23488 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 84 / Wednesday, April 30, 2008 / Notices

Dated: April 8, 2008. that will be implemented and discusses Pursuant to the National Wendi Weber, all factors leading to the decision. Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this Acting Regional Director, Region 5, U.S. Fish ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review notice advises the public that the and Wildlife Service. the final EIS and Application Service has gathered the information [FR Doc. E8–9443 Filed 4–29–08; 8:45 am] documents may obtain a copy by necessary to determine impacts and BILLING CODE 4310–55–P writing to Mr. Steve Spangle, Field formulate alternatives for the EIS, Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife related to the potential issuance of an Service, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, ITP to SRP and that SRP has developed DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Suite 103, Phoenix, AZ 85021. and is prepared to implement the HCP, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: which provides measures to minimize Fish and Wildlife Service Final EIS: Ms. Debra Bills, State and mitigate the effects of the incidental Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, take of federally listed species to the [FWS–R2–ES–2008–N0063; 20124–1112– 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, maximum extent practicable, pursuant 0000–F2] Phoenix, AZ 85021; 602/242–0210. to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA. Section 9 of the ESA prohibits the Project; Horseshoe-Bartlett Application: Mr. Charles Paradzick, Senior Ecologist, Salt River Project, P.O. ‘‘taking’’ of threatened and endangered Habitat Conservation Plan, Maricopa species. However, the Service, under and Yavapai Counties, AZ Box 52025, PAB352, Phoenix, AZ 85072–2025; 602/236–2724, or Mr. Craig limited circumstances, may issue AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Sommers, President, ERO Resources permits to take threatened or Interior. Corporation, 1842 Clarkson Street, endangered wildlife species when such taking is incidental to, and not the ACTION: Notice of availability: final Denver, CO 80218; 303/830–1188. purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. environmental impact statement, final Read-only downloadable copies of the Regulations governing permits for habitat conservation plan, and proposed final EIS and Application documents endangered species are at 50 CFR Parts implementing agreement for incidental are available on the Internet at http:// www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona. A 13 and 17. take. Copies of the final EIS and printed or CD copy of the documents is Application are available for public SUMMARY: The Salt River Project (SRP) available upon request from Mr. Charles inspection and review at the following has submitted an application for an Paradzick, Salt River Project, P.O. Box locations (by appointment only at incidental take permit (ITP) for species 52025, Phoenix, AZ 85072–2025; (602) government offices): currently listed under the Endangered 236–2724; • Department of the Interior, Natural Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA) [email protected]. Copies Resources Library, 1849 C St., NW., and species that may become listed in of the final EIS and Application are also Washington, DC 20240. the future (collectively, ‘‘covered available for public inspection and • species’’). The proposed take would U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 110 review at the locations listed below S. Church, Suite 3450, Tucson, AZ occur in Maricopa and Yavapai under Supplementary Information. Counties, Arizona, as a result of impacts 85701. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SRP has • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, on covered species and occupied habitat submitted an application for an ITP for 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, from modified operation of Horseshoe the following covered species: Phoenix, AZ 85021. Dam and Reservoir (Horseshoe) and (1) Southwestern willow flycatcher • Salt River Project, 1521 Project Bartlett Dam and Reservoir (Bartlett). (Empidonax traillii extimus) Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (flycatcher); • Flagstaff Public Library, 300 W. (Service) has issued a final (2) Bald eagle (Haliaeetus Aspen Ave., Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) leucocephalus); • Government Document Service, to evaluate the impacts of and (3) Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ alternatives for the possible issuance of americanus)(cuckoo); 85287. an ITP. SRP has completed the final (4) Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen • Phoenix Public Library (Burton Barr Horseshoe-Bartlett Habitat Conservation texanus); Central), 1221 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, Plan (HCP), along with a proposed (5) Colorado pikeminnow AZ 85004. Implementing Agreement as part of the (Ptychocheilus lucius); • Cottonwood Public Library, 100 S. application package submitted to the (6) Gila topminnow (Poeciliopsis o. 6th St., Cottonwood, AZ 86326. Service (collectively, the ‘‘Application’’) occidentalis); • Camp Verde Public Library, 130 as required by the ESA, for (7) Spikedace (Meda fulgida); Black Bridge Loop Rd., Camp Verde, AZ consideration of issuance of an ITP. The (8) Loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis); 86322. Application provides measures to (9) Roundtail chub (Gila robusta); • Fountain Hills Library, 12901 N. La minimize and mitigate the effects of the (10) Longfin dace (Agosia Montana Dr., Fountain Hills, AZ 85268. proposed taking of covered species and chrysogaster); Background effects to the habitats upon which they (11) Sonora sucker (Catostomus depend. insignis); Horseshoe and Bartlett are operated The final EIS includes all comments (12) Desert sucker (Catostomus by SRP in conjunction with four received on the draft EIS, and responses clarki); reservoirs on the Salt River and one to those comments. No decision will be (13) Speckled dace (Rhinichthys reservoir on as integral made on the proposed action until at osculus); features of the Salt River Federal least 30 days after publication of this (14) Lowland leopard frog (Rana Reclamation Project, authorized by the notice of availability of the final EIS in yavapaiensis); Reclamation Act of 1902, and under a the Federal Register. After the 30-day (15) Northern Mexican gartersnake 1917 contract with the United States (43 waiting period, the U.S. Fish and (Thamnophis eques megalops); U.S.C. 499). Since completion in the Wildlife Service will complete a Record (16) Narrow-headed gartersnake 1930s and 1940s, Horseshoe and Bartlett of Decision (ROD) that states the action (Thamnophis rufipunctatus). have provided water for irrigation,

VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:09 Apr 29, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\30APN1.SGM 30APN1 rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 84 / Wednesday, April 30, 2008 / Notices 23489

municipal, and other uses. Currently, Horseshoe water levels to minimize ADDRESSES: Written comments should SRP reservoirs supply much of the impacts to covered native fish, frog, and be sent directly to the Desk Officer for water for the population of more than gartersnake species. The HCP also the Department of the Interior, by 2.6 million people in the cities of includes other measures to minimize facsimile at (202) 395–6566 or you may Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, and mitigate incidental take of the send an e-mail to: Glendale, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Tolleson, covered species to the maximum extent [email protected]. Send a and Avondale. Water deliveries are also practicable, and which ensure that the copy of your comments to Daisy West, made under specific water rights in incidental take will not appreciably Chief, Division of Tribal Government Horseshoe and Bartlett held by the City reduce the likelihood of the survival Services, Office of Indian Services, of Phoenix, the Salt River Pima- and recovery of these species in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Maricopa Indian Community, and the wild. the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW., Mail Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. In Stop 4513–MIB, Washington, DC 20240; Alternatives addition, water is provided to irrigate telephone (202) 513–7641. agricultural lands within SRP and for Two other alternatives being FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: satisfaction of the independent water considered by the Service include the Elizabeth Colliflower, (202) 513–7627. rights of Buckeye Irrigation Company, following: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Indian Community, Roosevelt A 60-day 1. No Permit—No issuance of an ITP notice for public comments was Irrigation District, Roosevelt Water by the Service. This alternative would Conservation District, and others. published in the Federal Register on require SRP to do everything within its January 29, 2008. No comments were Horseshoe, Bartlett, and the other SRP control to avoid any take of federally reservoirs also provide a variety of received on the workload burden or the listed species associated with its form itself (OMB Control No. 1076– recreational uses and environmental continued operation of Horseshoe and benefits in central Arizona. 0160) during this public comment Bartlett. period. Due to dry conditions in central 2. Modified Historical Operation— Arizona for the past 12 years, water Approval by the Service of an I. Abstract levels in Horseshoe and Bartlett have application for an ITP authorizing been below normal. As a result, riparian The purpose of the Indian Preference incidental take of threatened and Form is to encourage qualified Indians trees and shrubs have grown in the endangered species associated with the Horseshoe storage space and have been to seek employment with the BIA and operation of Horseshoe and Bartlett by the IHS by offering preferential colonized by a population of SRP using historical operating flycatchers, which are listed as treatment to qualified candidates of objectives for the reservoirs, along with Indian heritage. BIA collects endangered under the ESA. Thus, additional measures to minimize and periodic refilling of the reservoir may information under the proposed mitigate the potential take of covered regulations to ensure compliance with adversely impact the habitat and nesting species. of the flycatcher as well as the cuckoo, Indian preference hiring requirements. which uses similar habitat. Also, Christopher T. Jones, The information collection relates only nonnative fish produced in Horseshoe Acting Regional Director, Region 2, to individuals applying for employment and Bartlett can adversely impact Albuquerque, New Mexico. with the BIA and the IHS. The tribe’s covered fish, frog, and gartersnake [FR Doc. E8–9405 Filed 4–29–08; 8:45 am] involvement is limited to verifying membership information submitted by species through predation, competition, BILLING CODE 4310–55–P and alteration of habitat in the Verde the applicant. The collection of River and portions of its tributaries. information allows certain persons who DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR are of Indian descent to receive Proposed Action preference when appointments are The proposed action is the issuance of Bureau of Indian Affairs made to vacancies in positions with the an ITP for the covered species for SRP’s BIA and IHS as well as in any unit that modified operation of Horseshoe and Submission of Paperwork Reduction has been transferred intact from the BIA Bartlett, under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act Request to Office of Management to a Bureau or office within the ESA. The requested duration of the and Budget Department of the Interior or the Permit is 50 years. The areas covered by Department of Health and Human AGENCIES: Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Permit would include Horseshoe up Services and that continues to perform Department of the Interior. to an elevation of 2,026 feet (ft), Bartlett the functions formerly performed as part up to an elevation of 1,748 ft, the Salt ACTION: Notice. of the BIA and IHS. You are eligible for River from Granite Reef Dam to the preference if (a) You are a member of a SUMMARY: This notice announces that , most of the Verde River federally recognized Indian tribe; (b) the Information Collection Request for upstream from the Salt River, and you are a descendant of a member and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Form portions of the Verde River tributaries. you were residing within the present 4432, Verification of Indian Preference The action area for the EIS and HCP also boundaries of any Indian reservation on for Employment in the BIA and the includes mitigation lands acquired as June 1, 1934; (c) you are an Alaska Indian Health Service (IHS), OMB part of the HCP. Native; or (d) you possess one-half Control Number 1076–0160, has been To meet the requirements of a section degree Indian blood derived from tribes submitted to the Office of Management 10(a)(1)(B) permit, SRP has developed that are indigenous to the United States. and Budget (OMB) for approval under and will implement the HCP, which The information is submitted in order to the provisions of the Paperwork provides modified operating objectives retain a benefit, namely, preference in Reduction Act of 1995. The BIA is now (termed the ‘‘Optimum Operation employment with the BIA and IHS. Alternative’’) to support stands of tall seeking comments on the subject riparian vegetation at the upper end of proposal. II. Request for Comments Horseshoe to minimize impacts to DATES: Written comments must be The Department of the Interior invites covered bird species, and to manage submitted by May 30, 2008. comments on:

VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:09 Apr 29, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\30APN1.SGM 30APN1 rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES