[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 154 (Thursday, August 9, 2012)] [Notices] [Pages 47660-47662] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2012-19538] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R2-R-2012-N142; FXRS12610200000S3-123-FF02R06000] Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, Austin and Colorado Counties, TX; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental assessment (EA) for the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge, NWR). In this final CCP, we describe how we will manage this Refuge for the next 15 years. ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the final CCP and FONSI/EA by any of the following methods. You may request a hard copy or CD-ROM. Agency Web Site: Download a copy of the documents at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/planindex.html. Email: monica_kimbrough@fws.gov. Include ``Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR final CCP'' in the subject line of the message. Mail: Monica Kimbrough, Natural Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Planning, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103-1306. In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call 505-248-6642 to make an appointment during regular business hours at 500 Gold Avenue SW., Albuquerque, NM 87102 or the Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR Headquarters, 1206 APC NWR Road, Eagle Lake, TX 77434; phone: (979) 234-3021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Rossignol, Refuge Manager, Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR, CCP--Project, P.O. Box 519, Eagle Lake, TX 77434; phone: (979) 234-3021; fax: (979) 234-3278. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Introduction With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR. We started this process through a notice in the Federal Register (73 FR 65871; November 5, 2008). We released the draft CCP and the EA to the public, announcing and requesting comments in a notice of availability in the Federal Register (76 FR 77245; December 12, 2011). The Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR, which consists of 10,541 acres located approximately 60 miles west of Houston, Texas, is one of the largest remnants of coastal prairie habitat remaining in southeast Texas. The Refuge was officially established on July 1, 1972, to preserve and restore coastal prairie habitat for the endangered Attwater's prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri). We announce our decision and the availability of the FONSI for the final CCP for Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements. We completed a thorough analysis of impacts on the human environment, which we included in the EA that accompanied the draft CCP. The CCP will guide us in managing and administering Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR for the next 15 years. [[Page 47661]] Alternative B, as we described in the final CCP, is the foundation for the CCP. 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 national wildlife refuge. The purpose for developing a CCP is 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 and photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Refuge Administration Act. CCP Alternatives, Including Selected Alternative Our draft CCP and our EA (76 FR 77245; December 12, 2011) addressed several issues. To address these, we developed and evaluated the following alternatives. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B--Optimal habitat management and public C--Maximal habitat Issue topic A--No action alternative use (proposed action) management and public alternative use alternative ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Habitat Management Issue 1: Combination of planting Same as Alternative A; Same as Alternative B; Prairie Restoration. native grasses, grazing, plus explore except establish seed burning, hydrologic partnership options to harvest and production restoration. produce native grass on the Refuge; grazing seed to increase the bison only. number of restoration acres; expand monitoring for grazing and burning effects; remove infrastructure, including two manmade wetland impoundments, restoring a functional level of hydrology. Habitat Management Issue 2: Land/ Acquire acres within Continue to acquire land Same as Alternative B. Property Acquisition. approved acquisition within acquisition boundary; not boundary, proactively proactively seeking out seek out land additional land protection options and protection options. diversify those options. Habitat Management Issue 3: Treatments include a Same as Alternative A; Same as Alternative B. Invasive Species Control (Flora). combination of chemical, plus conduct one-time mechanical, and systematic chemical prescribed fire. invasive species control for entire refuge, unit by unit; afterward, treatment is expected to be required every 2-3 years as invasive species re- establish. Wildlife Management Issue 1: Continue to implement Same as Alternative A... Same as Alternative A. Attwater's Prairie-Chicken Attwater's Prairie- Recovery. Chicken Recovery Plan. Wildlife Management Issue 2: Eliminate feral hogs and Same as Alternative A; Same as Alternative B. Invasive Species Control (Fauna). nutria based on sighting plus work with adjacent and/or documented land owners to control damage; treat nest sites feral hog population; and conduct research on remove brush and other impacts of red imported elements of hog fire ants on insect movement corridors; community. depending on results of current research of red imported fire ants, expand treated area to full extent of refuge and work with adjacent landowners to expand treatment off refuge. Wildlife Management Issue 3: Manage three food plots Same as Alternative A; Eliminate wildlife food Wildlife Food Plots (Farming totaling up to 150 acres. plus explore additional plots. Program). ways to provide supplemental food to Attwater's prairie- chicken, including capability to irrigate and addition of food plots when the species' populations expand. Visitor Services Issue 1: Provide wildlife Same as Alternative A; Same as Alternative B. Wildlife Observation and observation and plus realign auto-tour Wildlife Photography. photography to include route; exclude cattle auto-tour route and two from public hiking hiking trails. trails; establish a new platform and hiking trail around Horseshoe Lake; remove Pipit Trail; increase guided van tours. Visitor Services Issue 2: Provide environmental Develop an environmental Develop an outdoor Environmental Education. education as requested education program and classroom through and as staff time promote in local school partnerships with local permits. districts. schools, volunteers, and friends group. Visitor Services Issue 3: Host annual Attwater's Same as Alternative A; Same as Alternative B. Interpretation. Prairie-Chicken plus add interpretive Festival; interpretive signage and kiosk to signage at headquarters new auto-tour route and and along auto-tour new trail; expand route. interpretive opportunities using recent technologies. [[Page 47662]] Facilities Issue 1: Roads........ Cooperate with county Same as Alternative A; Same as Alternative B. maintenance personnel plus acquire for refuge entrance jurisdiction and road, and maintain other maintenance refuge roads. responsibilities of existing refuge entrance road and widen to two full lanes; bury powerline along entrance road; evaluate and remove services roads where necessary. Facilities Issue 2: Development Administrative operations Develop and approve site Same as Alternative B. of Administrative Complex. conducted out of three plan for new integrated portable structures. administrative complex. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments We solicited comments on the draft CCP and the EA for the Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR from December 12, 2011, to January 23, 2012 (76 FR77245). The public was notified of the release of the draft CCP and the EA through the NOA, through local media outlets, and public notices were posted on various community bulletin boards. The draft CCP and EA were made available, online, at the Regional Office in Albuquerque, at the Refuge, and at three public libraries in surrounding communities. A public open house meeting was held on January 14, 2012. The Service received four comment letters. The comments were thoroughly reviewed and the CCP did not change substantially based on public comment. Selected Alternative After considering the comments we received, we have selected Alternative B for implementation. Alternative B was selected over the other alternatives because it best meets the Refuge's vision for the future, the purposes for which the Refuge was established, and the habitat, wildlife and visitor services goals identified in the CCP. This alternative is the basis for the CCP and describes how habitat objectives will be accomplished through a combination of management activities to encourage ecological integrity, control invasive species, improve or maintain habitats, and most importantly support recovery of the Attwater's prairie-chicken. Opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation activities will be enhanced. Future management actions will have a neutral or positive impact on the local economy and the recommendations in the CCP will ensure that Refuge management is consistent with the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Public Availability of Documents In addition to the methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain documents at the following locations:At the following libraries: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Library Address Phone number ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eula and David Wintermann Library........ 101 North Walnut Ave., Eagle 979-234-5411 Lake, TX 77434. Nesbitt Memorial Library................. 529 Washington Street, Columbus, 979-732-3392 TX 78934. Virgil and Josephine Gordon Memorial 917 North Circle Dr., Sealy, TX 979-885-7469 Library. 77474. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dated: August 3, 2012. Joy E. Nicholopoulos, Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region. [FR Doc. 2012-19538 Filed 8-8-12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P