[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20706-20707]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8813]
[[Page 20706]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-R-2011-N041; 1261-0000-80230-W5]
South Farallon Islands Nonnative Mouse Eradication Project;
Farallon National Wildlife Refuge, California; Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the
public that we intend to gather information necessary to prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, for a proposed project to eradicate
nonnative mice from the South Farallon Islands, part of the Farallon
National Wildlife Refuge off the coast of California. We encourage the
public and other agencies to participate in the planning process by
sending written comments on management actions that we should consider.
DATES: To ensure that we have adequate time to evaluate and incorporate
suggestions and other input, we must receive your comments on or before
May 27, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments or requests to be added to our project
mailing list to: Gerry McChesney, Refuge Manager, Farallon National
Wildlife Refuge, 9500 Thornton Avenue, Newark, CA 94560. Alternatively,
you may send written comments or requests by fax to (510) 745-9285 or
by e-mail to sfbaynwrc@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerry McChesney, Refuge Manager, (510)
792-0222.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In 2009, the Service completed a Comprehensive Conservation Plan
(CCP) and Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact to
guide the management of Farallon National Wildlife Refuge over a 15-
year period (75 FR 5102 February 1, 2010). The wildlife management goal
of the selected management alternative in the CCP is to protect,
inventory, monitor, and restore to historic levels breeding populations
of 12 seabird species, 5 marine mammal species, and other native
wildlife. One of the strategies identified to meet this goal is the
eradication of the house mouse and the prevention of future human
introduction of mice.
We now propose to eradicate nonnative house mice (Mus musculus)
from the South Farallon Islands. The purpose of this project is to
protect and restore the ecosystem of the South Farallon Islands,
particularly for seabirds and other native biological resources. The
South Farallon Islands have sustained ecological damage over many years
from the presence of introduced mice.
In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt established the Farallon
National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), as a preserve and breeding ground
for marine birds under Executive Order 1043. The Refuge originally
encompassed only the North and Middle Farallon Islands and Noonday
Rock. In 1969 the Refuge was expanded to include the South Farallon
Islands and is still managed with the same basic purpose today. The
isolated nature, varied and extensive habitats, and adjacent productive
marine environment make the South Farallon Islands an ideal breeding
and resting location for wildlife, especially seabirds and marine
mammals. The Refuge comprises the largest continental U.S. seabird
breeding colony south of Alaska, and supports the world's largest
breeding colonies of ashy storm-petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa),
Brandt's cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) and western gull (Larus
occidentalis). Prior to the introduction of non-native mammals, the
South Farallon Islands were nearly devoid of land-based predatory
threats. Introduced European rabbits and cats, which were later
removed, and mice, which remain on the South Farallon Islands today,
have had noticeable negative impacts on native species.
Introduced nonnative mice directly and indirectly cause negative
impacts to the populations of small burrow- and crevice-nesting
seabirds on the South Farallones, particularly storm-petrels. In order
to reduce this impact, the Service has identified mouse eradication as
a critical step in fulfilling its main purpose to protect and restore
the native ecosystems of the South Farallon Islands. Eradicating mice
would increase the survivorship, and would likely increase the local
population sizes, of at least two seabird species, the ashy storm-
petrel and Leach's storm-petrel. The eradication project may also
benefit other seabirds, as well as native amphibians, insects,
invertebrates, and plants, including the endemic Farallon arboreal
salamander (Aneides lugubris farallonensis) and Farallon camel cricket
(Farallonophilus cavernicolus).
The Service has initially identified three possible alternatives:
(1) No Action, which would allow mice to remain on the South
Farallon Islands, maintaining the status quo.
(2) Mouse eradication, with an aerial broadcast of granular pellets
with the rodenticide brodifacoum as the primary technique, with the
entire island group treated simultaneously.
(3) Mouse eradication, with an aerial broadcast of granular bait
pellets with the rodenticide brodifacoum as the primary technique,
conducted in phases, in which different islands of the group would be
treated from days to weeks apart.
The Service is currently determining what measures could be
included to minimize adverse effects to nontarget species, while
ensuring that every mouse has access to the bait during the eradication
window.
Public Comment
We are furnishing this notice in accordance with section 1501.7 of
the NEPA implementing regulations, to obtain suggestions and
information from other agencies and the public on the scope of issues
to be addressed in the EIS. We invite written comments from interested
parties to ensure identification of the full range of alternatives,
issues and concerns. Information gathered through this scoping process
will assist us in developing a range of alternatives. A detailed
description of the proposed action and alternatives will be included in
the EIS. The EIS will also address the direct, indirect, and cumulative
impacts of the alternatives on environmental resources and identify
appropriate mitigation measures for adverse environmental effects.
Written comments we receive become part of the public record
associated with this action. 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 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.
In addition to providing written comments, the public is encouraged
to attend a public scoping meeting to provide us with suggestions and
information on the scope of issues and alternatives to consider when
drafting
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the EIS. A public scoping meeting will be held in San Francisco,
California, in the spring of 2011. We will mail a separate announcement
to the public with the exact date, time, and location of the public
scoping meeting. We will accept both oral and written comments at the
scoping meeting.
NEPA Compliance
We will conduct environmental review in accordance with the
requirements of NEPA, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), its
implementing regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), other applicable
regulations, and our procedures for compliance with those regulations.
We anticipate that a draft EIS will be available for public review in
the fall of 2011.
Dated: April 7, 2011.
Alexandra Pitts,
Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-8813 Filed 4-12-11; 8:45 am]
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