[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21797-21798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8659]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-R-2011-N253: FXRS12650800000S3-112-FF08R00000]


Hopper Mountain, Bitter Creek, and Blue Ridge National Wildlife 
Refuges, Ventura, Kern, San Luis Obispo, and Tulare Counties, CA

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments: draft 
comprehensive conservation plan/environmental assessment.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the 
availability of a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Hopper Mountain, Bitter Creek, 
and Blue Ridge National Wildlife Refuges for public review and comment. 
The CCP/EA, prepared under the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Improvement Act of 1997, and in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes how the Service proposes to 
manage the three refuges for the next 15 years. Draft compatibility 
determinations for several existing and proposed public uses are also 
available for review and public comment with the Draft CCP/EA.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments 
by June 11, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments, requests for more information, or 
requests to be added to the mailing list by any of the following 
methods.
    Email: [email protected]. Include ``Hopper CCP'' in the 
subject line of the message.
    Fax: Attn: Sandy Osborn, (916) 414-6497.
    U.S. Mail: Pacific Southwest Region, Refuge Planning, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1832, Sacramento, CA 95825-1846.
    In-Person Drop-off: You may drop off comments during regular 
business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Osborn, Planning Team Leader, at 
(916) 414-6503, or Michael Brady, Project Leader, at (805) 644-5185 or 
[email protected]. Further information may also be found at 
http://www.fws.gov/hoppermountain/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Wildlife Refuge System 
Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), which amended the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, requires 
the Service to develop a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The 
purpose in 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 
wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, 
including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and 
photography, environmental education and interpretation.
    We initiated the CCP/EA for the Hopper Mountain, Bitter Creek, and 
Blue Ridge National Wildlife Refuges in April 2010. At that time and 
throughout the process, we requested, considered, and incorporated 
public scoping comments in numerous ways. Our public outreach included 
a Federal Register notice of intent published on April 6, 2010 (75 FR 
17430), two planning updates, a CCP Web page (http://www.fws.gov/hoppermountain/), and three public scoping meetings. The scoping 
comment period ended on May 21, 2010. Verbal comments were recorded at 
the public meetings, and written comments were received via letters, 
emails, completed issues workbooks, comment cards, meeting evaluations, 
and a petition letter with 276 signatures.

Background

    Hopper Mountain NWR was established in 1974 and includes 2,471 
contiguous acres in Ventura County, California. Bitter Creek NWR was 
established in 1985 and includes 14,097 acres, primarily in Kern County 
and extending into San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties. Blue Ridge NWR 
was established in 1982 and includes 897

[[Page 21798]]

acres in Tulare County in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 
These three refuges in the Hopper Mountain NWR Complex (Complex) in 
southern California were created under the authority of the Federal 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), 
primarily to restore the endangered California condor population to its 
native range. Due to the sensitivity of the California condor recovery 
activities, the Refuges are currently closed to the public except for 
Service-led tours and volunteer activities. Through this CCP process, 
we will determine whether any areas of the refuges can be made 
available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreational 
opportunities.

Alternatives

    The Draft CCP/EA identifies and evaluates three alternatives for 
managing Hopper Mountain, Bitter Creek, and Blue Ridge National 
Wildlife Refuges for the next 15 years. The alternative that appears to 
best meet the Refuges' purposes is identified as the preferred 
alternative. The preferred alternative is identified based on the 
analysis presented in the Draft CCP/EA, which may be modified following 
the completion of the public comment period based on comments received 
from other agencies, Tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, 
or individuals.
    Under Alternative A (no action alternative) for each of the three 
refuges, the Service would continue to manage the Refuges as we have in 
the recent past. There would be continued maintenance of facilities and 
support of the California Condor Recovery Program (Recovery Program) 
activities. The three Refuges would remain closed to the public.

Alternatives for Hopper Mountain NWR

    Under Alternative B (preferred alternative), the Service would 
increase condor management and support actions; collect baseline data 
for Refuge resources with emphasis on special status species; improve 
management of all habitat types on the Refuge; and increase outreach, 
and Service-guided visitor and volunteer opportunities. The Refuge 
would remain closed to the public.
    Under Alternative C for Hopper Mountain NWR, the Service would 
increase some condor management and support actions, expand baseline 
data collection, manage invasive plants without using pesticides, 
increase habitat protection and enhancement of select black walnut and 
oak woodlands, increase some visitor services, and consider the 
feasibility of providing wildlife-dependent recreation on the Refuge. 
The Refuge would remain closed to the public.

Alternatives for Bitter Creek NWR

    Under Alternative B (preferred alternative), the Service would 
increase condor management and support actions, install a 1,000-square-
foot condor treatment facility, and collect baseline data on Refuge 
resources with emphasis on special status species. The Service would 
also use grazing and other methods to improve habitat quality to 
support special status San Joaquin Valley wildlife, and restore some 
springs and drainages. We would also expand visitor services by opening 
a new interpretive trail, and developing a new Refuge administrative 
office, visitor station, and condor observation point.
    Under Alternative C for Bitter Creek NWR the Service would improve 
and expand current management by increasing some condor management and 
support actions; restoring more habitat to support special status 
species; managing invasive plants without using pesticides; restoring 
more springs and drainages; and expanding outreach, interpretation, and 
visitor and volunteer opportunities.

Alternatives for Blue Ridge NWR

    Under Alternative B (preferred alternative) the Service would 
improve current management by increasing condor management activities, 
collecting baseline data for special status species, and adding 
volunteer opportunities. Portions of the Refuge would be opened to the 
public.
    Under Alternative C for Blue Ridge NWR the Service would increase 
some condor management actions, but to a lesser extent than Alternative 
B, and work with partners to increase some guided visitor and volunteer 
opportunities. The Refuge would remain closed to the public.

Public Meetings

    The locations, dates, and times of public meetings will be listed 
in a planning update distributed to the project mailing list and posted 
on the refuge planning Web site at http://www.fws.gov/hoppermountain/.

Review and Comment

    Copies of the Draft CCP/EA may be obtained by writing to Sandy 
Osborn (see ADDRESSES). Copies of the Draft CCP/EA may be viewed at the 
same address and local libraries. The Draft CCP/EA will also be 
available for viewing and downloading online at: http://www.fws.gov/hoppermountain/.
    Comments on the Draft CCP/EA should be addressed to Sandy Osborn 
(see ADDRESSES).
    At the end of the review and comment period for this Draft CCP/EA, 
comments will be analyzed by the Service and addressed in the Final 
CCP/EA. Before including your address, phone number, email 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 comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Alexandra Pitts,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2012-8659 Filed 4-10-12; 8:45 am]
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