issue permits to authorize incidental take of listed fish or wildlife that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. Regulations governing incidental take permits for threatened and endangered species are found in 50 CFR 17.32 and 17.22, respectively.
Public Review
Copies of the RHCP and FEIS are available for public review, by appointment, during regular business hours, at the Austin Ecological Services Field Office. The documents may be viewed on the World Wide Web at www.wilcogov.org/wccf.
These documents may also be viewed during regular hours in the reference section of the following Williamson County libraries:
Copies may also be viewed during normal business hours at the following Williamson County offices:
Background Information
We received an application for an incidental take permit, which
would be for a term of 30 years, from Williamson County and the
Williamson County Conservation Foundation. The application included a
draft RHCP to satisfy the application requirements for a section
10(a)(1)(B) permit under the Act. The Applicant seeks an ITP for
activities described in the RHCP and will implement conservation
measures to minimize and mitigate for incidental take of goldencheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia), blackcapped vireo (Vireo
atricapilla), Bone Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi), and Coffin Cave
mold beetle (Batrisodes texanus) to the maximum extent practicable, and
ensure that incidental take will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival and recovery of these species in the wild.
On May 16, 2008, the Service published a notice in the Federal Register (73 FR 28498) announcing receipt of an application for an ITP from Williamson County and the availability of a draft EIS (dEIS) and a draft RHCP for the application. The dEIS analyzed the potential environmental impacts that may result from the Federal action of authorizing incidental take anticipated to occur with implementation of the RHCP, and identified various alternatives. We received a total of 6 comments on the dEIS and draft RHCP. A response to each comment received in these letters has been included in the FEIS.
Alternatives
The dEIS considered two alternatives in addition to the proposed project described above: (1) A No Action Alternative, under which no permit would be issued. This alternative would require individuals (rather than the Applicant) to seek authorization through section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act to address incidental take resulting from their actions in Williamson County or to avoid taking actions that would result in incidental take; (2) A Modified (Reduced Take and Mitigation) RHCP, which would only cover take of the goldencheeked warbler and Bone Cave harvestman. The amount of authorized take and mitigation would be reduced for both species.
We will evaluate the application, associated documents, and
comments submitted to them to prepare a Record of Decision. A permit
decision will be made no sooner than 30 days after the publication of the FEIS and completion of the Record of Decision.
Thomas L. Baur,
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, Albuquerque, New Mexico. [FR Doc. E821547 Filed 91508; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 431055P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Mr. Bill Seawell at the address and phone in ADDRESSES.
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