[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 49 (Friday, March 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12498-12500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6494]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment and 
the Draft Strategy and Guidelines for the Recovery and Management of 
the Red-cockaded Woodpecker and It's Habitat on National Wildlife 
Refuges

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the 
availability of a Draft Strategy and Guidelines for the Recovery of the 
Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) and It's Habitat on National Wildlife 
Refuges (Guidelines). Included in the Guidelines are population 
management objectives for 644-654 active clusters of RCWs on 
approximately 141,900 acres of pine and pine hardwood forest on 13 
refuges in the southeastern United States. Actions proposed are 
directed at protection of clusters, management of nesting habitat, 
population management, management of foraging habitat, forest 
management (including silvicultural activities), and management of RCWs 
in federally designated Wilderness.
    The Service also announces the availability of an environmental 
assessment (EA) which includes an evaluation of the environmental 
impact of four alternatives: (1) implementing the Guidelines as 
proposed, (2) taking no action to comprehensively implement revised 
recovery guidelines and strategies, (3) implementing the Guidelines, 
intensifying management efforts and expanding the area to be managed 
for RCWs, and (4) implementing the Guidelines on a smaller area of 
refuge land.
    Copies of the Strategy and Guidelines and the EA may be obtained by 
making a request to the Regional Office (see ADDRESSES). Requests must 
be in writing to be processed. This notice also advises the public that 
the Service has made a preliminary determination that issuing the 
Guidelines is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the 
quality of the human environment within the meaning of Section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as 
amended. The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is based on an 
evaluation of the information contained in the Guidelines. The final 
determination will be made no sooner than 60 days from the date of this 
notice. This notice is provided pursuant to NEPA regulations (40 CFR 
1506.6).


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DATES: Written comments on the Draft Strategy and Guidelines and Draft 
EA, should be sent to the Service's Regional Office (see ADDRESSES) and 
should be received on or before April 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to obtain a copy of the Draft Strategy and 
Guidelines, should submit a request in writing to: U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Southeast Regional Office, 1875 Century Boulevard, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30345. (Attn: Assistant Regional Director, Refuges and 
Wildlife). Copies may also be reviewed at the Southeast Regional Office 
(address above) and at the following locations: Office of the Red-
cockaded Woodpecker Recovery Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Clemson University, Department of Forest Resources, 261 
Lehotsky Hall, Clemson, SC 29634-1003, and Office of the Refuge 
Manager, Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Route 1, Brooksville, MS 
39739. Documents will be available for public inspection by appointment 
during normal business hours at these locations. Comments concerning 
the Strategy and Guidelines or EA should be submitted in writing to the 
Southeast Regional Office address above. Please reference the Draft 
Strategy and Guidelines for the Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Its Habitat 
on National Wildlife Refuges in your comments, or in requests for the 
documents discussed herein.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ralph Costa, Red-cockaded 
Woodpecker Recovery Coordinator, Clemson Field Office, (see ADDRESSES 
above), telephone: 864/656-2432; Mr. David Richardson, Biologist, 
Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (see ADDRESSES above), 601/323-5548, 
or Mr. Jon Andrew, Fish and Wildlife Administrator, Southeast Regional 
Office (see ADDRESSES above), telephone: 404/679-7123.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Service is the lead Federal agency responsible for preserving, 
protecting and enhancing nonmarine endangered species. Pursuant to the 
terms of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) the red-cockaded woodpecker was listed as an endangered species 
by the Service in 1970. In addition to responsibilities under the Act, 
the Service administers National Wildlife Refuge system lands. There 
are an estimated 141,900 acres of pine and pine-hardwood habitat 
capable of supporting RCWs on 13 national wildlife refuges in the 
southeast United States.
    The RCW is a territorial, non-migratory cooperative breeding 
species. RCWs live in social units called groups or clans which 
generally consist of a breeding pair, the current year's offspring, and 
one or more helpers (normally adult male offspring of the breeding pair 
from previous years). Groups maintain year-round territories near their 
roost and nest trees. The RCW is unique among the North American 
woodpeckers in that it is the only woodpecker that excavates its roost 
and nest cavities in living pine trees. Each group member has its own 
cavity, although there may be multiple cavities in a single pine tree. 
The aggregate of cavity trees is called a cluster. RCWs forage almost 
exclusively on pine trees and they generally prefer pines greater than 
10 inches in diameter at breast height. Foraging habitat is contiguous 
with the cluster. The number of acres required to supply adequate 
foraging habitat depends on the quantity and quality of the pine stems 
available.
    The RCW is endemic to the pine forests of the Southeastern United 
States and was once widely distributed across 16 States. The species 
evolved in a mature fire-maintained ecosystem. The RCW has declined 
primarily due to the conversion of mature pine forests to young pine 
plantations, agricultural fields, and residential and commercial 
developments, and to hardwood encroachment in existing pine forests due 
to fire suppression. The species is still widely distributed (presently 
occurring in 13 southeastern states), but the remaining populations are 
highly fragmented and isolated. Presently, the largest known 
populations occur on Federally owned lands such as military 
installations and national forests.
    The most recent estimate of the status of RCW populations on 
National Wildlife Refuge lands indicates that 237 to 242 active RCW 
clusters are present.
    The EA contains an evaluation of the environmental consequences of 
four alternatives, including the proposed action. The proposed action 
alternative would result in implementation of the Guidelines as 
prepared by the Service. The No Action alternative would result in a 
continuance of the current management activities with no revision to 
the guidelines prepared in 1987. No management actions or recovery on 
refuge lands would be implemented beyond those contained in the 1987 
Guidelines and the recovery plan for this species. The third 
alternative is to implement the Guidelines and expand their application 
to include additional habitat on Alligator River, Piedmont and Santee 
National Wildlife Refuges. The fourth alternative would result in the 
implementation of the Guidelines on approximately one half of the area 
identified for management under the revised Guidelines and a 
reallocation of resources to other wildlife management needs.
    As stated above, the Service has made a preliminary determination 
that the issuance of the Guidelines is not a major Federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the 
meaning of Section 102(2)(C) of NEPA. This preliminary information may 
be revised due to public comment received in response to this notice 
and is based on information contained in the EA and the Guidelines. An 
excerpt from the FONSI reflecting the Service's finding on the 
application is provided below:
    Based on the analysis conducted by the Service, it has been 
determined that:
    1. Issuance of the Guidelines would not have significant indirect 
or cumulative adverse effects on the human environment.
    2. Implementation of the Guidelines will contribute substantially 
to the recovery of the RCW by providing for consistent application of 
the most appropriate forms of management available on all refuge lands. 
Application of the guidelines will also assure that forest management 
will be accomplished in a manner which will result in accelerated 
recovery of the species.
    3. Population goals contained in the strategy and guidelines are 
substantially higher than the current population levels and would 
represent a major positive step towards recovery of the RCW.
    The Service will also evaluate whether the issuance of the 
Guidelines complies with section 7 of the Act by preparing an intra-
Service section 7 consultation. The results of the consultation in 
combination with the above findings, and public comment will be used in 
the final analysis to determine whether or not to issue and implement 
the Guidelines.

Public Comments Solicited

    The Service solicits written comments on the draft management 
guidelines described. All comments received by the date specified above 
will be considered prior to approval of final guidelines.

Authority

    The authorities for this action are the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), The National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 
4321-4347) and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 
1997 (Public Law

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105-57 to be codified at 16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).

    Dated: March 6, 1998.
Sam D. Hamilton,
Regional Director, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 98-6494 Filed 3-12-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P