[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 213 (Friday, November 4, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-27374]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 4, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

 

Availability, Oil Spill Restoration Plan

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) herein releases 
the draft Apex Houston Oil Spill Restoration Plan (Plan) for public 
review. The Plan covers the Service proposal to restore natural 
resources injured as a result of the 1986 Apex Houston barge oil spill.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before December 5, 
1994.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the Plan may be made to: U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 2800 Cottage Way, Room E-
1803, Sacramento, CA 95825.
    Written comments or material regarding the Plan should be sent to 
the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Welsh, Natural Resource Damage 
Assessment Branch Chief, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage 
Way, Room E-1803, Sacramento CA 95825.
    Interested parties may also call (916) 978-5603 for further 
information.

Restoration of Nearshore Breeding Seabird Colonies on the Central 
California Coast

Executive Summary

    Between January 28 and February 4, 1986 the transportation barge 
Apex Houston discharged an undetermined amount of San Joaquin Valley 
crude oil while in transit from San Francisco Bay to the Long Beach 
Harbor. The oil spill caused damage to natural resources from San 
Francisco to the Big Sur coast. Approximately 9,000 seabirds were 
killed, including 6,000 common murres (Uria aalge), in addition to 
other aquatic life in and around the coastal waters of central 
California. State and Federal personnel responded to the spill and 
assessed damages as a result of the spill.
    The State and Federal natural resource trustees commenced 
litigation in this matter against potentially responsible parties in 
January 1989. The complaints alleged claims for natural resource 
damages, costs, and penalties pursuant to the Clean Water Act, 33 
U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq., Title III of the National Marine Sanctuaries 
Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1431 et seq. (formerly the National Marine 
Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, ``MPRSA''), the California 
Harbors & Navigation Code Secs. 293 and 294, and other State Law.
    In August, 1994 the parties settled this matter in a Consent Decree 
entered by the Federal District Court for the Northern District of 
California for $6.4 million. As part of this natural resources damage 
settlement, approximately $4.92 million has been allocated for the 
restoration of common murres. An additional $500,000 has been allocated 
for the acquisition of habitat for the Federally endangered marbled 
murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus), another species impacted by the 
spill. The marbled murrelet project will be the subject of future 
restoration planning efforts in this case and is not included in this 
plan. The remainder of the $6.4 million collected in the settlement is 
for penalties and costs incurred as a result of the spill. A Trustee 
Council, comprised of representatives of each Trustee (California 
Department of Fish and Game, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) was established to 
review and select restoration actions. This Trustee Council will meet 
regularly during the duration of the project to review progress and 
make necessary changes.
    The goal of this effort is to restore common murres in areas where 
colonies were extirpated or severely depleted by the Apex Houston oil 
spill. Social attractants (decoys and recorded vocalizations of common 
murres) will be used to attract common murres to nest at historic 
nearshore colonies in the vicinity of San Francisco and Monterey. 
Behavior and phenology of common murres will be monitored at these 
sites and at reference sites at Point Reyes and the Farallon Islands to 
determine when the goal has been met. This project may take 
approximately 10 years to achieve success because common murres have 
inherently low reproductive rates and do not breed until they are 
several years old.

Restoration of Nearshore Breeding Seabird Colonies on the Central 
California Coast

Introduction

    Nearshore breeding colonies of common murres (Uria aalge) 
throughout central coastal California decreased by 60% between 1980 and 
1986 (Takekawa et al. 1990). This population decline was attributed to 
high mortality from gill-net fishing, oil spills (including the Apex 
Houston spill), and a severe El Nino-Southern Oscillation event in 
1982-1983 (Takekawa et al. 1990, Swartzman and Carter 1991). The Apex 
Houston oil spill, which occurred principally between San Francisco and 
the Monterey Peninsula, killed nearly 9,000 seabirds in February 1986 
(Siskin et al. 1993). These mortalities included approximately 1,293 
rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata), 180 small alcids, 12 
marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus), and 1,206 other birds 
(including loons, grebes, scoters, cormorants, shorebirds, and gulls) 
killed as a result of the spill (Siskin et al. 1993). In addition, 
approximately 6,000 common murres were killed (Siskin et al. 1993). The 
common murre colony at Devil's Slide Rock was found to be abandoned, 
subcolonies at Castle Rocks disappeared, and other central coastal 
breeding sites (e.g., Hurricane Point Rocks, Point Reyes) were greatly 
reduced after the spill (Takekawa et al. 1990, Swartzman and Carter 
1991)(Figure 1).
    In the early 1900's, common murres bred at Prince Island in 
southern California (Carter et al. 1992), However, the central coastal 
California population currently represents the southernmost range for 
breeding common murres in the Pacific. Future oil spills and other 
catastrophic events (e.g., disease, predation, climate change) could 
result in the extirpation of this population as well as a reduction in 
the species' geographic range. The restoration of former common murre 
colonies would aid in securing the central coastal California common 
murre population and would spread the risk of future disasters among 
colony sites over a wider range of the California coast.
    The goal of this project is to recolonize common murres at historic 
breeding colonies in central California. The project will be conducted 
over approximately 10 years. A total of $4.92 million is available for 
this project.

Purpose

    The restoration funds were recovered under the Clean Water Act, the 
National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the California Harbors & Navigation 
Code Secs. 293 and 294, and other State law. A Trustee Council, 
comprised of representatives of each Trustee, was established to review 
and select restoration actions. As part of the settlement in the Apex 
Houston litigation, approximately $4.92 million has been allocated for 
the restoration of common murre colonies that suffered damage from the 
Apex Houston oil spill. This project should protect the central 
California common murre populaton. This will be achieved by restoring 
this population to a larger part of its historic range and spreading 
the risk of future catastrophic events (e.g. oil spills, disease, 
storms) between more colony sites and over a broader section of the 
California coast.

Proposed Restoration Alternatives

Alternatives Considered

    Numerous studies have shown that oil spills impact coastal marine 
ecosystems by decreasing the species diversity, reducing genetic 
variability, disrupting food chains, and modifying community structure. 
However, human intervention in the form of restoration projects can 
promote the recovery of resources impacted by oil spills. Therefore, 
the Trustees concentrated their damage assessment and restoration 
efforts on the recovery of seabird populations, especially alcids, 
impacted by the Apex Houston oil spill.
    Alternatives considered for seabird restoration included active 
recolonization/restoration projects and habitat acquisition projects. 
Alternatives were compared based on their monetary costs, benefits to 
local populations of the impacted species, and location relative to 
impacted areas.
    Recolonization/restoration efforts were considered for common 
murres and rhinoceros auklets, two seabird species that suffered high 
mortality as a result of the spill. The rhinoceros auklet project 
involved use of artificial nest sites to enhance breeding populations 
along the central California coast. The common murre recolonization 
project (described herein for public comment) was given higher priority 
because its potential benefits were linked more closely to the injuries 
caused by the spill. Most of the impacted common murres came from local 
colonies, whereas many of the dead auklets were wintering birds that 
nest north of the impacted area. A third restoration project involving 
construction of a seabird breeding and rehabilitation facility was 
rejected because its cost was prohibitive relative to settlement funds.
    Four habitat acquisition projects were considered: purchase of Cape 
Vizcaino in northern Mendocino County to protect nesting seabirds, 
purchase of coastal land near Castle Rock to protect a mainland colony 
of common murres, purchase of lands within San Francisco Bay, and 
purchase of marbled murrelet nesting habitat along the central 
California coast. The first three projects were given lower priorities 
because they were outside of the area impacted by the spill (Cape 
Vizcaino), were too costly (mainland site near Castle Rock), or were 
beneficial primarily to species that were not affected by the spill 
(sites in San Francisco Bay). A restoration plan describing the marbled 
murrelet habitat acquisition project will be made public at a later 
date.

Preferred Alternative: Recolonization of Impacted Common Murre Colonies

    The project the Trustee's prefer and on which public comment is 
invited is the recolonization of common murre colonies at Devil's Slide 
and San Pedro rocks in San Mateo County and Castle and Hurricane Point 
Rocks in Monterey County.
A. Devil's Slide and San Pedro Rocks Common Murre Recolonization: 
Recolonize Common Murres at Devil's Slide and San Pedro Rocks (San 
Mateo County, California) Using Social Attraction Methods (Decoys and 
Recorded Vocalizations) and Develop Reference Information Needed To 
Evaluate and Refine Restoration Efforts
    Location(s): Devil's Slide and San Pedro Rocks, San Mateo County, 
California; Point Reyes area (Point Reyes, Point Resistance, Double 
Point, and Miller Point rocks), Marin County, California; Farallon 
Islands, San Francisco County, California
    Justification: The recolonization of abandoned common murre 
colonies in central California will contribute to the restoration of 
this seabird's historic geographic range. This population sustained 
severe losses from commercial and subsistence egging in the 1800's and 
early 1900's, from chronic oil pollution and spills in the early to mid 
1900's, and from chronic oil spills and gill-netting in the 1980's and 
1990's. Common murres were last recorded breeding at San Pedro Rock in 
1909, when the colony was in the process of being extirpated by egg 
collectors (Ray 1909). The Apex Houston spill in 1986 contributed 
significantly to the loss of the Devil's Slide Rock colony near San 
Francisco. The San Pedro and Devil's Slide Rocks colonies are in close 
proximity and constitute the only common murre colonies between San 
Francisco and Monterey. This is a large portion of the range of the 
central California common murre population.
    Given the current depleted condition of the common murre 
population, extirpated colonies are not likely to be reestablished in 
the foreseeable future without human assistance. The San Pedro Rock 
colony has not recolonized over the past 85 years and the Devil's Slide 
Rock colony has not been recolonized in the 8 years following the Apex 
Houston spill. Similarly, the Prince Island colony in southern 
California has not been recolonized since extirpation in the early 
1900's (Carter et al. 1992). Furthermore, all six nearshore colonies in 
central California have remained severely depleted since the mid-
1980's. The reduction of the geographic range and small numbers of 
common murres in central California increases the risk for extinction 
for the central California population.
    Studies of seabird colony formation in Maine demonstrated that 
recolonization can be achieved using social attractants (Kress 1978, 
Kress and Nettleship 1988, and Kress et al. 1991). The use of decoys 
and tape recordings has attracted prospecting seabirds, which have bred 
once a threshold has been reached. These techniques have assisted in 
the recolonization by several species of colonial nesting seabirds 
(Podolsky 1985; Podolsky and Kress 1989, 1991). Preliminary efforts at 
recolonizing common murres in Maine in 1992-1994 have attracted common 
murres during the breeding season (S. Kress, pers. comm.). However, 
social attraction techniques must be applied for many years before 
breeding begins and a self-sustaining breeding colony can be attained.
    In order to refine recolonization methods and evaluate their 
success, reference information will be needed on the reproductive 
biology, behavior, and phenology of common murres at an unmanipulated 
near-shore site in the local area. However, little information is 
available from near-shore colonies in central California. Monitoring 
attendance patterns, arrival dates, reproductive success, and behavior 
of breeding and nonbreeding common murres at accessible colonies in the 
Point Reyes area will provide a comparison to evaluate recolonization 
of Devil's Slide and San Pedro rocks. The Point Reyes colonies (i.e., 
Point Reyes, Point Resistance, Double Point, and Miller Point rocks) 
are the closest to the recolonization sites, are the most ecological 
similar, and should provide a reference for what would normally be 
expected in a near-shore common murre colony as well as a good 
comparison with the recolonization site. The monitoring conducted at 
these unmanipulated colonies will be used to assess recolonization 
responses and common murre activity patterns at recolonization sites, 
as well as support refinement of recolonization methods.
    In addition, unique information will be needed from the common 
murre colony at the South Farallon Islands at Farallon National 
Wildlife Refuge in order to evaluate recolonization responses and 
refine techniques. Common murre reproductive success, diet, and 
breeding biology have been studied for over 20 years at the South 
Farallon Islands as part of long-term monitoring of seabird populations 
required for the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge and other research 
conducted by the Point Reyes Bird Observatory (Ainley and Boekelheide 
1990, Ainley et al. 1994). As a result of these studies, a small number 
of individually marked birds of known age and sex exist at the Farallon 
Islands. Little information is available concerning the attendance of 
breeding and nonbreeding common murres at breeding sites, especially 
during winter. Information obtained on individually-marked birds, where 
age and sex are known, would give a better understanding of expected 
time-in-attendance and behavior at breeding sites for adult and 
subadult common murres during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. 
Detailed information on common murre attendance and prospecting in the 
winter will make it possible to evaluate the significance of winter 
attendance at the recolonization sites. If winter attendance is crucial 
to successful breeding, social attraction methods may have to be 
deployed for a longer period. In addition, all accessible subcolonies 
of common murres at the South Farallon Islands would be examined for 
more general attendance patterns throughout the year.
    Attendance, breeding biology, and behavior will be monitored during 
the breeding season in marked and unmarked birds in plots at the South 
Farallon Islands so that recolonization responses at recolonization 
sites can be more effectively evaluated. Certain colonies with 
potential for future intensive monitoring efforts may be examined in 
greater detail, including reproductive success. This information will 
be important in evaluating and modifying the social attraction methods 
used at the restoration sites. Information that is only available at 
this larger, more accessible, and closely monitored common murre 
colony, including known-aged common murre information, will be used to 
refine and assess recolonization efforts.
    Proposed Actions: Social attraction techniques will be used to 
recolonize common murres at Devil's Slide and San Pedro rocks. The use 
of decoys and tape-recordings, similar to those used elsewhere to 
encourage recolonization by several seabird species, is proposed 
(Podolsky and Kress 1989, Kress 1990, Podolsky 1985). Preliminary work 
will consist of selecting observation points to view recolonization 
sites, constructing and installing observation blinds, obtaining access 
permits, and purchasing needed equipment. Periodic observations of 
winter attendance of colonies will also be conducted in fall and winter 
1994-1995. Aerial surveys of central California breeding seabird 
colonies and periodic observations of breeding colonies from vantage 
points will be conducted in the spring and summer of 1995. Additional 
aerial reconnaissance of Devil's Slide and San Pedro rocks will be 
conducted to obtain photographs for mapping the restoration sites. 
Reconnaissance trips to Devil's Slide and San Pedro rocks will take 
place to determine equipment and procedures needed to deploy social 
attraction equipment. Ladders may be installed to allow safe access 
onto the colonies for project personnel.
    Decoys and audio equipment will be placed on the rocks in fall 1995 
before common murres begin to frequent nesting islands. Recordings of 
common murre breeding vocalizations will be made at the Farallon NWR. 
Life-size common murre decoys will be positioned on suitable nesting 
habitat. The decoys will be secured to the rock in a fashion that 
simulates occupied common murre colonies. Several omnidirectional 
weather resistant loudspeakers will be positioned at the recolonization 
sites. Endless tape loops or compact disks of California common murre 
vocalizations will be played throughout the breeding season from 
December to August. Daily observations of the recolonization sites will 
begin once decoys have been deployed and will continue through July. 
Devil's Slide Rock will be observed from the mainland using a portable 
blind and telescope. San Pedro Rock observations will occur from a 
blind located on the rock, from a boat, and/or from the mainland.
    Data collected will include common murre arrival date, number of 
common murres present, behavior of common murres, interaction with 
other species (e.g., Brandt's Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus)), 
location on rock, attendance patterns, and presence of predators. 
Prospecting common murres will be plotted by location on maps of the 
recolonization site. One or more aerial photographic censuses of the 
central California common murre colonies will be conducted annually 
between May and June. The censuses will be used to calculate annual 
breeding population sizes at the recolonization sites and nearby 
reference colonies in central California, compare trends between years, 
and assist in determining numbers of common murres not visible from the 
mainland or boats. Social attractants will be displayed through the 
breeding season until after common murres normally leave the breeding 
sites, usually in August. The decoys and audio equipment will be 
collected after all bird breeding on the rock has been completed. 
Equipment will be checked, cleaned, and replaced as necessary. The 
equipment will be redeployed during the following fall before common 
murres begin to frequent nesting islands. Monitoring of recolonization 
sites will continue annually after the first social attractants are 
deployed. The restoration efforts will be evaluated annually and 
revised as necessary.
    The breeding behavior and colony attendance of common murres will 
be monitored at four nearby colonies in the Point Reyes National 
Seashore and/or the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary: 
Point Reyes, Point Resistance, Double Point Rocks, and Miller Point 
Rocks. Several variables will be monitored to allow comparison to 
recolonization sites, including population size and status, attendance 
patterns, timing, breeding phenology and success, behavior, interaction 
with other species, impacts of predators, and human and other 
disturbances. The population size and status would be determined using 
similar methods employed by Birkhead and Nettleship (1980), Gaston et 
al. (1983), Mudge (1988), and Hatch and Hatch (1989). Only subcolonies 
that can be viewed from a safe location will be selected. 
Reconnaissance work and preliminary observations and logistics would 
begin in spring-summer 1995. This work would consist of obtaining 
access permits to conduct work, selecting subcolonies to be studied, 
selecting plots within subcolonies, and conducting aerial surveys of 
the colony. The monitoring period would parallel that followed at 
Devil's Slide and San Pedro rocks.
    Winter and summer attendance, and selected aspects of breeding 
biology of banded and unbanded common murres will be monitored at 
breeding sites at the South Farallon Islands at Farallon NWR. 
Established and new study plots, individually-banded birds, blinds, and 
other facilities will allow for the study of summer and winter 
attendance in more detail than at nearshore locations. Monitoring would 
include determining arrival dates, winter attendance patterns (breeding 
versus nonbreeding common murres), winter behavior of nonbreeding and 
breeding common murres, site fidelity of breeding common murres, 
reproductive success, population size, and impacts of predation. 
Monitoring at the South Farallon Islands will continue for at least two 
years and may be extended beyond two years if needed to support 
refinement of recolonization methods or to facilitate interpretation of 
data at other colonies.
    Schedule: Fall and winter 1994-1995: Begin preliminary work, 
including contracting, planning, logistics, permits, and purchasing.
    Spring-summer 1995: Conduct aerial surveys of seabird colonies in 
central California to obtain baseline data, conduct aerial flights of 
Devil's Slide and San Pedro rocks to obtain aerial photos for mapping 
purposes, and record breeding common murre vocalizations at the 
Farallon NWR for use in the recolonization project. Select colonies and 
study plots to be monitored in the Point Reyes area. Conduct safety 
training for personnel as required.
    Fall and winter 1995-1996: In fall 1995, conduct reconnaissance 
trips to recolonization sites in preparation for deployment of social 
attractants. Before December 1995, deploy social attractants and 
initiate daily observations of recolonization sites. Initiate daily 
observations of study plots in December 1995. Complete field season in 
August when common murres generally leave breeding colonies. 
Observations of study plots will continue from December through August 
for a minimum of 5 years to 10 years in order to provide necessary 
information to adequately evaluate the recolonization project. Work at 
the South Farallon Islands will begin the winter of 1995-1996 and will 
continue for a minimum of two years. Regular progress reports and an 
annual report will be submitted by the contractor performing the work 
at the South Farallon Islands.
B. Castle and Hurricane Point Rocks Restoration: Restore Common Murres 
at Castle and Hurricane Point Rocks Using Social Attraction Methods 
(Decoys and Recorded Vocalizations)
    Location: Castle and Hurricane Point rocks, Monterey County, 
California.
    Justification: As described above, the recolonization of historic 
common murre colonies in central California will contribute to the 
reversal of the dramatic reduction of this seabird's historic 
geographic range. The 1986 Apex Houston spill severely affected the 
breeding colonies that make up the southern half of the central 
California breeding range. Two breeding colonies near Monterey, Castle 
and Hurricane Point rocks, were hard hit by the Apex Houston spill and 
are in serious danger of perishing entirely. The remaining subcolonies 
on these rocks are very small and disjunct. These colonies are 
particularly important because they are at the current southern end of 
the central California population as well as the southern extreme of 
the species' range in the Pacific Ocean. These colonies are in close 
proximity to each other and constitute the only active common murre 
colonies south of San Francisco, a large portion of the range of the 
central California common murre population. Given the current fragile 
condition of the overall common murre population and the lack of 
recovery over time, colonies once lost are not likely to be 
reestablished in the foreseeable future without human assistance. If 
the colonies at Castle and Hurricane Point rocks are lost, the 
resulting reductions in the geographical range, numbers, and 
productivity of common murres further increase the risk of extinction 
of the entire central California population.
    Proposed Action: The common murre colonies at the Castle and 
Hurricane Point rock complexes will be evaluated to determine the best 
means of employing social attractants at these locations. A minimum of 
two years would be required to determine appropriate methods. Both of 
these colonies are composed of several subcolonies on different rocks. 
Subcolonies will be examined to obtain a comprehensive understanding of 
colony dynamics in a severely depleted condition. Breeding population 
levels, reproductive success, attendance patterns, behavioral 
observations, and nesting locations will be determined at as many 
subcolonies as possible. Particular attention will be paid to 
prospecting birds within established subcolonies and at unoccupied 
rocks. In addition, all unoccupied rocks and potential mainland 
breeding habitats will be assessed for the use of social attractants to 
encourage common murre breeding. Habitat will be assessed for 
suitability to support a common murre subcolony, including such factors 
as slope, size, protection from human and other disturbance, surf 
conditions, and predation threats. The unoccupied rocks will be 
regularly monitored to detect prospecting common murres.
    A phased approach to employing social attractants may be used to 
refine the use of social attractants on the colony. Criteria to be used 
to determine the use of social attractants include: loss of subcolonies 
or colonies, below normal reproductive success, lack of colony growth, 
limited availability of breeding sites in existing subcolonies, high 
numbers of prospecting common murres in existing subcolonies, presence 
of prospecting common murres in areas with no breeding, and population 
status at each colony. The use of social attractants would be employed 
at sites where it was deemed necessary to encourage common murres to 
recolonize lost subcolonies or prospect and nest on unoccupied rocks. 
The goal would be to prevent colony loss and/or restore the breeding 
colony to historic numbers without negatively impacting existing 
subcolonies. If, for any reason, social attractants are not deemed 
advisable after two years, the colonies at these sites will be 
monitored for three more years to insure adequate reproductive success, 
activity, colony survival, and recovery and, if necessary, to develop 
alternative restoration techniques.
    Schedule: Fall and winter 1994-1995: Preliminary work will begin, 
including selection of observation points, obtaining access permits, 
planning, and purchasing. In December 1994, observations of breeding 
colonies will begin in order to obtain necessary baseline information.
    Spring and summer 1995: Aerial surveys of breeding common murre 
colonies will be conducted in May-June to obtain baseline data. These 
surveys will be conducted in conjunction with aerial common murre 
surveys for central California. Observations of breeding colonies will 
continue each year from December 1994 until August 1997, at a minimum. 
In August 1997, the use of social attractants will be assessed to 
restore these common murre colonies. In fall 1997, social attractants 
will be deployed where suitable.

Goals

    The Apex Houston oil spill killed an estimated 6,000 common murres, 
eradicated the Devil's Slide Rock colony, and damaged colonies at 
Castle and Hurricane Point Rocks. If the latter two colonies are lost, 
over 75% of the recent range of the central California common murre 
population will have been lost. The Trustee Council has selected 
restoration alternatives designed to restore common murres to colonies 
in the areas most severely affected by the spill. An important goal is 
to make significant progress toward the establishment of 100 breeding 
pairs of common murres at Devil's Slide Rock and San Pedro Rock 
colonies. The time frame needed for common murres to become established 
at extirpated colonies is unknown but is suspected to be many years. If 
possible, the project will attempt to restore the colonies to pre-spill 
population levels. The time frame needed for common murres to reach 
pre-spill population levels is unknown but is suspected to take several 
generations. Ultimately, the long-term goal is to restore the common 
murre colonies to historic breeding levels, although this would 
probably require funds in addition to those currently budgeted.
    The Trustee Council plans to review the common murre restoration 
project at least annually at which time the effectiveness of the 
project and possible improvements will be considered. The annual review 
process may result in revisions to the plan. Revisions will be reviewed 
by the Trustee Council. Revisions to the plan will be guided by 
documented evidence, scientific literature, and best professional 
judgement.

Environmental Compliance

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the project 
is categorically excluded from the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq, according to the Department of 
Interior's Departmental Manual, 516 DM 6, Appendix I, 516 DM 2, 
Appendix I. Resource management activities such as the type described 
for this project, which include research, reintroduction of established 
species into their historic range, and small structures or 
improvements, are categorically excluded from NEPA. The U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service has prepared an Environmental Action Memorandum 
setting forth the basis for the categorical exclusion of this project.
    The State of California has determined that the project is 
categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act 
(CEQA), Cal. Pub. Resources Code 21000 et seq., and has filed a Notice 
of Exemption with the State Clearinghouse.
    The Trustee Council is submitting a Consistency Determination 
pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1456(c) 
with the California Coastal Commission. The Trustee Council has 
concluded that the proposed project will have no impact on California's 
coastal zone.

Literature Cited

Ainley, D.G. and R.J. Boekelheide, editors. 1990. Seabirds of the 
Farallon Islands: Ecology, dynamics, and structure of an upswelling-
system community. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 
450 pages.
Ainley, D.G., W.J. Sydeman, S.A. Hatch, and U.W. Wilson. 1994. 
Seabird population trends along the west coast of North America: 
causes and extent of regional concordance. Studies in Avian Biology 
No. 15:119-133.
Birkhead, T.R. and D.N. Nettleship. 1980. Census methods for murres, 
Uria species: a unified approach. Canadian Wildlife Service 
Occasional Papers. Paper Number 43. 25pp.
Carter, H.R. and M.L. Morrison, editors. 1992. Status and 
conservation of the Marbled Murrelet in North America. Proceedings 
of a 1987 Pacific Seabird Group symposium. Proceedings of the 
Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology No. 5. 134 pages.
Carter, H.R., G.J. McChesney, D.L. Jaques, C.S. Strong, M.W. Parker, 
J.E. Takekawa, D.L. Jory, and D.L. Whitworth. 1994. Breeding 
populations of seabirds in California, 1989-1991.
Gaston, A.J., D.G. Noble, and M.A. Purdy. 1983. Monitoring breeding 
biology parameters for murres Uria spp.: levels of accuracy and 
sources of bias. Journal of Field Ornithology 54:275-282.
Hatch, S.A., and M.A. Hatch. 1989. Attendance patterns of murres at 
breeding sites: implications for monitoring. Journal of Wildlife 
Management 53(2):486-493.
Kress, S. 1978. Establishing Atlantic Puffins at a former breeding 
site. Pp. 373-377 in S.A. Temple (ed.). Endangered birds: management 
techniques for preserving threatened species. University of 
Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wisconsin.
Mudge, G.P. 1988. An evaluation of current methodology for 
monitoring changes in the breeding populations of Guillemots Uria 
aalge. Bird Study 35:1-9.
Podolsky, R.H. 1985. Colony formation and attraction of the Laysan 
Albatross and Leach's Storm-Petrel. Ph.D. dissertation. Ann Arbor, 
University of Michigan.
Podolsky, R.H. and S.W. Kress. 1989. Factors affecting colony 
formation in Leach's Storm-Petrel. Auk 106(2):332-336.
Siskin, B.R., G.W. Page, and H.R. Carter. 1993. Impacts of the 1986 
Apex Houston oil spill on marine birds in central California. 
Unpublished report, U.S. Department of Justice.
Swartzman, G. and H.R. Carter. 1991. Response of the California 
population of Common Murres (Uria aalge) to Mortality from the 1986 
Apex Houston oil spill. Unpublished report, U.S. Department of 
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Common Murre in Central California 1980-1986. Studies in Avian 
Biology 14:149-163.

    Dated: October 28, 1994.
Thomas Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 94-27374 Filed 11-3-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M