[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 28, 2012)] [Notices] [Pages 18853-18856] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2012-7400] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R2-R-2012-N019; FXRS12610200000S3-123-FF02R06000] Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, Liberty County, TX; Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment 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 a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and an environmental assessment (EA) for Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge, NWR), located approximately 50 miles northeast of Houston, Texas, for public review and comment. The Draft CCP/EA describes our proposal for managing the refuge for the next 15 years. DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by May 4, 2012. We will announce upcoming public meetings in local news media. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments or requests for copies or more information by any of the following methods. You may request hard copies or a CD-ROM of the documents. Please contact Stuart Marcus, Refuge Manager, or Joseph Lujan, Natural Resource Planner. Email: Joseph_Lujan@fws.gov. Include ``Trinity River NWR draft CCP and EA'' in the subject line of the message. Fax: Attn: Joseph Lujan, 505-248-6803. U.S. Mail: Joseph Lujan, Natural Resource Planner, U.S. Fish and [[Page 18854]] Wildlife Service, NWRS Division of Planning, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103. In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: In-Person Drop-off: You may drop off comments during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at 500 Gold Street SW., 4th Floor, Room. 4305, Albuquerque, NM 87102. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stuart Marcus, Refuge Manager, Trinity River NWR, CCP--Project, P.O. Box 10015, Liberty, TX 77575; phone: 936- 336-9786; fax: 936-336-9847. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Introduction With this notice, we continue the CCP process for the Trinity River NWR. We started this process through a notice in the Federal Register (72 FR 45059; August 10, 2007). The Trinity River NWR, which consists of over 25,000 acres, is located approximately 50 miles northeast of Houston, and 40 miles west of Beaumont Texas. The primary purpose of the refuge is to protect a remnant of the bottomland hardwood forest ecosystem along the Trinity River. The refuge was officially established on January 4, 1994, and continues to acquire, restore, and preserve bottomland hardwood forests. Background The CCP Process 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 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. Public Outreach Formal scoping began with publication of a notice of intent to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment (EA) in the Federal Register on August 10, 2007 (72 FR 45059). In September 2008, a letter was sent to individuals at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), formally inviting them to participate in the development of the CCP. We received input from TPWD in January 2009, and have continued to involve them throughout the planning process. Information sheets were sent to the public, and news releases were sent to a variety of media outlets. The news release also aired on KSHN 99.9 FM Radio in Liberty, Texas. Three public open house meetings were held from November 30 through December 2, 2009. Additional written comments were received prior to these open house meetings. The meetings were held at three locations in the area, on three separate evenings. A variety of stakeholders contributed feedback at the open house meetings and via written comments; we used the feedback in development of the CCP. CCP Alternatives We Are Considering During the public scoping process with which we started work on this draft CCP, we, other governmental partners, Tribes, and the public, raised multiple issues. Our draft CCP addresses them. A full description of each alternative is in the EA. To address these issues, we developed and evaluated the following alternatives, summarized below. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C--Optimal habitat A--No action alternative B--Improved habitat management and public Alternatives (current practices) management and public use (proposed action) use alternative alternative ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Issues ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Habitat and Wildlife Management Issues ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Native Flora/Fauna Conserve/restore Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B. Conservation. bottomland hardwood plus use prescribed forests. Restore native fire for resource flora; reintroduce management and initiate native fauna; manage baseline monitoring for native nuisance flora/ flora and fauna. fauna. 2. Invasive Flora/Fauna Remove exotic and Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B. Management. invasive flora/fauna as plus develop invasive resources permit; species strike team and prevent reintroduction map ``hotspots'' to of exotic and invasive prioritize management flora/fauna as resources efforts. permit. 3. Wetland Management............ Maintain the integrity of Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B. water control structures/ plus conduct small- levees; conduct water- scale restoration of quality sampling and hydrological flow at fish surveys. Champion Lake South unit. 4. Land Acquisition.............. Acquire lands from Update Trinity River Same as Alternative B. willing sellers within Floodplain Habitat the approved acquisition Stewardship Program and boundary on a case-by- Land Protection Plan to case basis. update the acquisition boundary; assign refuge realty specialist to Trinity River NWR. 5. Climate Change................ Plant trees to sequester Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B. carbon; use ``green'' plus gather baseline technologies wherever inventory and possible, and recycle. monitoring data. [[Page 18855]] 6. Resource Protection........... Assign refuge law Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B, enforcement officer to plus add patrols using plus add an additional patrol 25,000 acres, other refuges' law officer to patrol up to backed up by enforcement officers. 80,000 acres. opportunistic observations by other refuge staff. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visitor Services Issues ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Hunting....................... Designate units open to Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B, hunting by permit only, plus open one plus open one for big game, upland additional unit for big additional unit for big game, and waterfowl, as game hunting at game and upland game is currently the case in Champion Lake South hunting at Palmetto eight units. unit. unit. 2. Fishing....................... Direct visitors to Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B, Champion Lake and plus direct visitors to plus direct visitors to Pickett's Bayou. McGuire and Silver Lake Brierwood unit once units when piers are pier is developed. developed. 3. Wildlife Observation.......... Open refuge to wildlife Same as Alternative A Same as Alternative B, observation; direct plus open one plus open one visitors to eight public additional area at additional area at use areas. Champion Lake South Palmetto unit. unit. 4. Wildlife Photography.......... Open refuge to Same as Alternative A Same as Alternative B, photography; direct plus construct photo plus construct photo visitors to eight public blind at Brierwood unit. blind at McGuire unit. use areas. 5. Environmental Education....... Do not develop Develop off-refuge Same as Alternative B, environmental education environmental education plus develop on-refuge programs on the refuge. curricula, working with program, upon the local schools to meet completion of the State requirements. educational facility at Champion Lake Public Use Area. 6. Interpretation................ The refuge hosts two on- Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B, refuge annual festivals, plus host approximately plus develop on Earth Day and on Free 10 additional off- interpretive programs Family Fishing Day; host refuge events, as at visitor center; approximately six off- requested; develop and develop and provide refuge annual events, provide self-guided kiosks in all areas such as county jubilee interpretative with public use and various public materials at Champion facilities. speaking events. Lake and Brierwood units. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facilities Issues ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Public Use Access............. Allow vehicular on Same as Alternative A, Same as Alternative B, designated unpaved plus improve road to plus open trail at roads; allow walk-in- McGuire Pond; establish Champion Lake South only access on eight canoe/kayak launch site unit. designated units; allow at Brierwood unit. boating access on Pickett's Bayou and Champion Lake. 2. Public Use Facilities......... Maintain current limited Rehabilitate the Lodge Construct visitor center facilities at Champion at Champion Lake Public adjacent to Lake Public Use Area, Use Area, pave the road headquarters; construct including fishing pier, at Champion Lake Public fishing piers at butterfly garden, Use Area, and construct Brierwood unit; parking, and portable fishing pier at McGuire construct full-service toilet Seven other unit. bathroom at Champion public use areas have Lake Public Use Area. only one parking lot and one photo blind each. 3. Administrative Facilities..... Maintain refuge-owned Construct a maintenance Rehabilitate the two- headquarters and storage shop at Champion Lake room log cabin at facility along FM 1011. equipment storage area. Champion Lake for use for staff and volunteer offices. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Availability of Documents In addition to using any methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain documents at the following locations:Trinity River NWR Headquarters Office, 601 FM 1011, Liberty, TX 77575, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our Web site: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/publicinvolvement.html. The following public libraries: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Library Address Phone No. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Liberty Municipal Library.... 1710 Sam Houston 936-336-8901 Ave., Liberty, TX 77575. Dayton Library............... 307 W. Houston, 936-258-7060 Dayton, TX 77535. Austin Memorial Library...... 220 S. Bonham, 281-592-3920 Cleveland, TX 77327. Tarkington Community Library. 3032 FM 163 Rd., 281-592-5136 Cleveland, TX 77327. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [[Page 18856]] Submitting Comments/Issues for Comment We consider comments substantive if they: Question, with reasonable basis, the accuracy of the information in the document; Question, with reasonable basis, the adequacy of the environmental assessment (EA); Present reasonable alternatives other than those presented in the EA; and/or Provide new or additional information relevant to the assessment. Next Steps After this comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and address them in the form of a final CCP and finding of no significant impact. 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. Dated: January 31, 2012. Joy E. Nicholopoulos, Acting, Regional Director, Southwest Region. [FR Doc. 2012-7400 Filed 3-27-12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P