[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61426-61427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24597]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R1-R-2012-N171; 1265-0000-10137-S3]
Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, American Samoa; Draft
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; announcement of meetings; 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 Rose Atoll National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR/refuge) for public review and comment. In the
Draft CCP/EA, we present two alternatives for managing this refuge for
the next 15 years, as well as related compatibility determinations for
the preferred alternative.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
November 9, 2012. We will hold public meetings; see Public Meetings
under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates, times, and locations.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments or view or obtain copies of the
Draft CCP/EA by any of the following methods. You may request a hard
copy or CD-ROM.
Agency Web site: www.fws.gov/pacific/planning or http://www.fws.gov/roseatoll/planning.html.
Email: FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. Include ``Rose Atoll National
Wildlife Refuge Draft CCP/EA'' in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/Marine National Monument,
c/o National Park Service, Pago Pago, AS 96799.
Fax: Attn: Refuge/Monument Manager, 684-699-3986.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/
Marine National Monument, c/o National Park Service, Pago Pago, AS
96799.
For more information on locations for viewing or obtaining
documents, see Public Availability of Documents under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Pendleton, Refuge/Monument
Manager, (684) 633-7082, ext. 15.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we announce the availability of our Draft CCP/EA
for Rose Atoll NWR. We started this process through a notice of intent
(NOI) in the Federal Register (74 FR 57701; November 9, 2009).
Rose Atoll NWR is located in American Samoa and was established in
1973 to conserve and protect fish and wildlife resources.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(together referred to as the Refuge Administration Act), 16 U.S.C.
668dd-668ee, 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 National Wildlife Refuge System mission, consistent with
sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal
mandates, and our policies. We will review and update the CCP at least
every 15 years in accordance with the Administration Act.
Public Outreach
We began the public scoping phase of the CCP planning process by
publishing the NOI, which was followed by a series of public open
houses in November 2009. Simultaneously, we released Planning Update 1,
which identified initial issues for scoping. Planning Update 2 was
released in May 2011 and identified the issues raised during public
scoping that would be considered in the CCP process. We also met
individually with partner agencies, elected officials, and others in
the community. We considered all of the public comments received to
date during development of the Draft CCP/EA.
Draft CCP Alternatives We Are Considering
During our CCP planning process, we identified several issues. To
address these issues, we developed and evaluated the following
alternatives in our Draft CCP/EA.
Alternative A (No Action)
Under Alternative A, existing refuge management activities would
continue, including protection, maintenance, and restoration of
habitats that support priority species, such as seabirds, shorebirds,
turtles, native plants, reef fish, invertebrates, and coralline algae.
Management activities include monitoring, pest species management, and
restoration projects, such as the removal of debris from a 1993
shipwreck. The refuge is closed to the general public, and entry is
limited to those who have been issued a special use permit (SUP).
Alternative B (Preferred Alternative)
Under Alternative B, enhanced habitat restoration, monitoring, and
outreach are proposed. Increasing the frequency of management trips to
the refuge and fortifying close partnerships with the American Samoa
Government, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National
Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and other partners are key to
this alternative. A remote sensing system would be set up to monitor
nesting seabirds, turtles, and other wildlife. Restoration of the
littoral forest on Rose Island by extirpating introduced ants and the
scale insect (Pulvenaria urbicola), and propagating native forest trees
would be explored. More frequent visits would allow for improved law
enforcement oversight and compliance, and remote sensing would also
provide better management and documentation of any unauthorized entry
into the refuge. The refuge would remain closed to the general public,
with entry only allowed via SUP.
Refuge staff would provide outreach and interpretation
opportunities and develop an environmental education program focusing
on ``bringing the refuge to the people.'' Appropriate cultural
practices would also be facilitated through expanding refuge management
activities related to cultural resources (e.g., working with the
American Samoa Historical Preservation Office and other partners to
conduct archaeological surveys at Rose Atoll NWR, integrating cultural
resources into interpretation, and increasing dialogue with the Office
of Samoan Affairs and local villagers).
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to any methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
documents at the Feleti Barstow Public Library, Ofu Community Center,
and other places of public access (e.g., stores on Ta'[umacr]) in
American Samoa.
[[Page 61427]]
Public Meetings
We will hold the following public meetings: October 16, 2012, at
Sadie's by the Sea at 2 p.m.; October 23, 2012, at the Ofu Community
Center at 9 a.m.; October 23, 2012, at the Ta'[umacr] High School gym
at 2 p.m. For more information on the meeting(s), contact the person
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Next Steps
After this comment period ends, the planning team will evaluate
your comments and consider their incorporation into the final CCP.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, telephone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information (PII) in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire comment--including your PII--may be
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your
comment to withhold your PII from public review, we cannot guarantee
that we will be able to do so.
Dated: August 9, 2012.
Richard Hannan,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-24597 Filed 10-5-12; 8:45 am]
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