🦎Incidental Take Permit Application for Sand Skink in Orange County, FL
We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Waste Management (Pine Ridge Recycling & Disposal Facility) (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed sand skink incidental to the construction of an expansion of the existing Pine Ridge Recycling & Disposal Facility in Orange County, Florida. We request public comment on the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual (DM). To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft screening form and NEPA statement for HCPs, which is available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
Learn More🏡Notice of Incidental Take Permit Applications in Alabama
We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of four separate applications from each of the following applicants for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA): Lindsey and Associates, LLC; Seahaven Farms, LLC; Emmer Holdings, LLC; and Greg Smith (applicant/applicants). Each applicant requests an ITP to take the federally listed Alabama beach mouse incidental to the construction of single-family homes in Baldwin County, Alabama. We request public comment on the applications, which include each applicants' proposed habitat conservation plans (HCPs) and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting actions may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual (DM). To make these preliminary determinations, we prepared a draft screening form and NEPA statement for each application, which are available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
Learn More🦎Permit Application for Sand Mine Expansion and Endangered Species Compliance
We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Nola Land Company, Inc. (E.R. Jahna Haines City Sand Mine) (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed sand skink and blue-tailed mole skink (skinks) incidental to the construction and operation of a sand mine expansion in Polk County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual. To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft screening form and NEPA statement for HCPs, which is available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
Learn More🐍Proposed Regulation for Southern Hognose Snake Listing
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), a small, fossorial snake species from the coastal plains and sandhills across the southeastern United States, as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the southern hognose snake. After a review of the best scientific and commercial data available, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the southern hognose snake as a threatened species with protective regulations under section 4(d) of the Act ("4(d) rule"). If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to the species. We find that designating critical habitat for this species is prudent but not determinable at this time.
Learn More🌱Incidental Take Permit Application for Polk County Fire Station
We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Polk County Board of County Commissioners (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed sand skink and blue-tailed mole skink incidental to the construction of a fire station in Polk County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual. To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft screening form and NEPA statement for HCPs, which is available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
Learn More🌿Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Kaua'i Habitat Conservation
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has received an incidental take permit (ITP) application from the Kaua[revaps]i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC; applicant), associated with KIUC's proposed habitat conservation plan (proposed HCP) submitted pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. The applicant seeks an ITP from the Service to authorize the incidental take of nine species expected to result from KIUC's operation and modification of existing and future powerlines and lighting activities on the island of Kaua[revaps]i as well as implementation of a conservation strategy. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, this notice announces the availability of a draft environmental impact statement. With this notice, we also make available the proposed HCP submitted by the applicant and invite public comments.
Learn More🌿Pierce County Flood Risk Reduction Structures ITP Application Notice
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), have received an incidental take permit (ITP) application from the Pierce County Department of Planning and Public Works (Pierce County; applicant), including a habitat conservation plan (HCP) for maintenance and operations of flood risk reduction structures in Pierce County, Washington. Pierce County submitted an ITP application and HCP pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) also received an ITP application from Pierce County and, concurrent with this notice, has also published a notice of availability for comment on the ITP application, the applicant's HCP, and, as the lead Federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act, a draft environmental assessment (draft EA) analyzing the potential effects of issuance of the respective ITPs. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these documents.
Learn More🐟Proposed Endangered Status for Barrens Darter
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Barrens darter (Etheostoma forbesi), a fish species from Cannon, Coffee, Grundy, and Warren Counties, Tennessee, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the Barrens darter. After a review of the best scientific and commercial data available, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the Barrens darter as an endangered species under the Act. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to the species. We find that designating critical habitat for this species is not determinable at this time.
Learn More🌲Record of Decision on Habitat Conservation for Elliott State Forest
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the availability of a record of decision (ROD) for the issuance of a permit under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for certain activities at the Elliott State Research Forest supported by a habitat conservation plan (HCP) in Coos and Douglas Counties, Oregon. The ROD documents the Service's decision to issue an incidental take permit (ITP) to the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) in response to their permit application. As summarized in the ROD, the Service has selected the proposed action alternative, which is issuance of an 80-year ITP authorizing take of species listed under the ESA that may occur incidental to research and management activities over the permit term implemented consistent with the HCP.
Learn More🌞Chalan Solar Project Draft Permit for Endangered Species Conservation
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application and draft habitat conservation plan from Chalan Solar Storage, LLC (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally endangered San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) and giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens) incidental to development activities in Kern County, California. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's draft habitat conservation plan (HCP), and the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the Department of the Interior's (DOI) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations and the DOI Departmental Manual. To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, which are also available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
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