[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 204 (Monday, October 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64541-64543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-25942]
[[Page 64541]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R2-R-2012-N142; FXRS12610200000S3-123-FF02R06000]
Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, Liberty County, TX; 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 U.S. 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 (EA) for the Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge
(Refuge). In this final CCP, we describe how we will manage this Refuge
for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the final CCP and FONSI/EA
by any of the following methods. You may request a hard copy or CD-ROM.
Agency Web Site: Download a copy of the documents at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/planindex.html.
Email: Joseph_Lujan@fws.gov. Include ``Trinity River NWR final
CCP'' in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Joseph R. Lujan, Natural Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Division of Planning, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM
87103-1306.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call 505-248-7458 to make an
appointment during regular business hours at 500 Gold Avenue SW.,
Albuquerque, NM 87102 or the Trinity River NWR Headquarters, 601 FM
1011, Liberty, TX 77575; phone: 936-336-9786.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stuart Marcus, Refuge Manager, Trinity
River NWR, CCP Project, P.O. Box 10015, Liberty, TX 77575; 936- 336-
9786 phone; or 936-336-9847 fax.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for Trinity River
NWR. We started this process through a notice in the Federal Register
(72 FR 45059; August 10, 2007). We released the draft CCP and the EA to
the public, announcing and requesting comments in a notice of
availability in the Federal Register (77 FR 18853-18856; March 28,
2012).
The Trinity River NWR, which consists of over 25,000 acres, is
located approximately 50 miles northeast of Houston, and 40 miles west
of Beaumont Texas. The primary purpose of the Refuge is to protect a
remnant of the bottomland hardwood forest ecosystem along the Trinity
River. The Refuge was officially established on January 4, 1994, and
continues to acquire, restore, and preserve bottomland hardwood
forests.
We announce our decision and the availability of the FONSI for the
final CCP for Trinity River NWR in accordance with 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 EA that accompanied the draft CCP.
The CCP will guide us in managing and administering Trinity River
NWR for the next 15 years. Alternative C, as we described in the final
CCP, is the foundation for the CCP.
Background
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.
CCP Alternatives, Including Selected Alternative
Our draft CCP/EA (77 FR 18853; March 28, 2012) addressed several
issues. To address these, we developed and evaluated the following
alternatives.
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C--Optimal habitat
A--No-Action B--Improved habitat management and public
Alternatives alternative (Current management and public use (Proposed action)
practices) use alternative alternative
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Issues
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Habitat and Wildlife Management Issues
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1. Native Flora/Fauna Conservation... Conserve/restore Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B
bottomland hardwood plus use prescribed
forests. Restore fire for resource
native flora; management and
reintroduce native initiate baseline
fauna; manage native monitoring for flora
nuisance flora/fauna. and fauna.
2. Invasive Flora/Fauna Management... Remove exotic and Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B.
invasive flora/fauna plus develop invasive
as resources permit; species strike team
prevent reintroduction and map ``hotspots''
of exotic and invasive to prioritize
flora/fauna as management efforts.
resources permit.
3. Wetland Management................ Maintain the integrity Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B.
of water control plus conduct small-
structures/levees; scale restoration of
conduct water-quality hydrological flow at
sampling and fish Champion Lake South
surveys. unit.
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4. Land Acquisition.................. Acquire lands from Update Trinity River Same as Alternative B.
willing sellers within Floodplain Habitat
the approved Stewardship Program
acquisition boundary and Land Protection
on a case-by-case Plan to update the
basis. acquisition boundary;
assign refuge realty
specialist to Refuge
office.
5. Climate Change.................... Plant trees to Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B.
sequester carbon; use plus gather baseline
``green'' technologies inventory and
wherever possible, and monitoring data.
recycle.
6. Resource Protection............... Assign refuge law Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B,
enforcement officer to plus add patrols using plus add an additional
patrol 25,000 acres, other refuges' law officer to patrol up
backed up by enforcement officers. to 80,000 acres.
opportunistic
observations by other
refuge staff.
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Visitor Services Issues
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1. Hunting........................... Designate units open to Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B,
hunting by permit plus open one plus open one
only, for big game, additional unit for additional unit for
upland game, and big game hunting at big game and upland
waterfowl, as is Champion Lake South game hunting at
currently the case in unit. Palmetto unit.
eight units.
2. Fishing........................... Direct visitors to Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B,
Champion Lake and plus direct visitors plus direct visitors
Pickett's Bayou. to McGuire and Silver to Brierwood unit once
Lake units when piers pier is developed.
are developed.
3. Wildlife Observation.............. Open refuge to wildlife Same as Alternative A Same as Alternative B,
observation; direct plus open 1 additional plus open one
visitors to eight area at Champion Lake additional area at
public use areas. South unit. Palmetto unit.
4. Wildlife Photography.............. Open refuge to Same as Alternative A Same as Alternative B,
photography; direct plus construct photo plus construct photo
visitors to eight blind at Brierwood blind at McGuire unit.
public use areas. unit.
5. Environmental Education........... Do not develop Develop off-refuge Same as Alternative B,
environmental environmental plus develop on-refuge
education programs on education curricula, program, upon the
the refuge. working with local completion of the
schools to meet State educational facility
requirements. at Champion Lake
Public Use Area.
6. Interpretation.................... Host two on-refuge Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B,
annual festivals, on plus host plus develop
Earth Day and on Free approximately 10 interpretive programs
Family Fishing Day; additional off- refuge at visitor center;
host approximately six events, as requested; develop and provide
off-refuge annual develop and provide kiosks in all areas
events, such as county self-guided with public use
jubilee and various interpretative facilities.
public speaking events. materials at Champion
Lake and Brierwood
units.
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Facilities Issues
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1. Public Use Access................. Allow vehicular on Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B,
designated unpaved plus improve road to plus open trail at
roads; allow walk-in- McGuire Pond; Champion Lake South
only access on eight establish canoe/kayak unit.
designated units; launch site at
allow boating access Brierwood unit.
on Pickett's Bayou and
Champion Lake.
2. Public Use Facilities............. Maintain current Rehabilitate the Lodge Construct visitor
limited facilities at at Champion Lake center adjacent to
Champion Lake Public Public Use Area, pave headquarters;
Use Area, including the road at Champion construct fishing
fishing pier, Lake Public Use Area, piers at Brierwood
butterfly garden, and construct fishing unit; construct full-
parking, and portable pier at McGuire unit. service bathroom at
toilet. Seven other Champion Lake Public
public use areas have Use Area.
only one parking lot
each and one photo
blind each.
3. Administrative Facilities......... Maintain refuge-owned Construct a maintenance Rehabilitate the two-
headquarters and shop at Champion Lake room log cabin at
storage facility along equipment storage area. Champion Lake for use
FM 1011. for staff and
volunteer offices.
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Comments
We solicited comments on the draft CCP and the EA for the Trinity
River NWR from March 28, 2012, to May 4, 2012 (77 FR 718853; March 28,
2012). The public was notified of the release of the draft CCP and the
EA through the NOA, through local media outlets, and public notices
were posted on various community bulletin boards and postcards were
mailed to over 700 individuals identified on the refuge mailing list.
The draft CCP and EA were made available, online, at the Regional
Office in Albuquerque, at the Refuge,
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and at four public libraries in surrounding communities. A public open
house meeting was held on April 10, 2012. The Service received two
comment letters. The comments were thoroughly reviewed and the CCP did
not change substantially based on public comment.
Selected Alternative
After considering the comments we received, we have selected
Alternative C for implementation. Alternative C was selected over the
other alternatives because it best meets the Refuge's vision for the
future, the purposes for which the Refuge was established, and the
habitat, wildlife and visitor services goals identified in the CCP.
This alternative is the basis for the CCP and describes how habitat
objectives will be accomplished through a combination of management
activities to encourage ecological integrity, promote restoration of
bottomland hardwood forest habitat along the Trinity River, control
invasive species. This alternative will not adversely impact trust
resources, including threatened and endangered species, or their
habitat. Opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation activities,
such as hunting, fishing, observation, photography, environmental
education, and interpretation will be enhanced. Future management
actions will have a neutral or positive impact on the local economy and
the recommendations in the CCP will ensure that refuge management is
consistent with the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to the methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
documents at the following locations:
At the following libraries:
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Library Address Phone No.
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Liberty Municipal Library......... 1710 Sam Houston Ave 936-336-8901
Liberty, TX 77575.
Dayton Library.................... 307 W. Houston 936-258-7060
Dayton, TX 77535.
Austin Memorial Library........... 220 S. Bonham 281-592-3920
Cleveland, TX 77327.
Tarkington Community Library...... 3032 FM 163 Rd 281-592-5136
Cleveland, TX 77327.
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Benjamin N. Tuggle,
Regional Director, Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-25942 Filed 10-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P