[Federal Register: March 16, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 50)]
[Notices]
[Page 12895-12896]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16mr05-92]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan,
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, and Draft Wilderness Stewardship
Plan for Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) will make available copies of the Draft Comprehensive
Conservation Plan (CCP), Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),
and Draft Wilderness Stewardship Plan for the Cabeza Prieta National
Wildlife Refuge in Pima and Yuma Counties, Arizona, for public review
and comment. This draft CCP was prepared in compliance with the
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended
by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16
U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), and the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969. It describes how the Service intends to manage the Refuge over
the next 15 years.
DATES: Please submit written comments on the draft CCP on or before
June 14, 2005.
ADDRESSES: The draft CCP is available on a compact disk or as a hard
copy. To request a copy of the draft CCP please contact: Mr. John
Slown, Biologist/Conservation Planner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
National Wildlife Refuge System, Southwest Region, Division of
Planning, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103; please specify the
format you prefer. You may also access or download a copy of the draft
CCP at the following Web site address: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/Plan/index.html
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Slown, 505-248-7458; or e-
mail: john_slown@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Wildlife System Administration
Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act
of 1997, requires the Service to develop a CCP for each National
Wildlife Refuge.
The purpose in developing a CCP is to provide refuge managers with
a 15-year strategy 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 Service policies. In addition to outlining broad
management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, the CCP
identifies wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to
the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife
observation and photography, and environmental education and
interpretation.
Review of this project will be conducted in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508), other appropriate Federal laws and regulations, including the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement
[[Page 12896]]
Act of 1997, Executive Order 12996, and Service policies and procedures
for compliance with those regulations.
Background
Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1939 by
Executive Order to protect wildlife and forage resources of the Sonoran
Desert. In 1990 approximately 93 percent of the Refuge land area was
designated Federal Wilderness by the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of
1990.
The Refuge occupies approximately 860,010 acres of Sonoran Desert,
including mountains, broad desert, and bajadas. The Refuge and adjacent
Federal lands; including the Organ Pipe National Monument, managed by
the U.S. National Park Service, and the USAF Barry M. Goldwater Range
military training area; comprise the United States' range of the
Endangered Sonoran pronghorn. The desert bighorn sheep is another
species of conservation interest occurring on the Refuge.
The draft CCP and EIS propose and evaluate five management
alternatives for the Refuge. All management alternatives implement
recovery actions for the Endangered Sonoran pronghorn. The alternatives
differ primarily in the level of active management intervention
proposed to support the desert bighorn sheep. The first alternative is
``no action'' or continuance of current Refuge management. Under this
alternative, the Refuge would continue to offer a limited desert
bighorn sheep hunt each year in cooperation with the Arizona Game and
Fish Department. Refuge staff would continue to maintain and supply
supplemental water to exiting developed waters in desert bighorn sheep
habitat. The second alternative focuses on limiting management
interventions within Refuge wilderness. Under this alternative,
developed wildlife waters in sheep habitat within the Refuge wilderness
would not be maintained or supplied with supplemental water. The desert
bighorn sheep hunt would also be discontinued. The third alternative
includes limited management intervention in wilderness. Under this
alternative, the Refuge would supply supplemental water to developed
waters in sheep habitat within Refuge wilderness only during periods of
severe drought. The desert bighorn sheep would be continued, but no
hunting would be allowed during years of severe drought. The fourth
alternative, identified as the Service's proposed alternative, would
allow continued maintenance and water supply to existing developed
waters in sheep habitat within Refuge wilderness and would include
projects to increase the water collection efficiency of such waters.
The Refuge desert bighorn sheep hunt program would continue unchanged
under this alternative. The fifth alternative would include the maximum
management intervention within Refuge wilderness. Under this
alternative all existing developed waters in Refuge wilderness would be
maintained and supplied with water, and new developed waters would be
created. The desert bighorn sheep hunt program would continue unchanged
under this alternative.
Public Meetings
The Service will hold public meetings to present the draft CCP,
answer questions, and receive formal public comments in Yuma, Tucson,
Sells, and Ajo, Arizona, during the public comment period. The exact
location, time, and date of these meetings will be determined based on
logistic issues. Notice of the meetings will be posted in local
newspapers and other media outlets and given through mailings to
individuals and organizations that have expressed interest in this
planning effort.
Dated: March 4, 2005.
Domenick R. Ciccone,
Acting, Regional Director, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[FR Doc. 05-5145 Filed 3-15-05; 8:45 am]
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