[Federal Register: March 12, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 48)]
[Notices]
[Page 11905-11906]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12mr10-99]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R7-R-2009-N282; 70133-1265-0000-U4]
Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks, AK
AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed land exchange Yukon Flats
National Wildlife Refuge final environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we) announce
that the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for a Proposed
Land Exchange in the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge),
Alaska, is available for public review. We prepared this FEIS pursuant
to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and its
implementing regulations. The Service is furnishing this notice to
advise the public and other agencies of availability of the FEIS.
DATES: We will accept comments on the FEIS up to 30 days from the date
of publication of this Notice.
ADDRESSES: Information about the Refuge and the FEIS is available on
the internet at: http://yukonflatseis.ensr.com. You may view or
download a copy of the FEIS at this Web site. Copies of the FEIS may be
viewed at the Yukon Flats Refuge Office in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office in Anchorage, Alaska.
You may request a paper copy or a compact disk of the FEIS. Send your
comments or requests for more information by any of the following
methods.
E-mail: yukonflats_planning@fws.gov. Include ``Yukon Flats FEIS''
in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attn: Laura Greffenius, EIS Project Coordinator, (907) 786-
3965.
U.S. Mail: Laura Greffenius, EIS Project Coordinator, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, MS-231, Anchorage, AK 99503.
In-Person Drop-off: You may drop off comments during regular
business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Greffenius, EIS Project
Coordinator, phone (907) 786-3872.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Yukon Flats Refuge is located in eastern
interior Alaska. The exterior boundaries encompass about 11.1 million
acres, of which about 2.5 million acres are owned or selected by Native
corporations established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
of 1971 (ANCSA; 43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). The Refuge includes the Yukon
Flats, a vast wetland basin bisected by the Yukon River. The basin is
underlain by permafrost and includes a complex network of lakes,
streams, and rivers. The Refuge supports the highest density of
breeding ducks in Alaska, and includes one of the greatest waterfowl
breeding areas in North America.
Doyon, Limited (Doyon) is an Alaska Native Regional Corporation
established under ANCSA. Under the authority of ANCSA, Congress granted
to Doyon land entitlements within an area that later became the Yukon
Flats National Wildlife Refuge in 1980. Doyon has ownership interests
in nearly 2 million acres within the boundaries of the Refuge,
including the surface and subsurface estates of 1.15 million acres of
land, and the subsurface estate of another 782,000 acres. An additional
56,500 acres remain to be allocated by Doyon to Village Corporations
located in the Refuge; Doyon would own the subsurface to these lands.
Doyon is owned by over 14,000 Alaska Natives (Native Americans) with
ties to a large portion of interior Alaska. Approximately 1,300 people
reside in nine communities in or near the Yukon Flats Refuge. Most
residents are Alaska Natives and many are Doyon shareholders.
Negotiators for Doyon and the Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska
Region, agreed in principle to exchange certain lands within the
Refuge. Under the agreement, the United States (U.S.) would convey to
Doyon the title to Refuge lands that may hold developable oil and gas
resources. In exchange, Doyon would convey to the U.S. lands owned by
Doyon within the Refuge boundary. These lands include wetlands
previously identified by the Service as priority fish and wildlife
habitats. In addition, both parties agreed in principle to exchange
nearly six townships (132,000 acres each) to consolidate ownerships and
facilitate land management within the Refuge. All lands acquired by the
U.S. would be managed as part of the Yukon Flats Refuge. Activities on
Doyon-owned lands are not subject to regulation by the Service.
At the request of Doyon and the public, the Service prepared a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to evaluate the effects of
the exchange, in accordance with procedures for implementing the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370d).
The DEIS evaluates a range of reasonable alternatives, including the
following four alternatives: Proposed Action: Equal-value land exchange
(based on fair market appraisals) as described in the Agreement in
Principle (for the full text of the Agreement, see Appendix A of the
DEIS or the project Web site at http://yukonflatseis.ensr.com/yukon_
flats/documents_other.htm). Under Phase I of this agreement, Doyon
would receive about 110,000 acres of Refuge lands with oil and gas
potential and 97,000 acres of oil and gas interests (no surface
occupancy). In exchange, the U.S. would receive from Doyon a minimum of
150,000 acres with lowland fish and wildlife habitats. The actual
amount of land received from Doyon would be more than 150,000 acres if
appraisals indicate more lands are needed to equal the value of the
Service lands. In addition, Doyon would reallocate 56,500 acres of its
remaining land entitlement under Section 12(b) of ANCSA to areas
outside the Refuge. Both parties would pursue additional township-level
exchanges to consolidate ownerships. If Doyon were to produce oil or
gas on lands acquired in the exchange, under Phase II of the Agreement
the Service would receive a perpetual production payment equal to 1.25%
of the value at the wellhead to be used to: (1) Purchase from Doyon up
to 120,000 acres of additional lands or interests therein, within the
Refuge, (2) purchase land or interests therein, from other willing
sellers in other national wildlife refuges in Alaska, or to (3)
construct facilities in Alaska Refuges.
Alternative 1: Land exchange with non-development easements. The
land exchange would proceed as described in Phase I under the Proposed
Action above. In addition, at the time of the initial exchange, Doyon
would donate to the U.S. non-development easements that preclude
development on up to 120,000 acres of Doyon-owned lands. Rather than
selling these lands to the U.S. in Phase II (as provided for in the
Proposed Action), Doyon would donate the non-development easements
whether or not oil and gas is produced from the exchange lands. If
Doyon were to produce oil or gas on lands received in the exchange, the
U.S. would receive a perpetual production payment of 0.25% of the
resource value at the wellhead rather than 1.25% as provided under the
Proposed Action.
Alternative 2: Land exchange excluding White-Crazy Mountains. The
Yukon Flats Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact
Statement recommended Wilderness designation for a 658,000 acre area in
the White-Crazy Mountains. Under the Proposed Action and
[[Page 11906]]
Alternative 1, Doyon would receive title to about 26,500 acres of this
land; under Alternative 2, these 26,500 acres would be excluded from
the exchange. In Phase I of the exchange, Doyon would receive title to
approximately 83,500 acres of Refuge lands (surface and subsurface) and
105,000 acres of oil and gas interests. About 21,000 acres of the
latter would be within the area proposed for Wilderness designation.
However, only off-site drilling would be allowed; there would be no
surface occupancy by Doyon. From Doyon, the U.S. would receive title to
a minimum of 115,000 acres, but the actual amount could be adjusted
upward to equalize values. The land consolidation exchange and 12(b)
reallocation provisions of Phase I would proceed as detailed in the
Agreement in Principle. Phase II of the exchange would proceed as
detailed in the Agreement, however Doyon's commitment to sell
additional lands to the U.S. would be reduced from about 120,000 acres
to about 81,000 acres. Potential access rights-of-way would cross the
proposed White-Crazy Mountains Wilderness Area. If Doyon were to
produce oil or gas on the lands received in the exchange, the Service
would receive a perpetual production payment equal to 1.25% of the
value at the wellhead.
Alternative 3: No action (no exchange). The U.S. would not enter
into a land exchange with Doyon. This is the preferred alternative in
the FEIS based on public comments received on the draft and our
analysis.
Public Availability of Comments
All public comments we receive, including those from individuals,
become part of the public record, and are available to the public upon
request. Therefore, before including your name, address, phone number,
e-mail 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: February 4, 2010.
Geoffrey L. Haskett,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2010-3231 Filed 3-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P