Renewal of an Incidental Take Permit for the Sand Skink and Blue-Tailed Mole Skink; Polk County, FL; Categorical Exclusion

Issuing agencies

Abstract

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Nucor Steel Florida, Inc. (applicant) for a renewal of an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. If granted, the renewed ITP would authorize take of the federally listed sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) and blue-tailed mole skink (Eumeces egregious lividus) incidental to the construction of a metal recycling steel plant. The applicant requests the renewal of the ITP to extend the expiration date for 3 additional years in Polk County, Florida. There is no request for additional take or increases in development levels. The proposed time extension maintains the existing levels of take, but would extend the covered activities out to April 19, 2027, instead of April 19, 2024. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and the Service's preliminary determination that this ITP renewal 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 available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.