80_FR_25042 80 FR 24958 - Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana; Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment

80 FR 24958 - Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana; Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 84 (May 1, 2015)

Page Range24958-24960
FR Document2015-10298

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a ``Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, for public review and comment. In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe the alternative we propose to use to manage this refuge for the 15 years following approval of the final CCP.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 84 (Friday, May 1, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 84 (Friday, May 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24958-24960]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10298]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-R-2014-N198; FXRS12650400000S3-123-FF04R02000]


Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana; Draft 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of a ``Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 
Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Cat Island National 
Wildlife Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, for public review 
and comment. In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe the alternative we 
propose to use to manage this refuge for the 15 years following 
approval of the final CCP.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments 
by June 1, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the Draft CCP/EA by contacting Kent 
Ozment, Wildlife Refuge Specialist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Lower Mississippi River Refuge Complex, 21 Pintail Ln. 89, Natchez, MS 
39165. Alternatively, you may download the document from our Internet 
site at http://southeast.fws.gov/planning under ``Draft CCP 
Documents.'' Comments on the Draft CCP/EA may be submitted to the above 
postal address or by email to Kent Ozment at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Ozment, Natural Resource Planner, 
(601) 442-6696 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, we continue the CCP 
process for Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) started through a 
notice in the Federal Register on October 22, 2013 (78 FR 62648). For 
more about the refuge and our CCP process, please see that notice.
    Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in October 
2000, as the 526th refuge in the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is 
located in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, near the town of St. 
Francisville, 25 miles north of Baton Rouge. The refuge currently 
encompasses 10,473 acres of bottomland hardwood forest, baldcypress-
tupelo swamp, and shrub-scrub swamps. The Congressionally approved 
acquisition boundary encloses 36,500 acres.
    Cat Island NWR is part of the Lower Mississippi River Ecosystem and 
is located on the southeastern edge of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley 
(MAV) Bird Conservation Region, which is incorporated into the Gulf 
Coastal Plans and Ozarks Landscape Conservation Cooperative. The refuge 
provides high-quality habitat for many species of waterfowl, wading 
birds, Neotropical migratory songbirds, and resident game and fish, as 
well as threatened and endangered species and species of concern. The 
refuge contains a number of relict old-growth baldcypress trees, 
including the world's largest known individual of this species.

Background

The CCP Process

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 
(Improvement Act), requires us to develop a CCP for each national 
wildlife refuge. CCPs are developed 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, 
wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation. 
We will review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance 
with the Improvement Act.
    Priority resource issues addressed in the Draft CCP/EA include: 
Fish and Wildlife Population Management, Habitat Management, Resource 
Protection, Visitor Services, and Refuge Administration.

CCP Alternatives, Including Our Proposed Alternative (B)

    We developed three alternatives for managing the refuge 
(Alternatives A, B, and C), with Alternative B as our proposed 
alternative. A full description of each alternative is in the Draft 
CCP/EA. We summarize each alternative below.

Alternative A: Current Management (No Action)

    Under alternative A, Cat Island NWR would be managed as it has been 
in recent years. No new actions would be taken to manage Cat Island 
NWR, or improve or otherwise change the refuge's habitats, wildlife, or 
public use. Programs that have been ongoing in the past would continue. 
Certain monitoring activities would continue, including periodic 
migratory bird surveys. Maintenance of roads and public-use facilities 
would continue as presently conducted. Habitats would continue to be 
mostly passively managed, with actions taken only to provide for public 
safety or to avoid or mitigate damage to refuge resources. Current 
partnerships with the West Feliciana Parish Tourist Commission, 
Louisiana Hiking Club, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 
and others would continue as before. The refuge hunting, fishing, and 
non-consumptive uses would continue as presently constituted. Legal 
requirements for protection of natural and cultural resources would 
continue to be met.
    Acquisition of lands within the approved acquisition boundary would 
continue as before, contingent upon the availability of funding and 
appropriate lands offered by willing sellers. Law enforcement would 
continue to be a shared responsibility between the Service, the State 
of Louisiana, and the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office. The 
refuge would continue to be unstaffed, and funding for its operation 
would be restricted to funds generated by the sale of recreational use 
permits and occasional special project funding.

Alternative B: Active Resource Management (Proposed Alternative)

    Under this alternative, the refuge's natural resources would be 
managed to enhance habitats for priority species, including waterfowl 
and other migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, species 
of concern, and resident fish and wildlife. Additionally, consistent 
wildlife surveys would be conducted, using established protocols to 
establish baseline habitat conditions, estimate wildlife population 
indices, determine responses to management actions, and contribute to 
larger scale biological assessments. Invasive exotic and nuisance 
species would be actively managed to minimize their impacts on refuge 
resources. The refuge forests would be actively managed to enhance 
wildlife habitat. Aquatic habitats on the refuge would be inventoried 
and

[[Page 24959]]

assessed and, where feasible, access to them would be improved for 
recreational anglers.
    The refuge cultural resources would continue to be protected as 
they have been in the past. In addition, the refuge would seek funding 
to survey and catalog cultural resources on the refuge. Protection of 
cultural resources would be integrated into refuge planning at all 
levels, and management actions would be reviewed in order to avoid or 
mitigate impacts to cultural resources.
    Under the proposed alternative, public use would be more actively 
managed by refuge staff. Hunting and fishing would continue to be 
managed and made available with the active partnership of the Louisiana 
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. More law enforcement personnel 
hours would be allocated by the Service for Cat Island NWR. New 
partnerships with organizations interested in promoting non-consumptive 
refuge use would be sought, and existing ones strengthened. In 
particular, environmental education opportunities would be enhanced by 
active participation of Service personnel with local schools and 
nonprofit organizations.
    As under alternative A, acquisition of lands within the approved 
acquisition boundary would continue as before under the proposed 
alternative, contingent upon the availability of funding and 
appropriate lands offered by willing sellers. The refuge infrastructure 
would be maintained as in the past. The refuge would seek to improve 
access via the main refuge road and various trails. Efforts would be 
made to provide access to the northeast section of the refuge, and 
access via Cat Island Road would be pursued. The refuge would hire or 
assign staff to the refuge. Staff may include one or more of the 
following: A Refuge Manager, a Volunteer Coordinator, an Equipment 
Operator, a Law Enforcement Officer, a Forester, and a Biologist. Any 
or all of these may be shared positions among refuges in the Lower 
Mississippi River Refuge Complex.

Alternative C: Full Resource Management With Enhanced Public Use

    Under this alternative, as with alternative B, the refuge's natural 
resources would be actively managed to enhance priority species 
habitats. A full inventory and monitoring program, including vegetation 
mapping and plant and wildlife surveys, would be instituted under a new 
Inventory and Monitoring Plan. Monitoring activities would be conducted 
by refuge staff, with the assistance of volunteers and partners. An 
aggressive approach would be taken to control invasive plants and 
animals, particularly feral hogs. Trapping and shooting by refuge staff 
and/or contractors would be systematically implemented with the goal of 
keeping populations at levels that do not pose a significant risk to 
refuge resources. Forests on the refuge would be assessed according to 
a stand-entry table, and appropriate silvicultural treatments would be 
applied to achieve the habitat conditions described by the Lower 
Mississippi Valley Joint Venture Forest Resource Conservation Working 
Group. Abandoned food plots along the main road would be evaluated for 
restoration to support nocturnal woodcock habitat. Refuge hydrology and 
aquatic habitats on the refuge would be fully assessed and feasible 
management actions to restore and enhance their ability to support a 
native recreational fishery and species of concern would be taken.
    The refuge cultural resources would be protected as required by law 
and described under alternative B; however, increased public outreach 
and law enforcement presence would be expected to reduce risks of 
illegal disturbance of cultural artifacts. Funding for cultural 
resource surveys and catalog efforts would be sought, and cultural 
resources would be integrated into all refuge management activities, 
including forest management and public use programs. Historical 
information about the refuge lands would be compiled and displayed.
    Public use under alternative C would be more strongly emphasized. 
While the refuge would continue to forge and develop partnerships, it 
would also develop independent capacity to manage public use. This 
capacity would include significant personnel resources focused on 
environmental education and interpretation, hunting and fishing, and 
promoting wildlife observation and photography. Dedicated law 
enforcement resources would be allocated to the refuge to focus on 
enhancing public safety and enforcing applicable laws and regulations. 
The refuge would, if feasible, maintain bank fishing areas adjacent to 
culverts along the main road and/or at the small pond.
    Connections to educational institutions in the nearby Baton Rouge 
metropolitan area would be strengthened, and public outreach would 
emphasize the role of conservation in supporting urban quality of life. 
The refuge would investigate the possibility of hosting an annual 
public event.
    The refuge infrastructure would be enhanced. Roads would be 
improved to reduce overall maintenance costs, particularly those that 
result from annual flooding. The refuge would evaluate the feasibility 
of building roadside boat launches for use during flooded conditions. 
The refuge would work with State of Louisiana and West Feliciana Parish 
to improve the access road to the refuge. New bridges would be 
constructed on roads and All-Terrain Vehicles/Utility Terrain Vehicle 
(ATV/UTV) trails where needed. ATV/UTV trails would be hardened where 
necessary and maintained annually. The refuge would evaluate the 
feasibility of upgrading the River Road ATV trail to support automobile 
traffic. The trail and boardwalk at the Big Cypress would be improved. 
Maintenance and infrastructure on the hiking trails would be improved. 
Abandoned camps along the Mississippi River would be removed, along 
with associated debris. The refuge would establish a presence in St. 
Francisville to house staff and serve as a focus for public outreach. 
The refuge would hire a core staff team to include a Refuge Manager, a 
Park Ranger/Volunteer Coordinator, a Law Enforcement Officer, a 
Forester or Biologist, and an Equipment Operator. One or more of these 
positions would be primarily assigned to Cat Island NWR, while others 
may be shared with other refuges in the complex. Full staffing level 
dedicated to the refuge is anticipated to be approximately 3-4 full-
time equivalents under this alternative.

Next Step

    After the comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and 
address them.

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.

Authority

    This notice is published under the authority of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
seq.).


[[Page 24960]]


    Dated: October 27, 2014.
Mike Oetker,
Acting Regional Director.

    Editorial Note:  This document was received for publication by 
the Office of Federal Register on April 28, 2015.
[FR Doc. 2015-10298 Filed 4-30-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-55-P



                                                  24958                             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Notices

                                                    Dated: April 23, 2015.                                Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, near the                 Alternative A: Current Management (No
                                                  Alexandra Pitts,                                        town of St. Francisville, 25 miles north              Action)
                                                  Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest             of Baton Rouge. The refuge currently                    Under alternative A, Cat Island NWR
                                                  Region, Sacramento, California.                         encompasses 10,473 acres of bottomland                would be managed as it has been in
                                                  [FR Doc. 2015–10067 Filed 4–30–15; 8:45 am]             hardwood forest, baldcypress-tupelo                   recent years. No new actions would be
                                                  BILLING CODE 4310–55–P                                  swamp, and shrub-scrub swamps. The                    taken to manage Cat Island NWR, or
                                                                                                          Congressionally approved acquisition                  improve or otherwise change the
                                                                                                          boundary encloses 36,500 acres.                       refuge’s habitats, wildlife, or public use.
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                                Cat Island NWR is part of the Lower                 Programs that have been ongoing in the
                                                                                                          Mississippi River Ecosystem and is                    past would continue. Certain
                                                  Fish and Wildlife Service                               located on the southeastern edge of the               monitoring activities would continue,
                                                  [FWS–R4–R–2014–N198;                                    Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) Bird                including periodic migratory bird
                                                  FXRS12650400000S3–123–FF04R02000]                       Conservation Region, which is                         surveys. Maintenance of roads and
                                                                                                          incorporated into the Gulf Coastal Plans              public-use facilities would continue as
                                                  Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge,                    and Ozarks Landscape Conservation                     presently conducted. Habitats would
                                                  Louisiana; Draft Comprehensive                          Cooperative. The refuge provides high-                continue to be mostly passively
                                                  Conservation Plan and Environmental                     quality habitat for many species of                   managed, with actions taken only to
                                                  Assessment                                              waterfowl, wading birds, Neotropical                  provide for public safety or to avoid or
                                                                                                          migratory songbirds, and resident game                mitigate damage to refuge resources.
                                                  AGENCY:   Fish and Wildlife Service,                    and fish, as well as threatened and
                                                  Interior.                                                                                                     Current partnerships with the West
                                                                                                          endangered species and species of                     Feliciana Parish Tourist Commission,
                                                  ACTION: Notice of availability; request                 concern. The refuge contains a number
                                                  for comments.                                                                                                 Louisiana Hiking Club, Louisiana
                                                                                                          of relict old-growth baldcypress trees,               Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
                                                  SUMMARY:   We, the Fish and Wildlife                    including the world’s largest known                   and others would continue as before.
                                                  Service (Service), announce the                         individual of this species.                           The refuge hunting, fishing, and non-
                                                  availability of a ‘‘Draft Comprehensive                 Background                                            consumptive uses would continue as
                                                  Conservation Plan and Environmental                                                                           presently constituted. Legal
                                                  Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Cat                       The CCP Process                                       requirements for protection of natural
                                                  Island National Wildlife Refuge in West                   The National Wildlife Refuge System                 and cultural resources would continue
                                                  Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, for public                 Improvement Act of 1997 (Improvement                  to be met.
                                                  review and comment. In this Draft CCP/                  Act), requires us to develop a CCP for                  Acquisition of lands within the
                                                  EA, we describe the alternative we                      each national wildlife refuge. CCPs are               approved acquisition boundary would
                                                  propose to use to manage this refuge for                developed to provide refuge managers                  continue as before, contingent upon the
                                                  the 15 years following approval of the                  with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge              availability of funding and appropriate
                                                  final CCP.                                              purposes and contributing toward the                  lands offered by willing sellers. Law
                                                  DATES: To ensure consideration, we                      mission of the National Wildlife Refuge               enforcement would continue to be a
                                                  must receive your written comments by                   System consistent with sound                          shared responsibility between the
                                                  June 1, 2015.                                           principles of fish and wildlife                       Service, the State of Louisiana, and the
                                                  ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of                     management, conservation, legal                       West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office.
                                                  the Draft CCP/EA by contacting Kent                     mandates, and our policies. In addition               The refuge would continue to be
                                                  Ozment, Wildlife Refuge Specialist, U.S.                to outlining broad management                         unstaffed, and funding for its operation
                                                  Fish and Wildlife Service, Lower                        direction on conserving wildlife and                  would be restricted to funds generated
                                                  Mississippi River Refuge Complex, 21                    their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-               by the sale of recreational use permits
                                                  Pintail Ln. 89, Natchez, MS 39165.                      dependent recreational opportunities                  and occasional special project funding.
                                                  Alternatively, you may download the                     available to the public, including
                                                                                                                                                                Alternative B: Active Resource
                                                  document from our Internet site at                      opportunities for hunting, fishing,
                                                                                                                                                                Management (Proposed Alternative)
                                                  http://southeast.fws.gov/planning under                 wildlife observation, wildlife
                                                                                                          photography, and environmental                          Under this alternative, the refuge’s
                                                  ‘‘Draft CCP Documents.’’ Comments on
                                                                                                          education and interpretation. We will                 natural resources would be managed to
                                                  the Draft CCP/EA may be submitted to
                                                                                                          review and update the CCP at least                    enhance habitats for priority species,
                                                  the above postal address or by email to
                                                                                                          every 15 years in accordance with the                 including waterfowl and other
                                                  Kent Ozment at Kent_Ozment@fws.gov.
                                                                                                          Improvement Act.                                      migratory birds, threatened and
                                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent                                                                         endangered species, species of concern,
                                                                                                            Priority resource issues addressed in
                                                  Ozment, Natural Resource Planner,                                                                             and resident fish and wildlife.
                                                                                                          the Draft CCP/EA include: Fish and
                                                  (601) 442–6696 or Kent_Ozment@                                                                                Additionally, consistent wildlife
                                                                                                          Wildlife Population Management,
                                                  fws.gov.                                                                                                      surveys would be conducted, using
                                                                                                          Habitat Management, Resource
                                                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:     With this                Protection, Visitor Services, and Refuge              established protocols to establish
                                                  notice, we continue the CCP process for                 Administration.                                       baseline habitat conditions, estimate
                                                  Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge                                                                           wildlife population indices, determine
                                                  (NWR) started through a notice in the                   CCP Alternatives, Including Our                       responses to management actions, and
                                                                                                          Proposed Alternative (B)
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                                                  Federal Register on October 22, 2013                                                                          contribute to larger scale biological
                                                  (78 FR 62648). For more about the                         We developed three alternatives for                 assessments. Invasive exotic and
                                                  refuge and our CCP process, please see                  managing the refuge (Alternatives A, B,               nuisance species would be actively
                                                  that notice.                                            and C), with Alternative B as our                     managed to minimize their impacts on
                                                    Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge                   proposed alternative. A full description              refuge resources. The refuge forests
                                                  was established in October 2000, as the                 of each alternative is in the Draft CCP/              would be actively managed to enhance
                                                  526th refuge in the National Wildlife                   EA. We summarize each alternative                     wildlife habitat. Aquatic habitats on the
                                                  Refuge System. It is located in West                    below.                                                refuge would be inventoried and


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                                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Notices                                            24959

                                                  assessed and, where feasible, access to                 be taken to control invasive plants and               particularly those that result from
                                                  them would be improved for                              animals, particularly feral hogs.                     annual flooding. The refuge would
                                                  recreational anglers.                                   Trapping and shooting by refuge staff                 evaluate the feasibility of building
                                                     The refuge cultural resources would                  and/or contractors would be                           roadside boat launches for use during
                                                  continue to be protected as they have                   systematically implemented with the                   flooded conditions. The refuge would
                                                  been in the past. In addition, the refuge               goal of keeping populations at levels                 work with State of Louisiana and West
                                                  would seek funding to survey and                        that do not pose a significant risk to                Feliciana Parish to improve the access
                                                  catalog cultural resources on the refuge.               refuge resources. Forests on the refuge               road to the refuge. New bridges would
                                                  Protection of cultural resources would                  would be assessed according to a stand-               be constructed on roads and All-Terrain
                                                  be integrated into refuge planning at all               entry table, and appropriate silvicultural
                                                                                                                                                                Vehicles/Utility Terrain Vehicle (ATV/
                                                  levels, and management actions would                    treatments would be applied to achieve
                                                  be reviewed in order to avoid or                                                                              UTV) trails where needed. ATV/UTV
                                                                                                          the habitat conditions described by the
                                                  mitigate impacts to cultural resources.                 Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture                trails would be hardened where
                                                     Under the proposed alternative,                      Forest Resource Conservation Working                  necessary and maintained annually. The
                                                  public use would be more actively                       Group. Abandoned food plots along the                 refuge would evaluate the feasibility of
                                                  managed by refuge staff. Hunting and                    main road would be evaluated for                      upgrading the River Road ATV trail to
                                                  fishing would continue to be managed                    restoration to support nocturnal                      support automobile traffic. The trail and
                                                  and made available with the active                      woodcock habitat. Refuge hydrology                    boardwalk at the Big Cypress would be
                                                  partnership of the Louisiana Department                 and aquatic habitats on the refuge                    improved. Maintenance and
                                                  of Wildlife and Fisheries. More law                     would be fully assessed and feasible                  infrastructure on the hiking trails would
                                                  enforcement personnel hours would be                    management actions to restore and                     be improved. Abandoned camps along
                                                  allocated by the Service for Cat Island                 enhance their ability to support a native             the Mississippi River would be
                                                  NWR. New partnerships with                              recreational fishery and species of                   removed, along with associated debris.
                                                  organizations interested in promoting                   concern would be taken.                               The refuge would establish a presence
                                                  non-consumptive refuge use would be                        The refuge cultural resources would                in St. Francisville to house staff and
                                                  sought, and existing ones strengthened.                 be protected as required by law and                   serve as a focus for public outreach. The
                                                  In particular, environmental education                  described under alternative B; however,               refuge would hire a core staff team to
                                                  opportunities would be enhanced by                      increased public outreach and law                     include a Refuge Manager, a Park
                                                  active participation of Service personnel               enforcement presence would be                         Ranger/Volunteer Coordinator, a Law
                                                  with local schools and nonprofit                        expected to reduce risks of illegal
                                                  organizations.                                                                                                Enforcement Officer, a Forester or
                                                                                                          disturbance of cultural artifacts.
                                                     As under alternative A, acquisition of                                                                     Biologist, and an Equipment Operator.
                                                                                                          Funding for cultural resource surveys
                                                  lands within the approved acquisition                   and catalog efforts would be sought, and              One or more of these positions would be
                                                  boundary would continue as before                       cultural resources would be integrated                primarily assigned to Cat Island NWR,
                                                  under the proposed alternative,                         into all refuge management activities,                while others may be shared with other
                                                  contingent upon the availability of                     including forest management and public                refuges in the complex. Full staffing
                                                  funding and appropriate lands offered                   use programs. Historical information                  level dedicated to the refuge is
                                                  by willing sellers. The refuge                          about the refuge lands would be                       anticipated to be approximately 3–4
                                                  infrastructure would be maintained as                   compiled and displayed.                               full-time equivalents under this
                                                  in the past. The refuge would seek to                      Public use under alternative C would               alternative.
                                                  improve access via the main refuge road                 be more strongly emphasized. While the
                                                  and various trails. Efforts would be                    refuge would continue to forge and                    Next Step
                                                  made to provide access to the northeast                 develop partnerships, it would also                     After the comment period ends, we
                                                  section of the refuge, and access via Cat               develop independent capacity to                       will analyze the comments and address
                                                  Island Road would be pursued. The                       manage public use. This capacity would
                                                                                                                                                                them.
                                                  refuge would hire or assign staff to the                include significant personnel resources
                                                  refuge. Staff may include one or more of                focused on environmental education                    Public Availability of Comments
                                                  the following: A Refuge Manager, a                      and interpretation, hunting and fishing,
                                                  Volunteer Coordinator, an Equipment                     and promoting wildlife observation and                  Before including your address, phone
                                                  Operator, a Law Enforcement Officer, a                  photography. Dedicated law                            number, email address, or other
                                                  Forester, and a Biologist. Any or all of                enforcement resources would be                        personal identifying information in your
                                                  these may be shared positions among                     allocated to the refuge to focus on                   comment, you should be aware that
                                                  refuges in the Lower Mississippi River                  enhancing public safety and enforcing                 your entire comment—including your
                                                  Refuge Complex.                                         applicable laws and regulations. The                  personal identifying information—may
                                                                                                          refuge would, if feasible, maintain bank              be made publicly available at any time.
                                                  Alternative C: Full Resource
                                                                                                          fishing areas adjacent to culverts along              While you can ask us in your comment
                                                  Management With Enhanced Public Use
                                                                                                          the main road and/or at the small pond.               to withhold your personal identifying
                                                     Under this alternative, as with                         Connections to educational                         information from public review, we
                                                  alternative B, the refuge’s natural                     institutions in the nearby Baton Rouge                cannot guarantee that we will be able to
                                                  resources would be actively managed to                  metropolitan area would be                            do so.
                                                  enhance priority species habitats. A full               strengthened, and public outreach
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                                                  inventory and monitoring program,                       would emphasize the role of                           Authority
                                                  including vegetation mapping and plant                  conservation in supporting urban
                                                  and wildlife surveys, would be                          quality of life. The refuge would                       This notice is published under the
                                                  instituted under a new Inventory and                    investigate the possibility of hosting an             authority of the National Wildlife
                                                  Monitoring Plan. Monitoring activities                  annual public event.                                  Refuge System Improvement Act of
                                                  would be conducted by refuge staff,                        The refuge infrastructure would be                 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).
                                                  with the assistance of volunteers and                   enhanced. Roads would be improved to
                                                  partners. An aggressive approach would                  reduce overall maintenance costs,


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                                                  24960                             Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Notices

                                                   Dated: October 27, 2014.                               metalmark butterfly (Apodemia mormo                   dirt access roads to reach all of its
                                                  Mike Oetker,                                            langei), Antioch Dunes evening                        facilities on the Enrolled Property. Each
                                                  Acting Regional Director.                               primrose (Oenothera deltoides ssp.                    tower has an established work area that
                                                                                                          howellii), and Contra Costa wallflower                is utilized for maintenance and
                                                    Editorial Note: This document was                     (Erysimum capitatum var. angustatum)                  operation activities.
                                                  received for publication by the Office of
                                                  Federal Register on April 28, 2015.
                                                                                                          (collectively referred to as the Covered              Purpose
                                                  [FR Doc. 2015–10298 Filed 4–30–15; 8:45 am]             Species). No changes are proposed to
                                                                                                          the Agreement other than extending the                   The purpose of this Agreement is for
                                                  BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
                                                                                                          Enhancement of Survival Permit and                    the Service and the Applicant to
                                                                                                          associated Agreement for an additional                collaborate and implement conservation
                                                                                                          5 years.                                              measures for the Covered Species. The
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
                                                                                                                                                                Applicant has restored and maintained
                                                                                                          Availability of Documents                             suitable habitat within the Enrolled
                                                  Fish and Wildlife Service
                                                                                                            You may obtain a copy of the                        Property within the Antioch Dunes
                                                  [FWS–R8–ES–2015–N068; 81420–1113–                                                                             system, as specified in the Agreement.
                                                                                                          Agreement by contacting the individual
                                                  0000–F3]                                                                                                      Restoration actions have primarily
                                                                                                          named above. You may also make an
                                                                                                          appointment to view the document at                   involved controlling invasive plant
                                                  Extension of Pacific Gas and Electric
                                                                                                          the above address during normal                       species. The Applicant has allowed the
                                                  Safe Harbor Agreement for Interior
                                                                                                          business hours.                                       Service to conduct native plant
                                                  Dune Species Located in Antioch
                                                                                                                                                                restoration activities as specified in the
                                                  Dunes in Contra Costa County, CA                        Background                                            Agreement. The restoration activities
                                                  AGENCY:    Fish and Wildlife Service,                      Under a Safe Harbor Agreement,                     have resulted in an increase in host
                                                  Interior.                                               participating landowners voluntarily                  plants for the Lange’s metalmark
                                                  ACTION: Notice of availability; receipt of              undertake management activities on                    butterfly throughout the Enrolled
                                                  application.                                            their property to enhance, restore, or                Property, thus resulting in a net
                                                                                                          maintain habitat benefiting species                   conservation benefit for this species.
                                                  SUMMARY:   This notice advises the public               listed under the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et               Additionally, the restoration activities
                                                  that Pacific Gas and Electric (Applicant)               seq.). Safe Harbor Agreements, and the                have decreased threats to the Contra
                                                  has applied to the U.S. Fish and                        subsequent enhancement of survival                    Costa wallflower and the Antioch Dunes
                                                  Wildlife Service (Service) for a 5-year                 permits that are issued pursuant to                   evening primrose by reducing the
                                                  extension of their existing Enhancement                 section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act, encourage             amount of invasive, nonnative plants
                                                  of Survival permit under the                            private and other non-Federal property                that outcompete the federally
                                                  Endangered Species Act of 1973, as                      owners to implement conservation                      endangered plants. The Agreement also
                                                  amended (Act). The Safe Harbor                          efforts for listed species by assuring                contains a monitoring component that
                                                  Agreement (Agreement) is between the                    property owners that they will not be                 provides information on the success of
                                                  Applicant and the Service for the                       subjected to increased property use                   weed eradication and assists the Refuge
                                                  federally endangered Lange’s metalmark                  restrictions as a result of their efforts to          in early detection of new invasive plant
                                                  butterfly, Antioch Dunes evening                        attract listed species to their property, or          species. Results of these monitoring
                                                  primrose, and Contra Costa wallflower.                  to increase the numbers or distribution               efforts are provided to the Service by the
                                                  No changes are proposed to the                          of listed species already on their                    Applicant in annual reports.
                                                  Agreement other than extending the                      property. Application requirements and                Proposed Extension of Existing
                                                  Enhancement of Survival Permit and                      issuance criteria for enhancement of                  Agreement
                                                  associated Agreement for an additional                  survival permits through Safe Harbor
                                                  5 years.                                                                                                         No changes are proposed to the
                                                                                                          Agreements are found in 50 CFR
                                                  DATES: To ensure consideration, please
                                                                                                                                                                Agreement other than extending the
                                                                                                          17.22(c) and 17.32(c). These permits
                                                  send your written comments by June 1,                                                                         Enhancement of Survival Permit and
                                                                                                          allow any necessary future incidental
                                                  2015.                                                                                                         associated Agreement for an additional
                                                                                                          take of covered species above the
                                                                                                                                                                5 years. The proposed extension of the
                                                  ADDRESSES: Send comments to Mr. Rick                    mutually agreed-upon baseline
                                                                                                                                                                Enhancement of Survival permit and
                                                  Kuyper, via U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and                  conditions for those species in
                                                                                                                                                                Agreement would authorize the
                                                  Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and                   accordance with the terms and
                                                                                                                                                                incidental taking of the Covered Species
                                                  Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way,                      conditions of the permits and
                                                                                                                                                                associated with the restoration,
                                                  W–2605, Sacramento, CA 95825, or via                    accompanying agreements.
                                                                                                                                                                enhancement, and maintenance of
                                                  facsimile to (916) 414–6713.                            Existing Agreement                                    suitable habitat for the Covered Species;
                                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.                                                                          routine activities associated with
                                                  Rick Kuyper, Sacramento Fish and                        Description
                                                                                                                                                                maintenance and operation of the two
                                                  Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES);                          The Agreement covers two 6-acre                     transmission towers; and the potential
                                                  telephone: (916) 414–6600.                              parcels (Enrolled Property) that are                  future return of the Enrolled Property to
                                                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This                         located along the south shore of the San              baseline conditions.
                                                  notice advises the public that Pacific                  Joaquin River in Contra Costa County,                    Consistent with the Service’s Safe
                                                  Gas and Electric (Applicant) has applied                California. The two parcels are located               Harbor Policy (64 FR 32717), the Service
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                  to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service                   adjacent to, and on either side of, the               would issue a 5-year extension of the
                                                  (Service) for a 5-year extension of their               14-acre Sardis Unit of the Antioch                    Enhancement of Survival Permit to the
                                                  existing Enhancement of Survival                        Dunes National Wildlife Refuge                        Applicant. This permit will authorize
                                                  permit under the Endangered Species                     (Refuge). Two transmission towers are                 the Applicant to take the Covered
                                                  Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Safe                 located on the Enrolled Property—one                  Species incidental to the
                                                  Harbor Agreement (Agreement) is                         115 kV tower on the west parcel and                   implementation of the management
                                                  between the Applicant and the Service                   one 230 kV tower on the east parcel.                  activities specified in the Agreement,
                                                  for the federally endangered Lange’s                    The Applicant relies on graveled and                  incidental to other lawful uses of the


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Document Created: 2018-02-21 10:20:58
Document Modified: 2018-02-21 10:20:58
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of availability; request for comments.
DatesTo ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments by June 1, 2015.
ContactKent Ozment, Natural Resource Planner, (601) 442-6696 or [email protected]
FR Citation80 FR 24958 

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