83 FR 11787 - Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement To Address the Presence of Wolves at Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 52 (March 16, 2018)

The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the presence of wolves at Isle Royale National Park.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 52 (Friday, March 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11787-11788]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05408]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-ANRSS-24116; PPMWMWROW2, PMP00UP05.YP0000]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement To Address the Presence of Wolves at Isle Royale National 
Park, Michigan

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY:  The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the presence 
of wolves at Isle Royale National Park.

DATES: The NPS will execute a Record of Decision (ROD) no sooner than 
30 days from the date of publication by the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency of the notice of filing of the Final EIS in the 
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: An electronic copy of the final EIS/plan will be available 
for public review at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/isrowolves. A limited 
number of hard copies will be available at Park Headquarters, 800 East 
Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, Michigan 49931-1896.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Superintendent Phyllis Green, Isle 
Royale National Park, ISRO Wolves, 800 East Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, 
Michigan 49931-1896, or by telephone at (906) 482-0984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act, 43 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the NPS announces the availability 
of the Final EIS. The final EIS/plan responds to, and incorporates 
where appropriate, agency and public comments received on the draft 
EIS/plan, which was available for public review from December 16, 2016 
to March 15, 2017. Two public meetings and two webinars were held from 
February 14 through February 21, 2017 to gather input on the draft EIS/
plan. During the public comment period, 4916 pieces of correspondence 
were received. NPS responses to agency and public comments are provided 
in Appendix B of the final EIS/plan available at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/isrowolves.
    This final EIS/plan evaluates the impacts of the no-action 
alternative (Alternative A) and three action alternatives (Alternatives 
B, C, and D). Alternative B is the preferred alternative and the 
environmentally preferable alternative.
    Alternative A would continue existing management practices and 
assume no

[[Page 11788]]

new management actions would be implemented beyond those available at 
the outset of the wolf planning process. Wolves may arrive or depart 
independently via an ice bridge. Under Alternative A, wolves would not 
be introduced by management to Isle Royale National Park.
    The action alternatives include the capture and relocation of 
wolves from the Great Lakes Region to Isle Royale National Park. NPS 
would target wolves for relocation that are known to feed on moose as 
one of their prey sources, are in good health with no apparent 
injuries, and have the appropriate genetic diversity to sustain a 
viable population on the island. Capture and relocation efforts would 
take place between late fall and late winter. All of the action 
alternatives include monitoring which could include radio or GPS collar 
tracking from ground and air, scat sample collection, visual 
observations, and other methodology as funding is available.
    Under the preferred alternative, between 20 and 30 wolves with a 
wide genetic diversity would be introduced to the island. Wolves may be 
supplemented as needed up to the third year after initial introduction. 
After the third year, should an unforeseen event occur that impacts the 
wolf population, such as a mass die-off or introduction of disease, and 
the goals of the alternative are not being met due to this event, 
wolves may be supplemented for an additional two years. No additional 
wolves would be brought to the island after five years from date of 
initial introduction.
    Alternative C would involve the initial introduction of between 6 
and 15 wolves. The NPS would bring wolves to the island as often as 
needed in order to maintain a population of wolves on the island for at 
least the next 20 years. Under this alternative, additional wolves may 
be brought based on one or more resource indicators that could include 
genetic health of the wolves, health of the ecosystem, and prey species 
population trends.
    Under Alternative D, the NPS would not take immediate action and 
would continue current management, allowing natural processes to 
continue. This alternative is meant to allow the study of island 
ecosystem changes to continue without an apex predator and action would 
only be taken should the weight of evidence suggest an apex predator is 
necessary to ecosystem function. Resource indicators, such as 
population size and growth rate of moose would be used to determine if 
and when wolf introduction actions should be taken. If the weight of 
evidence indicates wolf introduction actions should be taken, NPS would 
follow procedures outlined within Alternative C.

Authority

    The authority for publishing this notice is 40 CFR 1506.6.

    Dated: March 8, 2018.
Cameron H. Sholly,
Regional Director, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2018-05408 Filed 3-15-18; 8:45 am]
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