Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
Notice of availability: environmental action statement (EAS); receipt of application for a permit to enhancement of survival (EOS) permit/SHA.
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application for a 20-year EOS permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), from Bob Mack and Carolyn Williams (applicants). The permit application includes a proposed 3-year SHA between the applicants and us. We are accepting comments on the SHA, permit application, and EAS.
Written comments should be received on or before July 9, 2007.
Address your comments to Carmen Thomas, Project Biologist, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Room 368, Boise, ID 83709 (telephone: 208–378–5243; facsimile: 208–378–5262).
Carmen Thomas at the above address or by telephone at 208–378–5243.
You may obtain copies of the documents for review by contacting the individual named above. You also may make an appointment to view the documents at the above address during normal business hours. The documents are also available electronically on the World Wide Web at
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Under SHAs, participating property owners voluntarily undertake
This proposed SHA would allow for management and conservation of the threatened northern Idaho ground squirrel (
Threats to the northern Idaho ground squirrel include: habitat loss due to seral forest encroachment into suitable meadow habitats, competition from Columbian ground squirrels (
Consistent with the Service's Safe Harbor policy, under the SHA, we would issue a permit to the applicants authorizing incidental take of northern Idaho ground squirrels, as a result of activities on 7-ac (3.6-ha) of their property, outside the 2-ac (0.8-ha) protected area. These activities include use and maintenance of the applicants' house and garage; operation and maintenance of a well, underground power and telephone lines, septic system/drainfield, and other required utilities; and operation of cars and trucks on the driveway and all-terrain vehicles on the property outside the protected area. The maximum level of incidental take authorized under the proposed SHA may never be realized. The level of incidental take would be dependent on if, and how rapidly, northern Idaho ground squirrels expand beyond the 2-ac (0.8-ha) protected area.
We have made a preliminary determination that the proposed SHA and permit application are eligible for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. We explain the basis for this determination in an EAS, which also is available for public review.
We provide this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the Act and pursuant to implementing regulations for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6). We will evaluate the permit application, associated documents, and comments submitted thereon to determine whether the permit application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the Act and NEPA regulations. If we determine that the requirements are met, we will sign the proposed SHA and issue an EOS permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act to the applicants for take of northern Idaho ground squirrels incidental to otherwise lawful activities in accordance with the terms of the SHA. We will not make our final decision until after the end of the 30-day comment period and will fully consider all comments received during the comment period.