ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT - ISSUANCE OF FOURTEEN 10(A)(1)(A) ENHANCEMENT OF SURVIVAL PERMITS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEMPLATE SHASTA RIVER SAFE HARBOR AGREEMENT KLAMATH RIVER BASIN, CALIFORNIA

NMFS will issue Enhancement of Survival Permits on Private and state lands consisting of fourteen properties in in the Upper Shasta River, Big Springs Creek, Parks Creek and their tributary streams in Siskiyou County, California The Permits will allow Routine, ongoing agricultural activities, beneficial management activities, habitat improvement projects, and monitoring intended to maintain and track Elevated Baseline habitat Conditions for SONCC coho salmon, and the potential future return of the enrolled properties to Baseline Conditions at the end of the Safe Harbor Agreement.

The purpose of the Proposed Action is to allow the property owners to voluntarily conduct beneficial activities that support or attract Covered Species without new restrictions on the future use of their property, as long as the terms of the Agreement, Site Plan Agreements, and ESPs are met. The Agreements and ESPs would allow the Applicants to implement habitat enhancement projects for SONCC coho salmon as well as ongoing routine ranch activities. SONCC coho salmon is listed as threatened under the ESA. The Proposed Action is needed to facilitate implementation of the Agreement, which is expected to promote the recovery of SONCC coho salmon on non-federal property within the Shasta River Valley in Siskiyou County, California. The action would authorize incidental take of SONCC coho salmon caused by beneficial management activities and normal, otherwise lawful routine ranch and water management activities. In addition, the Proposed Action is needed to provide a net conservation benefit to Covered Species and provides the property owner with the safe harbor assurances.