[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 180 (Monday, September 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-23076]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 19, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an
Application for an Incidental Take Permit for a Residential Development
called Bal Harbour subdivision, in Brevard County, FL
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Gen Real Estate and Management Company (Applicant), is seeking
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 permit would authorize the take of the Florida
scrub jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens, a threatened species,
in Brevard County, Florida, for a period of 5 years. The proposed
taking is incidental to construction of 60 single family
homes including the necessary infrastructure on approximately 15.1
acres (Project), all of which contains occupied Florida scrub jay
habitat to be permanently altered. The Project is called Bal Harbour,
and is located along State Road A1A south of the city of Melbourne, in
the Coconut Point area of Brevard County, Florida.
The Service also announces the availability of an environmental
assessment (EA) and habitat conservation plan (HCP) for the incidental
take application. Copies of the EA or HCP may be obtained by making a
request to the Regional Office address below. This notice also advises
the public that the Service has made a preliminary determination 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
of 1969, as amended. The Finding of No Significant Impact is based on
information contained in the EA and HCP. The final determination will
be made no sooner than 30 days from the date of this notice. This
notice is provided pursuant to Section 10(c) of the Act and National
Environmental Policy Act Regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
DATES: Written comments on the permit application, EA and HCP should be
received on or before October 19, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the application, HCP, and EA may
obtain a copy by writing the Service's Southeast Regional Office,
Atlanta, Georgia. Documents will also be available for public
inspection by appointment during normal business hours at the Regional
Office, or the Jacksonville, Florida, Field Office. Written data or
comments concerning the application, EA, or HCP should be submitted to
the Regional Office. Please reference permit under PRT-794539 in such
comments:
Regional Permit Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875
Century Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia 30345, (telephone 404/
679-7110, fax 404/679-7081).
Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint
Drive, South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216-0912, (telephone
904/232-2580, fax 904/232-2404).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dawn Zattau at the Jacksonville,
Florida, Field Office, or Rick G. Gooch at the Atlanta, Georgia,
Regional Office.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens is
geographically isolated from other subspecies of scrub jays found in
Mexico and the Western United States. The scrub jay is found almost
exclusively in peninsular Florida and is restricted to scrub habitat.
The total estimated population is between 7,000 and 11,000 individuals.
Due to habitat loss and degradation throughout the State of Florida, it
has been estimated that the scrub jay population has been reduced by at
least half in the last 100 years.
The scrub jay survey provided by the Applicant indicates that two
families currently use the suitable habitats within the Project. The
Applicant proposes to impact the territories of both families. Initial
construction of roads and utilities and subsequent development of
individual homesites may therefore result in death of, or injury to,
scrub jays incidental to the carrying out of these otherwise lawful
activities. Habitat alteration associated with property development may
reduce the availability of feeding, shelter, and nesting habitat. To
minimize the mitigate the impacts of the loss of 15.1 acres of scrub
jay habitat, the Applicant will purchase 30.63 acres of scrub habitat
known to support the scrub jay, deed the property to Brevard County,
and provide a management endowment of $30,630 to ensure management of
the site in perpetuity. Other measures proposed by the Applicant
include control of invasive plant species from the Project, and
protection of active nests, if discovered, during the nesting season.
The EA considers the environmental consequences of three
alternatives, including acceptance of the HCP as submitted,
consideration of management of surrounding publicly-owned lands as
mitigation in lieu of offsite purchase, and no action.
(Notice: Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of
an Application for a Section 10(a)(1)(B) Incidental Take Permit of
the Endangered Species Act)
Dated: September 12, 1994.
Richard G. Gooch,
Acting Chief, Division of Endangered Species.
[FR Doc. 94-23076 Filed 9-16-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
