[Federal Register: November 30, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 229)]
[Notices]
[Page 74073-74075]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30no10-112]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R2-R-2010-N203; 20131-1265-2CCP-S3]
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Cameron and Willacy
Counties, TX; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No
Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental
assessment (EA) for the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
In this final CCP, we describe how we will manage this refuge for the
next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the final CCP and FONSI/EA
by any of the following methods. You may request a hard copy or CD-ROM.
Agency Web Site: Download a copy of the document(s) at http://
www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/index.html.
E-mail: mark_sprick@fws.gov. Include ``Laguna Atascosa final CCP''
in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Mark Sprick, AICP, Natural Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Division of Planning, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM
87103-1306.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call 505-248-7411 to make an
appointment during regular business hours at 500 Gold Avenue, SW.,
Albuquerque, NM 87102.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sonny Perez, Refuge Manager, Laguna
Atascosa NWR, 22817 Ocelot Road, Los Fresnos, TX 78566; by phone, 956-
748-3607; or by e-mail, sonny_perez@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for the Laguna
Atascosa NWR. We started this process through a notice in the Federal
Register July 19, 2004 (69 FR 43010).
Laguna Atascosa NWR is located in Cameron and Willacy Counties,
Texas, and encompasses 97,007 acres of brush lands, coastal prairies,
freshwater and brackish pothole wetlands, estuarine wetlands, lomas
(clay ridges), wind tidal flats, and barrier island beaches and
[[Page 74074]]
dunes. Management efforts focus on protecting, enhancing, and restoring
Refuge habitats and water management for the benefit of important fish
and wildlife resources. The Refuge is a premiere bird watching
destination with 415 recorded bird species, more than any other
national wildlife refuge. A total of eight federally listed endangered
or threatened species occur within the Refuge, including four species
of sea turtles. The largest U.S. population of endangered ocelot cats
is located on the Refuge, making it the center for ocelot conservation
and recovery.
Laguna Atascosa NWR was formally established by the Migratory Bird
Commission on October 31, 1945, and the first tract forming the Refuge
was acquired on March 29, 1946. The purposes of the Refuge are: ``[F]or
use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for
migratory birds'' (Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1929 (16 U.S.C.
715d), as amended); ``for wildlife conservation purposes if the real
property has particular value in carrying out the national migratory
bird management program'' (Transfer of Certain Real Property for
Wildlife Conservation Purposes Act of 1948 (16 U.S.C. 667b-667d),
Public Law 80-537, as amended); ``for the development, advancement,
management, conservation and protection of fish and wildlife
resources'' (Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742(a)(4), as
amended); and ``for the benefit of the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, in performing its activities and services. Such acceptance may
be subject to the terms of any restrictive or affirmative covenant, or
condition of servitude'' (Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C.
742(b)(1), as amended).
We announce our decision and the availability of the FONSI for the
final CCP for the Laguna Atascosa NWR 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,
which we included in the EA that accompanied the draft CCP.
The CCP will guide us in managing and administering the Laguna
Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge for the next 15 years. Alternative B,
with modifications as described in Appendix H (Response to Public
Comments), is selected as the management direction for the Final Plan.
Background
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Refuge Administration Act), as amended by the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, 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 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. 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 and
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will
review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with
the Refuge Administration Act.
CCP Alternatives, Including Selected Alternative
Our draft CCP and our EA (74 FR 66148) addressed several issues. To
address these, we developed and evaluated the following alternatives.
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A: No-action B: Proposed action C: Optimize public-use
alternative alternative alternative
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Issue 1: Habitat Management Biological program and Integrated biological Same as No-Action
Activities. habitat management and habitat management Alternative
would continue under efforts with landscape- (Alternative A).
existing plans; any level and ecosystem-
expansions would occur level plans; emphasis
opportunistically.. on protection and
monitoring of Federal
trust species and
priority species and
their habitats..
Issue 2: Improvements to public use Limited to current Improvement of priority Expand and emphasize
opportunities. public use under public uses, all priority public
existing plans; any particularly hunting, uses, particularly
expansions would occur fishing, and wildlife hunting and fishing
opportunistically.. observation, to meet and access to all
demand when compatible Refuge areas to the
with wildlife needs maximum extent when
and Refuge purposes; compatible, based on
expansion of research public comments.
efforts and dynamic
partnerships..
Issue 3: Staffing, Facilities, and Existing staffing (17 Addition of 11 staff to Base funding and
Infrastructure. permanent positions) existing base; staffing would
and facilities; any addition of over 6 increase by four
additional staff and miles of hike/bike positions (Outdoor
facility expansions trails; one auto tour Recreation Planner and
would occur route; two separate three Park Rangers);
opportunistically.. parking areas; new several additional
visitor center at miles of auto tour
Laguna Atascosa Unit. routes, seven hike/
Visitor contact and bike trails and
research station at associated parking
Bahia Grande.. areas; visitor contact
station; all primarily
at Bahia Grande.
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Comments
We accepted comments on the draft CCP and the EA for the Laguna
Atascosa NWR from December 14, 2009, to February 12, 2010 (74 FR
66148). Subsequently, the Draft Plan/EA were made available for public
review starting on December 14, 2009, at the Refuge, at eight local
municipal and county libraries in the south Texas area near the Refuge,
and at the Regional Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Four open house
meetings were held in communities near the Refuge in January 2010. In
all, 98 individuals signed the attendance rosters at the open house
meetings and a total of 52 comments were submitted in writing or phoned
in to the Refuge/Regional Office. Additionally, one State agency, one
university, and six nongovernmental
[[Page 74075]]
organizations responded prior to the end of the 60-day public comment
period. Based on the comments received, we changed the Draft Plan/EA to
include: Improved inventory and assessment of water resources to meet
protection goals, recommended strategies for bird surveys, modification
of a wildlife objective to clarify protections for falcons, and
strategies to address future establishment of artificial water sources.
Selected Alternative
After considering the comments we received, we have selected
Alternative B for implementation. This alternative describes how
habitat objectives will be accomplished through a combination of
management activities to encourage ecological integrity, promote
restoration of coastal prairie habitats, control invasive plant
species, and provide/enhance brush land, wetland and grassland habitat
for ocelots, migratory waterfowl, and other resident wildlife. This
alternative was selected because it best meets refuge purposes and
goals of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. This action will
not adversely impact endangered or threatened species or their habitat.
Opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation activities, such as
hunting, fishing, observation, photography, environmental education,
and interpretation, will be enhanced. Future management actions will
have a neutral or positive impact on the local economy, and the
recommendations in the Plan will ensure that Refuge management is
consistent with the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to the methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
documents at the following locations:
Our Web site: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/
STRC/laguna/Index_Laguna.html.
At the following libraries:
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Library Address Phone number
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City of Brownsville Public 2600 Central Blvd., 956-548-1055
Library. Brownsville, TX 78520-
8824.
Harlingen Public Library....... 410 '76 Drive, 956-427-8841
Harlingen, TX 78550.
Laguna Vista Public Library.... 1300 Palm Blvd., Laguna 956-943-7155
Vista, TX 78578.
Los Fresnos Public Library..... 402 W. Ocean, Los 956-233-5330
Fresnos, TX 78566.
Port Isabel Public Library..... 213 Yturria St., Port 956-943-2265
Isabel, TX 78578.
Willacy County/Reber Memorial 190 N. 4th. St., 956-689-2930
Library. Raymondville, TX 78580.
Rio Hondo Public Library....... 121 N. Arroyo Blvd., 956-748-3322
Rio Hondo, TX 78583.
San Benito Public Library...... 101 W. Rose St., San 956-361-3860
Benito, TX 78586.
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Dated: October 19, 2010.
Joy Nicholopoulos,
Regional Director, Region 2, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-30003 Filed 11-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P