[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48877-48879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19837]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R1-R-2011-N100; 1265-0000-10137-S3]


Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, Boundary County, ID; Draft 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of our draft comprehensive conservation plan and 
environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for the Kootenai National 
Wildlife Refuge (NWR, refuge) for public review and comment. The Draft 
CCP/EA describes our proposal for managing the refuge for the next 15 
years.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we need to receive your written 
comments by September 12, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, requests for more information, or 
requests for copies by any of the following methods. You may request a 
hard copy or a CD-ROM of the documents.
    E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``Kootenai NWR CCP'' 
in the subject line.
    Fax: Attn: Dianna Ellis, Refuge Manager, (208) 267-3888.
    U.S. Mail: Dianna Ellis, Refuge Manager, Kootenai National Wildlife 
Refuge, 287 Westside Road, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805.
    Web site: http://www.fws.gov/kootenai/refuge_planning.html; select 
``Contact Us.''
    In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Call (208) 267-3888 to make 
an appointment (necessary for viewing/pickup only) during regular 
business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dianna Ellis, Refuge Manager, (208) 
267-3888.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Kootenai National 
Wildlife Refuge. We started this process through a notice in the 
Federal Register (74 FR 8102; February 23, 2009).
    Kootenai NWR encompasses 2,774 acres along the lower Kootenai River 
in Boundary County, ID. Habitat types on the refuge include seasonal, 
semipermanent, and permanent wetlands; floodplain forests; coniferous 
forests; managed pastures; and croplands. The refuge was established 
``for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management 
purpose, for migratory birds.'' The refuge provides important habitat 
for waterbirds, migratory landbirds, and raptors; a variety of mammals 
including white-tailed deer, elk, and moose; and bull trout, which is 
listed as a threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species 
Act.

Background

The CCP Process

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Refuge Administration Act), as amended by the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, 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 plan for 
achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System, 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 compatible 
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 Refuge Administration Act.

Public Outreach

    We began public outreach by distributing Planning Update 1 to our 
mailing list and public outlets in January 2009. On January 23, 2009, 
we held two public scoping meetings in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, to meet 
the public and obtain comments. The meetings were announced through 
local media outlets, on the refuge's Web site, and in Planning Update 
1. We published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register announcing 
our intent to prepare a CCP/

[[Page 48878]]

EA and inviting public comments. The public scoping period ended on 
March 25, 2009, and all comments were considered and evaluated. In June 
2009, we distributed Planning Update 2, which included a summary of the 
comments we received, a planning schedule, and a description of the 
CCP's scope. In July 2010, we distributed Planning Update 3; in it we 
summarized our preliminary draft alternatives and requested public 
comments.

CCP Alternatives We Are Considering

    During the public scoping process, we, along with other 
governmental partners, Tribes, and the public raised several issues 
which our Draft CCP addresses. A full description of each CCP 
alternative will be in the EA. To address these issues, we developed 
and evaluated the following alternatives, summarized below:
Alternative 1 (No-Action)
    Under Alternative 1, the refuge would continue to manage wetlands, 
croplands, and grasslands for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, deer, 
and elk. Two hundred acres of grain crops would be grown annually. 
Riparian and forest habitat would be maintained. Minimal management of 
instream habitat would occur. Waterfowl hunting would continue on the 
740-acre hunt area, 4 days per week, in accordance with the State's 
season. A 200-yard no-shooting area (91 acres) would continue along the 
auto tour route to provide for safety. Big game and upland game 
(grouse) hunting would be allowed on the 295 acres of timber on the 
west side of Lions Den and Westside Roads. Fishing would be allowed 
from the banks of Myrtle Creek only. The 4.5-mile auto tour route would 
remain open year round to vehicles, walking, bicycling, jogging, dog 
walking (on leash only), cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing as 
weather and road conditions permit. Slightly over 5 miles of trails 
would be open to walking, jogging, and dog walking (on leash only) year 
round, except for Island Pond Trail, which would be closed on hunt days 
during the waterfowl hunting season. The Environmental Education Center 
would be available for teacher-led, and occasionally staff-led, 
programs. This alternative is considered the base from which to compare 
the action alternatives.
Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative)
    Under Alternative 2, our preferred alternative, wetland, cropland, 
and grassland management for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, deer, and 
elk would continue. Repairs and improvements to the existing water 
management infrastructure would take place to increase the refuge's 
ability to manage wetlands. Increased emphasis would be placed on moist 
soil management. Crop acreage could decrease to 125 acres with an 
increase in acreage of moist soil wetlands. Existing riparian habitat 
would be maintained and increased restoration of native riparian and 
grassland habitats would occur. White-tailed deer and elk populations 
would be managed, in consultation with the Idaho Department of Fish and 
Game (IDFG), through special permit hunts in order to protect restored 
riparian habitat. Wildfires would still be suppressed and forests would 
be thinned to maintain an open understory and reduce ladder fuels that 
would allow fire to carry from the forest understory into the canopy. 
The refuge would work with partners to examine the feasibility of 
restoring degraded stream habitats for the benefit of native fish. The 
refuge would initiate a land protection plan study to analyze 
alternatives for possible refuge boundary expansion to include 120 
acres of floodplain owned by the Idaho Department of Lands.
    Waterfowl hunting would be permitted 4 days per week, in accordance 
with the State's season. The waterfowl hunt area would be reduced to 
605 acres due to increasing the size of the 200-yard non-shooting area 
to include the area along the Deep Creek Trail (225 acres) to provide 
for safety. An additional ADA-accessible blind would be constructed on 
the north hunt unit. South Pond would be open to hunting from the ADA 
blind only. The location of fixed blinds and free roam hunt areas would 
be adjusted as necessary based on habitat quality, waterfowl use of 
wetlands, and data from hunter surveys. Overall, waterfowl hunting 
opportunities will be the same as under current management. Big game, 
upland game (grouse only), and turkey hunting would be allowed west of 
Lions Den Road (173 acres). Big game and upland game hunting would be 
discontinued west of Westside Road (122 acres). A special permit hunt 
for white-tailed deer and elk would be developed, in consultation with 
IDFG, to reduce damage to riparian vegetation on the refuge flats. 
Overall, opportunities for big game and upland game hunting would 
increase compared to current management. Fishing would be allowed from 
the banks of Myrtle Creek only.
    The 4.5-mile auto tour route would remain open year round to 
vehicles, walking, bicycling, jogging, dog walking (on leash only), 
cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing as weather and road conditions 
permit. Wildlife observation, photography, walking, cross-country 
skiing, and snowshoeing would be allowed on four trails (3.7 miles 
total) year round, weather permitting. The Island Pond Trail would be 
closed to reduce disturbance to waterfowl. Environmental education 
programs would increase.
Alternative 3
    Under Alternative 3, actions to protect, maintain, and restore 
habitat for priority species are the same as under Alternative 2, 
except that fewer areas would be planted to crops since more acres are 
managed as moist soil wetlands. The acreage in crops and moist soil 
would be intermediate between Alternatives 1 and 2.
    Waterfowl, big game, upland game, and turkey hunting would be the 
same as in Alternative 2. As in Alternative 2, special permit hunts for 
white-tailed deer and elk on the refuge flats would be developed to 
reduce damage to riparian vegetation. Catch-and-release fishing would 
be allowed from the banks of Myrtle Creek using single, barbless, non-
baited hooks only.
    The 4.5-mile auto tour route would remain open year-round to 
vehicles, walking, bicycling, jogging, dog walking (on leash only), 
cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing as weather and road conditions 
permit. Wildlife observation, photography, walking, cross-country 
skiing, and snowshoeing would be allowed on five trails (4.8 miles 
total) year round, weather permitting. The Island Pond Trail would be 
closed, but the 1.1-mile Kootenai River Trail would be reopened. 
Environmental education programs would increase.

Public Availability of Documents

    In addition to the information in ADDRESSES, you can view copies of 
the Draft CCP/EA on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/kootenai/refuge_planning.html, and printed copies will be available for review 
at the following libraries: Boundary County Library, 6370 Kootenai St., 
Bonners Ferry, ID 83805; Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St., Sandpoint, 
ID 83864; and Coeur d'Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave., Coeur 
d'Alene, ID 83814.

Next Steps

    After this comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and 
address them in the final CCP and decision document.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other

[[Page 48879]]

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 comment to withhold your identifying information from 
the public, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Dated: June 23, 2011.
Robyn Thorson,
Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 2011-19837 Filed 8-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P