[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 947-948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-176]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-R-2015-N216; BAC-4333-99]
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Wallops Island National
Wildlife Refuge, Accomack County, VA; 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.
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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 Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
(NWR) and Wallops Island NWR. We prepared this ROD 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 our decision and of the availability of the ROD.
DATES: The ROD was signed on November 6, 2015.
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/refuge/Chincoteague/what_we_do/conservation.html.
Email: Send requests to northeastplanning@fws.gov. Include
``Chincoteague 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.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Visit during regular business hours at
refuge headquarters, 8231 Beach Road, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336.
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 Chincoteague NWR
and Wallops Island NWR. We began this process through a notice of
intent in the Federal Register (75 FR 57056) on September 17, 2010. For
more about the initial process and the history of the refuges, see that
notice. On May 15, 2014, we announced the release of the draft CCP/
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to the public and requested
comments in a notice of availability in the Federal Register (79 FR
27906). We subsequently extended the public comment period in another
notice in the Federal Register (79 FR 41300) on July 15, 2014. We
released the final CCP/EIS for public review on September 11, 2015 (80
FR 54799).
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 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
Chincoteague NWR and Wallops Island NWR. The final CCP will guide our
management and administration of the refuges over the next 15 years.
Background
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 (Refuge System). 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.
CCP Alternatives
During the scoping phase of the planning process, we identified
issues and concerns based on input from the public, State or Federal
agencies, other Service programs, and our planning team. We developed
refuge management alternatives to address issues; help achieve refuge
goals, objectives, and purposes; and support the Refuge System mission.
Our draft CCP/EIS (79 FR 27906) and final CCP/EIS (80 FR 54799) fully
analyze three alternatives for the future management of the refuge: (1)
Alternative A, Current Management; (2) Alternative B, Balanced
Approach; and (3) Alternative C, Reduced Disturbance. 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).
The decision to adopt alternative B for implementation was made
after considering the follow factors: (1) The impacts identified in
Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences, of the draft and final CCP/EIS;
(2) The results of public and agency comments; (3) How well the
alternative achieves the stated purpose and need for a CCP and the
seven goals presented in the final CCP/EIS chapter 1; (4) How well the
alternative addresses the relevant issues, concerns, and opportunities
identified in the planning process; and (5) Other relevant factors,
including fulfilling the purposes for which the refuge was established,
contributing to the mission and goals of the Refuge System, and
statutory and regulatory guidance.
Compared to the other two alternatives, alternative B includes the
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suite of actions that best meet the factors above using the most
balanced and integrated approach, and with due consideration for both
the biological and human environment. Alternative B will best fulfill
the CCP's biological goals, by managing for particular Federal trust
species and habitats that are of regional conservation concern. It
clearly defines which Federal trust species and habitat will be a
management priority in both uplands and wetlands, and details specific
objectives and strategies for their management. The refuge's
establishment purposes emphasize the conservation of migratory birds;
thus, protecting the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental
health of Chincoteague NWR and its habitat and wildlife, particularly
migratory birds, is paramount.
In summary, we selected alternative B for implementation because it
best meets the factors identified above when compared to alternatives A
and C. Alternative B provides the greatest number of opportunities for
Chincoteague NWR and Wallops Island NWR to contribute to the
conservation of fish, wildlife, and habitat in the Region, will
increase the capacity of the refuges to meet their purposes and
contribute to the Refuge System 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: December 9, 2015.
Wendi Weber,
Regional Director, Northeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-176 Filed 1-7-16; 8:45 am]
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