[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 127 (Monday, July 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34553-34554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16262]
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[[Page 34554]]
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an
Application for a Permit To Allow Incidental Take of the Endangered
Pahrump Poolfish by the Nevada Division of State Parks, Spring Mountain
Ranch State Park, Clark County, Nevada
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Nevada Division of
State Parks (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) for an incidental take permit pursuant to section
10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).
The application includes the proposed habitat conservation plan fully
describing the proposed project and mitigation, and the accompanying
implementing agreement. The application has been assigned permit number
PRT-804120. The requested permit would authorize the incidental take of
the endangered Pahrump poolfish (Empetrichthys latos latos) in the
irrigation storage reservoir at the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park
(Park) in Clark County, Nevada. The proposed incidental take would
occur during the renovation and operation of the reservoir in which the
Pahrump poolfish occupies.
The Service also announces the availability of an environmental
assessment (EA) for the proposed issuance of the incidental take
permit. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10 of the Act and
National Environmental Policy Act regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
DATES: Written comments on the permit application and EA should be
received on or before August 2, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the application or adequacy of the EA
should be addressed to Mr. Carlos H. Mendoza, State Supervisor, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Nevada State Office, 4600 Kietzke Lane,
Building C-125, Reno, Nevada 89502. Please refer to permit number PRT-
804120 when submitting comments. All comments, including names and
addresses, received will become part of the official administrative
record and may be made available to the public.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark Maley, at the above Reno,
Nevada, address or at telephone number (702) 784-5227. Individuals
wishing copies of the application or EA for review should immediately
contact the above individual.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 9 of the Act, ``taking'' of
the Pahrump poolfish, an endangered species, is prohibited. However the
Service, under limited circumstances, may issue permits to take
endangered wildlife species if such taking is incidental to, and not
the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. Regulations governing
permits for endangered species are in 50 CFR 17.22.
The Applicant proposes to implement a habitat conservation plan
(HCP) for the Pahrump poolfish that would allow the renovation and
operation of the Park reservoir. The proposed reservoir renovation
would include dredging of the reservoir to restore its holding capacity
and construction of a dam to control sedimentation. The Applicant
estimates that there would be no incidental take of Pahrump poolfish
during renovation activities and an unquantifiable number of poolfish
during the 30-year operation of the reservoir. However, if an
unanticipated accident should occur during renovation of the reservoir,
the incidental take of the reservoir's Pahrump poolfish population
(estimated at 15,039 1,127 poolfish in 1994) could occur.
The likelihood for such an accident to occur would be greatly reduced
by the implementation of the proposed minimizing and monitoring
measures outlined in the HCP. These measures include modification of
construction activities to minimize poolfish mortalities and
installation of two protective barriers between the construction zone
and the inundated portion of the reservoir. The Applicant, as
mitigation for the incidental take of Pahrump poolfish, proposes over
the term of the permit, to continue to manage the reservoir jointly for
irrigation and Pahrump poolfish. Management actions would include the
termination of the annual practice of drawing down the reservoir to
minimum pool, except for those years when maintenance is necessary. In
addition, if renovation activities resulted in the total loss of the
reservoir population of Pahrump poolfish within 1 year after completion
of these activities, the Applicant would assist the Nevada Division of
Wildlife and the Service in the reintroduction of poolfish from
existing refugia back into the reservoir.
The EA considers the environmental consequences of three
alternatives, the No-Action Alternative, Sediment Control Alternative,
and the Reservoir Renovation Alternative (Preferred Alternative). The
Reservoir Renovation Alternative would allow the renovation and
continued operation of the reservoir, the short-term modification of
suitable Pahrump poolfish habitat, and the incidental take of Pahrump
poolfish. Under the No-Action Alternative, reservoir renovation would
not occur and the permit would not be issued. Without reservoir
dredging, increasingly restricted reservoir capacity would inevitably
result in shortened irrigation and grazing seasons, most noticeably
reflected in the shorter periods that Park pastures remained green. As
a consequence, ranching, one of the Park's scenic and historic
qualities, would be diminished, or lost. Over the long-term, gradual
sedimentation of the reservoir would shrink Pahrump poolfish habitat
and eventually fish numbers would decline. The Sediment Control
Alternative would forego reservoir renovation in favor of a earth dam
to reduce the rate of further sedimentation. The construction of the
sediment dam would not result in any immediate adverse effects to the
Pahrump poolfish population in the reservoir.
Dated: June 27, 1995.
Thomas Dwyer,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 95-16262 Filed 6-30-95; 8:45 am]
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