Notice of Availability of a Draft Safe Harbor Agreement and Receipt of an Application for an Enhancement of Survival Permit Associated With Proposed Restoration Activities for the Karner Blue Butterfly in the West Gary, Indiana Recovery Unit

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The Nature Conservancy (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an Enhancement of Survival Permit Associated with proposed restoration activities for the Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as amended (Act). This permit application includes a draft Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) between the Applicant and the Service. The proposed SHA and permit would become effective upon signature of the SHA and issuance of the permit and would remain in effect for 15 years. We are requesting comments on the permit application and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed SHA qualifies as a categorical exclusion (516 DM 6 Appendix 1, 1.4C(1)) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. Further, the Service is specifically soliciting information regarding the adequacy of the SHA as measured against the Service's Safe Harbor Policy and the implementing regulations.