[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3025-3026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00653]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2012-N218; FXRS12650400000S3-123-FF04R02000]
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge, FL; Final Comprehensive
Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for the
Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and
finding of no significant impact for the environmental assessment for
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Franklin and Gulf
Counties, Florida. In the final CCP, we describe how we will manage
this refuge for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the CCP by writing to Ms. Shelley
Stiaes via U.S. mail at St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box
447, Apalachicola, FL 32329. Alternatively, you may download the
document from our Internet site, http://southeast.fws.gov/planning,
under ``Final Documents.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Shelley Stiaes, at 850-653-8808
(telephone) or shelley_stiaes@fws.gov (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for St. Vincent NWR.
We started the process through a notice in the Federal Register on
April 8, 2009 (74 FR 16002). For more about the process, see that
notice.
St. Vincent NWR is located in Franklin and Gulf Counties along the
Gulf Coast of northwest Florida, approximately 60 miles from Panama
City and 80 miles from Tallahassee. St. Vincent NWR's approved
acquisition boundary is approximately 13,736 acres, with a current
management boundary of approximately 12,490 acres. The staff oversees
21 Farm Service Agency easements, totaling 1,625 acres in six counties.
The 12,490-acre refuge boundary includes two islands--St. Vincent
(12,358 acres) and Pig (46 acres). It also includes a mainland tract--
14 Mile Tract (86 acres).
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
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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.
Comments
We made copies of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and
Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) available for a 30-day public
review and comment period via a Federal Register notice on May 2, 2012
(77 FR 26035). We provided more than 125 copies of the Draft CCP/EA to
those individuals or organizations requesting a copy. A total of 12
individuals, organizations, and government agencies provided comments
by U.S. mail or email. Comments were received from many organizations,
including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission; University of South
Florida; Florida State University; Florida Department of Environmental
Protection; Florida Natural Areas Inventory; Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians; and Florida Department of
State, Division of Historical Resources; and several members of the
public.
CCP Alternatives, Including our Preferred Alternative
We developed three alternatives for managing the refuge
(Alternatives A, B, and C), with Alternative C selected for
implementation. This alternative will focus on a greater effort to
manage and protect the refuge's native and imperiled species. We will
continue to survey and monitor species of federal responsibility, such
as threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, and key native
species, but will also gain a better understanding of native species on
the refuge. Additional efforts will be made to protect and support
nesting for key species, as well as gain a better understanding of
population dynamics of some species. We will conduct evaluations to
determine if it is suitable to reestablish populations of the eastern
indigo snake, gopher tortoise, and eastern wild turkey on the refuge.
We will continue to manage lakes 1, 2, and 3 by seasonal draw-downs
to support the needs of shorebirds and wading birds. Lakes 4 and 5 will
continue to support deep water for a freshwater fisheries program, with
an occasional draw-down to manage vegetation within the system. Since
the purchase of the refuge, there has been minimal emphasis on timber
condition, so a forest habitat assessment will be conducted. The
management of exotic, invasive, and nuisance animals and plants will be
a focus, with emphasis on aggressively eradicating feral hogs.
Wildlife-dependent recreational uses of the refuge will be
expanded. We will allow hunting of white-tailed deer, sambar deer, and
raccoon. Fishing will consist of saltwater and freshwater
opportunities. Wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation will be enhanced to focus on
imperiled species, the unique barrier island history and ecosystem as
they relate to the coastal environment, and management style
incorporating climate change effects. We will enhance the environmental
education program to incorporate Florida Sunshine Standards, while
establishing guidelines for public programs. Vehicle tours that meet
management objectives will continue as long as we have sufficient staff
to support the program. In addition to the current staff, the following
positions will be added: assistant refuge manager, wildlife biologist,
maintenance worker, wildlife officer, visitor services specialist, and
boat operator. We will also add a wildlife biologist under the Student
Conservation Employment Program, continue our participation in the
Youth Conservation Corps, and explore Student Conservation Association
and AmeriCorps program opportunities.
We will continue to use volunteers and strive to build stronger
relationships with the Friends group and our partners to manage the
resources, support the Strategic Habitat Conservation initiative, and
the Landscape Conservation Cooperative. As climate change affects the
refuge, we will increase research of species and habitat changes to
support the best management decisions through adaptive management.
We have included compatibility determinations in the final CCP for
the following: (1) Hunting (Big Game); (2) Recreational Fishing; (3)
Environmental Education and Interpretation; (4) Wildlife Observation
and Photography; (5) Hiking, Jogging, Walking, and Bicycling; (6)
Boating (canoeing and kayaking); (7) Camping (associated with hunting);
(8) Firewood Gathering (associated with hunting); (9) General Research
and Scientific Collecting; and (10) Beach Use and Shelling.
Authority
This notice is published under the authority of the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et
seq.).
Dated: November 2, 2012.
Mark J. Musaus,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-00653 Filed 1-14-13; 8:45 am]
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