NiSource Inc. Application for an Incidental Take Permit
[Federal Register: October 11, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 196)]
[Notices]
[Page 57953-57956]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11oc07-85]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
NiSource Inc. Application for an Incidental Take Permit
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement,
announcement of public scoping meetings, and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969,
as amended, we, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), as lead
agency, are advising the public that we intend to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposed application from
NiSource Inc. (Applicant) for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) issued
under Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (Act). The ITP would potentially include multiple federally
listed species across 17 States and cover NiSource operations,
maintenance, construction, and emergency response activities associated
with the company's interstate natural gas transmission and storage
business.
We provide this notice to (1) describe the proposed action and
possible alternatives; (2) advise other Federal and State agencies,
potentially affected tribal interests, and the public of our intent to
prepare an EIS; (3) announce the initiation of a public scoping period;
and (4) obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be
included in the EIS.
[[Page 57954]]
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
on or before November 30, 2007. For approximate public meeting dates,
see ``Public Meetings.''
ADDRESSES: Send your comments or request for information by any one of
the following methods:
• U.S. Mail: Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of Ecological Services, 1 Federal Drive, Fort
Snelling, MN 55111-4056.
• Facsimile: 612-713-5292.
• E-Mail: http://infoman.amec.com/SIMS_PublicComment/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Thomas Magnuson, at 612-713-5467
or tom_magnuson@fws.gov, or Mr. Forest Clark, at 812-334-4261 ext. 206
or forest_clark@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Meetings
To facilitate information transfer, we will hold public meetings in
the following cities between November 5, 2007, and November 16, 2007:
Lafayette, LA; Jackson, MS; Nashville TN; Lexington, KY; Philadelphia,
PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Columbus, OH; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, WV;
Richmond, VA; Washington, D.C.; Binghamton, NY; and Portsmouth, NH.
Specific locations, dates, and times of public meetings can be found at
the following Web site: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Endangered/permits/hcp/hcp_nisource.html.
Reasonable Accommodations
Persons needing reasonable accommodations in order to attend and
participate in the public meetings should contact the Service at the
address above no later than 1 week before the public meeting.
Information regarding this proposed action is available in alternative
formats upon request.
Background
The operations conducted by the Applicant's subject subsidiaries--
Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation, Columbia Gulf Transmission
Corporation, Granite State Gas Transmission Corporation and Crossroads
Pipeline Corporation--are specific only to the interstate natural gas
transmission and storage business. The Applicant's primary operations
are subject to the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717, et seq.) (NGA), and
fall under the direct jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).
The proposed ITP would be granted for those activities undertaken by
the four Applicant subsidiaries noted above.
The Applicant currently maintains and operates approximately 17,000
miles of onshore and offshore interstate natural gas transmission
pipelines and appurtenant facilities in Louisiana, Mississippi,
Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, New Hampshire,
Maine, Maryland, and Massachusetts. In addition, the Applicant operates
and maintains underground natural gas storage fields (36) in
conjunction with its pipeline system which are comprised of
approximately 3,600 individual storage wells in West Virginia, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and New York.
The Applicant currently addresses listed species-related concerns
pursuant to Section 7 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531, et seq.), as well as
associated NGA regulations which are under the purview of the FERC and/
or associated with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) permitting
requirements.
Section 9 of the Act and its implementing regulations prohibit the
take of animal species listed as endangered or threatened. The
definition of take under the Act includes the following activities: To
harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or
collect listed animal species, or attempt to engage in such conduct (16
U.S.C. 1538). We have certain responsibilities for the conservation and
protection of threatened and endangered species under the Act. Section
10 of the Act, 16 U.S.C. 1539, establishes a program whereby persons
seeking to pursue activities that otherwise could give rise to
liability for unlawful ``take'' of federally protected species may
receive an ITP, which protects them from such liability. To obtain an
ITP, an applicant must submit a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)
containing appropriate minimization and mitigation measures and ensure
that the taking is incidental to, and not the purpose of, an otherwise
lawful activity (16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(B) and 1539(a)(2)(A). Once we
have determined that the applicant has satisfied these and other
statutory criteria, we may issue the ITP.
The Applicant has entered into discussions with us to explore ways
to more efficiently address their Act obligations, while also
maximizing the conservation and mitigation that they undertake on a
yearly basis through the traditional Section 7 process. The Applicant
has also initiated discussions with FERC and USACE, and other
stakeholders (States, non-governmental organizations, etc.).
Accordingly, both FERC and USACE will be cooperating agencies for the
environmental review process.
If successful, the Applicant's HCP and subsequent ITP would allow
take authorization for otherwise lawful activities, such as the
Applicant's facility construction, maintenance, operation, and
emergency response activities inherent to its interstate natural gas
transmission and storage business. The HCP will contain a multifaceted
approach, including but not limited to take avoidance, minimization
(e.g., through proven and defined best management practices), and
mitigation through potential preservation, restoration, and enhancement
measures. The Applicant must also ensure that adequate funding for
implementation and compliance monitoring be provided.
Species the Applicant has proposed for inclusion in the HCP are
species that are currently listed as federally threatened or endangered
or have the potential to become listed during the life of this HCP, and
have some likelihood of occurring within the project area (as defined
in Table 1 below). Only those species under the purview of the Service
will be assessed in the EIS and included in the ITP.
The project area (i.e., proposed ``covered lands'') is hereby
defined as a 1-mile wide corridor centered upon the Applicant's
existing facilities (i.e., \1/2\ mile on each side of the right-of-way
center line).
Table 1.--Species Proposed for Inclusion in the NiSource HCP
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Common name Scientific name Federal status Where listed Final listing rule
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Gray Bat....................... Myotis grisescens. E.................. AL, AR, FL, GA, 41 FR 17736.
IL, IN, KS, KY,
MO, OK, TN, VA,
WV.
[[Page 57955]]
Indiana bat.................... Myotis sodalist... E.................. AL, AR, CT, GA, 32 FR 4001.
IL, IN, IA, KY,
MD, MI, MS, MO,
NJ, NC, OH, OK,
PA, TN, VT, VA,
WV.
Louisiana black bear........... Ursus americanus T.................. LA, MS, TX........ 57 FR 588.
luteolus.
Virginia big-eared bat......... Plecotus E.................. KY, NC, VA, WV.... 44 FR 69206.
townsendii
virginianus.
Virginia northern flying Glaucomys sabrinus E.................. VA, WV............ 50 FR 26999.
squirrel. fuscus.
New England Cottontail......... Sylvilagus C..................
transitionalis.
Bald eagle..................... Haliaeetus T.................. Delisted.......... 72 FR 37346.
leucocephalus.
Brown pelican.................. Pelecanus E.................. CA, LA, MS, OR, 35 FR 16047.
occidentalis PR, TX, VI, WA.
Linnaeus.
Interior least tern............ Sterna antillarum. E.................. AR, CO, IL, IA, 50 FR 21784.
KS, KY, LA, MS,
MO, MT, NE, NM,
ND, OK, SD, TN,
TX.
Piping plover.................. Charadrius melodus E/T/CH............. Great Lakes E--IL, 50 FR 50726,
IN, MI, MN, NY, Critical Habitat--
OH, PA, WI; 66 FR 57637
Remaining T--AL, Northern Great
CO, CT, DE, FL, Plains, 66 FR
GA, IN, IA, KS, 22938 Great
KY, LA, ME, MD, Lakes.
MA, MN, MS, MO,
MT, NE, NH, NJ,
NY, NC, ND, OH,
OK, PR, RI, SC,
TX, VA, WV.
Red cockaded woodpecker........ Picoides borealis. E.................. AL, AR, FL, GA, 35 FR 16047.
LA, MS, NC, OK,
SC, TX, VA.
Bog turtle..................... Glyptemys T.................. GA, NC, SC, VA, 62 FR 59605.
muhlenbergii. CT, DE, MD, MA,
NJ.
Copperbelly watersnake......... Nerodia T.................. IN, MI, OH........ 62 FR 4183.
erthrogaster
neglecta.
Eastern Massasauga............. Sistrurus C..................
catenatus
catenatus.
Louisiana pine snake........... Pituophis ruthveni C..................
Cheat mountain salamander...... Plethodon nettingi T.................. WV................ 54 FR 34464.
Shenandoah salamander.......... Plethodon E.................. VA................ 54 FR 34464.
Shenandoah.
Maryland darter................ Etheostoma sellare E.................. MD................ 32 FR 4001.
Pallid sturgeon................ Scapnirhynchus E.................. AR, IL, IA, KS, 55 FR 36641.
albus. KY, LA, MS, MO,
MT, NE, ND, SD,
TN.
Roanoke logperch............... Percina rex....... E.................. VA................ 54 FR 34464.
Spotfin chub................... Erimonax monachus. T.................. TN................ 42 FR 45526.
Madison cave isopod............ Antrolana lira.... T.................. VA, WV............ 47 FR 43699.
Nashville crayfish............. Orconectes shoupi. E.................. TN................ 51 FR 34410.
Clubshell...................... Pleurobema clava.. E.................. IN, KY, MI, OH, 58 FR 5638.
PA, WV.
Birdwing pearlymussel.......... Lemiox rimosus.... E.................. TN, VA. ..................
Cracking pearlymussel.......... Hemistena lata.... E.................. AL, IN, KY, PA, 54 FR 39850.
TN, VA.
Cumberland monkeyface Quadrula E.................. AL, TN, VA........ 41 FR 24062.
pearlymussel. Rafinesque.
Dwarf wedgemussel.............. Alasmidonta E.................. CT, MD, MA, NH, 55 FR 9447.
heterodon. NJ, NC, PA, VT,
VA.
Fanshell....................... Cyprogenia E.................. AL, IL, IN, KY, 55 FR 25591.
stegaria. OH, TN, VA, WV.
Fat pocketbook................. Potamilus capax... E.................. AR, IL, IN, KY, 41 FR 24062.
MS, MO.
James spinymussel.............. Pleurobema collina E.................. NC, VA, WV........ 53 FR 27693.
Louisiana pearlshell........... Margaritifera T.................. LA................ 58 FR 49935.
hembeli.
Northern riffleshell........... Epioblasma E.................. IN, KY, MI, OH, 58 FR 5638.
torulosa rangiana. PA, WV.
Orangefoot pimpleback Plethobasus E.................. AL, IL, IN, KY, 41 FR 24062.
pearlymussel. cooperianus. PA, TN.
Oyster mussel.................. Epioblasma E/CH............... AL, KY, TN, VA.... 62 FR 1647.
capsaeformis.
Pink mucket pearlymussel....... Lampsilis E.................. AL, AR, IL, IN, 41 FR 24026.
orbiculata. KY, LA, MO, OH,
PA, TN, VA, WV.
Purple catspaw pearlymussel.... Epioblasma E.................. AL, KY, OH, TN.... 55 FR 28209.
obliquata.
Rayed bean..................... Villosa fabalis... C..................
Ring pink mussel............... Obovaria retusa... E.................. AL, IN, KY, PA, TN 54 FR 40109.
Rough pigtoe................... Pleurobema plenum. E.................. AL, IN, KY, PA, 42 FR 24062.
TN, VA.
Sheepnose...................... Plethobasus C..................
cyphyus.
Slabside pearlymussel.......... Lexingtonia C..................
dolabelloides.
Spectaclecase.................. Cumberlandia C..................
monodonta.
Tan riffleshell................ Epioblasma E.................. KY, TN, VA........ 42 FR 42351.
florentina
walkeri.
White cat's paw pearlymussel... Epioblasma E.................. IN, OH............ 41 FR 24062.
obliquata
perobliqua.
White wartyback pearlymussel... Plethobasus E.................. AL, IN, KY, TN.... 41 FR 24062.
cicatriocosus.
American burying beetle........ Nicrophorus E.................. AR, MA, MI, NE, 54 FR 29652.
americanus. OH, OK, RI, SD.
Karner blue butterfly.......... Lycaeides melissa E.................. IL, IN, MI, MN, 57 FR 59236.
Samuelis. NH, NY, OH, WI.
American chaffseed............. Schwalbea E.................. AL, FL, GA, LA, 57 FR 44703.
americana L. MS, NJ, NC, SC.
Eastern prairie fringed orchid. Platanthera T.................. AR, IL, IA, ME, 54 FR 39857.
leucophaea. MI, OH, OK, VA,
WI.
Globe bladderpod (previously Lesquerella C..................
Short's bladderpod). globosa.
Harperella..................... Ptilimnium nodosum E.................. AL, AR, GA, MD, 53 FR 37978.
NC, SC, VA, WV.
[[Page 57956]]
Lakeside daisy................. Tetraneuris E.................. IL, MI, OH........ 53 FR 23742.
herbacea.
Leafy prairie clover........... Dalea foliosa..... E.................. AL, IL, TN........ 56 FR 19953.
Leedy's roseroot............... Rhodiola T.................. MN, NY............ 57 FR 14649.
integrifolia ssp.
Leedyi.
Mead's milkweed................ Asclepias meadii.. T.................. IL, IN, IA, KS, MO 53 FR 33992.
Michaux's sumac................ Rhus michauxii.... T.................. GA, NC, SC, VA.... 54 FR 39850.
Northeastern bulrush........... Scirpus E.................. MD, MA, NH, PA, 56 FR 21091.
ancistrochaetus. VT, VA, WV.
Northern Monkshood............. Aconitum E.................. IA, NY, OH, WI.... 43 FR 17910.
noveboracense.
Pondberry...................... Lindera E.................. AR, GA, MS, MO, 51 FR 27495.
melissifolia. NC, SC.
Price's potato bean............ Apios priceana.... T.................. AL, IL, KY, MS, TN 55 FR 429.
Running buffalo clover......... Trifolium E.................. AR, IN, KY, MO, 52 FR 21478.
stoloniferum. OH, WV.
Sandplain gerardia............. Agalinis acuta.... E.................. CT, MD, MA, NY, RI 53 FR 34701.
Sensitive joint-vetch.......... Aeschynomene T.................. MD, NJ, NC, VA.... 57 FR 21569.
sensitive.
Shale barren rockcress......... Arabis serotina... E.................. VA, WV............ 54 FR 29655.
Short's goldenrod.............. Solidago shortii.. E.................. IN, KY............ 50 FR 36085.
Small whorled pogonia.......... Isotria T.................. CT, DE, GA, IL, 59 FR 50852.
medeoloides. ME, MA, MI, NH,
NJ, NC, OH, PA,
RI, SC, TN, VA,
WV.
Smooth coneflower.............. Echinacea E.................. GA, NC, SC, VA.... 57 FR 46340.
laevigata.
Spring Creek bladderpod........ Lesquerella E.................. TN................ 61 FR 67493.
perforate.
Swamp pink..................... Helonias bullata L T.................. DE, GA, MD, NJ, 53 FR 35076.
NC, SC, VA.
Tennessee purple coneflower.... Echinacea E.................. TN................ 44 FR 32604.
tennesseensis.
Tennessee yellow-eyed grass.... Xyris E.................. 56 FR 34151.
tennesseensis
kral.
Virginia sneezeweed............ Helenium T.................. MD, VA............ 63 FR 59239.
virginicum.
Virginia spiraea............... Spiraea virginiana T.................. GA, KY, NC, OH, 55 FR 24241.
PA, TN, VA, WV.
White Fringeless Orchid........ Platanthera C..................
integrilabia.
White-haired goldenrod......... Solidago T.................. KY................ 53 FR 11612.
albopilosa.
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Environmental Impact Statement
We will be the lead Federal agency in the preparation of an EIS
that will satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA; (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.). USACE and FERC will serve as
cooperating agencies during the preparation of the EIS. With this NOI,
we ask other Federal, State, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/
or special expertise with respect to environmental issues, in addition
to those agencies that have already agreed to serve as cooperating
agencies (as noted above), to formally cooperate with us in the
preparation of the EIS. Agencies that would like to request cooperating
agency status on the EIS should follow the instructions for filing
comments provided under the Addresses section of this NOI.
The EIS will consider the proposed action (i.e., the issuance of a
Section 10(a)(1)(B) permit under the Act, as supported by an HCP), no
action (no HCP/no Section 10 permit), and a reasonable range of
alternatives that accomplish the purpose and need of the proposal. A
detailed description of the proposed action and alternatives will be
included in the EIS. The alternatives to be considered for analysis in
the EIS may include, but not be limited to, modified lists of covered
species, land coverage areas, and activities coverage. The EIS will
also identify potentially significant impacts on biological resources,
land use, air quality, water quality, water resources, economics, and
other environmental/historical resources that may occur directly or
indirectly as a result of implementing the proposed action or any of
the alternatives. Various strategies for avoiding, minimizing, and
mitigating the impacts of incidental take may also be considered.
Environmental review of the EIS will be conducted in accordance
with the requirements of NEPA, its implementing regulations (40 CFR
parts 1500-1508), other applicable regulations, and our procedures for
compliance with those regulations. We furnish this notice in accordance
with 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22 to obtain suggestions and information
from other agencies and the public on the scope of issues and
alternatives they believe need to be addressed in the EIS. The primary
purpose of the scoping process is to identify important issues raised
by the public related to the proposed action. Written comments from
interested parties are invited to ensure that the full range of issues
related to the proposed permit application is identified. Comments will
only be accepted in written form.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Dated: September 19, 2007.
Wendi Weber,
Assistant Regional Director, Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region.
[FR Doc. E7-20039 Filed 10-10-07; 8:45 am]
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