[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 211 (Friday, October 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58976-58977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28871]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an
Application From the City of La Mesa, California, for an Incidental
Take Permit
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The City of La Mesa, California, has applied to the Fish and
Wildlife Service for a 50-year permit to incidentally take the
threatened coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica
californica) and up to 84 other species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B)
of the Endangered Species Act. Take would occur due to urban growth
within the City of La Mesa. The application includes a Subarea Plan
(City of La Mesa Subarea Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community
Conservation Plan) and an Implementing Agreement. The La Mesa Subarea
Plan is intended to complement and be consistent with regional planning
efforts under the approved Multiple Species Conservation Program for
southwestern San Diego County, California. In response to the permit
application, the Service has prepared an Environmental Assessment
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. This assessment and
the permit application are available for public review and comment. The
Service specifically requests comment on the appropriateness of the
``No Surprises'' assurances contained in the application (sections 9.4,
9.5, 9.6, 9.7, and 9.18 of the Implementing Agreement).
DATES: Written comments on the La Mesa Subarea Plan, Environmental
Assessment, and Implementing Agreement should be received by the
Service on or before December 1, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Gail Kobetich, Field
Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker Avenue West,
Carlsbad, California 92008. Written comments may be sent by facsimile
to (760) 431-9618.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nancy Gilbert, Supervisory Fish
and Wildlife Biologist, at the above address, telephone (760) 431-9440.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Documents
Persons wishing copies of the documents or additional background
material should contact Mr. Brad Richter, Environmental Review
Coordinator, City of La Mesa, Planning Department, 8130 Allison Avenue,
La Mesa, California 91944-0937, telephone (619) 463-6611. Documents
also will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during
normal business hours, Monday through Friday, at the City of La Mesa
Planning Department Office and at the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife
Service Office (see ADDRESSES).
Background
Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act prohibits the taking of
endangered and threatened species. Under limited circumstances,
however, the Service may issue permits to take endangered and/or
threatened species incidental to,
[[Page 58977]]
and not the purpose of otherwise lawful activities. Regulations
governing permits for endangered and threatened species are at 50 CFR
17.22 and 17.32.
Under the proposed action, the Service would issue an incidental
take permit for up to 85 species as described in the La Mesa Subarea
Plan. Approximately 122 of the 179 acres of undeveloped land within La
Mesa would be developed, primarily within the proposed Eastridge
subdivision. Project-level biological surveys would be required for all
future development proposals that would result in loss of native
habitats due to grading and development. The direct impacts to coastal
sage scrub habitat and other sensitive vegetation communities and
associated species would be mitigated through the acquisition of off-
site, in-kind habitat at a 1:1 ratio for all upland habitats (except
southern maritime chaparral, native grassland, and oak woodlands, which
have not been identified within the City but would require in-kind
mitigation at a 2:1 ratio if identified within an area to be impacted).
Offsite habitat would be acquired within an identified preserve area,
either in the City of Poway, California, consistent with the approved
Poway Subarea Habitat Conservation Plan, or in another location as
approved by the Service and California Department of Fish and Game. The
La Mesa Subarea Plan is intended to be consistent with, and to
complement, the Poway Subarea Plan and the regional Multiple Species
Conservation Program plan (Regional Plan).
In July 1997, the Service approved the Regional Plan. This long-
term plan was prepared by the City of San Diego and 11 other
participating jurisdictions, including La Mesa. The Regional Plan
covers an approximately 900-square-mile area (580,000 acres) of rapid
growth within the highly urbanized setting of southwestern San Diego
County. The Regional Plan establishes a mechanism for creation of an
approximate 172,000-acre preserve system that would conserve numerous
sensitive plant and animal species and their habitats.
The existing 179 acres of coastal sage scrub in La Mesa comprises
0.2 percent of the total coastal sage scrub mapped in the regional
planning area. The habitat in La Mesa is not included in the planning
area of the regional preserve system due to its size and isolated
location. In this regional context, the habitat in La Mesa is not
considered a core biological resource area or linkage.
The Environmental Assessment for the La Mesa permit application
considers the effects to the human environment of the proposed action
and three alternatives. These alternatives include scenarios of no
action, full development, and preservation of all undeveloped habitat
within La Mesa.
Under the no action alternative, the Service would not issue an
incidental take permit to the City of La Mesa for its Subarea Plan.
Property owners in La Mesa would need to submit individual permit
applications to the Service if proposed developments would result in
take of endangered or threatened species. Potentially, all 179 acres of
remaining habitat within the City could be developed over time. The
result would be an uncoordinated and non-comprehensive approach to
evaluating the resources within La Mesa.
Another alternative is issuing a permit to the City of La Mesa for
incidental take associated with full rather than partial development of
the Eastridge property. Loss of the remaining 179 acres of habitat
within La Mesa would be mitigated offsite at a 1:1 ratio.
Under another alternative, all of the undeveloped habitat (179
acres) within the City of La Mesa would be preserved. No take of listed
species would occur and no take authorizations would be issued.
This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the Endangered
species Act of 1973, as amended, and Service regulations for
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1506.6). All
comments received will become part of the public record and may be
released.
The Service will evaluate the application, associated documents,
and comments submitted thereon to determine whether the application
meets the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. A final decision
on permit issuance will be made no sooner than 30 days from the date of
this notice.
Dated: October 24, 1997.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 97-28871 Filed 10-30-97; 8:45 am]
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