[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15121-15122]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6124]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2011-N262; FXRS12650400000S3-123-FF04R02000]
Final Land Protection Plan and Final Environmental Assessment for
Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our Final Land Protection Plan (LPP) and Final
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the recently established Everglades
Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Conservation Area in
Polk, Osceola, Highlands, and Okeechobee Counties, in central and south
Florida. The LPP and EA were prepared with input from Federal, State,
and local agencies; Native American tribal nations; various non-
governmental organizations; and the public. We established the refuge
and conservation area to support a connected conservation landscape; to
provide quality habitats for native wildlife diversity and at-risk
species; to enhance water quality, quantity, and storage; and to
provide opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the LPP and EA are available on CD or in hard
copy, and you may obtain a copy by writing to: Mr. Charlie Pelizza,
Refuge Manager, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, 4055 Wildlife
Way, Vero Beach, FL 32963. Alternatively, you may download the document
from our Internet Site: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/evergladesheadwaters.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Cheri M. Ehrhardt, Natural
Resource Planner, at 321/861-2368 (telephone), or Mr. Charlie Pelizza,
Refuge Manager, at 772/581-5557, extension 1 (telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In developing the LPP for the Everglades
Headwaters NWR and Conservation Area, we evaluated three alternatives
with different approaches to conservation within the Kissimmee River
Basin landscape.
Alternative A--No Refuge and No Conservation Area (No Action
Alternative)
Alternative A would represent no change from current conservation
in this landscape. In this alternative we would not create a new
refuge, no designated acquisition boundary would be developed, and no
conservation area would be created. Habitat protection and management
would continue by existing organizations and government programs. The
landscape within the Study Area boundary contains approximately 421,000
acres of conservation lands protected by agricultural easements;
private conservation organizations; and State, Federal, and municipal
ownership and management. We would not pursue new opportunities for
refuge-based wildlife-dependent public uses, partnerships, or
scientific research.
Alternative B--Refuge Only Approach
This alternative would propose an acquisition boundary of up to
50,000 acres containing portions of identified priority habitats; would
focus the bulk of the refuge within mostly contiguous areas; and would
complement existing State, Federal, and municipal conservation within
this landscape. We would use a suite of conservation tools to protect
land, including fee-title acquisitions and conservation easements. This
alternative would protect important wildlife habitat within the
landscape, serving both common and rare wildlife species. It would
offer opportunities for wildlife management, compatible wildlife-
dependent public uses, and new refuge-based partnerships and scientific
research. Public use opportunities would include hunting, fishing,
wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education
and interpretation.
Alternative C--Conservation Partnership Approach (Preferred
Alternative)
Alternative C is our Preferred Action; the alternative to be used
for implementation. Alternative C protects 150,000 acres, with up to
100,000 acres conserved through conservation easements or other less-
than-fee-title methods and up to 50,000 acres conserved through fee-
title and less-than-fee-title means. This alternative is considered to
be the most effective management action for serving the outlined
vision, purposes, and goals to enhance conservation in this Kissimmee
River Basin landscape. It will conserve up to 150,000 acres containing
portions of priority habitats. To best complement existing State,
Federal, and municipal conservation within this landscape, we
identified: (1) A Conservation Focal Area of approximately 130,000
acres, within which we will have the authority to acquire up to 50,000
acres for the refuge, and (2) a Conservation
[[Page 15122]]
Partnership Area, within which we will have the authority to acquire
less-than-fee-title interest of up to 100,000 acres as a Conservation
Area.
The Everglades Headwaters NWR and Conservation Area will help to
protect and restore one of the great grassland and savanna landscapes
of eastern North America, conserving one of the nation's prime areas of
biological diversity. It will also help to address the threats from
habitat fragmentation and urban development, altered ecological
processes, and impacts from global climate change. We will work with
willing landowners to create a 100,000-acre Conservation Area through
conservation easements or other less-than-fee-title means, and a
50,000-acre national wildlife refuge.
The authorities which established the Everglades Headwaters NWR and
Conservation Area are the National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act [16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(2)], Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1534), Emergency Wetlands Resources Act [16 U.S.C. 3901(b), 100
Stat. 3583], Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 715d), Fish and
Wildlife Act [16 U.S.C. 742f(a)(4)], and Refuge Recreation Act [16
U.S.C. 460k-460k-4].
Working with conservation land managers across this landscape, we
will: (1) Manage the refuge and work with the landowners participating
in the conservation area to support a more connected and functional
conservation landscape that will provide effective habitat connections
between existing conservation areas and allow habitats and species to
shift in response to urban development pressures and global climate
change; (2) provide a wide range of quality Kissimmee River Basin
habitats to support migratory birds, Federal- and State-listed species,
State-designated species of special concern, and native wildlife
diversity; (3) contribute to water quality, water quantity, and water
storage capacity of the upper Everglades watershed, to complement
Everglades restoration goals and objectives and water quality and
supply for central and south Florida; and (4) provide opportunities for
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation, while increasing knowledge
of and support for conservation of the important grassland and savanna
landscape of the headwaters of the Everglades.
Several uses were evaluated in the interim compatibility
determinations and determined to be compatible for the refuge. These
uses include hunting, fishing, environmental education and
interpretation, wildlife observation and photography, research, off-
road vehicle use (on designated roads and trails in support of hunting
and research), camping, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, and
grazing. We are working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission to establish a memorandum of understanding to create a State
wildlife management area for hunting on properties acquired for the
refuge.
On September 8, 2011, we published a Federal Register notice (76 FR
55699) announcing the proposed establishment of the Everglades
Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, and the
release for public review and comment of the Draft Land Protection Plan
and Draft Environmental Assessment in accordance with National
Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1506.6 (b)) requirements. On October
26, 2011, we published a Federal Register notice (76 FR 66321)
announcing the extension of the comment deadline to November 25, 2011.
Based on the documentation in the LPP and EA, we signed a Finding
of No Significant Impact and subsequently approved the establishment of
the Everglades Headwaters NWR and Conservation Area. Interim
compatibility determinations and a Conceptual Management Plan were
released with both the draft and final documents. The Conceptual
Management Plan will serve as an interim management plan until a
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and/or appropriate step-down management
plans have been developed.
Authority
This notice is published under the authority of the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105-57.
Dated: January 10, 2012.
Mark J. Musaus,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-6124 Filed 3-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P