[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 20 (Monday, February 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5114-5115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2046]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-R-2009-N222; 80230-1265-0000-S3]


Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Clark, Lincoln, and Nye 
Counties, NV

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability: record of decision.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of the record of decision (ROD) for the final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (CCP/
EIS) for the Desert National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex. We 
completed a thorough analysis of the environmental, social, and 
economic considerations and presented it in our final CCP/EIS, which we 
released to the public on August 19, 2009. The ROD documents our 
decision to adopt and implement the final CCP/EIS Alternative C, for 
Ash Meadows, Desert, and Moapa Valley NWRs and Alternative D for 
Pahranagat NWR.

DATES: The Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, signed the ROD on September 24, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the ROD and Final CCP/EIS 
by any of the following methods:
    Agency Web site: Download a copy of the documents at http://www.fws.gov/desertcomplex/ccp.htm.
    Electronic mail: [email protected]. Include ``Desert NWRC 
ROD'' in the subject line of the message.
    Mail: Mark Pelz, Chief, Refuge Conservation Planning, Pacific 
Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, W-
1832, Sacramento, CA 95825-1846.
    In person viewing or pickup: Copies of the ROD may be viewed at the 
Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 4701 North Torrey Pines, Las 
Vegas, NV 89130.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Martinez, Refuge Complex 
Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4701 North Torrey Pines, Las 
Vegas, NV 89130, phone (702) 515-5450 or Mark Pelz, Chief, Refuge 
Planning, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1832, Sacramento, CA, 95825; (916) 414-
6504 (phone); [email protected] (e-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for the Desert NWR 
Complex (Ash Meadows, Desert, Moapa Valley and Pahranagat NWRs). The 
CCP will guide us in managing and administering the four wildlife 
refuges for the next 15 years. We started this process in a Federal 
Register notice (67 FR 54229, August 21, 2002). We released the draft 
CCP/EIS to the public, announcing and requesting comments in a notice 
of availability in the Federal Register (73 FR 39979) on July 11, 2008. 
The public review period lasted 60 days. We announced the availability 
of the final CCP/EIS in the Federal Register (74 FR 41928) on August 
19, 2009.
    Ash Meadows NWR was established in 1984 under the authority of the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. It comprises 23,000 acres 
of spring-fed wetlands, mesquite bosques, and desert uplands that 
provide habitat for at least 24 plants and animal species found nowhere 
else in the world. The Wildlife Refuge is located 90 miles northwest of 
Las Vegas and 30 miles west of Pahrump.
    Desert NWR was originally established in 1936 by Executive Order 
No. 7373 and subsequently modified by Public Land Order 4079, for the 
protection, enhancement and maintenance of wildlife resources including 
bighorn sheep. Located just north of Las Vegas, Nevada, the 1.6 million 
acre Wildlife Refuge is the largest in the lower 48 States.
    The Moapa Valley NWR was established in 1979 under the authority of 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, to secure habitat for 
the endangered Moapa dace. The Wildlife Refuge is located on 116 acres 
in northeastern Clark County. Due to its small size, fragile habitats, 
on-going habitat restoration work, and unsafe structures, the Wildlife 
Refuge is currently closed to the general public.
    The Pahranagat NWR was established in 1963, under the authority of 
the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, as amended, to protect habitat for 
migrating birds in the Pahranagat Valley. The 5,382 acre Wildlife 
Refuge consists of marshes, meadows, lakes, and upland desert habitat. 
It provides nesting, resting, and feeding areas for waterfowl, 
shorebirds, wading birds, and song birds including the endangered 
southwestern willow flycatcher.
    In accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 
1506.6(b)) requirements, this notice announces the availability of the 
ROD for the final CCP/EIS for the Desert NWR Complex. We completed a 
thorough analysis of the environmental, social, and economic 
considerations in the final CCP/EIS. The ROD documents our selection of 
Alternative C, for Ash Meadows, Desert, and Moapa Valley NWRs and 
Alternative D for Pahranagat NWR.

Background

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Improvement Act), which amended the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, 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

[[Page 5115]]

plan for achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission 
of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), 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 Improvement Act.

CCP Alternatives and Selected Alternative

    Both our draft and final CCP/EIS identified several major issues. 
To address those issues, we developed and evaluated three alternatives 
for managing Ash Meadows and Moapa Valley NWRs and four alternatives 
for managing Desert and Pahranagat NWRs. These alternatives are 
outlined in the final CCP/EIS Summary document available at http://www.fws.gov/desertcomplex/ccp.htm.
    Our decision is to adopt Alternative C for Ash Meadows, Desert, and 
Moapa Valley NWRs and Alternative D for Pahranagat NWR, as described in 
the ROD. The ROD details the basis of our decision, which we made after 
considering the following: the impacts identified in Chapter 4 of the 
draft and final CCP/EIS; the results of public and other agency 
comments; how well the alternative addresses the relevant issues, 
concerns, and opportunities identified during the planning process; and 
other relevant factors, including fulfilling the purposes for which the 
wildlife refuges were established, contributing to the mission and 
goals of the NWRS, and statutory and regulatory guidance. We have 
determined that Alternative C for Ash Meadows, Desert, and Moapa Valley 
NWRs and Alternative D for Pahranagat NWR include the suite of 
activities that best achieve the stated purpose and need for action and 
the goals for each wildlife refuge presented in the final CCP/EIS 
Chapter 1. These alternatives were selected for implementation because 
they provide the greatest number of opportunities for the wildlife 
refuges to make a significant contribution to the conservation of fish, 
wildlife, and habitat needs in the region, balanced with opportunities 
for high-quality wildlife-dependant recreation.

    Dated: January 26, 2010.
Ren Lohofener,
Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2010-2046 Filed 1-29-10; 8:45 am]
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