80 FR 39446 - James River National Wildlife Refuge, Prince George County, VA; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 131 (July 9, 2015)

Page Range		39446-39447
FR Document		2015-16764

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for James River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located in Prince George County, Virginia. The CCP will guide refuge management for the next 15 years.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 131 (Thursday, July 9, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 131 (Thursday, July 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39446-39447]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16764]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R5-R-2015-N049; BAC-4311-K9]


James River National Wildlife Refuge, Prince George County, VA; 
Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant 
Impact for Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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 
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for James River National 
Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located in Prince George County, Virginia. The 
CCP will guide refuge management for the next 15 years.

ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the final CCP and FONSI by 
any of the following methods. You may request a hard copy or a CD-ROM.
    Agency Web site: Download a copy of the document at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/James_River/what_we_do/conservation.html.
    Email: Send requests to [email protected]. Please 
include ``James River CCP'' in the subject line of your email.
    U.S. Mail: Andy Hofmann, Refuge Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, P.O. Box 1030, Warsaw, VA 22572.
    Fax: Attention: Andy Hofmann, 804-333-3396.
    In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call Andy Hofmann, Refuge Manager, at 
804-333-1470, extension 112, during regular business hours. For more 
information on locations for viewing documents, see ``Public 
Availability of Documents'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andy Hofmann, Refuge Manager, at 804-
333-1470, extension 112 (phone) or [email protected] 
(email) (please put ``James River NWR'' in the subject line).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for James River NWR. 
We started this process through a notice in the Federal Register on 
January 11, 2012 (77 FR 1716). We released a draft CCP and 
environmental assessment (EA) to the public and requested comments in a 
notice in the Federal Register on October 22, 2014 (79 FR 63161).
    We have selected alternative B for implementation, as it is 
described in the final CCP for James River NWR. We announce our 
decision and the availability of the FONSI for the final CCP in 
accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) 
requirements. We completed an analysis of impacts on the human 
environment in the draft CCP and EA. We made minor changes and 
clarifications to the final CCP, where appropriate, to address public 
comments we received on the draft CCP and EA. A summary of the public 
comments, and our responses to them, is included as Appendix F in the 
final CCP.
    The 4,324-acre James River NWR lies in the Chesapeake Bay watershed 
and is located along the James River in Prince George County, Virginia, 
approximately 8 miles southeast of the city of Hopewell, and 30 miles 
southeast of Richmond. The refuge was established in 1991 under the 
authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1534) to 
protect nationally significant nesting and roosting habitat for the 
bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

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 refuge. The purpose for developing a CCP is to 
provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge 
purposes and contributing to 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 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.

Selected Alternative

    Alternative B combines the actions we believe would best achieve 
the refuge's purposes, vision, and goals, and respond to public issues. 
The basis of our decision is detailed in the FONSI (Appendix G in the 
final CCP). Under alternative B, we would emphasize the

[[Page 39447]]

management of specific refuge habitats to support priority species 
whose habitat needs would benefit other species of conservation concern 
that are found in the area. We would promote the transition of 2,651 
acres of former pine plantation toward mature pine savanna for resident 
and breeding cavity-dwelling and ground-nesting species, including the 
brown-headed nuthatch, Chuck-will's-widow, red-headed woodpecker, and 
yellow-billed cuckoo. We would also emphasize protecting and promoting 
bald eagle nesting habitat, and protecting the integrity of the 
refuge's other habitats for native species, including migrating 
waterfowl, waterbirds, the federally endangered Atlantic sturgeon, and 
federally threatened sensitive joint-vetch. We would also expand our 
conservation, research, monitoring, and management partnerships to help 
restore and conserve the refuge.
    We would enhance our cultural resource protection to increase 
knowledge and appreciation for the refuge's rich cultural history and 
heritage, as well as expand our visitor services programs to improve 
opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation. Visitor service 
improvements would include expanding the on-refuge opportunities for 
wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and 
interpretation of natural and cultural resources in partnership with 
others. We would also pursue Service administrative requirements to 
expand public deer hunting, open the refuge to spring and fall turkey 
hunting, open the refuge to limited waterfowl hunting by youth, promote 
youth involvement in all hunting opportunities, and open the refuge to 
fishing at two designated locations. Further details on our selected 
alternative and management actions can be found in the CCP.

Public Availability of Documents

    In addition to sources listed under ADDRESSES, you can view the 
final CCP at the Prince George Library, 6605 Courts Drive, Prince 
George, VA 23875.

    Dated: June 11, 2015.
Deborah Rocque,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2015-16764 Filed 7-08-15; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

39446 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 131 / Thursday, July 9, 2015 / Notices

comply with section 7 of the Act by DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR We have selected alternative B for
conducting intra-Service section 7 implementation, as it is described in the
consultation for the plan. We will use Fish and Wildlife Service final CCP for James River NWR. We
the result of this consultation, in [FWS–R5–R–2015–N049; BAC–4311–K9] announce our decision and the
combination with the above findings, in availability of the FONSI for the final
our final analysis to determine whether James River National Wildlife Refuge, CCP in accordance with National
or not to issue the permit. If the Prince George County, VA; Final Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR
requirements are met, we will issue a Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 1506.6(b)) requirements. We completed
permit to the applicant for the Finding of No Significant Impact for an analysis of impacts on the human
Environmental Assessment environment in the draft CCP and EA.
incidental take of the Smith’s blue
We made minor changes and
butterfly. We will make the final permit AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, clarifications to the final CCP, where
decision no sooner than 30 days after Interior. appropriate, to address public
the date of this notice. ACTION: Notice of availability. comments we received on the draft CCP
Public Review and EA. A summary of the public
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and comments, and our responses to them,
We provide this notice under section Wildlife Service (Service), announce the is included as Appendix F in the final
10(c) of the Act and the NEPA public availability of the final comprehensive CCP.
involvement regulations (40 CFR conservation plan (CCP) and finding of The 4,324-acre James River NWR lies
1500.1(b), 1500.2(d), and 1506.6). We no significant impact (FONSI) for James in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and is
are requesting comments on our River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located along the James River in Prince
determination that the applicant’s located in Prince George County, George County, Virginia, approximately
proposal will have a minor or negligible Virginia. The CCP will guide refuge 8 miles southeast of the city of
management for the next 15 years. Hopewell, and 30 miles southeast of
effect on the Smith’s blue butterfly and
that the plan qualifies as a ‘‘low-effect’’ ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain Richmond. The refuge was established
copies of the final CCP and FONSI by in 1991 under the authority of the
HCP as defined by our 1996 Habitat
any of the following methods. You may Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
Conservation Planning Handbook.
request a hard copy or a CD–ROM. U.S.C. 1534) to protect nationally
Public Comments Agency Web site: Download a copy of significant nesting and roosting habitat
the document at http://www.fws.gov/ for the bald eagle (Haliaeetus
If you wish to comment on the permit refuge/James_River/what_we_do/ leucocephalus).
applications, plans, and associated conservation.html. Background
documents, you may submit comments Email: Send requests to
by any one of the methods in EasternVirginiaRiversNWRC@fws.gov. The National Wildlife Refuge System
ADDRESSES. Please include ‘‘James River CCP’’ in the Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C.
subject line of your email. 668dd–668ee) (Refuge Administration
Public Availability of Comments Act), as amended by the National
U.S. Mail: Andy Hofmann, Refuge
Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Refuge System Improvement
Before including your address, phone
Service, P.O. Box 1030, Warsaw, VA Act of 1997, requires us to develop a
number, email address, or other CCP for each refuge. The purpose for
personal identifying information in your 22572.
Fax: Attention: Andy Hofmann, 804– developing a CCP is to provide refuge
comment, you should be aware that managers with a 15-year plan for
your entire comment, including your 333–3396.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call achieving refuge purposes and
personal identifying information, may contributing to the mission of the
Andy Hofmann, Refuge Manager, at
be made publicly available at any time. National Wildlife Refuge System,
804–333–1470, extension 112, during
While you can ask us in your comment consistent with sound principles of fish
regular business hours. For more
to withhold your personal identifying and wildlife management, conservation,
information on locations for viewing
information from public view, we documents, see ‘‘Public Availability of legal mandates, and our policies. In
cannot guarantee that we will be able to Documents’’ under SUPPLEMENTARY addition to outlining broad management
do so. INFORMATION. direction on conserving wildlife and
their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-
Authority FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: dependent recreational opportunities
Andy Hofmann, Refuge Manager, at available to the public, including
We provide this notice under section 804–333–1470, extension 112 (phone) or
10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) opportunities for hunting, fishing,
EasternVirginiaRiversNWRC@fws.gov wildlife observation and photography,
and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). (email) (please put ‘‘James River NWR’’ and environmental education and
Dated: July 2, 2015. in the subject line). interpretation. We will review and
Stephen P. Henry, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: update the CCP at least every 15 years
Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Introduction in accordance with the Refuge
Office, Ventura, California. Administration Act.
[FR Doc. 2015–16765 Filed 7–8–15; 8:45 am] With this notice, we finalize the CCP
process for James River NWR. We Selected Alternative
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
started this process through a notice in Alternative B combines the actions we
the Federal Register on January 11, believe would best achieve the refuge’s
2012 (77 FR 1716). We released a draft purposes, vision, and goals, and
CCP and environmental assessment (EA) respond to public issues. The basis of
to the public and requested comments our decision is detailed in the FONSI
in a notice in the Federal Register on (Appendix G in the final CCP). Under
October 22, 2014 (79 FR 63161). alternative B, we would emphasize the

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Document Created: 2018-02-23 09:14:03
Document Modified: 2018-02-23 09:14:03

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of availability.
Contact		Andy Hofmann, Refuge Manager, at 804- 333-1470, extension 112 (phone) or [email protected] (email) (please put ``James River NWR'' in the subject line).
FR Citation		80 FR 39446

80 FR 39446 - James River National Wildlife Refuge, Prince George County, VA; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORFish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 131 (July 9, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service