[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30382-30384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12964]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R1-R-2010-N125; 1265-0000-10137-S3]
Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Benton, Linn,
Marion, and Polk Counties, OR
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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (DCCP) and
environmental assessment (EA) for the Willamette Valley National
Wildlife Refuge Complex (refuge complex) for public review and comment.
The refuge complex is made up of Ankeny, Baskett Slough, and William L.
Finley National Wildlife Refuges (refuges), located in Benton, Linn,
Marion, and Polk Counties, Oregon. In the DCCP and EA, we describe and
evaluate alternatives, including our preferred alternative, for
managing the refuge complex for the 15 years following approval of the
final CCP.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by June 24, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, requests for more information, or
requests for copies of the DCCP/EA, by any of the following methods:
E-mail: FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. Include ``Willamette Valley
NWRC DCCP/EA'' in the subject line.
Fax: Attn: Doug Spencer, Project Leader, (541) 757-4450.
U.S. Mail: Doug Spencer, Project Leader, Willamette Valley National
Wildlife Refuge Complex, 26208 Finley Refuge Road, Corvallis, OR 97333-
9533.
Web site: http://www.fws.gov/WillametteValley/complex/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Spencer, Project Leader, (541)
757-7236.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
The complex includes three refuges: William L. Finley, Baskett
Slough, and Ankeny. Together, the three refuges encompass approximately
11,110 acres in western Oregon. Habitats on the refuges include
seasonal, semipermanent, and permanent wetlands; wet prairies, upland
prairie/oak savannas, oak woodlands, mixed deciduous-coniferous
forests, riparian, and riverine and stream habitats. Agricultural
lands, the majority managed as grass fields, are also present on the
refuges. The refuges were established under the Migratory Bird
Conservation Act ``for use as an inviolate sanctuary or for any other
management purpose, for migratory birds . . . to conserve and protect
migratory birds . . . and to restore or develop adequate wildlife
habitat'' with emphasis on protecting dusky Canada geese. In the last
four decades, these refuges have provided not only an important
wintering grounds for the dusky and thousands of other wintering geese
and ducks--but have been recognized more recently as increasingly
important areas for conservation of the remaining fragments of the
native Valley habitats and biota. The refuges support key populations
of federally listed species, including Oregon chub, Fender's blue
butterfly, Bradshaw's desert-parsley, Kincaid's lupine, Nelson's
checker-
[[Page 30383]]
mallow, and Willamette daisy, and provide migration habitat for listed
Chinook salmon and steelhead. Several other rare species are also found
on the refuges.
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, 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.
Public Outreach
We began public outreach by publishing a Notice of Intent in the
Federal Register (73 FR 11137; February 29, 2008), announcing our
intent to complete a CCP and EA and inviting public comments. In
January 2008, we distributed Planning Update 1 to our mailing list and
public outlets. On February 7 and 13, 2008, we held public scoping
meetings in Salem and Corvallis, Oregon, respectively, to meet the
public and identify issues for evaluation. The meetings were announced
through local media outlets, on the refuges' Web site, and in Planning
Update 1. In September 2008, we distributed Planning Update 2, which
included a summary of the comments we received, a planning schedule,
and a description of the CCP's scope. In September 2009, we distributed
Planning Update 3; in it we summarized our preliminary draft
alternatives, and invited public comments.
DCCP/EA Alternatives We Are Considering
We identified and evaluated three alternatives for managing the
refuges, including a No Action Alternative (Alternative 1). Brief
descriptions of the alternatives follow:
Alternative 1 (No Action)
Under Alternative 1, the refuges would continue to maintain
cultivated grass fields under a cooperative farming program to provide
forage for wintering Canada geese. Other goose management activities,
such as managing wetland habitats and providing sanctuary, would
continue. The refuges would also continue to manage and enhance native
habitats but no further habitat restoration work would occur.
Endangered species management would continue. Existing public uses
would continue with the current facilities and programs in place. No
new public use facilities would be developed. The current areas closed
to public access would remain in effect to provide sanctuary during the
wintering waterfowl season. The refuges would not pursue any additional
land protection measures under the no change alternative.
Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative)
Under Alternative 2, an emphasis on providing habitat for wintering
geese would remain. Forage would continue to be provided primarily via
cooperative farming. The refuges would pursue measures to help retain
the services of cooperative farmers, such as providing enhanced
irrigation capabilities; providing additional lure crops such as corn
or other grains; the refuges taking over farming on certain high goose
use fields; the Service offsetting a portion of the costs to
cooperative farmers, etc. Wetland habitat management and restoration
would also be intensified to improve habitat for geese and other
wildlife.
Management and enhancement would continue in remnant native
habitats and recently restored areas. In addition, approximately 479
additional acres on the three refuges would be restored to wetland, wet
prairie, riparian, or upland prairie/oak savannah habitats over the
next 15 years.
Threatened and endangered species management would continue to be a
priority, guided by recovery plans where applicable. Existing
populations of several threatened and endangered species would be
strengthened, and several new populations would be established on the
refuges.
Wildlife observation and interpretation would continue to be
emphasized as the cornerstone of the public use program. Several new
trails and observation facilities would be added. Additional
interpretive signs and materials, including on-line materials, would be
developed. Major special events would occur at a frequency of about 3-4
per year, and monthly weekend interpretive programs would be developed.
Environmental education efforts would be expanded with an objective
of reaching more students and schools, particularly at William L.
Finley Refuge. Outdoor class shelters would be added. Funding would be
sought to construct an Environmental Education Center, including indoor
classroom facilities and a small exhibit area.
A new option to hunt antlerless deer would be added. In addition,
new upland locations would be available for hunting during a portion of
the shotgun season; this will require closure of two hiking trails for
a week in November. The shotgun season would be shortened and shifted
to later in the State season. A youth waterfowl hunt and a September
goose hunt would be provided at Baskett Slough Refuge. Fishing would be
promoted at the Willamette River by providing a canoe launch at Snag
Boat Bend. The current area closed to public access would remain in
effect to provide sanctuary during the wintering waterfowl season.
Together with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the refuges
would develop an elk management plan after completion of the CCP. The
refuges would continue to expand conservation partnerships, volunteer
programs, and outreach to local communities. Proactive cultural
resource management would occur by repairing/maintaining the historic
structures on William L. Finley Refuge and by adding associated
interpretive facilities.
This alternative also proposes protection, conservation, and
management of additional lands within the Willamette Valley that could
contribute to the refuges' purposes and goals by providing wintering
habitat and forage for Canada geese; providing protection, enhancement,
and restoration of native habitats and rare Willamette Valley species;
and providing opportunity for additional wildlife-dependent public use.
The refuges would undertake a subsequent land protection planning
process to identify specific tracts of lands for these purposes.
Alternative 3
This alternative involves a major shift in management for wintering
Canada geese. Forage would be provided either through contract farming
(paying farmers to grow crops on the refuges) and/or force account
farming (refuge staff doing the farming). The refuges would only farm
fields that have been
[[Page 30384]]
receiving moderate to high goose use. Refuge farming program costs
would increase and goose use would likely decrease.
This alternative would create the opportunity to restore
approximately 1,436 acres of cropland to native habitat since the
amount of farmland would be reduced. However, the fields to be restored
would likely lie fallow and could become weedy while awaiting staff
time and funding for restoration.
Wildlife observation and interpretation would continue to be
emphasized as the cornerstone of the public use program, but this
alternative does little to expand these programs further. Interpretive
signs would be developed or updated for existing facilities where
needed, but major new developments and new interpretive methods would
generally not occur. One or two special events would be held each year.
The current area closed to public access on all three refuges would
remain in effect to provide sanctuary during the wintering waterfowl
season.
Deer hunting, threatened and endangered species management,
environmental education, fishing, elk management, cultural resources,
subsequent land protection planning, and conservation partnership
activity would occur as under Alternative 2.
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to the information in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
documents in the following ways: by calling the refuge complex at (541)
757-7236 or visiting our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/WillametteValley/finley/refuge_planning.html. Printed copies will be
available for review at the following libraries:
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW. Monroe
Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330, 541-766-6926.
Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE., Albany, OR
97231, 541-917-7580.
Dallas Public Library, 950 Main Street, Dallas, OR 97338,
503-623-2633.
Jefferson Public Library, 128 South Main Street,
Jefferson, OR 97352, 541-327-3826.
Next Steps
After this comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and
address them in the final CCP and decision document.
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 become publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your identifying information from
the public, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Dated: April 28, 2011.
Robyn Thorson,
Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 2011-12964 Filed 5-24-11; 8:45 am]
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