[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5194-5196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1867]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2010-N172; 40136-1265-0000-S3]
Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, Henry, Benton, Decatur, and
Humphreys Counties, TN; 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 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 for Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). In the final
CCP, we describe how we will manage this refuge for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the CCP by writing to: Mr. Troy
Littrell, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, 3006 Dinkins Lane, Paris,
Tennessee 38242. The CCP may also be accessed and downloaded from the
Service's Web site: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning/, under ``Final
Documents.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Troy Littrell; telephone: 731/642-
2091; fax: 731/644-3351; e-mail: troy_littrell@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for Tennessee NWR. We
started this process through a notice in the Federal Register on April
2, 2008 (73 FR 17994).
On December 28, 1945, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive
Order No. 9670, establishing the Tennessee NWR. The following day, the
Department of the Interior and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
entered into an agreement that the lands would henceforth be reserved
for use as a wildlife refuge. Tennessee NWR runs
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along 65 miles of the Tennessee River in Henry, Benton, Decatur, and
Humphreys Counties, Tennessee. The refuge is comprised of three units:
the Duck River Unit (26,738 acres), Big Sandy Unit (21,348 acres), and
Busseltown Unit (3,272 acres), for a total of 51,358 acres.
The establishing and acquisition authorities for Tennessee NWR
include the Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 715-715r) and
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661-667). In addition,
Public Land Order 4560 identified the purposes of the refuge to be ``to
build, operate and maintain sub-impoundment structures; produce food
crops or cover for wildlife; to regulate and restrict hunting, trapping
and fishing and to otherwise manage said lands and impoundment areas
for the protection and production of wildlife and fish populations''
(Public Land Order, 1962).
The refuge provides valuable wintering habitat for migrating
waterfowl. It provides habitat and protection for threatened and
endangered species such as the gray bat, Indiana bat, least tern,
piping plover, pink mucket pearlymussel, ring pink mussel, orangefoot
pimpleback pearlymussel, and rough pigtoe and pigmy madtom mussels. The
refuge also supports an abundance of wildlife, including over 650
species of plants, 303 species of birds, and 280 species of mammals,
fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
We announce our decision and the availability of the final CCP and
FONSI for Tennessee NWR in accordance with the 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 Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental
Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Tennessee NWR. The CCP will guide us in
managing and administering Tennessee NWR for the next 15 years.
The compatibility determinations for (1) Wildlife observation and
photography, (2) environmental education and interpretation, (3)
fishing, (4) hunting, (5) cooperative farming, (6) scientific research,
(7) commercial fishing to remove rough fish from impounded waters, (8)
horseback riding and horse-drawn conveyance, and (9) bicycling are also
available within the CCP. The compatibility determination for marina
concessions was removed from the CCP for further environmental analysis
and public comment.
Background
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (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, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update
the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Administration
Act.
Comments
We made copies of the Draft CCP/EA available for a 30-day public
review and comment period via Federal Register notice on June 7, 2010
(75 FR 32201). We received 43 comments on the Draft CCP/EA.
Selected Alternative
The Draft CCP/EA identified and evaluated four alternatives for
managing the refuge. After considering the comments we received, and
based on the professional judgment of the planning team, we selected
Alternative D for implementation.
Under Alternative D, we will enhance both wildlife management and
public use at Tennessee NWR. We will provide adequate habitats to meet
the foraging needs of 121,000-182,000 ducks for 110 days and other
habitats that are needed for loafing, roosting, molting, etc. Under
this alternative, we will create and enhance existing habitat for
secretive marshbirds, sufficient to support 15-25 nesting territories
for king rail pairs. Within 10 years of CCP approval, we will provide
at least 100 acres of foraging sites in multiple impoundments for both
northbound and southbound shorebirds during migration. We will conduct
population and habitat surveys to evaluate shorebird use and
invertebrate densities within managed and unmanaged habitat. To benefit
long-legged wading birds, we will continue to provide for both secure
nesting sites and ample foraging habitat. We will develop and implement
baseline inventories for non-game mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish,
and invertebrates. We will also consider providing 50-100 acres in 1-3
tracts for the Henslow's sparrow and other grassland species on the Big
Sandy Unit.
Under Alternative D, we will intensify existing habitat management
programs, practices, and actions. We will improve the moist-soil
management program on about 1,600 acres by expanding the invasive
exotic plant control program, water management capabilities, and the
use of management techniques that set back plant succession. In
cooperation with partners, we will reactivate the forest management
program on the refuge for the benefit of priority forest interior
migratory birds and resident game species. Alternative D will
incorporate a comprehensive fire management program into forest
habitat.
Over the life of the CCP, Alternative D will redirect management
actions to sustain the acreage of unharvested cropland to meet foraging
needs of waterfowl and habitat for other native species. It will also
increase acreage of hard mast producing bottomland hardwood forest
species. We will improve water management capabilities by subdividing
existing impoundments, creating new impoundments, and increasing water
supply (i.e., pumps, wells, and structures) for migratory birds.
We will aim to increase wildlife observation/photography
opportunities with the construction of new public use facilities, and
within 2 years of CCP approval, will open a seasonal wildlife drive in
the Duck River Bottoms. We will continue to provide environmental
education services to the public, including limited visits to schools,
environmental education workshops, and on-site and off-site
environmental education programs, as well as work with partners to
expand environmental education facilities and opportunities on and near
the refuge. The existing interpretive program will be expanded.
We will work to construct a combined headquarters and visitor
center, incorporating ``green'' technology on the Big Sandy Unit.
Within 15 years of CCP approval, we will build a visitor contact
station at the Duck River Unit. We will expand the current staff by
twelve, including a forester, a forestry technician, two engineering
equipment operators, a tractor operator, two refuge rangers, a law
enforcement officer, an assistant manager, two biological technicians,
and an office assistant. We will strengthen our volunteer programs,
friend's group, and partnerships by
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investing an increased portion of staff time into nurturing these
promising relationships.
Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law
105-57.
Dated: September 14, 2010.
Mark J. Musaus,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-1867 Filed 1-27-11; 8:45 am]
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