Incidental Take Permit Application for the Desert Tortoise; Draft Habitat Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment; Desert Breeze Solar Energy Project, San Bernardino, CA

Issuing agencies

Abstract

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Desert Breeze Solar, LLC for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act. The permit would authorize take of the federally threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of the Desert Breeze Solar Site. We invite comments on the applicant's draft habitat conservation plan and the draft environmental assessment, which we have prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. We will take comments into consideration before deciding whether to issue an incidental take permit.