83 FR 34154 - Draft Long-Range Transportation Plans for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lands in Regions 2, 6, and 8

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 139 (July 19, 2018)

Page Range		34154-34155
FR Document		2018-15415

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of three draft long-range transportation plans for public review and comment. These draft long-range transportation plans outline strategies for improving and maintaining transportation assets that provide access to Service-managed lands in Region 2 (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas), Region 6 (Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming), and Region 8 (California and Nevada) over the next 20 years.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 139 (Thursday, July 19, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 139 (Thursday, July 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34154-34155]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15415]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-R-2017-N183; FXRS85110900000-XXX-FF09R40000]


Draft Long-Range Transportation Plans for U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service Lands in Regions 2, 6, and 8

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of three draft long-range transportation plans for public 
review and comment. These draft long-range transportation plans outline 
strategies for improving and maintaining transportation assets that 
provide access to Service-managed lands in Region 2 (Arizona, New 
Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas), Region 6 (Colorado, Kansas, Montana, 
North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming), and Region 8 
(California and Nevada) over the next 20 years.

DATES: We must receive written comments on or before August 20, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Document Review: If you wish to review these draft plans, 
you may obtain copies by visiting the following websites:

 Region 2: https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/Reference/Profile/87706
 Region 6: https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/Reference/Profile/87709
 Region 8: https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/Reference/Profile/87710

    Alternatively, you may contact Laura Whorton, Acting Transportation 
Branch Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Bailey's Crossroads, VA 22041 (phone: 703-
358-1752).
    Submitting Comments: If you wish to comment on any or all of the 
plans, you may submit your comments in writing by any one of the 
following methods:
     U.S. mail: Acting Transportation Branch Chief, at the 
above address.
     Hand-delivery: Acting Transportation Branch Chief Analyst, 
at the above address.
     Fax: 703-358-1752.
     Email: [email protected].
    For additional information about submitting comments, see the 
Public Availability of Comments section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Whorton, at the above address, 
phone number, or email.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    With this notice, we make the draft long-range transportation plans 
(LRTPs) for Regions 2, 6, and 8 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
available for public review and comment. When finalized, the LRTPs will 
apply to Service-managed lands in Region 2 (Arizona, New Mexico, 
Oklahoma, and Texas), Region 6 (Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North 
Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming), and Region 8 (California and 
Nevada).

Background

    The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. 
114-94) requires that all Federal land management agencies conduct 
long-range transportation planning in a manner that is consistent with 
metropolitan planning organizations and State departments of 
transportation planning. We initiated these LRTPs to bring the Service 
into compliance with the FAST Act and to achieve the following goals:
     Establish a defensible structure for sound transportation 
planning and decision-making;
     Establish a vision, mission, goals, and objectives for 
transportation planning in each of these three Service Regions;
     Implement coordinated and cooperative transportation 
partnerships in an effort to improve the Service's transportation 
infrastructure;
     Integrate transportation planning and funding for national 
wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries into existing and future 
Service management plans and strategies;
     Increase awareness of alternative transportation systems 
and associated benefits;
     Develop best management practices for transportation 
improvements on Service lands; and
     Serve as a pilot project for the implementation of a 
region-level transportation planning process within the Service.

LRTP Mission, Goals, and Objectives

    Through a collaborative effort, the National Wildlife Refuge System 
and the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program, in cooperation with the 
planning and visitor services programs within these three Regions, have 
contributed to defining the mission, goals, and objectives presented in 
this document. The resulting mission, goals, and objectives are 
intended to provide a systematic approach to guide the process for 
evaluating and selecting transportation improvement programs for the 
Service lands in these Regions. These guiding principles have shaped 
the development, conclusions, and recommendations of these LRTPs. While 
each Region's specific mission, vision,

[[Page 34155]]

goals, and objectives differ slightly, they are substantively similar.
    Mission: To support the Service's mission by connecting people to 
fish, wildlife, and their habitats through strategic implementation of 
transportation programs.
    Goals and Objectives: Each of these long-range transportation plans 
has six substantively similar goals: Safety; access, mobility, and 
connectivity; asset management; environmental protection; visitor 
experience; and partnership. Region 8 has an additional seventh goal: 
Planning. Under each goal, each Region presents distinct objectives 
that move the Service to the goal. Please see the individual draft 
LRTPs for more information.

Next Steps

    After the comment period ends, the Service will analyze the 
comments received and consider them in preparation of final LRTPs.

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.

Gregory J. Sheehan,
Principal Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-15415 Filed 7-18-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 139 / Thursday, July 19, 2018 / Notices 34155

goals, and objectives differ slightly, they recovery plan includes objective, estimates of the time and costs required
are substantively similar. measurable criteria, and site-specific to carry out those measures needed to
Mission: To support the Service’s management actions as may be achieve the plan’s goal and to achieve
mission by connecting people to fish, necessary to reclassify the species from intermediate steps toward that goal.
wildlife, and their habitats through endangered to threatened and also for The Service has revised its approach
strategic implementation of removal from the Federal List of to recovery planning; the revised
transportation programs. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. process is called Recovery Planning and
Goals and Objectives: Each of these DATES: We must receive any comments Implementation (RPI). The RPI process
long-range transportation plans has six on the draft recovery plan on or before is intended to reduce the time needed
substantively similar goals: Safety; September 17, 2018. to develop and implement recovery
access, mobility, and connectivity; asset plans, increase recovery plan relevancy
ADDRESSES: Document availability: You
management; environmental protection; over a longer timeframe, and add
may obtain a copy of the recovery plan
visitor experience; and partnership. flexibility to recovery plans so they can
from our website at http://www.fws.gov/
Region 8 has an additional seventh goal: be adjusted to new information or
endangered/species/recovery-
Planning. Under each goal, each Region circumstances. Under RPI, a recovery
plans.html. Alternatively, you may
presents distinct objectives that move plan will include statutorily required
contact the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife
the Service to the goal. Please see the elements (objective, measurable criteria,
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
individual draft LRTPs for more site-specific management actions, and
2177 Salk Avenue, Suite 250, Carlsbad,
information. estimates of time and costs), along with
California 92008 (telephone 760–431–
Next Steps 9440). a concise introduction and our strategy
Comment submission: If you wish to for how we plan to achieve species
After the comment period ends, the recovery. The RPI recovery plan is
Service will analyze the comments comment on the draft recovery plan,
you may submit your comments in supported by a separate Species Status
received and consider them in Assessment, or in cases such as this one,
preparation of final LRTPs. writing by any one of the following
methods: a species biological report that provides
Public Availability of Comments • U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, at the the background information and threat
Before including your address, phone above address; assessment, which are key to recovery
number, email address, or other • Hand-delivery: Carlsbad Fish and plan development. The essential
personal identifying information in your Wildlife Office, at the above address; or component to flexible implementation
comment, you should be aware that • Email: fw8cfwocomments@fws.gov. under RPI is producing a separate
your entire comment—including your For additional information about working document called the Recovery
personal identifying information—may submitting comments, see the ‘‘Public Implementation Strategy
be made publicly available at any time. Comments Solicited’’ section below. (implementation strategy). The
While you can ask us in your comment FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: implementation strategy steps down
to withhold your personal identifying Mendel Stewart, Field Supervisor, at the from the more general description of
information from public review, we above street address or telephone actions described in the recovery plan to
cannot guarantee that we will be able to number (see ADDRESSES). detail the specific, near-term activities
do so. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: needed to implement the recovery plan.
The implementation strategy will be
Gregory J. Sheehan, Background adaptable by being able to incorporate
Principal Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and Recovery of endangered or threatened new information without having to
Wildlife Service. animals and plants to the point where concurrently revise the recovery plan,
[FR Doc. 2018–15415 Filed 7–18–18; 8:45 am] they are again secure, self-sustaining unless changes to statutory elements are
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P members of their ecosystems is a required.
primary goal of our endangered species The Service listed the southern
program and the Endangered Species California distinct population segment
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 16 U.S.C. of mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana
1531 et seq.). Recovery means muscosa) (hereafter ‘‘southern R.
Fish and Wildlife Service muscosa’’) as endangered in 2002 (67
improvement of the status of listed
[FWS–R8–ES–2017–N132; FXES11130000– species to the point at which listing is FR 44382, July 2, 2002), and critical
189–FF08E00000] no longer necessary under the criteria habitat was designated for the species in
specified in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. 2006 (71 FR 54344, September 14,
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife The Act requires the development of 2006). Historically, southern R. muscosa
and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for the recovery plans for listed species, unless was widely distributed in at least 166
Southern California Distinct Population such a plan would not promote the known populations in watersheds
Segment of the Mountain Yellow- conservation of a particular species. across four mountain ranges in southern
legged Frog (Rana muscosa) Pursuant to section 4(f) of the Act, a California. Currently, the species is
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, recovery plan must, to the maximum restricted to 10 small, isolated
Interior. extent practicable, include (1) A populations in the headwaters of
ACTION: Notice of document availability. description of site-specific management streams or tributaries within the San
actions as may be necessary to achieve Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and the plan’s goals for the conservation and Jacinto Mountains. Primary habitat for
Wildlife Service, announce the survival of the species; (2) objective, the southern R. muscosa includes
availability of the Draft Recovery Plan measurable criteria which, when met, streams with permanent (perennial)
for the Southern California Distinct would support a determination under water that have steep gradients with
Population Segment of the Mountain section 4(a)(1) that the species should be numerous pools, rapids, and small
Yellow-legged Frog (Rana muscosa) for removed from the List of Endangered waterfalls. The smallest creeks are likely
public review and comment. The draft and Threatened Species; and (3) not inhabited by southern R. muscosa

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Document Created: 2018-07-19 01:34:46
Document Modified: 2018-07-19 01:34:46

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; request for comments.
Dates		We must receive written comments on or before August 20, 2018.
FR Citation		83 FR 34154

83 FR 34154 - Draft Long-Range Transportation Plans for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lands in Regions 2, 6, and 8

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 139 (July 19, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service