[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51333-51334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24684]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of Draft Habitat Conservation Plan, Receipt of
Application for; and Intent To Issue, Incidental Take Permit for
Installation of a 2,500-foot Television Coaxal Cable on Private
Property in Garfield County, UT
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability, Receipt of Application for, and Intent
to Issue Permit.
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SUMMARY: South Central Utah Telephone Association (Applicant) has
applied to the 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 Applicant has been assigned permit
number TE-017010. The request permit, which is for a period of 1 year,
would authorize incidental take of the threatened Utah prairie dog
(Cynomys parvidens). The proposed take would occur as a result of
installation of a 2,500-feet television coaxal cable on a privately-
owned
[[Page 51334]]
parcel of land located within Garfield County, Utah.
The Service has determined that issuance of the incidental take
permit meets the criteria for a categorical exclusion under the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, and that there
is consequently no necessity for the development of an Environmental
Assessment. The Applicant has prepared a Habitat Conservation Plan as
part of the incidental take permit application. A determination of
whether jeopardy to the species will occur and/or issuance of the
incidental take permit, will not be made before 30 days from the date
of publication 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 must be received on
or before October 22, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the permit application and/or
Habitat Conservation Plan may obtain a copy by writing to the Assistant
Field Supervisor, Utah Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 145 East 1300 South Street, Suite 404, Salt Lake
City, Utah 84115. Documents will be available for public inspection by
written request, or by appointment only, during business hours (8:00
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at the above address.
Written data or comments concerning the permit application should
be submitted to the Assistant Field Supervisor, Utah Ecological
Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Salt Lake City,
Utah (see ADDRESSES above). Please refer to permit number TE-017010 in
all correspondence regarding these documents.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David McGillivary, Assistant Field
Supervisor or Ted Owens, Wildlife Biologist, at the above U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service office in Salt Lake City, Utah (see ADDRESSES above)
(telephone: (801) 524-5001, facsimile: (801) 524-5021).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9 of the Act prohibits the
``taking'' of any threatened or endangered species, such as the
threatened Utah prairie dog. However, the Service, under limited
circumstances, may issue permits to take threatened or endangered
wildlife species when such taking is incidental to, and not the purpose
of, otherwise lawful activities. Regulations governing permits for
threatened and endangered species are at 50 CFR 17.22.
Applicant
The Applicant plans to install a 2,500-foot television coaxal cable
within a 10-foot right-of-way across private land parallel to State
Route 12 near the junction of U.S. Highway 89 and State Route 12 (Red
Canyon Junction), approximately 8 miles southeast of the town of
Panguitch, Garfield County, Utah. The cable installation will provide
television cable services to the local residents, motels, and
recreational vehicle campgrounds located in the area. The installation
will impact approximately 0.133 acre of occupied Utah prairie dog
habitat, and the Applicant foresees an incidental take of a maximum of
four (4) Utah prairie dogs as a result of direct mortality during
installation. The Applicant proposes to minimize impacts to Utah
prairie dogs through conducting a preconstruction information meeting
for construction personnel and through minimization of the cable
installation's footprint and the time spent working in occupied Utah
prairie dog habitat. The Applicant proposes to compensate for the
habitat disturbance resulting from cable installation by payment of
$900 per care for each acre impacted, to be used for public land
management actions for Utah prairie dog conservation and to implement
recovery actions for conservation of the Utah prairie dog, through
contribution to the Utah Prairie Dog Conservation Fund, managed by the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
A no-action alternative to the proposed action was considered,
consisting of foregoing the installation of the 2,500 television cable
in Utah prairie dog habitat. The no-action alternative was rejected for
reasons including loss of use of private property, resulting in
significant economic loss to the Applicant.
Authority: The authority for this action is the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq).
Dated: September 9, 1999.
Terry Terrell,
Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 99-24684 Filed 9-21-99; 8:45 am]
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