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Federal Register/Vol. 85, No. 243/Thursday, December 17, 2020 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 243 / Thursday, December 17, 2020 / Notices 81953 Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. Ch. 3A § 181), as receive, will be available for public regulation, take of certain species listed amended, (41 Stat. 437, Pub. L. 66–146). inspection online in Docket No. FWS– as threatened is also prohibited (16 R8–ES–2020–0142 at http:// U.S.C. 1533(d); 50 CFR 17.31). Amy Lueders, www.regulations.gov. Regulations governing the permitted Southwest Region Director, Interior Region Submitting Comments: To send exception for allowable incidental take 6, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. written comments, please use one of the of endangered and threatened species [FR Doc. 2020–27752 Filed 12–16–20; 8:45 am] following methods and identify to are at 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32. For more BILLING CODE 4333–15–P which document your comments are in about the Federal habitat conservation reference—the ITP application, draft HCP program, go to http://www.fws.gov/ HCP, or NEPA compliance endangered/esa-library/pdf/hcp.pdf. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR documentation. • National Environmental Policy Act Fish and Wildlife Service Internet: Submit comments at http://www.regulations.gov under Compliance [Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2020–0142; Docket No. FWS–R8–ES–2020–0142. The proposed permit issuance triggers FXES1120800000–201–FF08ENVS00] • U.S. Mail: Public Comments the need for compliance with the NEPA. Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R8– The draft catex documentation was Receipt of Incidental Take Permit ES–2020–0142; U.S. Fish and Wildlife prepared to determine if issuance of an Application and Draft Low-Effect Service Headquarters, MS: PRB/3W, ITP, based on the draft HCP, would Habitat Conservation Plan, and Draft 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA individually or cumulatively have only NEPA Compliance Documentation, for 22041–3803. a minor or negligible effect on the the Gamebird Substation Expansion in For more information, see Public species covered in the HCP, and would Pahrump, Nye County, Nevada Comments and Public Availability of therefore qualify as a low-effect HCP AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY eligible for a categorical exclusion from Interior. INFORMATION. further environmental analysis under ACTION: Notice of availability of the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glen NEPA. proposed low-effect habitat W. Knowles, Field Supervisor, Southern Proposed Action conservation plan, and NEPA Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office, by Under the proposed action, the compliance documentation; request for phone at 702–515–5244 or via the Service would issue an ITP to the comment. Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339. applicant for a period of 4 years for SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and certain covered activities (described U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), Wildlife Service, announce the receipt below) related to the expansion of the announce the receipt and availability of and availability of an application for an existing Gamebird Substation. The an application submitted by GridLiance incidental take permit (ITP) under the applicant has requested an ITP for one West, LLC (applicant), for a 4-year Endangered Species Act (ESA) and an covered species, the Mojave desert incidental take permit (ITP) under associated draft low-effect habitat tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), which section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered conservation plan (HCP). Additionally, was, and remains as listed under the Species Act, as amended (ESA; 16 consistent with the requirements of the ESA as threatened in April 1990. U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Application for the National Environmental Policy Act permit requires the preparation of an Habitat Conservation Plan Area (NEPA), we have prepared a draft low- HCP with measures to avoid, minimize, effect screening form and environmental The geographic scope of the draft and mitigate the impacts of incidental action statement supporting our habitat conservation plan (HCP) area take of endangered or threatened species preliminary determination that the encompasses 18.2 acres in Nye County, to the maximum extent practicable. The proposed permit action qualifies for a Nevada, where the expansion will applicant prepared the draft Low Effect categorical exclusion under NEPA. occur. HCP for the Gamebird Substation GridLiance West, LLC has applied for an Expansion pursuant to section Covered Activities ITP under the ESA for the Gamebird 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA. FWS The proposed section 10(a) ITP would Substation Expansion in Pahrump, Nye consideration of issuing an ITP also allow incidental take of one covered County, Nevada. The ITP would requires evaluation of its potential species from covered activities in the authorize the take of one species impacts on the natural and human proposed HCP area. The applicant is incidental to the development and environment in accordance with NEPA. requesting incidental take authorization construction of the project. We invite FWS has prepared a low-effect for covered activities, including site the public and local, State, Tribal, and screening form and environmental preparation, geotechnical drilling, Federal agencies to comment on the action statement (categorical exclusion, associated infrastructure development, permit application, proposed low-effect or catex documentation), pursuant to expansion of the substation, and the HCP, and NEPA categorical exclusion NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its installation of a 230-kilovolt (kV) determination documentation. Before implementing regulations in the Code of transmission line to connect the issuing the requested ITP, we will take Federal Regulations (CFR) at 40 CFR substation to an existing 230-kV into consideration any information that 1501.4, to preliminarily determine if the transmission line that runs from we receive during the public comment proposed HCP qualifies as a low-effect Pahrump to the Sloan Canyon Switch. period. HCP, eligible for a categorical exclusion. The applicant has proposed to DATES: We must receive your written minimize and mitigate for the direct comments on or before January 19, Background impacts to desert tortoises and its 2021. Except for permitted exceptions, habitat in the HCP area through the ADDRESSES: section 9 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1538 et following measures: Obtaining Documents: The documents seq.) prohibits the taking of fish and 1. Implementing a worker this notice announces, as well as any wildlife species listed as endangered environmental awareness training comments and other materials that we under section 4 of the ESA; by program; VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:52 Dec 16, 2020 Jkt 253001 PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\17DEN1.SGM 17DEN1 81954 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 243 / Thursday, December 17, 2020 / Notices 2. Setting speed limits to avoid While you can request in your comment SUMMARY: In this notice, the Office of collisions with tortoise; that we withhold your personal Self-Governance (OSG) establishes the 3. Having an approved biologist identifying information from public deadline for Indian Tribes/consortia to ensure implementation of minimization review, we cannot guarantee that we submit completed applications to begin measures, monitor covered activities to will be able to do so. All submissions participation in the Tribal self- avoid collisions, and clear the work site from organizations or businesses, and governance program in fiscal year 2022 and materials, vehicles, and equipment from individuals identifying themselves or calendar year 2022. of tortoises before work activity; as representatives or officials of DATES: Completed application packages 4. Requiring pre-movement vehicle organizations or businesses, will be must be received by the Director, Office and equipment inspections by workers; made available for public disclosure in of Self-Governance, by March 1, 2021. 5. Installing temporary tortoise their entirety. ADDRESSES: Application packages for exclusion fencing around substation Next Steps inclusion in the applicant pool should area; be sent to Sharee M. Freeman, Director, 6. Conducting pre-construction Issuance of an incidental take permit Office of Self-Governance, Department clearance surveys and translocation by is a Federal proposed action subject to of the Interior, Mail Stop 3624–MIB, an approved biologist; compliance with NEPA and section 7 of 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 7. Developing a plan for spill the ESA. We will evaluate the 20240. prevention and control, with application, associated documents, and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. countermeasures; any public comments we receive during Kenneth D. Reinfeld, Office of Self- 8. Implementing proper waste this comment period to determine Governance, Telephone (202) 821–7107, management and disposal actions; whether the application meets the [email protected]. 9. Developing a fire management plan; requirements of section 10(a) of the and ESA. If we determine that those SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the 10. Implementing certain weed requirements are met, we will conduct Tribal Self-Governance Act of 1994 management efforts. an intra-Service consultation under (Pub. L. 103–413), as amended by the The proposed action will result in the section 7 of the ESA for the Federal Practical Reforms and Other Goals to permanent loss of moderate-quality action for the potential issuance of an Reinforce the Effectiveness of Self- habitat in Nye County, Nevada. In ITP. If the intra-Service consultation Governance and Self-Determination Act addition
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