[Federal Register: October 14, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 199)]
[Notices]
[Page 60711]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14oc08-64]
[[Page 60711]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-ES-2008-N0131; 41545-1261-0000-D2]
Interagency Florida Panther Response Plan
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: environmental assessment and finding of
no significant impact for the Interagency Florida Panther Response
Plan.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce our decision and
the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for our Interagency Florida Panther
Response Plan. Our EA considers alternatives for managing conflicts
between humans and the endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor
coryi), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the EA and FONSI may be obtained by writing to:
Layne Hamilton, Refuge Manager, Florida Panther and Ten Thousand
Islands National Wildlife Refuges, 3860 Tollgate Boulevard, Suite 300,
Naples, FL 34114, or Elizabeth Souheaver, Area II Supervisor, Southeast
Regional Office, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Boulevard,
Suite 420, Atlanta, GA 30345. The EA and/or FONSI may also be accessed
and downloaded from the Service's Internet Web site: http://
www.fws.gov/verobeach/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Layne Hamilton, at address in
ADDRESSES, or at 239-353-8442, extension 227 (telephone), or Ms.
Elizabeth Souheaver, Area II Supervisor, at address in ADDRESSES, or at
404-679-7163 (telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, we announce our decision
and availability of the final EA and FONSI for the Interagency Florida
Panther Response Plan in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act's (NEPA's) implementing regulations at 40 CFR 1506.6 (b). We
released a draft of the plan to the public as a Draft EA for
``Guidelines for Living with Florida Panther and the Interagency
Florida Panther Response Plan,'' and requested comments in a notice in
the Federal Register on May 25, 2006 (71 FR 30156). To improve the
quality and credibility of the scientific information, we also
conducted a formal peer review process for the draft plan. Responses to
public, tribal, and peer review comments were included in the Revised
EA appendices. On November 2, 2007, we released the Revised EA and the
Interagency Florida Panther Response Plan to the public, requesting
comments via a Federal Register notice (72 FR 62256). We have included
responses to specific comments in the Final EA appendices. We have
coordinated this proposal with the National Park Service, the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and local Indian tribes.
The Draft, Revised, and Final EAs identified and evaluated three
alternatives for managing the conflicts between humans and the
endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi). Alternative A
(Preferred Action) manages human-panther interactions with an
interagency response team and an established plan that prioritizes
public safety and evaluates each situation by analyzing panther
behavior and human activity. Alternative B (No Action) does not utilize
an interagency team or a response plan, but responds to human-panther
interactions on a case-by-case basis without established protocols or
guidelines. Alternative C includes a response team and a plan that
differs from Alternative A by providing rigid protocols based on
frequency of panther sightings and proximity to human-occupied
structures, without considering panther behavior or influences of human
activity on panther behavior. The EA consists of a thorough analysis of
the environmental, social, economic, and cultural resource
considerations for each alternative.
The FONSI documents the selection of Alternative A. This
alternative was selected over the other alternatives because it
utilizes the best available science in a consistent manner to manage
human-panther interactions. Under this alternative, the Response Team's
responsibility is to review information related to human-panther
interactions, classify these situations based on the documented
behavior of the panther, provide an action plan to the responsible
agencies, and take approved and appropriate actions. The plan provides
the responding officials with the flexibility to address emergency
situations swiftly. Also, public outreach and education are an
important element of this proposal, recognizing the importance of
teaching people how to safely live and recreate in panther habitat.
There are no conflicts with local, State, regional, or Federal plans or
policies.
Authority: We provide this notice under NEPA regulations at 40
CFR 1506.6.
Dated: October 6, 2008.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Deputy Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E8-24256 Filed 10-10-08; 8:45 am]
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