Proposed Crestmont Farm Safe Harbor Agreement for the Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly in Benton County, Oregon

摘要

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an enhancement of survival permit application from Crestmont Farm pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The permit application includes a draft safe harbor agreement (SHA) developed for the conservation of the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly. The permit would authorize the incidental take of the endangered Taylor's checkerspot butterfly associated with habitat management actions intended to benefit the butterfly. We have prepared a draft environment action statement (EAS) for our preliminary determination that the SHA and permit decision may be eligible for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act. We are making the permit application package, including the proposed SHA and draft EAS, available for public review and comment.