[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 67 (Friday, April 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15296-15298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8117]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
and Receipt of an Application for the Proposed Issuance of an
Incidental Take Permit for Threatened and Endangered Species on Lands
Managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Within
the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Washington Department
of Natural Resources (Applicant) has applied to the Fish and Wildlife
Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (together Services)
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
also requested an unlisted species agreement to cover species which may
occur in the planning area and which may be listed in the future. The
term of the permit has not been decided. The Applicant is seeking a
permit term of up to 100 years, subject to final approval by its
authorizing board. The Services will provide recommendations to the
Applicant on all issues related to the application, including the
permit term, upon completion of the Services' review of the
application. The application has been assigned permit number PRT-
812521. The Services also announce the availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed issuance of the
incidental take permit. 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 and DEIS should be
received on or before May 20, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the application or DEIS, or requests for
these documents, should be addressed to Curt Smitch, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and Churck Turley, Washington Department of Natural
Resources, 1111 Washington Street SE., P.O. Box 47011, Olympia,
Washington 98504-7011. Please refer to permit No. PRT-812521 when
submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Vogel or Craig Hansen, Fish
and Wildlife Service, or Steve Landino, National Marine Fisheries
Service, at the Pacific Northwest Habitat Conservation Plan Program,
3704 Griffin Lane SE, Suite 102, Olympia, Washington 98501-2192; (360)
534-9330.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 9 of the Act and its
implementing regulations, ``taking'' of threatened and endangered
species is prohibited. However, the Services, under limited
circumstances, may issue permits to take threatened or endangered
wildlife species if such taking is incidental to, and not the purpose
of, otherwise lawful activities. Regulations governing permits for
threatened and endangered species are in 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32.
The Applicant has addressed species conservation and ecosystem
management on approximately 1.6 million acres of State-managed land
within the range of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis
caurina) (owl) in Washington. The Applicant is requesting a permit for
the incidental take of the owl, marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus
marmoratus) (murrelet), Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene
hippolyta), Aleutian Canada goose (Branta canadensis leucopareia),
peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), bald eagle (Haliaeetus
leucocephalus), gray wolf (Canis lupus), grizzly bear (Ursus arctos)
and the Columbian white-tailed dear (Odocoileus virginianus leucurus)
which may occur as a result of timber harvest and related activities
within the 1.6 million-acre planning area.
The Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is designed to complement the
President's Northwest Forest Plan, and includes various forms of
mitigation which are integral parts of the HCP. The HCP covers nine
planning units which occur in three basic geographic areas: (1) five
planning units in the area west of the Cascade Crest; (2) three
planning units in the area within the range of the owl east of the
Cascade Crest; and (3) the Olympic Experimental State Forest (OESF)
Planning Unit. Only listed species are addressed east of the Cascade
Crest.
Three alternatives are presented for the HCP planning units
excluding the OESF Planning Unit: (1) a No-Action alternative; (2) the
proposed HCP; and (3) an HCP strategy with enhanced conservation. Three
alternatives are presented separately for the Olympic Experimental
State Forest: (1) a No-Action alternative; (2) a zoned conservation
strategy which focuses on owl demographic support, and maintenance of
several existing owl sites and likely landscape connections; and (3) an
unzoned conservation strategy, similar to the proposed HCP for other
planning units. The OESF is addressed separately from the other
planning units because of its unique location on the Olympic Peninsula,
value to fish and wildlife, and current condition of its forests. This
planning unit has provisions for a greater emphasis on research as part
of the mitigation measures for incidental take.
The DNR seeks to obtain an incidental take permit for owls,
murrelets, Oregon silverspot butterflies, Aleutian Canadian Geese,
peregrine falcons, bald eagles, gray wolves, grizzly bears, and
Columbian white-tailed deer that may occur on State lands managed by
DNR within the HCP area. Under the HCP, the owl conservation strategy
for all planning units, excluding the OESF, was developed to minimize
and mitigate for the incidental take by providing owl nesting, roosting
and foraging (NRF) habitat, and dispersal habitat in areas that
complement the Northwest Forest Plan. The amount and location of this
habitat varies between planning units depending upon the amount of DNR-
managed lands designated as NRF-management areas and the capability of
the land to provide owl habitat. However, the objective is to provide
NRF on 50 percent of DNR-managed lands within the NRF-management areas.
Under the enhanced conservation alternative, the objective is to
provide NRF on 60 percent of DNR-managed lands within such areas. Both
action alternatives also include areas managed for owl dispersal
habitat.
For owls on the OESF, the proposed HCP takes an ``unzoned
approach''. The goals for each of 11 landscape-management units include
20 percent of the area as NRF habitat and another 20 percent which
would also provide roosting and foraging opportunities for owls. The
alternative ``zoned approach'' would use a combination of nest groves,
core areas, range areas, and temporary special pair areas to emphasize
strategically located areas.
The murrelet conservation strategy for the proposed HCP includes
provisions to conduct a habitat-relationship study to determine the
type and range of potential murrelet habitat that is likely to be
occupied. After habitat-relationship studies are completed on a
planning unit by planning unit basis, a small percentage of marginal
murrelet habitat will be released for harvest without surveys. A long-
range conservation strategy will be developed in consultation with the
Fish and Wildlife Service after habitat-relationship studies are
completed and surveys of remaining habitat are concluded. Under the
enhanced
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conservation strategy, all suitable murrelet habitat, including
marginal habitat, would be retained until the completion of the long-
range conservation strategy. These same alternatives apply to the OESF
as well.
The riparian strategies for both action alternatives were developed
to protect anadromous fish and riparian-obligate species by
establishing riparian management zones, wetland protection areas, and
provisions to address other issues including steep and unstable slopes,
rain-on-snow event areas, and road system management. Under the HCP,
riparian management zones will be established along all Type 1 through
Type 4 Waters. Type 5 Waters will be protected in areas having a high
risk of mass wasting. These buffers will contain a no-harvest portion
as well as areas where management activity will be allowed. Additional
wind buffers will be placed on Type 1 through Type 3 Waters on the
windward side of the stream where there is a potential for windthrow.
Under the enhanced conservation alternative, riparian management
buffers will be applied to all Type 1 through Type 5 Waters, and wind
buffers will be applied to both sides of Type 1 through Type 3 Waters.
For the OESF, the riparian strategy is the same for both action
alternatives, which includes interior and exterior core buffers. The
interior core buffers are designed to minimize mass-wasting potential,
and protect riparian processes and function. The exterior core buffers
are designed to protect the integrity of the interior core from
damaging winds and will be applied to both sides of Type 1 through 4
Waters, as well as Type 5 Waters as appropriate.
The DNR also seeks to obtain an unlisted species agreement for
species that may occur on DNR-managed lands on the west side of the
Cascade Crest. Specifically, the proposed unlisted species agreement
identifies a process by which species that use the habitat types in the
West Side and OESF planning units could be added to the Incidental Take
Permit if they are listed as threatened or endangered species in the
future and no extraordinary circumstances exist. Each action
alternative contains provisions to protect the habitat types that occur
on DNR-managed lands. For example, in addition to the conservation
provided by the owl, murrelet, and riparian strategies, additional
provisions are included to protect special habitat types such as caves,
talus fields, and large, structurally unique trees and snags.
Dated: March 26, 1996.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 96-8117 Filed 4-4-96; 8:45 am]
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