[Federal Register: September 30, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 188)]
[Notices]
[Page 50237-50239]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30se09-89]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2009-N0117; 40136-1265-0000-S3]
Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Ouachita Parish, LA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: draft comprehensive conservation plan
and environmental assessment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and
environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Black Bayou Lake National
Wildlife Refuge (Black Bayou Lake NWR) for public review and comment.
In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe the alternative we propose to use to
manage this refuge for the 15 years following approval of the final
CCP.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by October 30, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send comments, questions, and requests for information to:
Ms. Tina Chouinard, Refuge Planner, Fish and Wildlife Service, 6772
Highway 76 South, Stanton, TN 38069, or by e-mail to: tina_
chouinard@fws.gov. The Draft CCP/EA is available on compact disk or in
hard copy. The Draft CCP/EA may also be accessed and downloaded from
the Service's Internet Site: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tina Chouinard; telephone: 731-
432-0981.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Black Bayou Lake
NWR. We started the process through a notice in the Federal Register on
May 8, 2008 (73 FR 26139).
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Improvement Act), which amended the National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, requires us to
develop a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose for
developing a CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year strategy
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. In addition to outlining broad management direction on
conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-
dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will
review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with
the Improvement Act.
Black Bayou Lake NWR is a unit of the North Louisiana National
Wildlife Refuge Complex. Other refuges in the Complex include:
D'Arbonne, Upper Ouachita, Handy Brake, and Red River, and the
Louisiana Wetlands Management District. Each refuge has unique issues
and has had separate planning efforts and public involvement.
Black Bayou Lake NWR, established in 1997, is 3 miles north of the
city of Monroe, just east of Highway 165 in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
It contains 4,522 acres of wetland, bottomland hardwood, and upland
mixed pine/
[[Page 50238]]
hardwood habitats. Although the suburban sprawl of the city of Monroe
abuts much of its boundary, the refuge itself represents many habitat
types and is home to a diversity of plants and animals. Black Bayou
Lake NWR is situated in the Mississippi Flyway, the Mississippi
Alluvial Valley Bird Conservation Region, and the Lower Mississippi
River Ecosystem. The refuge plays an important role regionally in
fulfilling the goals of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Its close
proximity to the city of Monroe gives the public opportunities to
participate in educational programs that promote wildlife stewardship.
Black Bayou Lake NWR was established for ``* * * the conservation
of the wetlands of the Nation in order to maintain the public benefits
they provide and to help fulfill international obligations contained in
various migratory bird treaties and conventions * * *'' (16 U.S.C. 3901
(b)) (Wetlands Resources Act).
The central physical feature of the refuge is the lake itself.
Black Bayou Lake, consisting of approximately 1,500 acres, is studded
with bald cypress and water tupelo trees. The western half of the lake
is open and deeper, unlike the eastern side, which is thick with trees
and emergent vegetation. The lake is owned by the city of Monroe, which
manages the lake's water level as a secondary source of municipal
water. The Service has a 99-year free lease on the lake and some of its
surrounding land, consisting of a total of 1,620 acres. The refuge owns
the remaining 2,902 acres, consisting of upland pine/hardwood and
bottomland hardwood forests.
Significant issues addressed in this Draft CCP/EA include: (1)
Managing for invasive species and species of special concern, such as
the alligator snapping turtle; (2) managing mixed pine upland and
bottomland hardwood forests; (3) land protection; (4) urban development
and wildlife management; (5) maintaining the excellent environmental
education and interpretation programs; and (6) increasing resources.
CCP Alternatives, Including Our Proposed Alternative
We developed three alternatives for managing the refuge and chose
Alternative B as the proposed alternative. A full description of each
alternative is in the Draft CCP/EA. We summarize each alternative
below.
Alternative A--Current Management Direction (No Action Alternative)
Black Bayou Lake NWR is part of the Lower Mississippi River
Ecosystem and is considered to be in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Bird Conservation Region. As such, Black Bayou Lake NWR is a component
of many regional and ecosystem conservation planning initiatives. Under
Alternative A, we would continue management of the refuge at its
current level of participation in these initiatives throughout the 15-
year duration of the CCP. Current approaches to managing wildlife and
habitats, protecting resources, and allowing for public use would
remain unchanged.
The mix of habitats on the refuge, including bottomland hardwood
and upland pine hardwood forests, would be restored and managed
appropriately. We would continue to work with partners to acquire lands
within the current refuge boundary. We would continue to provide
habitat for native wildlife species, wintering waterfowl, and year-
round habitat for nesting wood ducks. We would also maintain the
current habitat mix to benefit other migratory birds. We would continue
existing surveys to monitor long-term population trends and health of
migratory and resident species.
We would work with volunteers to maintain the current public use
and environmental education programs on the refuge. We would continue
to serve the public and the Complex with a quality wildlife-dependent
visitor services program.
Alternative B--Optimize Biological Program and Visitor Services
(Proposed Alternative)
Under Alternative B, we would strive to optimize both our
biological program and visitor services program. We would continue to
provide habitat for resident wildlife species and would aim to increase
our knowledge of migratory birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates,
and species of special concern, such as the alligator snapping turtle,
by developing and implementing monitoring programs. We would use our
resources to create and/or maintain a variety of habitats compatible
with historic habitat types. Efforts to control invasive species would
increase.
Under Alternative B, land acquisition, bottomland hardwood forest
management, and resource protection would be intensified. In the
Private Lands Program, we would work with private landowners on
adjacent tracts to manage and improve habitats.
Under Alternative B, we would hire a fulltime law enforcement
officer, a refuge operations specialist, a maintenance worker, and a
park ranger (visitor services). With regard to cultural resources,
including those of an archaeological or historical nature, within 15
years of CCP approval, we would develop and begin to implement a
Cultural Resources Management Plan.
Public use and environmental education programs would be enhanced
with the addition of two park rangers (visitor services and law
enforcement). Within 3 years of CCP completion, we would develop a
Visitor Services Plan to guide us in maintaining quality public use
facilities and opportunities on the refuge.
Over the 15-year life of the CCP, we would increase environmental
education and interpretation opportunities to emphasize the importance
of the refuge's habitats and resources.
Alternative C--Minimize Management and Public Use Management
This alternative would minimize wildlife and habitat management and
the public use program. Baseline inventorying and monitoring programs
would be eliminated; monitoring for changes in trends would not be
necessary to achieve the purposes of the refuge.
Public use would be maintained and monitored for impacts to
wildlife. Fishing, environmental education, and wildlife observation
and photography would be accommodated the same as under the No Action
Alternative. Waterfowl hunting would be eliminated. Staffing would
remain the same as under the No Action Alternative.
Next Step
After the comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and
address them.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Authority
This notice is published under the authority of the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105-57.
[[Page 50239]]
Dated: July 13, 2009.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. E9-23559 Filed 9-29-09; 8:45 am]
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