Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Indiana Crossroads Wind Farm, White County, Indiana; Categorical Exclusion

Issuing agencies

Abstract

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application from Indiana Crossroads Wind Farm LLC (applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act, for its Indiana Crossroads Wind Farm (project). If approved, the ITP would be for a 6-year period and would authorize the incidental take of an endangered species, the Indiana bat, and a threatened species, the northern long-eared bat. The applicant has prepared a habitat conservation plan that describes the actions and measures that the applicant would implement to avoid, minimize, and mitigate incidental take of the Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as "low-effect," categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low- effect screening form, both of which are also able for public review.