Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an Application Submitted by the On Top of the World, Incorporated for an Incidental Take Permit for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in Association With Land Development Activities on Their Property in Marion County, FL

Résumé

On Top of the World, Incorporated (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an incidental take permit (ITP) pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. The proposed ITP would authorize the incidental take of a federally endangered species, the red-cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis (RCW) known to occur on property owned by the Applicant in Marion County, Florida. The Applicant is requesting an ITP in order to conduct land development activities for economic reasons. The Applicant's Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) was submitted for a portion of the 5,690 acres owned by the Applicant called the Central Site. The Applicant's project, known as Ocala Sandhills, is located in approximately 9 miles west of Ocala just north of State Road 200, Marion County, Florida. The proposed ITP would authorize incidental take of a four RCW groups (currently consisting of 8 breeding adults, 1 female helper, and 6 fledglings) in exchange for mitigation elsewhere as described further in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Section below. The Service also announces the availability of an environmental assessment (EA) and HCP for th