[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54701-54702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26441]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed
Issuance of a Permit to Allow Incidental Take of Golden-Cheeked
Warbler, Black-Capped Vireo, and Six Karst Invertebrates in Travis
County, Texas
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service. Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the proposed issuance of a section 10(a)(1)(B)
permit to allow the incidental take of golden-cheeked warblers, black-
capped vireos, and six karst invertebrates for land development on
private lands in Travis County, Texas.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The city of Austin and Travis County have applied for a permit
for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow for incidental take of
federally-listed endangered species black-capped vireo, golden-cheeked
warbler, and six karst invertebrates under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the
Endangered Species Act. This will be incidental to otherwise lawful
activities that would occur as a result of clearing of vegetation and
grading or other earth-moving activities necessary for residential,
commercial, and industrial construction and infrastructure projects
within Travis County, Texas.
The proposed permit will allow approved incidental take outside of
proposed preserve lands within the proposed permit boundaries. In
general,
[[Page 54702]]
this area includes all of the lands within Travis County, excluding
that portion of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge that
falls within Travis County, and the city limits and planning
jurisdictions of municipalities not participating in the Balcones
Canyonlands Conservation Plan. The permit period is 30 years. Potential
development for this time period is estimated to affect between 30,000
and 60,000 acres within the permit area. Of the approximately 2,000
acres of known occupied black-capped vireo habitat located within
Travis County, 933 acres will be preserved within the Conservation Plan
area and approximately 1,000 acres will be subject to incidental take
in the permit area. For the golden-cheeked warbler, approximately
26,753 acres of potential habitat is located within the permit area and
may be subject to incidental take. This potential warbler habitat could
support from 1,605 to 3,210 pairs of warblers. Of the 45,368 acres of
potential karst invertebrate habitat occurring in the permit area,
approximately 38,349 acres will be unprotected by the proposed
Conservation Plan.
To minimize and mitigate the impacts of take, the applicants
propose to conserve a minimum of 30,428 acres of black-capped vireo and
golden-cheeked warbler habitat in a preserve system; provide for the
ongoing maintenance, patrol, and biological management of the conserved
habitat; conduct the biological monitoring and research activities in
support of the Conservation Plan; and provide funds to implement the
habitat Conservation Plan. Alternatives considered include no action;
issuance of the permit with the submitted Balcones Canyonlands
Conservation Plan and a 30,428 acre preserve; and issuance of the
permit with the submitted Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan and a
35,428 acre preserve.
DATES: Comments will be accepted until 60-days from the date of
publication of the Notice of Availability by the Environmental
Protection Agency in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200; Austin Texas 78758.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joseph E. Johnston, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services
Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200; Austin, Texas (telephone
(512) 490-0063; facsimile (505) 490-0974.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A limited number of individual copies of the
draft EIS may be obtained by contacting the above address. Copies of
the draft EIS summary will be sent to everyone currently on the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service's mailing list for information on the
Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan. Copies of the draft EIS summary
are available upon request.
Copies of the draft EIS are available for inspection at public
locations throughout Travis County. For specific locations contact
Joseph E. Johnston at the above address.
A public hearing is scheduled to be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on
Tuesday November 14, 1995, at the Lake Travis District Auditorium, 3323
Ranch Road 620 South, Austin, Texas, 78734.
Dated: October 6, 1995.
Lynn B. Starnes,
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-26441 Filed 10-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
