[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8890-8892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3477]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2011-N261; FXRS12650400000-123-FF04R02000]
Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, KY; 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 Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and
environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Clarks River National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Graves, Marshall, and McCracken Counties,
Kentucky, for public review and comment. In this Draft CCP/EA, we
describe the alternative we propose to use to manage this refuge for
the 15 years following approval of the final CCP.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by March 16, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the Draft CCP/EA by contacting Ms.
Tina Chouinard, via U.S. mail at 49 Plainsbrook Place, Jackson, TN
38305, or via email at tina_chouinard@fws.gov. Alternatively, you may
download the document from our Internet Site at http://southeast.fws.gov planning under ``Draft Documents.'' Comments on the
Draft CCP/EA may be submitted to the above postal address or email
address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tina Chouinard, at 731/432-0981
(telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Clarks River NWR.
We started the process through a notice in the Federal Register on
August 29, 2008 (73 FR 50981). For more about the refuge and our CCP
process, please see that notice.
Clarks River NWR is located in western Kentucky, an area also known
as the Jackson Purchase. The refuge averages approximately 2 to 3 miles
wide, extends about 20 miles from near Paducah, Kentucky, to just south
of Benton, Kentucky. Due to the meandering nature of the Clarks River,
the refuge acquisition boundary protects about 40 river miles.
Clarks River NWR was established in 1997. The acquisition boundary
currently approved by Congress is approximately 19,605 acres, of which
8,634 acres have been purchased. The lands are distributed among
counties as follows: Graves County (56 acres), Marshall County (5,970
acres), and McCracken County (2,608 acres). Lands are purchased on a
willing-seller basis only. Clarks River NWR was established under the
Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 3901) for the
development, advancement, management, conservation, and protection of
fish and wildlife resources.
Approximately 74 percent of the land associated with the Clarks
River NWR is forested, 22 percent is agricultural land, and 2 percent
is freshwater marsh/shrub swamp. The refuge is made up of managed
impoundments, native warm-season grasses, and disturbed lands such as
roads and utility corridors. Refuge lands are managed for all plants
and animals that occur in the area of western Kentucky, with a primary
emphasis on migratory songbirds and waterfowl, game species, and listed
species. Refuge goals and objectives are achieved through forest
management, cooperative farming, habitat restoration, water management,
and prescribed fire.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (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, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update
the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Administration
Act.
Significant issues addressed in the Draft CCP/EA include: (1)
Baseline wildlife surveys; (2) bottomland hardwood and riparian forest
management; (3) land protection; (4) comprehensive hydrological study
of the Clarks River; (5) enhancement of wildlife-dependent visitor
services programs; (6) increase in permanent staff; and (7)
compatibility determinations.
CCP Alternatives, Including Our Proposed Alternative
We developed three alternatives for managing the refuge
(Alternatives A, B, and C), with Alternative B as our proposed
alternative. A full description of each alternative is in the Draft
CCP/EA. We summarize each alternative below.
Alternative A: Current Management (No Action)
The No Action Alternative, which would maintain current management
approaches, was developed using anticipated conditions in the area of
Clarks River NWR over the next 15 years. This alternative assumes that
conservation management and land protection programs and activities
that are currently being undertaken by the Service and other Federal
agencies, as well as by State, local, and private organizations, would
continue to follow past trends. Species of Federal responsibility, such
as threatened and endangered species and migratory birds, would
continue to be monitored at present levels. Acquisition of lands for
the refuge would occur when funding is appropriated and willing sellers
offer land that is identified as quality habitat.
Wildlife population monitoring and surveying would be focused
primarily on waterfowl and mammal species. Additional species
monitoring would occur opportunistically as partnerships and funding
are available. Restoration efforts would continue as small,
experimental projects instead of larger projects that promote longer-
lasting benefits.
The biological environment would remain protected, but certain
systems could suffer if not systematically monitored using focal
species as indicators. Management under Alternative A would not
adversely impact socioeconomic values of the area, but the refuge would
not achieve its potential to provide the public with needed educational
and wildlife-dependent recreational activities.
The public use programs of fishing, hunting, wildlife observation,
wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation
would continue at present levels and with current facilities. Public
use programs would not change or increase with demand and would not be
adapted based on the impacts to refuge resources.
In general, under Alternative A, management and administrative
decisions and actions would occur when triggered by demands and sources
outside the refuge, with little deliberation and planning being
accomplished ahead of time. This alternative, included for the purpose
of comparison to baseline conditions, is not considered to be the most
effective management strategy for achieving the vision and goals of the
refuge.
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Alternative B: Optimize Wildlife-Dependent Public Use and Management
(Proposed Alternative)
The proposed alternative, Alternative B, would emphasize management
of the natural resources of Clarks River NWR based on maintaining and
improving wetland habitats, monitoring targeted flora and fauna
representative of the surrounding Clarks River watershed, and providing
quality public use programs and wildlife-dependent recreational
activities. All species occurring on the refuge would be considered,
and certain targeted species would be managed for and monitored in
addition to species of Federal responsibility. These species would be
chosen based on the criteria that they are indicators of the health of
important habitat or species of concern. Information gaps in knowledge
of the refuge's aquatic species would be addressed.
Restoration efforts, habitat management, a prescribed fire program,
and forest management would reflect best management practices
determined after examination of historical regimes, soil types and
elevation, and the current hydrological system. Management actions
would be monitored for effectiveness and adapted to changing
conditions, knowledge, and technology. A habitat management plan would
be developed to plan future habitat projects and evaluate previous
actions.
Overall public use would be monitored to determine if any negative
impacts are occurring on resources from overuse. Education programs
would be reviewed and improved to complement current management and
current staffing. Public use programs would be updated to support and
teach the reasons behind management actions, and to provide quality
experiences to visitors. The refuge headquarters would be developed to
provide more visitor services. In an increasingly developing region, a
balanced wildlife-dependent recreational program would be a focus under
this alternative. A new visitor center would be constructed.
Archaeological resources would be surveyed.
The refuge currently has fee-title ownership of about 8,634 acres
with an approved acquisition boundary of 19,605 acres. Lands are
purchased on a willing-seller basis only. Alternative B includes a
proposed expansion of 34,269 acres and would bring the total refuge
acquisition boundary to approximately 53,874 acres, and would protect
lands along the east and west forks of the Clarks River. Land
acquisitions within the existing and proposed expanded acquisition
boundaries would be based on importance of the habitat for target
management species. We would offer interpretation of refuge wildlife
and habitats, as well as demonstrate habitat improvements for
individual landowners.
In general, under Alternative B, management decisions and actions
would support wildlife species and habitat occurring on the refuge
based on well-planned strategies and sound scientific judgment. Quality
wildlife-dependent recreational uses and environmental education and
interpretation programs would be offered to support and explain the
natural resources of the refuge.
This alternative would add six new positions to current staffing in
order to protect resources, provide visitor services, and attain goals
of facilities and equipment maintenance in the future. The biological
environment would improve as adaptive and best management practices are
utilized. Socioeconomic values should also increase as we offer
increased wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities. Areas such as
this are beneficial to local ecotourism trade and residents searching
for natural landscapes and associated benefits.
Alternative C: Maximize Wildlife-Dependent Recreation and Management
Alternative C would emphasize maximizing wildlife-dependent
recreational uses on the refuge. The increase of nine staff members in
addition to the existing employees would support public use activities,
including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography,
and environmental education and interpretation. In general, the focus
would be on expanding public use activities to the fullest extent
possible, while conducting only mandated resource protection, such as
conservation of threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, and
archaeological resources.
All management programs for conservation of wildlife and habitat,
such as monitoring, surveying, and researching, would support species
and resources of importance for public use enhancement. Emphasis would
be placed more on interpreting and demonstrating these programs than
actual implementation. Providing access with trails would be maximized,
as well as providing public use facilities throughout the refuge.
Federal trust species and archaeological resources would be monitored
as mandated, but other species targeted for management would depend on
which ones the public is interested in utilizing. Habitat restoration
efforts would be based on public use demands and criteria rather than
determined through methods using a strategic habitat conservation
approach.
With the majority of staff time and funds supporting a public use
program, wildlife-dependent recreation and environmental education and
interpretation could be more successful than in the other alternatives.
Land acquisitions within the approved acquisition boundary would be
based on importance of the habitat for public use. The refuge
headquarters and visitor center would be developed for public use
activities such as interpretation and outreach.
Next Step
After the comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and
address them.
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.
Authority
This notice is published under the authority of the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-57).
Dated: January 4, 2012.
Mark J. Musaus,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-3477 Filed 2-14-12; 8:45 am]
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