Southern Idaho Ground Squirrel Candidate Conservation Agreement
With Assurances
[Federal Register: March 21, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 55)]
[Notices]
[Page 13189-13190]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21mr02-69]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Southern Idaho Ground Squirrel Candidate Conservation Agreement
With Assurances
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: Soulen Livestock, Inc. (Soulen Livestock) has applied to the
Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival
permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended. The permit application includes a proposed Southern
Idaho Ground Squirrel Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances
(Agreement) between Soulen Livestock, the Service, the Idaho Department
of Fish and Game, and the Idaho Governor's Office of Species
Conservation.
Under the proposed Agreement, the parties would implement
conservation measures for southern Idaho ground squirrels (Spermophilus
brunneus endemicus) over approximately 43,145 acres of Soulen
Livestock's land in Washington and Payette Counties, western Idaho. The
intent of the Agreement is to conserve southern Idaho ground squirrels
by protecting and enhancing ground squirrel habitat and populations,
and reintroducing ground squirrels into currently unoccupied suitable
habitat, in a manner that is consistent with Soulen Livestock's farming
and ranching operations. The proposed term of the Agreement and the
permit is 20 years. The Service has prepared an Environmental
Assessment for approval of the Agreement and issuance of the permit.
We request comments from the public on the permit application,
Agreement, and the Environmental Assessment. 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 April 22, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Dennis Mackey, Project
Biologist, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Room 368,
Boise, Idaho 83709, (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.
Background
Under a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances,
participating landowners voluntarily implement conservation activities
on their property to benefit unlisted species that are proposed or
candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act, or other
sensitive species. Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances
encourage private and other non-Federal property owners to implement
conservation efforts, and reduce threats to unlisted species by
assuring landowners that they will not be subjected to increased
property use restrictions, beyond those identified in the agreement, if
the species is listed in the future under the Endangered Species Act.
Application requirements and issuance criteria for enhancement of
survival permits through Candidate Conservation Agreements with
Assurances are found in 50 CFR 17.22(d) and 17.32(d).
On October 30, 2001, the Service formally identified the southern
Idaho ground squirrel as a candidate for listing under the Endangered
Species Act (66 FR 54807). Southern Idaho ground squirrels are
currently found within an approximately 518,000-acre area comprised of
lower elevation shrub/steppe habitat in the Weiser River Basin, in
southwest, Idaho. The species appears to have undergone a substantial
population decline throughout its range since 1985. Southern Idaho
ground squirrels are largely dependent on private lands: 85 percent of
the occupied ground squirrel sites are located on private lands, mostly
ranches and farms; 12 percent are under federal management by the
Bureau of Land Management; and 3 percent of the sites are on lands
managed by the Idaho Department of Lands. Conservation measures
implemented on private lands are important for the long-term survival
of the species.
Landowners may be willing to implement measures that enhance
populations of sensitive species on their property, but reluctant to do
so because of potential land-use restrictions that could occur should
the species eventually be listed under the Endangered Species Act. As a
result of this potential regulatory concern, Soulen Livestock developed
the Southern Idaho Ground Squirrel Candidate Conservation Agreement
with Assurances, in cooperation with the agencies, and is applying to
the Service for a permit under section 10(a) of the Endangered Species
Act, authorizing incidental take of southern Idaho ground squirrels.
Under the proposed Agreement and permit, Soulen Livestock and the
agencies would implement various conservation measures over the 43,145
acres of Soulen Livestock's property depending on present and future
occupancy of sites by southern Idaho ground squirrels and the location
of ground squirrel reintroduction/translocation sites. The proposed
conservation measures can be described in three categories: (1)
Measures to be applied on all 43,145 acres; (2) measures that would
occur on currently occupied ground squirrel sites (30 acres); and (3)
measures on 43,115 acres where ground squirrel occupancy and habitat
suitability is currently unknown. On all 43,145 acres of enrolled
lands, Soulen Livestock would not authorize the shooting, trapping, or
poisoning of southern Idaho ground squirrels and would allow agency
personnel access to these lands to conduct ground squirrel surveys.
Currently, three sites, covering 30 acres have been identified in the
site-specific plan as occupied by southern Idaho ground squirrels and
specific conservation measures have been identified at these sites to
protect ground squirrels from activities that may have adverse affects
to individual ground squirrels or their habitat. The ground squirrel
conservation measures on the 30 acres include: (1) Continue
reintroduction efforts, (2) monitor ground squirrel populations and
habitat characteristics to identify habitat enhancement/rehabilitation
measures; (3) implement habitat enhancement measures such as seeding
native or non-native vegetation species, fertilizing vegetation,
prescribed burning, and providing escape cover; (4) minimize direct
mortality from ground disturbing activities; (5) provide supplemental
feeding, if necessary; (6) prohibit shooting, trapping, or poisoning of
ground squirrels; and (7) control Columbian ground squirrels and
badgers. Columbian ground squirrels compete with southern Idaho ground
squirrels for food and burrow sites. Badgers can cause severe impacts
on prey species, especially if they are at critically low numbers. The
remaining
[[Page 13190]]
43,115 acres have not been surveyed for ground squirrel occupancy, and
no site-specific conservation measures have been identified on these
lands. On these unsurveyed lands, both individual ground squirrels and
their habitat will be protected from land use activities that may have
adverse effects at any sites identified in the future as occupied by
southern Idaho ground squirrels, or sites identified by the agencies as
reintroduction/translocation sites. The permit would authorize
incidental take of southern Idaho ground squirrels as a result of
Soulen Livestock's land use activities: crop cultivation and
harvesting, livestock grazing and production, farm equipment operation,
and recreational activities.
We provide this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the Endangered
Species Act and 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 Agreement and issue an enhancement of survival permit under
section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act to Soulen Livestock
for take of southern 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: March 1, 2002.
Rowan W. Gould,
Deputy Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 02-6810 Filed 3-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
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