Draft Environmental Assessment/Habitat Conservation Plan and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit for the Eagle's Nest Open Space, Larimer County, CO

This notice advises the public that Larimer County Parks and Open Lands Department (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an incidental take permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. The proposed permit would authorize the incidental take of the Preble's meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei) (Preble's ), federally listed as threatened, through loss and modification of its habitat associated with construction of a trail, river access area, spring development and bridge replacement on the North Fork Cache La Poudre River in Larimer County, Colorado. The duration of the permit would be 30 years from the date of issuance. We announce the receipt of the Applicant's incidental take permit application, which includes a combined Environmental Assessment/Habitat Conservation Plan (EA/HCP) for the Preble's at Eagle's Nest Open Space. The proposed EA/HCP is available for public review and comment. It fully describes the proposed project and the measures the Applicant would undertake to minimize and mitigate project impacts to the Preble's. The Service requests comments on the EA/HCP and associated documents for the proposed issuance of the incidental take permit. All comments on the EA and permit application will become part of the administrative record and will be available to the public. We provide this notice pursuant to section 10(a) of the Act and the National Environmental Policy Act regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).