Incidental Take Permit Application for the Desert Tortoise; Draft Habitat Conservation Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment; CalPortland-Oro Grande Quarries and Cement Plant, San Bernardino County, CA

Official abstract: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from CalPortland Company (CalPortland) for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The permit would authorize take of the federally threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with continuing vested mining activities at CalPortland's Oro Grande Mine. 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.