[Federal Register: January 5, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 3)]
[Notices]
[Page 582-584]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05ja11-75]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-R-2010-N137; BAC-4311-K9-S3]
Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge, Fairfax
County, VA, and Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge, Prince William
County, VA; Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental
Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the draft comprehensive conservation plan and the
environmental assessment (CCP/EA) for Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck
(Mason Neck) National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Featherstone NWR for a
45-day public review and comment period. The draft CCP/EA describes
three alternatives for managing Mason Neck NWR and two alternatives for
managing Featherstone NWR for the next 15 years. Alternative B is
identified for both refuges as the Service-preferred alternative. Also
available for public review and comment are the draft compatibility
determinations, which are included as appendix B in the draft CCP/EA.
DATES: To ensure our consideration of your written comments, please
send them by February 22, 2011. We will also hold public meetings. We
will announce upcoming public meetings in local news media, via our
project mailing list, and on our regional planning Web site, http://
www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/MasonNeck_Featherstone/ccphome.html
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments or requests for copies or more
information by any of the following methods. You may request hard
copies or a CD-ROM of the documents.
Electronic mail: northeastplanning@fws.gov. Please include ``Mason
Neck and Featherstone NWRs CCP'' in the subject line of your e-mail.
U.S. Postal Service: Nancy McGarigal, Natural Resource Planner,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA
01035.
Facsimile: Attention: Nancy McGarigal, 413-253-8468.
In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Call 703-490-4979 to make
an appointment during regular business hours at the Potomac River NWR
Complex headquarters office, 14344 Jefferson Davis Highway, Woodbridge,
VA 22191-2716.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Weiler, Refuge Manager, Potomac
River NWR Complex, 14344 Jefferson Davis Highway, Woodbridge, VA 22191-
2716; phone: 703-490-4979; facsimile: 703-490-5631; electronic mail:
fw5rw_msnnwr@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Mason Neck and
Featherstone NWRs. We published our original notice of intent to
prepare a CCP in the Federal Register on May 18, 2007 (72 FR 28066).
Mason Neck and Featherstone NWRs, together with Occoquan Bay NWR,
comprise the Potomac River NWR Complex headquartered in Woodbridge,
Virginia. Mason Neck NWR was established in 1969 as the first national
wildlife refuge specifically created to protect a federally listed
species. The refuge was created under the authority of the Endangered
Species Preservation Act of 1966, the precursor to the current-day
Endangered Species Act of 1973. The bald eagle (Haliaeetus
leucocephalus), which was federally listed as threatened in 1969 was,
and continues to be, the focal species of concern on the refuge. Due to
successful recovery efforts throughout its range, the bald eagle was
officially removed from the Federal list in 2007. It continues to be
protected, however, under other Federal laws and by the Commonwealth of
Virginia. Mason Neck NWR encompasses 2,277 acres of forest, marsh, and
riverine habitat along Occoquan Bay and the mainstem of the tidal
Potomac River. Refuge visitors engage in wildlife observation and
photography, environmental education and interpretation, and fall deer
hunting.
Featherstone NWR was established in 1979 with land acquired from
the District of Columbia. It was further expanded in 1992 with lands
donated by Prince William County. It presently encompasses 325 acres of
marsh and forested riverine habitat along the southwest edge of
Occoquan Bay. Its wetlands are important habitat for bald eagles,
wading birds, waterbirds, and waterfowl, as well as other native
species of conservation concern. The refuge is presently closed to
public use and access for public safety reasons; there is currently no
public parking available or safe access across the railroad tracks,
which lie along the length of the refuge's western boundary.
Background
The CCP Process
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 (NWRS), 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 each CCP at least every 15 years, in accordance with
the Refuge Administration Act.
Public Outreach
In March 2007, we distributed two issues of a workbook/planning
newsletter, one for each refuge, to several hundred people on our
project mailing list. We asked the recipients about their interest in
the refuges and whether they had issues or concerns they would like us
to address. We also posted the newsletters online for people to access
electronically. In addition, we notified the general public of our
planning kick-off and our interest in hearing about issues and concerns
by publishing news releases in several local and regional newspapers.
We also held two public scoping meetings in March 2007 in the cities of
Woodbridge and Lorton, Virginia. The purpose of those meetings was to
share information on the planning process, and to solicit management
issues and concerns. Throughout the process, refuge staff have
conducted additional outreach via participation in community meetings,
events, and other public forums.
Key issues common to both refuges identified by the public and our
partners included:
Developing a biological program with enough depth to
address concerns about the biological diversity, health, and integrity
of the refuges' forests and wetlands, and with capability to monitor
for climate change impacts;
Improving water quality;
Protecting both refuges' shorelines;
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Controlling invasive plants and forest pests;
Controlling an over-abundant deer population;
Creating trail connections on and off the refuges;
Increasing opportunities for compatible public uses; and
Providing more opportunities for hunting.
Issues specific to Mason Neck NWR include management of the great
blue heron rookery at Great Marsh and management of refuge
impoundments. Issues specific to Featherstone NWR include the lack of
safe public access to the refuge and the proposal for a Potomac
Heritage National Scenic Trail segment to run through the refuge. We
have considered and evaluated all of these comments in the various
alternatives addressed in the draft CCP/EA.
CCP Alternatives We Are Considering
We developed three management alternatives for Mason Neck NWR and
two alternatives for Featherstone NWR based on their respective
establishment purposes, the vision and goals we developed, and the
issues and concerns that the public, State, and Federal agencies, and
the Service raised during the planning process. A full description of
each alternative is in the EA. The alternatives identify several
actions in common. On both Mason Neck and Featherstone NWRs, all
alternatives include measures to protect wetlands and refuge
shorelines, control invasive plant species, protect cultural resources,
establish baseline conditions and monitor for climate change impacts,
distribute refuge revenue sharing payments, and continue participation
in conservation and education partnerships.
There are other actions that differ among the alternatives. The
draft CCP/EA describes each alternative in detail and relates them to
the issues and concerns that arose during the planning process. Below,
we provide summaries for the three Mason Neck NWR alternatives,
followed by summaries for the two Featherstone NWR alternatives.
Mason Neck NWR Alternatives
Alternative A (Current Management)
This alternative is the ``No Action'' alternative required by the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Alternative A defines our
current management activities, including those planned, funded, or
underway, and serves as the baseline against which to compare
Alternatives B and C. Alternative A would maintain our present refuge
staffing level and our visitor services facilities, including existing
trails and viewing platforms. We would continue to emphasize wildlife
observation and photography opportunities, and provide a fall deer
hunt. Our biological program priorities would continue to be protecting
the refuge's wetlands and upland forest for migratory birds, with
particular emphasis on protecting nesting bald eagles and the great
blue heron rookery. Controlling invasive plants would also continue to
be an important part of our program.
Alternative B (Improved Management for Trust Resources)
This is the Service-preferred alternative. It combines the actions
we believe would best achieve the refuge's purposes, vision and goals,
and the NWRS policy on Biological Integrity, Diversity, and
Environmental Health (601 FW 3). This alternative would also be best in
responding to the issues that arose during the planning process.
Alternative B would improve our management of refuge habitats to
support Federal trust resources and species of conservation concern. In
particular, our priority would be to enhance our management of the
refuge's upland forests to benefit bald eagles, great blue heron, and
other forest-dependent migratory birds through measures such as
prescribed fire, forest thinning, and planting of trees, to improve
forest health. We would also pursue actions to improve habitat quality
in the refuge's marsh habitat to benefit bald eagles, waterfowl,
waterbirds, and interjurisdictional fish. These actions include working
with partners to improve water quality and clean up debris in Great
Marsh, upgrading the water-control structure and altering the water-
level regime in Little Marsh to promote better foraging opportunities,
and improving fish passage.
Both the improvement of our current trails and addition of new
trails and observation platforms would offer increased opportunities
for wildlife observation, photography, and interpretation. We would
also expand our interpretive programs and outreach efforts to inform
and involve more people in working towards refuge goals.
Alternative C (Enhanced Public Use Management)
Alternative C would manage habitat similar to Alternative A, but
would expand wildlife-dependent public use programs beyond that which
is proposed under either Alternatives A or B. We would devote more
staff time and resources to offering new or improved compatible
priority public programs. For example, we would offer a new
muzzleloader deer hunting season, construct additional photography
blinds, and offer more guided and self-guided wildlife observation
tours and environmental education programs.
Featherstone NWR Alternatives
Alternative A (Current Management)
Similar to Alternative A for Mason Neck NWR, this alternative
satisfies the NEPA requirement for a ``No Action'' alternative. It
describes our current management priorities and activities, and serves
as a baseline for comparing and contrasting Alternative B. Under
Alternative A, Featherstone NWR would continue to be closed to all
public use and access. Our priorities would be to protect the refuge
from vandalism and trespassing, control invasive plants, and monitor
for threats to wildlife and habitats.
Alternative B (Enhanced Management)
This is the Service-preferred alternative. Habitat and species
management would focus on protecting sensitive nesting areas from human
disturbance, and monitoring for and treating invasive plants, pests,
and pathogens to avoid catastrophic loss or degradation of habitat.
Under Alternative B, we would also continue to work with Prince William
County to secure public parking and legal and safe pedestrian access to
the refuge, which has been an issue since refuge establishment. Once
that access is secured and we have the additional staff to manage those
activities, we would provide opportunities for wildlife observation and
nature photography on designated trails, and fishing at designated
sites.
Under Alternative B, within 5 years, we would evaluate a proposal
to provide opportunities for hunting. Other alternatives, including no
action, would be considered in that hunt program evaluation, and there
would be public involvement before making a final decision on the types
of hunting opportunities offered.
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to any methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
documents from the agency Web site, http://www.fws.gov/northeast/
planning/MasonNeck_Featherstone/ccphome.html.
Next Steps
After this comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and
address
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them in the form of a final CCP and finding of no significant impact.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, electronic mail
address, or other personal identifying information in your comments,
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.
Dated: November 29, 2010.
Wendi Weber,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, MA
01035.
[FR Doc. 2010-33340 Filed 1-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P