Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Threatened Scrub-Jay; Brevard County, FL; Categorical Exclusion

Résumé

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Melbourne Orlando International Airport (Taxiway A Rehabilitation Project) (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed scrub-jay incidental to a taxiway rehabilitation in Brevard County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Department of Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual. To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft screening form and NEPA statement for HCPs, which is available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.