[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19920-19921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07531]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-R-2013-N265; BAC-4311-K9]
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, Chatham, MA; Draft
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and
environmental impact statement (EIS) for Monomoy National Wildlife
Refuge (NWR, refuge) for public review and comment. In this draft CCP/
EIS, we describe how we propose to manage the refuge for the next 15
years.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by June 9, 2014. We will hold public meetings during a 60-day public
comment period. In addition, we will use special mailings, newspaper
articles, internet postings, and other media announcements to inform
people of opportunities for input, including details on when and where
public meetings will occur.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments or requests for more information by any
one of the following methods:
Email: northeastplanning@fws.gov. Include ``Monomoy NWR
Draft CCP/EIS'' in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attention: Libby Herland, Project Leader, 978-443-
2898.
U.S. Mail: Attention: Libby Herland, Project Leader,
Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 73 Weir Hill
Road, Sudbury, MA 01776.
In-Person Drop Off: You may drop off comments during
regular business hours at the above address.
You will find the draft CCP/EIS, as well as information about the
planning process and a summary of the CCP, on the planning Web site:
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/monomoy/what_we_do/conservation.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Libby Herland, 978-443-4661, x 11.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Monomoy NWR,
which officially began on February 24, 1999, when we published a
Federal Register notice (64 FR 9166) announcing our intent to prepare a
CCP. The notice indicated that one draft CCP/EIS would be written for
all eight refuges in the Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex (refuge
complex), of which Monomoy NWR is a part. As our work got under way to
develop one CCP/EIS for eight refuges, we recognized that each had
distinct issues and management concerns, and it became apparent that
combining them all into one plan would prove too challenging. Thus, in
two separate Federal Register notices--one published on February 15,
2001 (66 FR 10506), and a second one published on December 13, 2004 (69
FR 72210)--we explained our intent to reorganize our CCP planning
effort for the eight refuges, including Monomoy NWR. For more
information about the initial steps of the planning process and the
history of this refuge, see the December 13, 2004, notice.
Background
The CCP Process
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-668ee) (Administration Act), requires us 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 (NWRS), 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, 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.
Each unit of the NWRS was established for specific purposes. We use
these purposes as the foundation for developing and prioritizing the
management goals and objectives for each refuge consistent with the
NWRS mission, and to determine how the public can use each refuge. The
planning process is a way for us and the public to evaluate management
goals and objectives that will ensure the best possible approach to
wildlife, plant, and habitat conservation, while providing for
wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities that are compatible with
each refuge's establishing purposes and the mission of the NWRS.
CCP Alternatives, Including Selected Alternative
The draft CCP/EIS, which includes detailed information about the
planning process, refuge resources, management issues, and management
alternatives considered and proposed, may be found on our Web site at
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/monomoy/what_we_do/conservation.html. There
are three refuge management alternatives considered in the draft CCP/
EIS; the Service's preferred alternative is detailed in the draft plan
as alternative B. The alternatives analyzed in detail include:
[[Page 19921]]
Alternative A: Current Management (No Action)
This alternative reflects current management, including activities
previously undertaken, or already planned or approved, and is the
baseline for comparing the other two alternatives. In addition to
actions identified as common to all, under alternative A, there would
be little or no change in our current refuge programs at Monomoy NWR.
We would initiate few, if any, new wildlife population, habitat, or
ecosystem management activities. No new public recreational
opportunities would be undertaken, and there would be no enhancements
to existing programs and opportunities. The Monomoy Wilderness would
continue to be managed to protect wilderness character. The refuge
would continue its current operations and maintenance activities within
its current staffing and funding levels.
Alternative B: Enhanced Management of Habitat and Public Uses (Service-
Preferred Alternative)
Alternative B, in comparison to alternative A, represents an
extension and progression of all areas of refuge management. Under
alternative B, new biological program activities would be initiated.
Special emphasis would be placed on obtaining baseline data to increase
our knowledge of wildlife populations and habitats in this dynamic
coastal environment, enhance our ability to evaluate those resources in
a regional context, and anticipate the effects of climate change. The
new information would be used to develop the detailed step-down plans
proposed under this alternative. Wildlife and habitat surveys and
inventories would be prioritized to provide the data needed to evaluate
the effectiveness of refuge management, and to adapt management as
warranted, in order to achieve long-range refuge goals and objectives.
Under alternative B, new and existing compatible wildlife-dependent
recreational opportunities would be provided consistent with refuge
purposes for protecting migratory birds and wilderness character.
Special emphasis would be placed on providing enhanced, sustainable,
and compatible opportunities for all six priority wildlife-dependent
recreational uses defined in the Administration Act. Staffing would be
modestly increased to accommodate new programs and activities, and
proposed new visitor contact facilities would provide better access to
information and support quality educational and interpretive programs.
Alternative C: Natural Processes
Alternative C proposes less intensive management on all refuge
lands. It would be guided by a philosophy of allowing natural processes
and succession of habitats to progress, consistent with preserving
wilderness character, and to the extent that it does not compromise
refuge purposes and goals. Generally, wildlife and habitat management,
and inventories and monitoring efforts, would be reduced from those
planned under alternative A. We would manage the refuge visitor
services program with an emphasis on providing wildlife-dependent
recreation that uses hand tools and non-motorized equipment, protects
naturalness, and provides solitude or primitive, unconfined recreation.
Under all alternatives, the boundary of the refuge would be
modified to include an area on Nauset/South Beach, approximately 717
acres, that is within the Cape Cod National Seashore boundary, but
which accreted and joined the refuge's South Monomoy Island. With this
addition, the refuge comprises 8,321 acres. We would incorporate the
Nauset/South Beach addition into, and manage it consistent with, the
refuge's existing designated wilderness area.
Public Involvement
We will give the public an opportunity to provide input at public
meetings. You can obtain the schedule from the address or Web site
listed in this notice (see ADDRESSES). You may also submit comments
anytime during the public comment period.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email 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: March 5, 2014.
Deborah Rocque,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-07531 Filed 4-9-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P