[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 82 (Monday, April 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25092-25093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09754]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-R-2013-N065; BAC-4311-K9-S3]
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Sussex County, DE; Record of
Decision for Final Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; final comprehensive conservation plan
and record of decision.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and
record of decision (ROD) for Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
We completed a thorough analysis of the environmental, social, and
economic considerations and presented it in our final CCP and
environmental impact statement (EIS), which we released to the public
on December 28, 2012. The ROD documents our decision to implement
alternative B, as described in the final CCP/EIS. The Regional
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Region, signed the
ROD on March 29, 2013. We will begin implementation of the CCP
immediately.
ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the final CCP and ROD by
any of the following methods:
Agency Web site: Download a copy of the document at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/Prime%20Hook/ccphome.html.
Email: Send requests to northeastplanning@fws.gov. Include ``Prime
Hook NWR'' in the subject line of your email.
U.S. Mail: Thomas Bonetti, Natural Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035.
Fax: Attention: Thomas Bonetti, 413-253-8468.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call 302-684-8419 to make an
appointment (necessary for view/pickup only) during regular business
hours at Prime Hook NWR, 11978 Turkle Pond Road, Milton, DE 19968.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Bonetti, Natural Resource
Planner, 413-253-8307 (phone); northeastplanning@fws.gov (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for Prime Hook NWR.
We began this process through a notice of intent in the Federal
Register (70 FR 60365) on October 17, 2005. On May 9, 2011, we
announced our decision to prepare an EIS in conjunction with the CCP,
rather than an environmental assessment (76 FR 26751). On May 31, 2012,
we released the draft CCP/EIS for public review and comments (77 FR
32131). We subsequently extended the public comment period (77 FR
47435) on August 8, 2012. We released the final CCP/EIS for public
review on December 28, 2012 (77 FR 76510).
In the draft and final CCP/EIS, we evaluated three alternatives for
managing the refuge and completed a thorough analysis of the
environmental, social, and economic considerations of each alternative.
Based on comments received on the draft CCP/EIS, we made minor
modifications to alternative B, the Service's preferred alternative in
the final CCP/EIS. During the public review period for the final CCP/
EIS, we did not receive any comments that raised significant new
issues, resulted in changes to our analysis, or warranted any further
changes to alternative B.
In accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR
1506.6(b)) requirements, this notice announces our decision to select
alternative B for implementation and the availability of the ROD and
final CCP for Prime Hook NWR. Alternative B, as described in the final
CCP, will guide our management and administration of the refuge over
the next 15 years.
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 NWR. The purpose for developing a CCP is to
provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge
purposes and goals and contributing to the mission of the National
Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). CCPs should be consistent with sound
principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal
mandates, and our policies, as well as respond to key issues and public
concerns. 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 Refuge Administration Act.
Prime Hook NWR
In 1963, Prime Hook NWR was established under the authority of the
Migratory Bird Conservation Act ``for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or
any other management purpose, expressly for migratory birds.'' It was
established primarily to preserve coastal wetlands as wintering and
breeding habitat for migratory waterfowl. The 10,144-acre refuge
stretches along the west shore of Delaware Bay and is located 22 miles
southeast of Dover, Delaware. Eighty percent of the refuge is tidal and
freshwater wetlands that flow into the Delaware Bay and surrounding
coastal marshes. The remaining 20 percent of the refuge consists of
upland habitats that abut intensive agricultural and residential
developments.
CCP Alternatives
During the scoping phase of the planning process, we identified the
following list of major issues based on input from the public, State or
Federal agencies, other Service programs, and our planning team:
Climate change, sea level rise, refuge marshes, habitat and wildlife
species management, mosquito control, hunting and other public uses,
and nuisance and invasive species control. We developed refuge
management alternatives to address these issues; help achieve refuge
goals, objectives, and purposes; and support the NWRS mission. Our
draft CCP/EIS (77 FR 32131) and final CCP/EIS (77 FR 76510) fully
analyze three alternatives for the future management of the refuge: (1)
Alternative A, Current Management; (2) Alternative B, Service-preferred
Alternative; and (3) Alternative C, Historic Habitat Management.
Alternative A satisfies the NEPA requirement of a ``No Action''
alternative. Both the draft and final plans identify alternative B as
the Service-preferred alternative. Please refer to the final CCP/EIS
for more details on each of the alternatives.
Basis for Selected Alternative
Our decision is to adopt alternative B, as described in the final
CCP. We provide a brief summary of our decision below. For the full
basis of our decision, please see the ROD (see ADDRESSES).
[[Page 25093]]
We determined that, compared to the other two alternatives,
alternative B includes the suite of actions that best meet the purpose
of, and need for, the CCP; achieve refuge purposes and goals;
contribute toward the mission of the NWRS; address the relevant issues,
concerns, and opportunities identified in the planning process; and
protect, preserve, and enhance natural resources on the refuge.
Alternative B is also consistent with the sound principles of fish and
wildlife and fulfills our statutory and regulatory guidance.
We believe that alternative B uses the most balanced and integrated
approach to refuge management, with due consideration for both the
biological and human environment. Alternative B will best fulfill the
refuge's biological goals, by emphasizing management for particular
Federal trust species and habitats that are of regional conservation
concern. Alternative B would also best restore the natural ecology and
hydrology of Prime Hook's barrier island and marsh system and provide
valuable ecosystem services, such as storm surge protection and flood
protection. Compared to the other alternatives, our proposal under
alternative B to restore refuge impoundments to healthy, self-
sustaining brackish marsh and salt marsh will encourage the conditions
most resilient to sea level rise; have sustainable, long-term benefits
to neighboring human communities; and provide valuable habitat for
waterfowl, songbirds, waterbirds, shorebirds, and other wildlife.
Alternative B will also best enhance visitor services by expanding
access to facilities and opening new trails for wildlife observation,
photography, interpretation, environmental education, hunting, and
fishing, and modifying the hunting program for greater administrative
efficiency.
In summary, we selected alternative B for implementation because it
provides the greatest opportunities for Prime Hook NWR to contribute to
the conservation of fish, wildlife, and habitat in the region; will
increase the capacity of the refuge to meet its purposes and contribute
to the NWRS mission; and will provide the means to better respond to
changing ecological conditions within the surrounding environment.
Public Availability of Documents
You can view or obtain the final CCP and ROD as indicated under
ADDRESSES.
Dated: April 19, 2013.
Sherry W. Morgan,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2013-09754 Filed 4-26-13; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P