Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit for the Briargate Development, El Paso County, CO

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This notice advises the public that La Plata Investments, LLC (Applicant) has applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an Incidental Take Permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as amended (Act). The Service proposes to issue a 30-year permit to the Applicant that would authorize the incidental take of the Preble's meadow jumping mouse (Preble's) (Zapus hudsonius preblei), federally-listed as threatened, and loss and modification of its habitat associated with construction of a residential and commercial development in El Paso County, Colorado. Construction of the proposed project will result in the temporary loss of approximately 10.68 hectares (26.38 acres) and the permanent loss of 23.29 hectares (57.55 acres) that provide potential foraging and hibernation habitat for Preble's. The permit application includes a combined Environmental Assessment/Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan), which is available for public review and comment. The Plan fully describes the proposed project and the measures the Applicant will undertake to minimize and mitigate project impacts to Preble's. The Service requests comments on the Plan for the proposed