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Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit for a Development Called Coconut Pointe II, in Brevard County, Florida

 

Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of a



[Federal Register: December 14, 1994]








DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 


Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an 
Application for an Incidental Take Permit for a Development Called 
Coconut Pointe II, in Brevard County, Florida



AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.



ACTION: Notice.






SUMMARY: Coconut Pointe, Incorporated, (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 (Act). 
The proposed permit would authorize the incidental take of a threatened 
species, the Florida scrub jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens, 
incidental to construction of a 11.29 acre residential development 
consisting of 38 single family residences and associated 
infrastructure. The subdivision will be known as Coconute Pointe II 
(Project), and is located on the west side of State Road A1A, south of 
an existing development known as Outdoor Resorts and north of an 
existing development known as The Hamptons, in the city of Melbourne 
Beach, 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. The Service is soliciting 
data on Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens in order to assist in the 
requirement of the intra-Service consultation. 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 January 13, 1995.



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-797088 in such 
comments.

    Assistant Regional Director, 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 Florida 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 Florida scrub jay population 
has been reduced by at least half in the last 100 years. Surveys have 
indicated that one family of Florida scrub jays inhabits the Project 
site. Construction of the Project's infrastructure and subsequent 
construction of the individual homesites will likely result in death 
of, or injury to, Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens incidental to 
the carrying out of these otherwise lawful activities. Habitat 
alteration associated with property development will reduce the 
availability of feeding, shelter, and nesting habitat.
    The EA considers the environmental consequences of three 
alternatives. The no action alternative may result in loss of habitat 
for Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens and exposure of the Applicant 
under Section 9 of the Act. A third alternative is the proposed Project 
with management of surrounding County-owned lands as mitigation for the 
Project's impacts. The proposed action alternative is issuance of the 
incidental take permit. This provides for restrictions of construction 
activity, purchase of off-site habitat for the Florida scrub jay, the 
establishment of an endowment fund for the off-site acquired habitat, 
and the creation of an annual assessment on lot owners of the Project 
to fund future land management needs of the acquired off-site habitat. 
The HCP provides a funding mechanism for these mitigation measures.



    Dated: December 5, 1994.

Jerome M. Butler,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 94-30677 Filed 12-13-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

 
 

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