[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18853-18856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7400]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R2-R-2012-N019; FXRS12610200000S3-123-FF02R06000]
Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, Liberty County, TX;
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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and an
environmental assessment (EA) for Trinity River National Wildlife
Refuge (Refuge, NWR), located approximately 50 miles northeast of
Houston, Texas, for public review and comment. The Draft CCP/EA
describes our proposal for managing the refuge for the next 15 years.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
May 4, 2012. We will announce upcoming public meetings in local news
media.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments or requests for copies or more
information by any of the following methods. You may request hard
copies or a CD-ROM of the documents. Please contact Stuart Marcus,
Refuge Manager, or Joseph Lujan, Natural Resource Planner.
Email: Joseph_Lujan@fws.gov. Include ``Trinity River NWR draft CCP
and EA'' in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attn: Joseph Lujan, 505-248-6803.
U.S. Mail: Joseph Lujan, Natural Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and
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Wildlife Service, NWRS Division of Planning, P.O. Box 1306,
Albuquerque, NM 87103.
In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: In-Person Drop-off: You may
drop off comments during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
at 500 Gold Street SW., 4th Floor, Room. 4305, Albuquerque, NM 87102.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stuart Marcus, Refuge Manager, Trinity
River NWR, CCP--Project, P.O. Box 10015, Liberty, TX 77575; phone: 936-
336-9786; fax: 936-336-9847.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for the Trinity River
NWR. We started this process through a notice in the Federal Register
(72 FR 45059; August 10, 2007).
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.
Background
The CCP Process
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 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.
Public Outreach
Formal scoping began with publication of a notice of intent to
prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment
(EA) in the Federal Register on August 10, 2007 (72 FR 45059). In
September 2008, a letter was sent to individuals at Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department (TPWD), formally inviting them to participate in
the development of the CCP. We received input from TPWD in January
2009, and have continued to involve them throughout the planning
process. Information sheets were sent to the public, and news releases
were sent to a variety of media outlets. The news release also aired on
KSHN 99.9 FM Radio in Liberty, Texas. Three public open house meetings
were held from November 30 through December 2, 2009. Additional written
comments were received prior to these open house meetings. The meetings
were held at three locations in the area, on three separate evenings. A
variety of stakeholders contributed feedback at the open house meetings
and via written comments; we used the feedback in development of the
CCP.
CCP Alternatives We Are Considering
During the public scoping process with which we started work on
this draft CCP, we, other governmental partners, Tribes, and the
public, raised multiple issues. Our draft CCP addresses them. A full
description of each alternative is in the EA. To address these issues,
we developed and evaluated the following alternatives, summarized
below.
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C--Optimal habitat
A--No action alternative B--Improved habitat management and public
Alternatives (current practices) management and public use (proposed action)
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 Conserve/restore Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B.
Conservation. bottomland hardwood plus use prescribed
forests. Restore native fire for resource
flora; reintroduce management and initiate
native fauna; manage baseline monitoring for
native nuisance flora/ flora and fauna.
fauna.
2. Invasive Flora/Fauna Remove exotic and Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B.
Management. invasive flora/fauna as plus develop invasive
resources permit; species strike team and
prevent reintroduction map ``hotspots'' to
of exotic and invasive prioritize management
flora/fauna as resources efforts.
permit.
3. Wetland Management............ Maintain the integrity of Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B.
water control structures/ plus conduct small-
levees; conduct water- scale restoration of
quality sampling and hydrological flow at
fish surveys. Champion Lake South
unit.
4. Land Acquisition.............. Acquire lands from Update Trinity River Same as Alternative B.
willing sellers within Floodplain Habitat
the approved acquisition Stewardship Program and
boundary on a case-by- Land Protection Plan to
case basis. update the acquisition
boundary; assign refuge
realty specialist to
Trinity River NWR.
5. Climate Change................ Plant trees to sequester Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B.
carbon; use ``green'' plus gather baseline
technologies wherever inventory and
possible, and recycle. monitoring data.
[[Page 18855]]
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 to
backed up by enforcement officers. 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 only, plus open one plus open one
for big game, upland additional unit for big additional unit for big
game, and waterfowl, as game hunting at game and upland game
is currently the case in Champion Lake South hunting at Palmetto
eight units. unit. unit.
2. Fishing....................... Direct visitors to Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B,
Champion Lake and plus direct visitors to plus direct visitors to
Pickett's Bayou. McGuire and Silver Lake Brierwood unit once
units when piers are pier is developed.
developed.
3. Wildlife Observation.......... Open refuge to wildlife Same as Alternative A Same as Alternative B,
observation; direct plus open one plus open one
visitors to eight public additional area at additional area at
use areas. Champion Lake South Palmetto unit.
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 public blind at Brierwood unit. blind at McGuire unit.
use areas.
5. Environmental Education....... Do not develop Develop off-refuge Same as Alternative B,
environmental education environmental education plus develop on-refuge
programs on the refuge. curricula, working with program, upon the
local schools to meet completion of the
State requirements. educational facility at
Champion Lake Public
Use Area.
6. Interpretation................ The refuge hosts two on- Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B,
refuge annual festivals, plus host approximately plus develop
on Earth Day and on Free 10 additional off- interpretive programs
Family Fishing Day; host refuge events, as at visitor center;
approximately six off- requested; develop and develop and provide
refuge annual events, provide self-guided kiosks in all areas
such as county jubilee interpretative with public use
and various public materials at Champion facilities.
speaking events. 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; establish Champion Lake South
only access on eight canoe/kayak launch site unit.
designated units; allow at Brierwood unit.
boating access on
Pickett's Bayou and
Champion Lake.
2. Public Use Facilities......... Maintain current limited Rehabilitate the Lodge Construct visitor center
facilities at Champion at Champion Lake Public adjacent to
Lake Public Use Area, Use Area, pave the road headquarters; construct
including fishing pier, at Champion Lake Public fishing piers at
butterfly garden, Use Area, and construct Brierwood unit;
parking, and portable fishing pier at McGuire construct full-service
toilet Seven other unit. bathroom at Champion
public use areas have Lake Public Use Area.
only one parking lot and
one photo blind each.
3. Administrative Facilities..... Maintain refuge-owned Construct a maintenance Rehabilitate the two-
headquarters and storage shop at Champion Lake room log cabin at
facility along FM 1011. equipment storage area. Champion Lake for use
for staff and volunteer
offices.
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Public Availability of Documents
In addition to using any methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or
obtain documents at the following locations:
Trinity River NWR Headquarters Office, 601 FM 1011,
Liberty, TX 77575, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
Our Web site: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/publicinvolvement.html.
The following public libraries:
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Library Address Phone No.
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Liberty Municipal Library.... 1710 Sam Houston 936-336-8901
Ave., 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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[[Page 18856]]
Submitting Comments/Issues for Comment
We consider comments substantive if they:
Question, with reasonable basis, the accuracy of the
information in the document;
Question, with reasonable basis, the adequacy of the
environmental assessment (EA);
Present reasonable alternatives other than those presented
in the EA; and/or
Provide new or additional information relevant to the
assessment.
Next Steps
After this comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and
address them in the form of a final CCP and finding of no significant
impact.
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.
Dated: January 31, 2012.
Joy E. Nicholopoulos,
Acting, Regional Director, Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-7400 Filed 3-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P