Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Incidental Take Permits in Santa Cruz County, CA

Résumé

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of five Incidental Take Permit applications and Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicants collectively anticipate removing a total of approximately 2.04 acres of Mount Hermon June beetle (Polyphylla barbata) occupied habitat, and one HCP also includes the federally endangered Ben Lomond spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. hartwegiana) as a covered species. We are requesting comments on the permit applications and on our preliminary determination that the proposed HCPs qualify as "low effect" HCPs, eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended.