 |
|
|
|
|
|
Section Ten Permit in Sight
|
Section Ten Permit In Sight
By Dave Maxwell
Staff Writer
 In connection with the Southeastern Lincoln County Habitat Conservation Plan, (HCP) Lincoln County has entered into a contract agreement with Dr. Mike Baughman of Intertech Services in Carson City.
The agreement is to wrap up the work on developing the habitat plan primarily in the Toquop area regarding the Desert Tortoise and the Southwest Willow Flycatcher. Other lands that will be involved in the study are in the Meadow Valley Wash, along the Union Pacific Railroad, the Alamo Industrial Park, lands identified by BLM for disposal in the vicinity of the Industrial Park. It will not include the Pahranagat Valley because previous studies have shown that the Western Willow Flycatcher is not found in the valley.
Baughman said the project is being fully funded by the Bureau of Land Management with the proceeds from the sale of land in the Lincoln County Land Act several years ago. He said Lincoln County is getting very close to being able to secure the Incidental Take Permit, also known as a Section Ten Permit, possibly by late fall. "We can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel. You are on the verge of implementing your HCP."
The final Environmental Impact Statement for the Toquop development is now before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Solicitors in Sacramento for review. Baughman said he thought the Fish and Wildlife Service will give their blessing to the habitat conservation plan in early August. "We are then on track to get the Notice of Availability published in the Federal Register within four to six weeks after that." The Federal Register publication will announce the availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement and related documents. Thirty days following the publication of the Notice of Availability, the Fish and Wildlife Service will be able to issue a Record of Decision and/or the Incidental Take Permit. "In principal," Dr. Baughman said, "they take comments on the final EIS from anyone who wants to submit a comment before the Section Ten Permit can be issued by the Interior Department." He continued, "Largely it's out of our hands, it's in the hand of the federal process itself."
Commission Chair Paul Mathews explained Section 10 is the federal law under which the permit is issued. In this case, it means the habitat of the Western Willow Flycatcher and/or the desert tortoise is going to be disturbed in the Land Act area. The permit spells out all the terms and conditions that have to be met in order to disturb the ground and habitat of the species.
In addition, Baughman said, the contract approved by the Commission calls for the creation of a habitat bank in the Meadow Valley Wash that will compensate for any habitat taken away from the desert tortoise and the Western Willow Flycatcher by the City of Caliente, UPRR, or any private landowners. Baughman said it takes about 3-5 years to get a new habitat area established and reach maturity, but they (U.S. Fish and Wildlife) will want to see us making initial progress on getting it going. We are trying to show some good faith to the Service for the establishment and protection of those habitat areas in the Meadow Valley Wash.
|
|
|
|
