Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment and Notice of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit for La Costa Villages, Carlsbad, California, by the City of Carlsbad and Fieldstone/La Costa Associates

摘要

Fieldstone/La Costa Associates and the City of Carlsbad have applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), Department of the Interior, for an incidental take permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application has been assigned permit No. PRT-795759. The application includes a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for a proposed 1,940 acre project (HCP area) in the southeastern corner of the City of Carlsbad, San Diego County, California. Completion of the grading and construction activities associated with the proposed project would result in direct impacts on-site to 30 of 48 known pairs of the threatened coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) (gnatcatcher), 507 of 944 acres of coastal sage scrub, 91 of 120 acres of southern maritime chaparral, 158 of 195 acres of southern mixed chaparral, 254 of 307 acres of grassland, and 69 of 114 acres of riparian scrub/woodland. Approximately 18 pairs of gnatcatchers, 437 acres of coastal sage scrub, and 193 acres of associated habitats on-site will be conserved and managed in perpetuity. In addition, 240 acres of off-site mitigation is proposed. The app