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Availability of an Environmental Action Statement and Receipt of an Application for a Permit To Enhance the Survival of the Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel in Adams County, Idaho Under a Safe Harbor Agreement

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: July 20, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 140)]
[Notices]
[Page 45099-45100]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20jy00-88]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of an Environmental Action Statement and Receipt of
an Application for a Permit To Enhance the Survival of the Northern
Idaho Ground Squirrel in Adams County, Idaho Under a Safe Harbor
Agreement

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Bob and Peggy Mack (Applicants) have applied to the Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of a survival permit
pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973,
as amended. The permit application includes a proposed Safe Harbor
Agreement (Agreement) between the Applicants and the Service. The
Agreement and permit application are available for public comment.
    The Agreement allows for management and conservation of the
threatened northern Idaho ground squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus
brunneus) on approximately 14 acres of private land, owned by the
Applicants, approximately 5.5 miles northwest of New Meadows, Idaho.
Northern Idaho ground squirrels currently occupy less than 5 of the 14
acres. The proposed duration of the Agreement is 10 years, and the
proposed term of the enhancement of a survival permit is 20 years.
    Under the Agreement, a 5-acre area, which includes all the habitat
currently occupied by northern Idaho ground squirrels on the
Applicants' property, is identified as a protected area. This 5-acre
protected area would have a baseline greater than zero (0), and no
incidental take would be authorized under the permit within this area.
The Agreement allows for a variety of conservation measures to be
carried out by the Service within the 5-acre protected area to benefit
the conservation of northern Idaho ground squirrels. The permit would
authorize the Applicants to return the 9 acres outside of the 5-acre
protected area to the existing baseline condition of zero (0) northern
Idaho ground squirrels. We expect this Agreement to result in a net
conservation benefit by enhancing northern Idaho ground squirrel
habitat within the 5-acre protected area, and expanding the northern
Idaho ground squirrel population to lands outside the protected area.
Recovery of northern Idaho ground squirrels is expected to be enhanced
under the Agreement by improving habitat, expanding the northern Idaho
ground squirrel population at this site, and potentially providing a
population with surplus individuals for transplanting to other sites in
need of supplementation. Under the Agreement, the Applicants will
receive funding under the Service's Endangered Species Act Private
Landowner Incentive Program.
    The Service has made a preliminary determination that the proposed
Agreement and permit application are eligible for categorical exclusion
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. We explain the
basis for this determination in an Environmental Action Statement,
which also is available for public review.
    We request comments from the public on the permit application, and
Agreement. All comments we receive, including names and addresses, will
become part of the administrative record and may be released to the
public.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before August 21,
2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Dennis Mackey, Project
Biologist, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Room 368,
Boise, Idaho 83709 (telephone: 208/378-5267; facsimile: 208/378-5262).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Mackey at the above address or
telephone 208/378-5267.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Document Availability

    You may obtain copies of the documents for review by contacting the
individual named above. You also may make an appointment to view the
documents at the above address during normal business hours. The
documents are also available electronically on the World Wide Web at
http://www.fws.gov/r1srbo/.

Background

    Under a Safe Harbor Agreement, participating property owners
voluntarily undertake management activities on their property to
enhance, restore, or maintain habitat benefitting species listed under
the Endangered Species Act. Safe Harbor Agreements encourage private
and other non-Federal property owners to implement conservation efforts
for listed species by assuring property owners they will not be
subjected to increased property use restrictions if their efforts
attract listed species to their property or increase the numbers or
distribution of listed species already on their property. Application
requirements and issuance criteria for enhancement of survival permits
through Safe Harbor Agreements are found in 50 CFR 17.22(c).
    We have worked with the Applicants to develop the proposed
Agreement for the conservation of northern Idaho ground squirrels on
their 14 acres of land in Adams County, Idaho. Less than 5 of the 14
acres are currently occupied by northern Idaho ground squirrels. Under
the proposed Agreement, the Applicants will: (1) Protect 5 acres of
occupied, suitable northern Idaho ground squirrel habitat from land use
activities that may result in ``take'' of ground squirrels; (2) allow
Service personnel access to the property to conduct ground squirrel
conservation activities such as habitat enhancement, artificial
feeding, ground squirrel surveys, and translocation of excess ground
squirrels should the current population expand beyond the 5-acre
protected area; (3) if appropriate, in cooperation with the Service,
develop signs to discourage shooting of ground squirrels; and (4) work
cooperatively with the Service on other issues

[[Page 45100]]

necessary to further the purposes of the Agreement.
    Threats to the northern Idaho ground squirrel include: habitat loss
due to seral forest encroachment into suitable meadow habitats;
competition from Columbian ground squirrels (Spermophilus columbianus);
land use changes; recreational shooting; and naturally occurring
events. The Agreement provides a net conservation benefit to northern
Idaho ground squirrels by providing measures for ground squirrel
habitat protection and enhancement, managing competition from Columbian
ground squirrels, and controlling recreational shooting. The biological
goal of ground squirrel conservation measures in the Agreement is to
expand the northern Idaho ground squirrel population at this site
beyond the 5-acre protected area by reducing threats to the species.
The Agreement is expected to contribute to recovery of northern Idaho
ground squirrels by reducing threats and expanding the ground squirrel
population at this site. Recovery of the species would be enhanced by
increasing the viability of the population at this site and potentially
allowing ground squirrels to be translocated to other sites in need of
population supplementation.
    Consistent with the Service's Safe Harbor policy, under the
Agreement, the Service would issue a permit to the Applicants
authorizing incidental take of northern Idaho ground squirrels, as a
result of activities on 9 acres of their property, outside the 5-acre
protected area. These activities include construction and use of the
Applicants' house, garage, and other associated out-buildings proposed
for development on the property; installation of a well, underground
power and telephone lines, a septic system/drainfield, and other
required utilities; and operation of all terrain vehicles. We expect
that the maximum level of incidental take authorized under the proposed
Agreement will never be realized. The level of incidental take would be
dependent on if, and how rapidly, northern Idaho ground squirrels
expand beyond the 5-acre protected area.
    We are providing this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the
Endangered Species Act and pursuant to implementing regulations for the
National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1506.6). We will evaluate the
permit application, associated documents, and comments submitted
thereon to determine whether the permit application meets the
requirements of section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act and
National Environmental Policy Act regulations. If we determine that the
requirements are met, we will sign the proposed Agreement and issue an
enhancement of survival permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the
Endangered Species Act to the Applicants for take of northern Idaho
ground squirrels incidental to otherwise lawful activities in
accordance with the terms of the Agreement. We will not make our final
decision until after the end of the 30-day comment period and will
fully consider all comments received during the comment period.

    Dated: July 3, 2000.
William F. Shake,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland,
Oregon.
[FR Doc. 00-18182 Filed 7-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

 
 

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