[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5945-5946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2279]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact, and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental
Take Permit for La Costa Villages, Carlsbad, CA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior Department.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Fieldstone/La Costa Associates and the City of Carlsbad,
California (applicants) have applied for an incidental take permit from
the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B)
of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. The proposed
permit would authorize take of the threatened coastal California
gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) in San Diego County,
California, for a period of 30 years. The proposed taking is incidental
to planned home and road construction on 1,940 acres of land primarily
owned by Fieldstone/La Costa Associates.
This notice advises the public that the Service has re-opened the
comment period on the permit application and the environmental
assessment (EA). The permit application includes a Habitat Conservation
Plan (HCP), two HCP addendums, and an Implementing Agreement (IA). The
EA package includes an EA, EA addendum, and a draft Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) which concludes that issuing the incidental
take permit is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the
quality of the human environment, within the meaning of section
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as
amended.
This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the Act and
NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). The Service will evaluate the
application, associated documents, and comments submitted thereon to
determine whether the application meets the requirements of NEPA
regulations and section 10(a) of [[Page 5946]] the Act. If it is
determined that the requirements are met, a permit will be issued for
the incidental take of the coastal California gnatcatcher. The final
NEPA and permit determinations will not be completed until after the
end of the 30-day comment period and will fully consider all public
comments received during the comment period.
This notice supplements an earlier notice published in the Federal
Register on October 28, 1994 (59 FR 54207). That notice announced an
initial 30-day public comment period on the HCP, first HCP addendum,
and draft EA. The draft EA was not available for public review until
two weeks into the initial 30-day comment period. Subsequently, an
addendum to the draft EA, a second addendum to the HCP, and an IA were
completed that include a description of a change in mitigation for a
portion of the proposed project. Consequently, the Service has re-
opened the period for public comment on the NEPA documents and the
complete application package, as revised.
DATES: Written comments on the HCP, HCP addendums, IA, EA, EA addendum,
and draft FONSI should be received on or before March 2, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Gail Kobetich, Field
Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker Avenue West,
Carlsbad, California 92008. Comments may be sent by facsimile to
telephone (619) 431-9618. Please refer to permit No. PRT-795759 when
submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gail Kobetich (Field Supervisor) or
Ken Corey (Biologist) at the above address, or telephone (619) 431-
9440. Individuals wishing copies of the documents should immediately
contact Ken Corey. Documents also will be available for public
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above
address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed grading and construction activities
would directly impact 30 of 48 pairs of the threatened coastal
California gnatcatcher (gnatcatcher) and 550 of 1,064 acres of suitable
gnatcatcher habitat on-site (506 of 944 acres of coastal sage scrub and
44 of 120 acres of southern maritime chaparral). In addition, 254 of
307 acres of grassland and 69 of 114 acres of riparian scrub/woodland
would be directly impacted on-site. Approximately 18 pairs of
gnatcatchers, 438 acres of coastal sage scrub, 76 acres of southern
maritime chaparral, and 173 acres of associated habitats will be
conserved and managed on-site in perpetuity. In addition, the
applicants will provide $1,000,000 for purchase of an off-site
mitigation parcel, within the City of Carlsbad, to be approved by the
Service.
The applicants have requested the issuance of permits (immediately
or when a species is listed) under section 10(a) of the Act that would
authorize incidental take, in accordance with the terms of the HCP, for
up to 66 sensitive species listed in the HCP. Of these species, the
coastal California gnatcatcher is the only federally-listed species
observed on-site. Section 10(a) permits are issued only for federally-
listed species; however, unlisted species that subsequently become
listed, and are adequately conserved by the original HCP, can be added
by permit amendment.
A concern has been raised regarding the consistency of the HCP with
certain subarea and subregional plans under the statewide Natural
Community Conservation Planning program (NCCP) (see 59 FR 54208). All
interested agencies, organizations, and individuals are urged to
provide comments on the permit application, NEPA documents, and the
NCCP consistency issue. All comments received by the closing date will
be considered in finalizing NEPA compliance and permit issuance or
denial.
The Service will publish a record of its final action in the
Federal Register.
Dated: January 25, 1995.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 95-2279 Filed 1-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
