2012 Federal Register, 77 FR 9690; Centralized Library: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Federal Register, Volume 77 Issue 33 (Friday, February 17, 2012)

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 33 (Friday, February 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9690-9692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3759]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R2-R-2011-N198; 1265-0000-10137-S3]

Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Corvallis,
OR; 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 a
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental
assessment (EA) for the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuges
(NWRs/refuges). In this final CCP, we describe how we will manage these
refuges for the next 15 years. Implementing the CCP is subject to the
availability of funding and any additional compliance requirements.

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 document at http://www.fws.gov/pacific/planning.
Email: FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. Include ``Willamette Valley NWR
FCCP/EA'' in the subject line.
Fax: Attn: Doug Spencer, Project Leader, (541) 757-4450.
U.S. Mail: Doug Spencer, Project Leader, Willamette Valley National
Wildlife Refuge Complex, 26208 Finley Refuge Road, Corvallis, Oregon
97333-9533.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call (541) 757-7236 to make an
appointment during regular business hours at W.L. Finley National
Wildlife Refuge, 26208 Finley Refuge Road, Corvallis, Oregon 97333-
9533.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Spencer, Project Leader, (541)
757-7236.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

With this notice, we announce the completion of the CCP process for
the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuges. The Service started
this process through a notice of intent in the Federal Register (73 FR
11137; February 29, 2008). We released the draft CCP/EA to the public,
announcing and requesting comments in a notice of availability in the
Federal Register (76 FR 30382; May 25, 2011).
The Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex includes
three refuges: William L. Finley, Baskett Slough, and Ankeny. Together,
the three refuges encompass approximately 11,110 acres in western
Oregon. Habitats on the refuges include seasonal, semipermanent, and
permanent wetlands; wet prairies, upland prairie/oak savannas, oak
woodlands, mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, riparian, riverine, and
stream habitats. Agricultural lands, the majority managed as grass
fields, are also present on the refuges. The refuges were established
under the Migratory Bird Conservation Act ``for use as an inviolate
sanctuary or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds * *
* to conserve and protect migratory birds * * * and to restore or
develop adequate wildlife habitat,'' with emphasis on protecting dusky
Canada geese. In the last four decades, these refuges have provided not
only an important wintering grounds for the dusky Canada goose and
thousands of other wintering geese and ducks, but also have been
recognized more recently as increasingly important areas for
conservation of the remaining fragments of the native Willamette Valley
habitats and biota. The refuges support key populations of federally
listed species, including Oregon chub, Fender's blue butterfly,
Bradshaw's desert-parsley, Kincaid's lupine, Nelson's checker-mallow,
and Willamette daisy, and provide migration habitat for listed Chinook
salmon and steelhead. Several other rare species are also found on the
refuges.
We announce our CCP decision and the availability of a FONSI for
the final EA for Willamette Valley NWRs in accordance with the National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-
668ee) (Refuge Administration Act) and National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements. We prepared an analysis of
environmental impacts, which we included in an EA that accompanied the
draft CCP.
The CCP will guide us in managing and administering the refuges for
the next 15 years. Alternative 2, as described in the draft CCP, is the
basis of the final CCP.

Background

The 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

[[Page 9691]]

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 compatible wildlife-dependent
recreational opportunities available to the public, including
opportunities for compatible 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 (76 FR 30382; May 25, 2011) discussed several
issues. To address these, we developed and evaluated the following
alternatives.

Alternative 1 (No Action)

Under Alternative 1, we analyzed the following ongoing actions:
Maintaining cultivated grass fields under a cooperative
farming program to provide forage for wintering Canada geese;
Managing wetland habitats and providing sanctuary for
geese;
Managing and enhancing the existing areas of native
habitats;
Continuing habitat and population management for
endangered and threatened species;
Providing wildlife observation, interpretation,
environmental education, fishing, and hunting with current facilities
and programs; and
Maintaining the current area closed to wintertime public
access to provide sanctuary during the wintering waterfowl season.

Alternative 2 (Selected Action)

Alternative 2, our preferred alternative, represents a balanced
approach among the many competing needs at the refuges. Overall,
habitat and compatible public use programs will continue as currently
managed but with many targeted improvements and additions. Implementing
these actions is subject to the availability of funding and any
additional compliance requirements.
An emphasis on providing habitat for wintering geese will remain.
Green forage for geese will continue to be provided primarily through
cooperative farming agreements with local farmers. The Service will
pursue measures to help retain the services of cooperative farmers,
such as:
Providing enhanced irrigation capabilities (these will
help the farmers to better establish green forage crops and perhaps
grow other cash crops);
Providing additional lure crops such as corn or other
grains;
Taking over farming on certain high goose use fields; and/
or
Offsetting a portion of the costs to cooperative farmers;
etc.
Goose use should be no less than under Alternative 1 and
could increase if specific goose management strategies are implemented.
Wetland habitat management and restoration activities will also be
intensified to improve habitat for geese and other wildlife.
Management and enhancement will continue in remnant native habitats
and recently restored areas. In addition, approximately 845 additional
acres on the three refuges will be restored to wetland, wet prairie,
riparian, oak woodland, or upland prairie/oak savanna habitats over the
next 15 years.
Threatened and endangered species management will continue to be a
priority, guided by recovery plans where applicable. Existing
populations of several threatened and endangered species will be
strengthened through habitat management activities, and several new
populations will be established on the refuges.
Wildlife observation and interpretation will continue to be
emphasized as the cornerstone of the public use program. Several new
trails and viewing facilities are planned, as well as interpretive
signs and materials, including online materials. In addition, major
special events are planned at a frequency of about 3-4/year, with
monthly weekend interpretive programs.
This alternative includes expansion of environmental education
efforts, with an objective of reaching more students and schools,
particularly at W.L. Finley Refuge. Outdoor classroom shelters are part
of the alternative. In addition, a goal of this alternative is a new
Environmental Education Center, indoor classroom facilities, and an
interpretive exhibit area on W.L. Finley Refuge. This will depend on
available funding.
A new option to hunt deer of either sex will be added on W.L.
Finley Refuge. In addition, new upland locations will be available for
deer hunting during a portion of the restricted firearms season; this
will require closure of two hiking trails for a week in November. The
restricted firearms season will be shortened and shifted to later in
the State season. A youth waterfowl hunt and a September goose hunt
will be provided at Baskett Slough Refuge. Fishing will be promoted at
the Willamette River by developing safe fishing access and a canoe
launch at Snag Boat Bend Unit.
The current area closed to public access will remain closed, in
order to provide sanctuary during the wintering waterfowl season on the
three refuges. However, the major portions of the Snag Boat Bend Unit
will be open year-round.
The refuges will develop an elk management plan cooperatively with
the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife after completion of the CCP
(within 1-2 years of CCP implementation). The refuges will continue to
expand conservation partnerships, volunteer programs, and outreach to
local communities. Proactive cultural resource management will occur by
repairing/maintaining the historic structures on W.L. Finley Refuge and
by adding associated interpretive facilities.
Under the selected action, the Service also proposes protection,
conservation, and management of additional lands within the Willamette
Valley that could contribute to refuge purposes and goals by providing
wintering habitat and forage for Canada geese; providing protection,
enhancement, and restoration of native habitats and rare Willamette
Valley species; and providing opportunity for additional wildlife-
dependent public use. The refuges will undertake a subsequent land
protection planning process to identify specific tracts of lands for
these purposes.

Alternative 3

This alternative was analyzed but not selected. Alternative 3
included a major shift in management for wintering Canada geese. Forage
would have been provided either through contract farming (paying
farmers to grow crops on the refuges) and/or force account farming
(refuge staff doing the farming). The refuges would have farmed only
fields that were receiving moderate-to-high goose use. Refuge farming
program costs would have increased and goose use would have likely
decreased.
This alternative would have created the opportunity to restore
approximately 1,564 acres of cropland to native habitat over the next
15 years, since the amount of farmland would be reduced. However, the
fields to be restored would have likely lain fallow, open to nonnative
plant introduction, while awaiting staff time and funding for
restoration.
Wildlife observation and interpretation would have continued to be
emphasized as the cornerstone of the

[[Page 9692]]

public use program. About a third to half as many new observation
facilities (trails, viewing overlooks, etc.) would have been added as
under Alternative 2, due to staffing and funding resources being
directed toward refuge farming activity. The current area closed to
public access on all three refuges would have remained closed, in order
to provide sanctuary during the wintering waterfowl season, except for
the proposed change at Snag Boat Bend as described in Alternative 2
above. Fishing access to the Willamette River would have been provided
through a canoe launch at Snag Boat Bend Unit; however, bank fishing
access would not have been provided.
Deer hunting, threatened and endangered species management,
environmental education, elk management, cultural resources, subsequent
land protection planning, and conservation partnership activity would
have occurred as under Alternative 2.

Comments

We solicited comments on the draft CCP/EA from May 25, 2011, to
June 24, 2011 (76 FR 30382; May 25, 2011). A total of 27 separate
communications from 25 different commenters (two commenters submitted
two letters each) were received regarding the draft CCP/EA. To address
public comments, responsive changes and clarifications were made to the
final CCP where appropriate. These changes are summarized in the FONSI.

Selected Alternative

After considering the comments received, we have selected
Alternative 2 for implementation. The goals, objectives, and strategies
under Alternative 2 best achieve the purpose and need for the CCP while
maintaining balance among the varied management needs and programs.
Alternative 2 addresses the refuge purposes, issues, and relevant
mandates, and is consistent with principles of sound fish and wildlife
management.

Dated: October 20, 2011.
Robyn Thorson,
Regional Director, Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 2012-3759 Filed 2-16-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P