Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan for Western Butte County, California: Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior; National Marine Fisheries Service, Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice; reopening of public comment period.

SUMMARY:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, are reopening the comment period for our joint request for comments on the Butte Regional Conservation Plan (Plan) and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report (DEIS/R) for Authorization of Incidental Take and Implementation of the Plan. As of January 19, 2016, we have received comments from four organizations and individuals requesting that the comment period be extended. In response to these requests, we are reopening the comment period.

If you previously submitted comments, you need not resubmit them; we have already incorporated them into the public record and will fully consider them in finalizing these documents.

DATES:

Submitting Comments: To ensure consideration, written comments must be received by June 8, 2016, no later than 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

ADDRESSES:

Submitting Comments: Please address written comments to one of the following individuals:

1. Mike Thomas, Chief, Conservation Planning Division; or Eric Tattersall, Assistant Field Supervisor, by mail/hand-delivery at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, California 95825; or by facsimile to (916) 414-6713. You may telephone (916) 414-6600 to make an appointment during regular business hours to drop off comments at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.

2. Maria Rea, Assistant Regional Administrator, by mail/hand-delivery at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, West Coast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100, Sacramento, California 95814; or by facsimile to (916) 930-3629. You may telephone (916) 930-3600 to make an appointment during regular business hours to drop off comments at the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Please send comments related specifically to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process to the Jon Clark, Executive Director, Butte County Association of Governments, 2580 Sierra Sunrise Terrace, Suite 100, Chico, California 95928. You may also submit comments by facsimile to (530) 879-2444.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

(1) Rick Kuyper, Endangered Species Division; Mike Thomas, Chief, Conservation Planning Division; or Eric Tattersall, Deputy Assistant Field Supervisor, at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office address above or at (916) 414-6600 (telephone); or

(2) Gretchen Umlauf, National Marine Fisheries Service, at the address above or at (916) 930-5646 (telephone).

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf, please call the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

We are reopening the comment period for the Butte Regional Conservation Plan and a DEIS/R for Authorization of Incidental Take and Implementation of the Plan. On November 18, 2015, we opened a 90-day public comment period via a Federal Register notice (80 FR 72108). This comment period officially closed on February 16, 2016. Public meetings in Butte County were held in the cities of Chico on January 5, 2016, and Oroville and Gridley on January 6, 2016. As of January 19, 2016, we have received comments from four organizations and individuals requesting that the comment period be extended. In response to requests from the public, we have reopened the comment period (see DATES).

Background Information

For background information, see our November 18, 2015, notice (80 FR 72108).

Document Availability

You may obtain copies of the Draft Plan and DEIS/R from any of the individuals in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, or from the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office Web site at http://www.fws.gov/sacramento. Copies of these documents are also available for public inspection, by appointment, during regular business hours, at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office. Additionally, hard-bound copies of the DEIS/R and Draft Plan are available for viewing, or for partial or complete duplication, at the following locations in Chico:

• Butte County Association of Governments, 2580 Sierra Sunrise Terrace, Suite 100;
• Biggs Branch Library, 464A B Street;
• Chico Branch Library, 1108 Sherman Avenue;
• Gridley Branch Library, 299 Spruce Street; and
• Oroville Branch Library, 1820 Mitchell Avenue.