[Federal Register: September 24, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 184)]
[Notices]
[Page 48777-48778]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24se09-86]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R7-R-2008-N0094; 70133-1265-0000-S3]
Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Dillingham, AK
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Revised Comprehensive
Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for the
Environmental Assessment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the
availability of our Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and
Finding of No Significant
[[Page 48778]]
Impact (FONSI) for the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Togiak
National Wildlife Refuge (Togiak Refuge). In this revised CCP, we
describe how we will manage this refuge for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the revised CCP and FONSI
by any of the following methods. You may request a paper copy, a
summary, or a CD-ROM containing both.
Agency Web Site: Download a copy of the documents at http://
alaska.fws.gov/nwr/planning/togpol.htm.
E-mail: fw7_togiak_planning@fws.gov.
Mail: Maggi Arend, Planning Team Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, MS 231, Anchorage, AK 99503-6199.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call (907) 786-3393 to make an
appointment during regular business hours at the USFWS Regional Office,
1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 or call (907) 883-5312 to make
an appointment during regular business hours at Togiak Refuge, 6 Main
Street, Dillingham, AK 99576.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maggi Arend, Planning Team Leader,
(907) 786-3393 or fw7_togiak_planning@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for the Togiak
Refuge. We started this process with a Notice of Intent in the Federal
Register (64 FR 25899, May. 13, 1999) and a revised Notice of Intent in
the Federal Register (71 FR 42116, July 25, 2006). We announced the
availability of the draft CCP and EA, and requested comments in a
notice of availability in the Federal Register (72 FR 54921, Sept. 27,
2007).
Togiak Refuge is located 400 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. The
Refuge is bordered to the south by Bristol Bay, to the west by
Kuskokwim Bay, to the north by Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge and
to the east by Wood-Tikchik State Park. Of the 4.7 million acres within
the boundary, 4.2 million acres is under management by the Service,
including the 2.3 million-acre Togiak Wilderness. Three major
watersheds, the Kanketok, Goodnews, and Togiak rivers, provide abundant
fish habitat within the Refuge, where more than 1 million salmon come
to spawn each year. The Refuge also includes coastal areas varying from
sandy beaches to steep rocky cliffs, including rare protected haul outs
for Pacific Walrus.
We announce our decision and the availability of the FONSI for the
revised CCP for the Togiak Refuge in accordance with National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements. We
completed a thorough analysis of impacts on the human environment in
the EA that accompanied the draft revised CCP.
The CCP will guide us in managing and administering the Togiak
Refuge for the next 15 years. The revised CCP is Alternative 1, the
preferred alternative in the draft CCP, developed in response to public
scoping comments.
Background
The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (94
Stat. 2371; ANILCA) and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement
Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) require us to develop a CCP for
each Alaska refuge. The purpose for developing a CCP is to provide
refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge purposes and
contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System,
consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife management,
conservation, legal mandates, and our policies. We will review and
update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with national
policy and ANILCA.
ANILCA requires us to designate areas according to their respective
resources and values and to specify programs and uses within the areas
designated. To meet this requirement, the Alaska Region established
management categories for refuges including Wilderness, Minimal,
Moderate, Intensive, and Wild River management. In the past, additional
categories, including Cooperative Management were also included but are
no longer used. For each management category we identified appropriate
activities, public uses, commercial uses, and facilities. This revision
reclassifies Cooperative Management lands as Minimal Management. Only
Minimal and Wilderness management categories are applied to Togiak
Refuge.
Draft CCP Alternatives
The Draft Plan identified one significant planning issue, the
effect of management on activities and uses within the Togiak Refuge.
Two alternatives were considered in the environmental assessment.
Alternative 1, the Proposed Action, includes implementation of updated
management guidelines, converting lands in Cooperative Management into
Minimal Management, and adds Refuge goals and objectives. Alternative
2, Current Management, would continue to implement current management
as outlined in the 1987 Comprehensive Plan, including the use of the
Cooperative Management category. The Refuge would not have a clearly
stated vision statement, goals and objectives to guide management.
Comments on the Draft CCP
Comments on the draft CCP/EA for Togiak Refuge were solicited by
the Service from October 3, 2007, through January 18, 2008. During the
public review and comment period the Service held public meetings in
Anchorage, Dillingham, Quinhagak, Goodnews Bay, and Togiak, Alaska. The
planning team reviewed, analyzed, and summarized all comments received
at the public meetings and in writing.
Selected Alternative--Alternative 1
Two alternatives were considered in the environmental assessment.
Alternative 1, the Proposed Action, encompasses policy development,
changes, and clarifications made in the years since the implementation
of the original Comprehensive Plan in 1987. It also converts lands in
Cooperative Management into Minimal Management, and adds a Refuge
vision statement, goals and objectives.
Dated: September 18, 2009.
Gary Edwards,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage,
Alaska.
[FR Doc. E9-23029 Filed 9-23-09; 8:45 am]
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