[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13427-13428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5633]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-R-2010-N202; 80230-1265-0000-S3]
Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Santa Cruz County, CA;
Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant
Impact
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the Ellicott Slough
National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). In the CCP, we describe how we will
manage the Refuge for the next 15 years.
DATES: The CCP and FONSI are available now. The FONSI was signed on
September 29, 2010. Implementation of the CCP may begin immediately.
ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the final CCP and FONSI/EA
by any of the following methods. You may request a hard copy or CD-ROM.
Agency Web Site: Download a copy of the document(s) at http://www.fws.gov/sfbayrefuges/Ellicott/Ellicott_CCP.htm.
E-mail: fw8plancomments@fws.gov. Include ``Ellicott Slough CCP'' in
the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attn: Sandy Osborn, (916) 414-6497.
Mail: Pacific Southwest Region, Refuge Planning, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1832, Sacramento, CA 95825-1846.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call 510-792-0222 to make an
appointment during regular business hours at San Francisco Bay National
Wildlife Refuge Complex, 1 Marshlands Road, Fremont, CA 94536.
Local Library: The final document is also available at the
Watsonville Main Public Library, 275 Main Street, Suite 100,
Watsonville, CA 95076.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Osborn, Planning Team Leader, at
(916) 414-6503 (See ADDRESSES), or Diane Kodama, Refuge Manager, at
(510) 792-0222.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1975
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.), and the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C.
3901-3932). The nearly 300-acre Ellicott Slough National Wildlife
Refuge, located in Santa Cruz County, California, consists of three
noncontiguous units within the Watsonville Slough System. The Refuge
was established to protect the endangered Santa Cruz long-toed
salamander, and currently supports 2 of the 20 known breeding
populations of the salamander.
We announce our decision and the availability of the FONSI for the
final CCP for Ellicott Slough in accordance with National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements. We completed a
thorough analysis of impacts on the human environment, which we
included in the EA that accompanied the draft CCP.
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 opportunities for
hunting, fishing, 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 Administration
Act.
Our Draft CCP and Environmental Assessment (EA) were available for
a 30-day public review and comment period, which we announced via
several methods, including press releases, updates to constituents, and
a Federal Register notice (75 FR 44806, July 29, 2010). The Draft CCP/
EA identified and evaluated three alternatives for
[[Page 13428]]
managing the Refuge for the next 15 years.
Under Alternative A (No Action), management would continue
unchanged. Alternative B (the Selected Alternative) would standardize
the wildlife monitoring and surveying program; develop a habitat
management plan including an adaptive vegetation management plan;
assess contaminants and disease; pursue climate change modeling;
identify additional habitat for boundary expansion; continue planning
and redesign of a breeding pond; assess the need and plan for new
breeding ponds; develop habitat, mosquito, and water management plans,
and a visitor services plan; improve energy efficiency; develop a trail
system; expand the in-class environmental education program to other
schools; and expand on-site restoration education. Alternative C
includes all actions in Alternative B, and would expand natural
resource surveys, expand control of additional priority invasive
vegetation, identify buffer habitat for boundary expansion and
acquisition, remove invasive wildlife, reintroduce native plants
historically found on the Refuge, improve trail access, and improve
outreach to the community.
We received 10 letters on the Draft CCP and EA during the review
and comment period. Comments focused on mosquito control and listed
species management. We incorporated comments we received into the CCP
when appropriate, and we responded to the comments in an appendix to
the CCP. In the FONSI, we selected Alternative B for implementation.
The FONSI documents our decision and is based on the information and
analysis contained in the EA.
Under the selected alternative, the Refuge will achieve an optimal
balance of biological resource objectives and visitor services
opportunities. Habitat management and associated biological resource
monitoring will be improved. Visitor service opportunities will focus
on quality wildlife-dependent recreation with expanded environmental
education opportunities. In addition, interpretation, wildlife
observation, and photography programs will be improved and/or expanded.
The selected alternative best meets the Refuges' purposes, vision,
and goals; contributes to the Refuge System mission; addresses the
significant issues and relevant mandates; and is consistent with
principles of sound fish and wildlife management. Based on the
associated environmental assessment, this alternative is not expected
to result in significant environmental impacts and therefore does not
require an environmental impact statement.
Dated: March 7, 2011.
Alexandra Pitts,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento,
California.
[FR Doc. 2011-5633 Filed 3-10-11; 8:45 am]
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