Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit for a Residential Development in Brevard County, FL.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an

Application for an Incidental Take Permit for a Residential Development

in Brevard County, FL.

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: O.C. Mendes, owner of Balmoral Subdivision (Applicant), is

seeking an incidental take permit from the Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act

(Act). The proposed permit would authorize for a period of 2 years, the

incidental take of a threatened species, the Florida scrub jay,

Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens, incidental to construction of

Balmoral subdivision, a development consisting of 5 single family

residences and necessary infrastructure on approximately 4.05 acres

(Project). The Project is located along State Road A1A south of the

city of Melbourne, in the Coconut Point area of Brevard County,

Florida.

The Service also announces the availability of an environmental

assessment (EA) and habitat conservation plan (HCP) for the incidental

take application. Copies of the EA or HCP may be obtained by making a

request to the Regional Office address below. This notice also advises

the public that the Service has made a preliminary determination that

issuing the incidental take permit is not a major Federal action

significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the

meaning of Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969, as amended. The Finding of No Significant Impact is based on

information contained in the EA and HCP. The final determination will

be made no sooner than 30 days from the date of this notice. 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, EA and HCP should be

received on or before July 28, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the application, HCP, and EA may

obtain a copy by writing the Service's Southeast Regional Office,

Atlanta, Georgia. Documents will also be available for public

inspection by appointment during normal business hours at the Regional

Office, or the Jacksonville, Florida, Field Office. Written data or

comments concerning the application, EA, or HCP should be submitted to

the Regional Office. Please reference permit under PRT-791244 in such

comments.

Assistant Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875

Century Boulevard, Suite 200, Atlanta, Georgia 30345 (telephone 404/

679-7110, fax 404/679-7081).

Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6620 Southpoint

Drive, South, Suite 310, Jacksonville, Florida 32216-0912 (telephone

904/232-2580, fax 904/232-2404).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dawn Zattau at the Jacksonville,

Florida, Field Office, or Rick G. Gooch at the Atlanta, Georgia,

Regional Office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens is

geographically isolated from other subspecies of scrub jays found in

Mexico and the Western United States. The scrub jay is found almost

exclusively in peninsular Florida and is restricted to scrub habitat.

The total estimated population is between 7,000 and 11,000 individuals.

Due to habitat loss and degradation throughout the State of Florida, it

has been estimated that the scrub jay population has been reduced by at

least half in the last 100 years.

The scrub jay survey provided by the Applicant indicates that one

family currently uses the site and surrounding suitable habitat areas.

The Applicant proposes to impact a portion of the territory of this

family. Initial construction of roads and utilities and subsequent

development of individual homesites may therefore result in death of,

or injury to, scrub jays incidental to the carrying out of these

otherwise lawful activities. Habitat alteration associated with

property development may reduce the availability of feeding, shelter,

and nesting habitat.

To minimize and mitigate the impacts of the loss of 1.35 acres of

scrub jay habitat, the Applicant will purchase 3.0 acres of scrub

habitat known to support the scrub jay, deed the property to Brevard

County, and provide a management endowment of $3,000 to ensure

management of the site in perpetuity. Other measures proposed by the

Applicant include siting of individual building footprints to minimize

additional scrub habitat alteration, and protection of active nests, if

discovered, during the nesting season.

The EA considers the environmental consequences of three

alternatives, including acceptance of the HCP as submitted,

consideration of management of surrounding publicly-owned lands as

mitigation in lieu of offsite purchase, and no action.

Dated: June 21, 1994.

James W. Pulliam, Jr.,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 94-15589 Filed 6-27-94; 8:45 am]

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