Notice of Availability of Draft Habitat Conservation Plan; Receipt of Application for Incidental Take Permit; Pioneer Trail Wind Farm, LLC

Résumé

Pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an incidental take permit (ITP) application, draft habitat conservation plan (HCP), and a draft Implementing Agreement (IA) from Pioneer Trail Wind Farm, LLC (applicant), located in Ford and Iroquois Counties, Illinois. If approved, the ITP would authorize incidental take of two species of bats (covered species): the Indiana bat, a federally endangered species, and northern long-eared bat, proposed for Federal listing under the ESA. In accordance with the NEPA, the Service has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) in response to the permit application. We invite public comment on the ITP application, draft HCP, draft IA, and draft EA.