[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30312-30314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12373]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-R-2012-N062; BAC-4311-K9-S3]
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Cayuga, Seneca, and Wayne
Counties, NY; 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 a draft comprehensive conservation plan and
environmental assessment (draft CCP/EA) for Montezuma National Wildlife
Refuge (NWR), located in Cayuga, Seneca, and Wayne Counties, New York,
for public review and comment. The draft CCP/EA describes our proposal
for managing the refuge for the next 15 years. Also available for
public review and comment are: (1) The draft findings of
appropriateness and draft compatibility determinations for uses to be
allowed upon initial completion of the plan if Service-preferred
alternative B is selected, (2) the EA for the refuge's hunt program,
and (3) the EA for the refuge's fire program. These are included as
appendix B, appendix E, and appendix H, respectively, in the draft CCP/
EA.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments no
later than June 21, 2012. 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/Montezuma/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.
Email: northeastplanning@fws.gov. Please include ``Montezuma NWR
Draft CCP'' in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attn: Lia McLaughlin, 413-253-8468.
U.S. Mail: Lia McLaughlin, Natural Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035.
In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Call 315-568-5987 to make
an appointment (necessary for view/pickup only) during regular business
hours at 3395 Route 5/20 East, Seneca Falls, NY 13148-9778. [For more
information on locations for viewing or obtaining documents, see
``Public Availability of Documents'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Jasikoff, Refuge Manager, 315-568-
5987 (phone), or Lia McLaughlin, Planning Team Leader, 413-253-8575
(phone); northeastplanning@fws.gov (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Montezuma NWR. We
started this process through a notice in the Federal Register (75 FR
25286; May 7, 2010).
Montezuma NWR was established in 1938 to provide nesting, feeding,
and resting habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. Situated
in Seneca, Wayne, and Cayuga Counties, the refuge currently encompasses
9,184 acres. Refuge habitats include emergent marshes and shallow water
mudflats, open water, bottomland floodplain forest, old fields and
shrublands, croplands, grassland, and successional forest. The refuge
is part of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, an area identified by the
Service, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(NYSDEC), and other partners for its role in the conservation of
migratory birds, particularly waterfowl. The refuge's public use
program provides wildlife-oriented educational and recreational
opportunities compatible with refuge management objectives. Public use
facilities and programs include several trails, a visitor center,
observation towers and platforms, fishing access sites, hunting
programs, trapping program, educational programs and materials, guided
tours, and other special programs.
[[Page 30313]]
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 started pre-planning for the Montezuma NWR CCP in February 2010.
In April 2010, we distributed our first newsletter and press release
announcing our intent to prepare a CCP for the refuge. In May through
June 2010, we had a formal public scoping period. The purpose of the
public scoping period was to solicit comments from the community and
other interested parties on the issues and impacts that should be
evaluated in the draft CCP/EA. To help solicit public comments, we held
two public meetings at the refuge during the formal public scoping
period. Throughout the rest of the planning process, we have conducted
additional outreach by participating in community meetings, events, and
other public forums, and by requesting public input on managing the
refuge and its programs. We received comments on topics such as the
potential effects of climate change, improving habitat connectivity,
relationship with the community and local economy, refuge facilities
and staffing, and public uses of the refuge. We have considered and
evaluated all of these comments, with many incorporated into the
various alternatives addressed in the draft CCP/EA.
CCP Alternatives We Are Considering
During the public scoping process, we, the NYSDEC, other
governmental partners, and the public raised several issues. To address
these issues, we developed and evaluated three alternatives in the
draft CCP/EA. Here we present a brief summary of each of the
alternatives; a full description of each alternative is in the draft
CCP/EA.
Alternative A (Current Management)
Alternative A (current management) satisfies the National
Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) requirement of a ``No
Action'' alternative, which we define as ``continuing current
management.'' It describes our existing management priorities and
activities, and serves as a baseline for comparing and contrasting
alternatives B and C. It would maintain our present levels of approved
refuge staffing and the biological and visitor programs now in place.
We would continue to focus on managing impoundments to provide emergent
marsh and open water habitats for migrating and nesting wading birds,
marshbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife. We would also
continue to actively control invasive species, manage grassland
habitats, and improve riparian and other forested habitats. We would
continue to provide opportunities for all six priority public uses:
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental
education, and interpretation.
Alternative B (Service-Preferred Alternative)
This alternative is the Service-preferred alternative. It combines
the actions we believe would most effectively achieve the refuge's
purposes, vision, and goals, and respond to the issues raised during
the scoping period. Under alternative B, emergent marsh management
would remain the focus on the refuge. We would focus efforts on
improving existing emergent wetland habitat and restoring additional
acres, and re-establishing wetland and riparian forests, where
feasible. More upland forest would be promoted through succession or
planting native species. Additionally, shrubland acreage would
increase, and grassland management would focus on creating larger
patches with less edge, resulting in fewer grassland acres overall.
Opportunities for visitors to participate in priority public uses would
increase. Added trails, viewing areas, and photography blinds would
support additional opportunities for wildlife observation and
photography. We would develop a formal, curriculum-based environmental
education program. Environmental interpretation would be enhanced
through updated interpretive displays and associated services. The
refuge would be opened to new hunting opportunities, and we would
provide more accessible sites. Fishing opportunities would be increased
by providing additional access to canal waters for anglers.
Alternative C (Less Active Habitat Management)
Under alternative C, most emergent marsh habitat on the refuge
would be allowed to convert to bottomland floodplain forest. Only the
Main Pool, Tschache Pool, and visitor center wetland impoundments would
be maintained. Newly acquired lands would not be converted to
impoundments. Natural succession would play a larger role in shaping
vegetative communities on the refuge compared to alternatives A and B.
We would allow most upland early successional habitats to revert to
forests. Compared to alternative A, opportunities for visitors to
participate in priority public uses would increase under this
alternative, but not to the extent proposed under alternative B. We
would develop a few additional sites to support wildlife observation
and photography. Interpretation would be somewhat increased with the
expansion of the visitor contact station. Interpretive messages would
be changed, reflecting the different focus of refuge management.
Hunting opportunities would increase, similar to alternative B;
however, waterfowl hunting would remain unchanged. Fishing
opportunities would be the same as alternative B.
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to any methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
documents at the following locations:
Our Web site: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/Montezuma/ccphome.html.
Public Library: the Seneca Falls Library, located at 47
Cayuga Street, Seneca Falls, NY 13148, during regular library hours.
Submitting Comments/Issues for Comment
We are seeking substantive comments, particularly on the following
issues:
Issue 1--public facilities and public uses;
Issue 2--habitat restoration efforts; and
Issue 3--partnership opportunities.
We consider comments substantive if they:
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Question, with reasonable basis, the accuracy of the
information in the document;
Question, with reasonable basis, the adequacy of the EA;
Present reasonable alternatives other than those presented
in the EA; and/or
Provide new or additional information relevant to the EA.
Next Steps
After this comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and
address them in the form of a final CCP and finding of no significant
impact.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email 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.
Dated: April 26, 2012.
Wendi Weber,
Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-12373 Filed 5-21-12; 8:45 am]
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