[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44678-44679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15281]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Final Comprehensive Conservation 
Plan, Finding of No Significant Impact, and Summary for Sacramento 
River National Wildlife Refuge, Tehama, Butte, Glenn and Colusa 
Counties, CA

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge Final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI), and Summary are available for distribution. The CCP, prepared 
pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act as 
amended, and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, describes how the Service will manage the Refuge for the next 
15 years. The compatibility determinations for hunting, fishing, 
wildlife observation and photography, environmental education and 
interpretation, research, camping and recreational boating, farming, 
grazing and mosquito control are also available with the CCP.

DATES: The Final CCP and FONSI are available now. The FONSI was signed 
on March 21, 2005. Implementation of the CCP will begin immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final CCP, FONSI, and Summary may be obtained 
by writing to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attn: Jackie Ferrier, 
Refuge Planner, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 752 County 
Road 99W, Willows, California 95988. Copies of these documents may be 
viewed at this address. The Final CCP, FONSI and Summary are also 
available online for

[[Page 44679]]

viewing and downloading at http://pacific.fws.gov/planning or http://sacramentovalleyrefuges.fws.gov.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Jackie Ferrier, Refuge Planner, Sacramento 
National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 752 County Road 99W, Willows, 
California 95988; telephone 530-934-2801; fax 530-934-7814.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Refuge was established in 1989 by the authority provided under 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, 
and the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986, using funds made 
available through the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965. 
Sacramento River Refuge is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife 
Refuge Complex located in the Sacramento Valley of north-central 
California. The Refuge is located along both banks of the Sacramento 
River between Red Bluff and Princeton, California, in Glenn, Butte, and 
Tehama Counties. The 10,304-acre Refuge is managed to maintain, enhance 
and restore habitats for threatened and endangered species, migratory 
birds, anadromous fish and native fish, wildlife, and plants.
    The availability of the Draft CCP and Environmental Assessment (EA) 
for a 45-day public review and comment period was published in the 
Federal Register on Tuesday, June 29, 2004, in volume 69, number 124. 
The Draft CCP/EA identified and evaluated three alternatives for 
managing the Refuge for the next 15 years. Alternative A was the no-
action alternative which described current Refuge management 
activities. Alternative B, the selected alternative, will continue to 
emphasize restoration for migratory birds and threatened and endangered 
species. The Refuge will be open for wildlife dependent public uses and 
management programs will be expanded. Alternative C would accelerate 
habitat restoration and maximize public use and is similar to 
Alternative B except the agricultural program would end immediately and 
hunting would be allowed on larger percentage of the Refuge.
    The Service received 1,187 comment letters on the Draft CCP and EA. 
The comments were incorporated into the CCP when appropriate, and are 
otherwise addressed in an appendix to the CCP. Alternative B was 
selected for implementation and is the basis for the Final CCP.
    Under Alternative B, the focus of the Refuge will be to continue to 
restore and maintain riparian habitat for threatened and endangered 
species, migratory birds, anadromous and native fish, wildlife, and 
plants. The Refuge will use active and passive management practices to 
achieve and maintain full restoration/enhancement of all units (5,855 
acres) where appropriate, as funding becomes available. The 
agricultural program will be phased out as restoration funding becomes 
available. Under Alternative B, the Service will improve and expand 
visitor services with a focus on a balance of priority public use 
opportunities distributed throughout the entire Refuge. New visitor 
services projects under this alternative include: developing 
interpretive kiosks, creating a new refuge brochure, and constructing 
walking trails and parking facilities on vehicle accessible units. 
Hunting opportunities will increase under Alternative B. Approximately 
52 percent of the Refuge will be opened to hunting dove, waterfowl, 
coot, common moorhen, pheasant, quail, snipe, turkey, and deer. Hunting 
will be limited to shotgun or archery only. Twenty-three riverbank 
miles and seasonally submerged areas will be opened to sport fishing 
consistent with State regulations. Camping will be allowed on gravels 
bars below the ordinary high water mark.
    This alternative was selected for implementation because it 
includes needed improvements in migratory bird and special status 
species management and makes an important contribution to regional 
biodiversity. It also provides a balanced mix of compatible wildlife-
dependant recreation opportunities to meet the growing demand in the 
region. Implementation of this alternative will require additional 
staff and funding.

    Dated: July 27, 2005.
Steve Thompson,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 05-15281 Filed 8-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P