[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48877-48879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19837]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R1-R-2011-N100; 1265-0000-10137-S3]
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, Boundary County, ID; 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 our draft comprehensive conservation plan and
environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for the Kootenai National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR, refuge) for public review and comment. The Draft
CCP/EA describes our proposal for managing the refuge for the next 15
years.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we need to receive your written
comments by September 12, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, requests for more information, or
requests for copies by any of the following methods. You may request a
hard copy or a CD-ROM of the documents.
E-mail: FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. Include ``Kootenai NWR CCP''
in the subject line.
Fax: Attn: Dianna Ellis, Refuge Manager, (208) 267-3888.
U.S. Mail: Dianna Ellis, Refuge Manager, Kootenai National Wildlife
Refuge, 287 Westside Road, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805.
Web site: http://www.fws.gov/kootenai/refuge_planning.html; select
``Contact Us.''
In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Call (208) 267-3888 to make
an appointment (necessary for viewing/pickup only) during regular
business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dianna Ellis, Refuge Manager, (208)
267-3888.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Kootenai National
Wildlife Refuge. We started this process through a notice in the
Federal Register (74 FR 8102; February 23, 2009).
Kootenai NWR encompasses 2,774 acres along the lower Kootenai River
in Boundary County, ID. Habitat types on the refuge include seasonal,
semipermanent, and permanent wetlands; floodplain forests; coniferous
forests; managed pastures; and croplands. The refuge was established
``for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management
purpose, for migratory birds.'' The refuge provides important habitat
for waterbirds, migratory landbirds, and raptors; a variety of mammals
including white-tailed deer, elk, and moose; and bull trout, which is
listed as a threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species
Act.
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 compatible
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 distributing Planning Update 1 to our
mailing list and public outlets in January 2009. On January 23, 2009,
we held two public scoping meetings in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, to meet
the public and obtain comments. The meetings were announced through
local media outlets, on the refuge's Web site, and in Planning Update
1. We published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register announcing
our intent to prepare a CCP/
[[Page 48878]]
EA and inviting public comments. The public scoping period ended on
March 25, 2009, and all comments were considered and evaluated. In June
2009, 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 July 2010, we distributed Planning Update 3; in it we
summarized our preliminary draft alternatives and requested public
comments.
CCP Alternatives We Are Considering
During the public scoping process, we, along with other
governmental partners, Tribes, and the public raised several issues
which our Draft CCP addresses. A full description of each CCP
alternative will be in the EA. To address these issues, we developed
and evaluated the following alternatives, summarized below:
Alternative 1 (No-Action)
Under Alternative 1, the refuge would continue to manage wetlands,
croplands, and grasslands for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, deer,
and elk. Two hundred acres of grain crops would be grown annually.
Riparian and forest habitat would be maintained. Minimal management of
instream habitat would occur. Waterfowl hunting would continue on the
740-acre hunt area, 4 days per week, in accordance with the State's
season. A 200-yard no-shooting area (91 acres) would continue along the
auto tour route to provide for safety. Big game and upland game
(grouse) hunting would be allowed on the 295 acres of timber on the
west side of Lions Den and Westside Roads. Fishing would be allowed
from the banks of Myrtle Creek only. The 4.5-mile auto tour route would
remain open year round to vehicles, walking, bicycling, jogging, dog
walking (on leash only), cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing as
weather and road conditions permit. Slightly over 5 miles of trails
would be open to walking, jogging, and dog walking (on leash only) year
round, except for Island Pond Trail, which would be closed on hunt days
during the waterfowl hunting season. The Environmental Education Center
would be available for teacher-led, and occasionally staff-led,
programs. This alternative is considered the base from which to compare
the action alternatives.
Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative)
Under Alternative 2, our preferred alternative, wetland, cropland,
and grassland management for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, deer, and
elk would continue. Repairs and improvements to the existing water
management infrastructure would take place to increase the refuge's
ability to manage wetlands. Increased emphasis would be placed on moist
soil management. Crop acreage could decrease to 125 acres with an
increase in acreage of moist soil wetlands. Existing riparian habitat
would be maintained and increased restoration of native riparian and
grassland habitats would occur. White-tailed deer and elk populations
would be managed, in consultation with the Idaho Department of Fish and
Game (IDFG), through special permit hunts in order to protect restored
riparian habitat. Wildfires would still be suppressed and forests would
be thinned to maintain an open understory and reduce ladder fuels that
would allow fire to carry from the forest understory into the canopy.
The refuge would work with partners to examine the feasibility of
restoring degraded stream habitats for the benefit of native fish. The
refuge would initiate a land protection plan study to analyze
alternatives for possible refuge boundary expansion to include 120
acres of floodplain owned by the Idaho Department of Lands.
Waterfowl hunting would be permitted 4 days per week, in accordance
with the State's season. The waterfowl hunt area would be reduced to
605 acres due to increasing the size of the 200-yard non-shooting area
to include the area along the Deep Creek Trail (225 acres) to provide
for safety. An additional ADA-accessible blind would be constructed on
the north hunt unit. South Pond would be open to hunting from the ADA
blind only. The location of fixed blinds and free roam hunt areas would
be adjusted as necessary based on habitat quality, waterfowl use of
wetlands, and data from hunter surveys. Overall, waterfowl hunting
opportunities will be the same as under current management. Big game,
upland game (grouse only), and turkey hunting would be allowed west of
Lions Den Road (173 acres). Big game and upland game hunting would be
discontinued west of Westside Road (122 acres). A special permit hunt
for white-tailed deer and elk would be developed, in consultation with
IDFG, to reduce damage to riparian vegetation on the refuge flats.
Overall, opportunities for big game and upland game hunting would
increase compared to current management. Fishing would be allowed from
the banks of Myrtle Creek only.
The 4.5-mile auto tour route would remain open year round to
vehicles, walking, bicycling, jogging, dog walking (on leash only),
cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing as weather and road conditions
permit. Wildlife observation, photography, walking, cross-country
skiing, and snowshoeing would be allowed on four trails (3.7 miles
total) year round, weather permitting. The Island Pond Trail would be
closed to reduce disturbance to waterfowl. Environmental education
programs would increase.
Alternative 3
Under Alternative 3, actions to protect, maintain, and restore
habitat for priority species are the same as under Alternative 2,
except that fewer areas would be planted to crops since more acres are
managed as moist soil wetlands. The acreage in crops and moist soil
would be intermediate between Alternatives 1 and 2.
Waterfowl, big game, upland game, and turkey hunting would be the
same as in Alternative 2. As in Alternative 2, special permit hunts for
white-tailed deer and elk on the refuge flats would be developed to
reduce damage to riparian vegetation. Catch-and-release fishing would
be allowed from the banks of Myrtle Creek using single, barbless, non-
baited hooks only.
The 4.5-mile auto tour route would remain open year-round to
vehicles, walking, bicycling, jogging, dog walking (on leash only),
cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing as weather and road conditions
permit. Wildlife observation, photography, walking, cross-country
skiing, and snowshoeing would be allowed on five trails (4.8 miles
total) year round, weather permitting. The Island Pond Trail would be
closed, but the 1.1-mile Kootenai River Trail would be reopened.
Environmental education programs would increase.
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to the information in ADDRESSES, you can view copies of
the Draft CCP/EA on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/kootenai/refuge_planning.html, and printed copies will be available for review
at the following libraries: Boundary County Library, 6370 Kootenai St.,
Bonners Ferry, ID 83805; Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St., Sandpoint,
ID 83864; and Coeur d'Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave., Coeur
d'Alene, ID 83814.
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
[[Page 48879]]
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 identifying information from
the public, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Dated: June 23, 2011.
Robyn Thorson,
Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 2011-19837 Filed 8-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P