[Federal Register: August 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 156)]
[Notices]
[Page 46914-46915]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12au08-71]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2008-N0213; 40136-1265-0000-S3]
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Comprehensive Conservation
Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final
Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is available
for distribution. This CCP was prepared pursuant to the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and describes how the
refuge will be managed for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the CCP/FONSI is available on compact diskette or
hard copy, and you may obtain a copy by writing: Merritt Island
National Wildlife Refuge (CCP), P.O. Box 2683, Titusville, Florida
32781. You may also access and download a copy of the CCP/FONSI from
the Service's Web site address: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Hight, Telephone: 321/861-0667.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, we finalize the CCP
process for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge begun as announced
in the Federal Register on August 26, 2002 (67 FR 54816). We released
the Draft CCP/EA to the public, announcing and requesting comments for
60 days in a notice of availability in the Federal Register on December
27, 2006 (71 FR 77783).
Purpose of the Refuge: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was
established in 1963, to protect migratory birds through an agreement
with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as an overlay
of John F. Kennedy Space Center. The over 140,000 acres of beaches and
dunes, estuarine waters, forested and non-forested wetlands, impounded
wetlands, and upland shrub lands and forests of the refuge support over
500 wildlife species and over 1,000 plant species, including a variety
of waterfowl, shorebirds, and neotropical migratory birds.
Alternatives and Preferred Alternative: The Draft CCP/EA addressed
several priority issues raised by the Service, the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission, other governmental partners, and the
public. These issues included the spread of exotic, invasive, and
nuisance species; the threats to threatened, endangered, and other
imperiled species; the threats and impacts of an ever-increasing human
population and the associated demand for public use activities; the
management/maintenance of impounded wetlands; the coordination between
intergovernmental partners; and the decline in migratory birds and
their habitats.
[[Page 46915]]
To address these priority issues, four alternatives were developed
and evaluated during the planning process.
Alternative A continued current refuge management activities and
programs. Under this alternative, the refuge would continue to maintain
550 Florida scrub jay family groups across 15,000 acres, 11-13 nesting
pairs of bald eagles, and 6.3 miles of sea turtle nesting beaches.
Alternative B expanded refuge management actions on needs of
threatened and endangered species. The refuge would aggressively manage
for Florida scrub jays, restoring and maintaining 19,000-20,000 acres
in optimal condition to support 900 family groups. Habitat management
activities would support the number of nesting pairs of bald eagles to
expand to 20, with increased protection of nest sites, development of
artificial nesting platforms, and increased cultivation of future nest
areas and nesting trees.
Alternative C focused refuge management actions on the needs of
migratory birds. Current management activities for threatened and
endangered species would remain the same or would be decreased. The
refuge would manage intensively for waterfowl, increasing the acres of
impounded wetlands managed to over 16,000 acres and annually supporting
targets of 250 breeding pairs of mottled duck, 60,000 lesser scaup,
25,000 dabbling ducks, and 38,000 diving ducks. The refuge would also
intensively manage for shorebirds, increasing to over 5,000 acres
managed in impounded wetlands.
Alternative D, the Service's preferred alternative, takes a more
landscape view of the refuge and its resources, focusing refuge
management on wildlife and habitat diversity. The refuge will support
500-650 Florida scrub jay family groups with 350-500 territories in
optimal conditions across 15,000-16,000 acres. With active management,
the refuge will support 11-15 nesting pairs of bald eagles; maintain
6.3 miles of sea turtle nesting beaches; and maintain 100 acres of
habitat for the southeastern beach mouse, while the refuge population
will serve as a source for reintroduction of the beach mouse to other
sites. Manatee-focused management will be re-established on the refuge.
The refuge will manage 15,000-16,000 acres in impounded wetlands with a
waterfowl focus and will support targets of 250 breeding pairs of
mottled ducks, 60,000 lesser scaup, 25,000 dabbling ducks, and 38,000
other diving ducks. Visitor services, programs, and messages will be
focused on wildlife and habitat diversity, while also including
threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, and climate change.
The actions outlined in the CCP and in two included step-down plans
provide direction and guidance for management of Merritt Island
National Wildlife Refuge. Successful implementation will depend on
coordination and partnerships between the public, the Service, and
other governmental agencies.
Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law
105-57.
Dated: June 29, 2007.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the
Federal Register on August 5, 2008.
[FR Doc. E8-18411 Filed 8-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P