[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3399-3400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01013]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R6-R-2013-N223; FXRS1266066CCP0S3-134-FF06R06000]
Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Great Falls,
Montana; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No
Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental
assessment (EA) for Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex. In
this final CCP, we describe how we intend to manage the refuge complex
for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You will find the final CCP and the FONSI on the planning
Web site: http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/planning/ccp/mt/bnl/bnl.html. A limited number of hard copies are available. You may
request one by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include ``Benton Lake NWR Complex''
in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attn: Toni Griffin, Planning Team Leader, 303-236-4792.
U.S. Mail: Toni Griffin, Planning Team Leader, Suite 300, 134 Union
Boulevard, Lakewood, CO 80228.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Toni Griffin, 303-236-4378 (phone);
303-236-4792 (fax); or [email protected] (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Benton Lake
National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which we began by publishing a notice
of intent in the Federal Register (73 FR 48237) on August 18, 2008. For
more about the initial process and the history of this refuge, see that
notice. We released the draft CCP and EA to the public, announcing and
requesting comments in a notice of availability (77 FR 19309) on March
30, 2012. The 60-day comment period ended on June 1, 2012. A summary of
public comments and the agency responses is included in the final CCP.
Background
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Administration Act), requires us to develop a
CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP
is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year strategy 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 Service
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 Administration Act.
Each unit of the NWRS was established for specific purposes. We use
these purposes as the foundation for developing and prioritizing the
management goals and objectives for each refuge within the NWRS
mission, and to determine how the public can use each refuge. The
planning process is a way for us and the public to evaluate management
goals and objectives that will ensure the best possible approach to
wildlife, plant, and habitat conservation, while providing for
wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities that are compatible with
each refuge's establishing purposes and the mission of the NWRS.
Additional Information
The final CCP may be found at http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/planning/ccp/mt/bnl/bnl.html. The final CCP includes detailed
information about the planning process, refuge, issues, and management
alternative selected. The Web site also contains the draft CCP, which
includes an EA, prepared in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) (43 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The EA/FONSI includes
discussion of alternative refuge management options. The Service's
selected alternative is reflected in the final CCP.
The selected alternative for the complex focuses on achieving self-
sustaining systems with long-term productivity. Management efforts
would focus on supporting and restoring ecological processes, including
natural communities and the dynamics of the ecosystems of the northern
Great Plains and northern Rocky Mountains in relationship to their
geomorphic landscape positioning. Conservation of native landscapes
would be a high priority, accomplished by protecting habitats from
conversion, using a combination of partnerships, easements, and fee-
title lands, and through active management and proactive enforcement of
easements. Management actions such as prescribed fire, grazing, and
invasive species control would be used to support the resiliency and
sustainability of Service-owned lands throughout the refuge complex.
Whenever possible, habitat conditions would be allowed to fluctuate
with climatically driven wet and dry cycles, which are essential for
long-term productivity. The success of these efforts and programs would
depend on added staff, research, and monitoring programs, operations
money, infrastructure, and new and expanded partnerships.
Benton Lake Refuge wetland units will be managed to focus on the
importance of restoring the health and long-term sustainability of the
wetland basin and include efforts within the Lake Creek and Muddy Creek
watersheds. Flexible water management will occur, which will affect the
amount, duration, and location of artificially provided water (pumped
water) within the wetland basin. Management will strive to provide some
waterfowl hunting and fall/spring migration habitat for at least 11 out
of 15 years, and basin-wide drawdowns
[[Page 3400]]
will occur no more than 4 out of 15 years (with no more than 3
consecutive years of basin-wide drying). An adaptive resource
management approach will be applied that may modify these wet and dry
cycles to ensure progress towards achieving habitat objectives. Wetland
basin infrastructure may be modified to enhance water conservation and
efficient delivery. The Pumphouse and all water rights will be
regularly exercised and maintained. Managing grasslands and other
wildlife dependent public uses (wildlife observation and photography,
environmental education and interpretation, and upland game bird
hunting) on the refuge will occur as resources allow. A detailed
description of objectives and actions included in this selected
alternative is found in chapter 4 of the final CCP.
Dated: December 3, 2013.
Matt Hogan,
Acting Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-01013 Filed 1-17-14; 8:45 am]
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