[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 184 (Monday, September 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58340-58342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23107]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R6-R-2013-N158; FXRS1265066CCP0-134-FF06R06000]
Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Lincoln County, WY;
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; announcement of meeting; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce
that our draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental
assessment (EA) for the Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
(Refuge) is available for public review and comment. The draft CCP/EA
describes how the Service intends to manage this Refuge for the next 15
years. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to
advise the public, other Federal and State agencies, and Tribes of the
availability of the draft CCP/EA and to solicit comments.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
on the draft CCP/EA by October 21, 2013. Submit comments by one of the
methods under ADDRESSES. We will hold a public meeting; see Public
Meeting under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for the date, time, and
location.
ADDRESSES: Send your comment or requests for more information by any of
the following methods.
Email: seedskadee@fws.gov. Include ``Cokeville Meadows NWR Draft
CCP and EA'' in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attn: Bernardo Garza, 303-236-4792.
U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Refuge
Planning, P.O. Box 25486, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225.
In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Call 303-236-4377 to make
an appointment (necessary for view/pickup only) during regular business
hours at 134 Union Boulevard, Suite 300, Lakewood, CO 80228.
Document Request: A copy of the CCP/EA may be obtained by writing
to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Refuge Planning, 134
Union Boulevard, Suite 300, Lakewood, CO 80228; or by download from
http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/planning.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernardo Garza, 303-236-4377, (phone)
or bernardo_garza@fws.gov (email); or David C. Lucas, 303-236-4366
(phone), P.O. Box 25486, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225-0486.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for the Cokeville
Meadows NWR. We started this process through a notice in the Federal
Register (74 FR 57328; November 5, 2009). This notice complies with our
CCP policy to (1) advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and
the public of the availability of the draft CCP/EA for this refuge and
(2) to obtain comments on the information provided in the draft CCP/EA.
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 unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System
(Refuge System). The purpose for developing a CCP is to provide refuge
managers with a 15-year plan for achieving the purposes for which their
refuge was established and contributing toward the mission of the
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 Refuge
Administration Act.
The Refuge
Cokeville Meadows NWR was established in 1993 for the conservation
of the wetlands of the nation, in order to maintain the public benefits
they provide and to help fulfill international obligations contained in
various migratory bird treaties and conventions, as well as for use as
an inviolate sanctuary for migratory birds. This refuge is bisected
throughout its length by the Bear River and contains a mosaic of wet
meadows and cattail/bulrush sloughs. Many of these wetlands were
originally created and maintained by agricultural practices. The shrub-
steppe uplands are dominated by sagebrush and a combination of grasses
typical of the arid West. Cokeville Meadows NWR provides nesting
habitat for at least 32 water bird species; if developed, these
habitats could provide suitable nesting habitat for more migratory bird
species, including the trumpeter swan, a species of management concern.
Refuge habitats also provide important habitat for resident species.
Greater sage grouse use upland sagebrush areas for nesting, while
riparian areas provide important feeding sites for their broods and a
variety of neotropical migratory birds. Big game, including antelope,
mule deer, and elk, also utilize Refuge habitats.
Public Outreach
We started the CCP for the Cokeville Meadows NWR in early November
2009, by inviting the Wyoming Game, Fish and Parks Department and 12
Native American tribal governments to participate in the planning
process. The planning team was assembled in late November during the
CCP Kickoff Meeting. We developed a mailing list and sent a planning
update to all individuals and groups on that list. The planning update
included basic information on the Refuge, the planning process, how the
public could provide comments and become involved in the planning
process, and the dates, times, and places of the two public meetings we
held in public venues in two communities near the Refuge (also in
November). At that time and throughout the process, we requested public
comments and considered and incorporated them in numerous ways.
Comments we received cover topics such as invasive plant control on
refuge lands, opening the refuge to hunting and fishing opportunities,
improvement of the water quality and fisheries in the Bear River,
public access to the Refuge, and the Refuge habitats' management tools
(e.g., grazing, haying, farming, water flooding, etc.). We have
considered and evaluated all of these comments, with many incorporated
into the various alternatives addressed in the draft CCP and the EA.
[[Page 58341]]
CCP Alternatives We Are Considering
During the public scoping process with which we started work on
this draft CCP, we, State of Wyoming wildlife officials,
representatives of the City of Cokeville, the Lincoln County Planning
Department, the Bureau of Land Management, and the public raised
several issues. Our draft CCP addresses them. A full description of
each alternative is in the EA. To address these issues, we developed
and evaluated the following alternatives, summarized below.
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Alternative B: Alternative D:
Alternative A: Hydrology and Alternative C: Landscape-level
Current management Habitat Resource management
(No action) Restoration enhancement (Proposed action)
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Public Access to Refuge Lands to Refuge remains The Refuge: Same as Same as
Engage in Wildlife-Dependent closed to public Maintains the Alternative B. Alternative C.
Public Uses. access except for existing open Plus: Plus:
information areas;. Refuge staff seeks Refuge staff
kiosk, walking Opens new access partners to expands
trail at Netherly points and areas restore Bear partnerships
Slough and of the refuge to River riparian throughout
headquarters, and migratory bird, corridor to Wyoming's Bear
to opportunistic, big and small improve the River watershed
staff-guided, game hunting, and river's water and to improve
environmental fishing;. fisheries habitats and
education Seeks to provide quality.. movement
programs. self-guided corridors for
interpretive wildlife and
opportunities;. fishes.
Provides
information
wildlife
observation and
photography
opportunities..
Habitat and Wildlife Management. Continue current Haying and grazing Upland habitats Same as
levels of used to manage are managed and Alternative C.
irrigation, refuge habitats. restored to
haying, and Agricultural crops increase wildlife
grazing to manage used solely as a productivity and
refuge habitats. tool to diversity.
reestablish Wet meadow and
native habitats. wetland habitats
Consider removing are managed with
water management water diversions
infrastructure to from the Bear
replace current River..
irrigation with Agricultural
overbank flooding practices are
during river high geared to enhance
flows to manage refuge habitats
wet meadow and for wildlife..
wetland habitats.
Monitoring and Research......... Maintain Same as Same as Same as
partnerships on Alternative A. alternative A, Alternative C,
limited and but in more plus the refuge:
opportunistic programmatic Expands
monitoring of fashion. Plus the partnerships to
wildlife staff: include new
populations, Pursues funding partners
habitats and and research throughout
water quality opportunities Wyoming's Bear
conditions. with higher River watershed.
Continue education
permitting institutions;.
research Actively seeks new
activities when partners to
compatible with enhance its
refuge purposes. monitoring
capabilities..
Invasive Species................ Continue Same as Same as Same as
coordinating and Alternative A. Alternative B. Alternative B.
working with the Plus the staff: Plus:
Lincoln County to Works with The staff expands
monitor and cooperators to its involvement
control treat address invasive and partnerships
invasive plants aquatic species to control
through throughout Bear invasive species
integrated pest River watershed.. throughout
management, Works with Wyoming's Bear
including partners to River watershed.
chemical, control carp, and
biological, and improve water
mechanical quality on refuge
methods. wet meadow and
riverine habitats.
Wildlife Disease, Crop Continue work with The refuge Same as Same as
Depredation, and Wildlife the State to establishes hunt Alternative B. Alternative B.
Damage to Private Property. separate elk herd program which
from cattle on would alleviate
refuge lands to wildlife and
keep wildlife cattle comingling
diseases from and crop
domestic cattle. depredation
Continue to grow issues.
small grain crops
on refuge lands
to keep migratory
birds from
depredating on
private crops..
[[Page 58342]]
Funding, Staffing, Refuge to remain Staffing and Same as Same as
Infrastructure, and unmanned. funding would Alternative B. Alternative B.
Partnerships. No new or added need to be
vehicles, expanded to:
infrastructure or Carry out the
equipment. plan;.
Replace them only Build and maintain
as needed.. access roads,
Current staffing auto tour route,
and funding will and parking
preclude pursuing facilities;.
new partnerships.. Maintain existing
and establish new
partnerships..
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Public Meeting
Opportunity for public input will be provided at the following
public open house meeting.
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Date Time Location
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September 26, 2013............ 5:30-7:30 p.m.... Cokeville High
School, Auditorium,
435 Pine Street,
Cokeville, WY 83114.
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Next Steps
After the public reviews and provides comments on the draft CCP and
EA, the planning team will present this document, along with a summary
of all substantive public comments, to the Regional Director. The
Regional Director will consider the environmental effects of each
alternative, including information gathered during public review, and
will select a preferred alternative for the draft CCP and EA. If the
Regional Director finds that no significant impacts would occur, the
Regional Director's decision will be disclosed in a finding of no
significant impact included in the final CCP. If the Regional Director
finds a significant impact would occur, an environmental impact
statement will be prepared. If approved, the action in the preferred
alternative will compose the final CCP.
Public Availability of Comments
All public comment information provided voluntarily by mail, by
phone, or at meetings (e.g., names, addresses, letters of comment,
input recorded during meetings) becomes part of the official public
record. If requested under the Freedom of Information Act by a private
citizen or organization, the Service may provide copies of such
information.
Authority
The environmental review of this project will be conducted in
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); NEPA
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508, 43 CFR Part 46); other appropriate
Federal laws and regulations; Executive Order 12996; the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997; and Service policies
and procedures for compliance with those laws and regulations.
Dated: August 20, 2013.
Noreen Walsh,
Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-23107 Filed 9-20-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P