[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44604-44605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18829]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-NCR-NACE-0411-7112; 3501-PZY]


Draft Anacostia Park Wetland and Resident Canada Goose Management 
Plan/Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the 
availability of the Draft Anacostia Park Wetland and Resident Canada 
Goose Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (Plan/DEIS) for 
Anacostia Park (Park), Washington, DC. The draft Plan/DEIS evaluates 
the impacts of several management alternatives that address managing 
wetlands and resident Canada geese at the Park. It also assesses the 
impacts that could result from continuing the current management 
framework in the no action alternative. The selected alternative will 
describe the wetland management and Canada goose management strategies 
that will guide future actions at the Park for 15 years.

DATES: The NPS will accept comments on the Plan/DEIS for 60 days 
following publication by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
of the Notice of the Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement. After the EPA Notice of Availability is published, the NPS 
will schedule public meetings during the comment period. Dates, times, 
and locations of these meetings will be announced in press releases, e-
mail announcements, and on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public 
Comment (PEPC) Web site for the project at http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/ANAC .

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment 
online at: http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/ANAC. Copies of the Plan/
DEIS will be available in the office of the Superintendent, National 
Capital Parks--East, 1900 Anacostia Drive, SE., Washington, DC 20020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chief of Resource Management Division, 
National Capital Parks--East headquarters in Anacostia Park at the 
address above or by telephone at (202) 690-5160.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tidal wetland restoration efforts at 
Anacostia Park have been jeopardized by grazing resident Canada geese. 
Action is needed at this time to manage the restored wetlands at the 
Park. The Plan/DEIS will be an integrated tool designed to allow for 
the long-term planning and management for both wetlands and resident 
Canada geese at the Park.
    This Plan/DEIS evaluates five alternatives--a No Action Alternative 
(A) and four Action Alternatives (B (preferred), C, D, and E). These 
are summarized briefly here. Other alternatives were explored but 
dismissed; these are discussed in some detail in the draft Plan/EIS.
     Alternative A--No Action--Park wetlands and the resident 
goose population would continue to be managed using the current wetland 
and goose management techniques which include: Invasive species 
management, trash management, public education, goose egg oiling, goose 
population monitoring, goose exclusion fencing, and wetland vegetation 
planting.
     Alternative B--Preferred--Very High Level of Wetland and 
Goose Management--The most aggressive wetlands management techniques 
would be combined with intensive goose management techniques. Proposed 
extensive wetland restoration opportunities could include: Managing 
invasive species, shoreline protection, restoration of tidal guts, and 
daylighting. Goose management techniques include: Lethal control, scare 
and harassment, habitat alteration, and reproduction control such as 
egg oiling.
     Alternative C--High Level of Wetlands Management with 
Moderate Level of Goose Management--This alternative combines 
aggressive wetlands management options with a moderate level of lethal 
goose management techniques. Some of the wetland management techniques 
could include managing invasive species and

[[Page 44605]]

planting throughout the wetlands. The goose management techniques 
include: Less intensive population reduction than in alternative B; 
habitat modification by planting buffers along the shoreline; scare and 
harassment techniques in certain areas; and reproduction control.
     Alternative D--Low Level of Wetlands Management and Low 
Goose Management--Wetland management techniques include a removal of 
structures or obstacles resulting in severe erosion of the shoreline 
and wetland areas as well as management of invasive species. There 
would be no new wetland restoration or new cultural/educational efforts 
under this alternative. The goose management techniques would include 
no initial lethal resident goose population reduction activities; 
however, there could be a one-time population reduction if other goose 
management techniques, such as habitat modification and reproduction 
control, do not keep the goose population at the sustainable threshold 
level.
     Alternative E--Very High Level of Wetlands Management with 
Moderate Goose Management with No Lethal Control--Wetland management 
techniques include erosion control and invasive species management. The 
resident goose management techniques would have no initial or follow-up 
lethal control; however, habitat modification, scare and harassment, 
and reproductive control would be allowed.
    You may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may 
submit your comments online on the PEPC Web site at: http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/ANAC. Comments can be mailed to Alex Romero, 
Superintendent, National Capital Parks--East, 1900 Anacostia Drive, 
SE., Washington, DC 20020. You may also contact the Superintendent by 
facsimile at (202) 690-1425. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to 
the National Capital Parks--East headquarters in Anacostia Park at the 
address above. Before including your address, telephone number, 
electronic mail 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 comments to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will make all submissions 
from organizations or businesses, from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials, of organizations or 
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.

    Dated: March 18, 2011.
Woody Smeck,
Acting Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-18829 Filed 7-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-JK-P