[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 181 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56088-56090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-22272]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-R-2014-N062; FXRS12610800000-145-FF08R00000]


Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex; Final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact

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 our final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and 
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea 
National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex, which includes the Sonny Bono 
Salton Sea NWR and Coachella Valley NWR. In the CCP, we describe how we 
will manage these Refuges for the next 15 years.

DATES: The CCP and FONSI are available now. The FONSI was signed on 
March 6, 2014. Implementation of the CCP will begin immediately.

ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the final CCP and FONSI by 
any of the following methods. You may request a CD-ROM. A limited 
number of paper copies are available.
    Agency Web site: Download a copy of the document(s) at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Sonny_Bono_Salton_Sea/what_we_do/planning.html.
    Email: [email protected]. Include ``Sonny Bono 
Salton Sea CCP'' in the subject line of the message.
    Fax: Attn: Victoria Touchstone, 619-476-9149.

[[Page 56089]]

    U.S. Mail: Victoria Touchstone, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
P.O. Box 2358, Chula Vista, CA 91912.
    In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Copies of the final CCP and FONSI may 
also be viewed at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR Office between 8 a.m. 
to 3 p.m.; call 760-348-5278 for directions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria Touchstone, Refuge Planner, 
at 619-476-9150, extension 103 (by telephone; you may also use one of 
the methods under ADDRESSES), or Chris Schoneman, Project Leader, at 
760-348-5278, extension 227.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), announce the availability of our final Comprehensive 
Conservation Plan (CCP) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) 
for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex, 
which includes the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR and Coachella Valley NWR. 
The Refuge Complex is located in parts of Imperial and Riverside 
Counties, California. In the CCP, we describe how we will manage these 
Refuges for the next 15 years.

Background

    The Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR was established as a 32,766-acre 
sanctuary and breeding ground for birds and other wildlife in 1930 
(Executive Order 5498). Additional leased lands have been added to the 
Refuge under the authorities of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 
U.S.C. 715d), ``for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other 
management purpose, for migratory birds,'' and the Lea Act (16 U.S.C. 
695), ``for the management and control of migratory waterfowl, and 
other wildlife.'' Today, with the original Refuge lands covered by the 
waters of the Salton Sea, management activities are focused on about 
2,000 acres of primarily leased land. Approximately 900 acres consist 
of managed wetlands that support resident and migratory birds, and 
another 850 acres are farmed to provide forage for wintering geese and 
other migratory birds. Existing public uses include waterfowl hunting, 
fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, 
interpretation, and scientific research.
    The Coachella Valley NWR was established in 1985 under the 
authorities of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1534), 
``to conserve (A) fish or wildlife which are listed as endangered 
species or threatened species or (B) plants.'' The 3,577-acre Refuge, 
which is part of the larger Coachella Valley Preserve, protects the 
federally listed endangered Coachella Valley milk-vetch (Astragalus 
lentiginosus var. coachellae) and threatened Coachella Valley fringe-
toed lizard (Uma inornata), as well as other desert-dwelling species 
adapted to living in the sand dune habitat of the Coachella Valley. 
Access onto the Refuge is limited to a designated corridor for 
equestrian and hiking use.
    We announce our decision and the availability of the FONSI for the 
final CCP for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR Complex in accordance with 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) 
requirements. We completed a thorough analysis of impacts on the human 
environment, which we included in the environmental assessment (EA) 
that accompanied the draft CCP.
    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (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 wildlife-dependent recreational 
opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for 
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, environmental 
education and interpretation. We intend to review and update the CCP at 
least every 15 years in accordance with the Administration Act.
    Our draft CCP and EA were available for a 30-day public review and 
comment period, which we announced via several methods, including press 
releases, updates to constituents, and a Federal Register notice (78 FR 
44144; July 23, 2013). The draft CCP/EA identified and evaluated three 
alternatives for managing the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR and three 
alternatives for managing the Coachella Valley NWR for the next 15 
years.

Alternatives Considered

Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR

    Under Alternative A (no action), management would continue 
unchanged. Under Alternative B (preferred alternative), the Service 
would expand current habitat management activities to enhance habitat 
quality, particularly in managed wetlands and agricultural fields; 
initiate the phased restoration of shallow saline water habitat at Red 
Hill Bay, an area of the Salton Sea that has recently receded; 
implement predator management to protect nesting western gull-billed 
terns (Gelochelidon nilotica vanrossemi) and black skimmers (Rynchops 
niger); and implement an integrated pest management (IPM) plan to 
control invasive plants. Various actions were also proposed to improve 
existing public use facilities and provide additional opportunities for 
wildlife observation and photography.
    Under Alternative C, the Service would implement wildlife and 
habitat management actions, including predator management and an IPM 
plan, similar to those proposed in Alternative B. The proposals for 
public use in Alternative C would focus on enhancing existing 
facilities in Units 1 and 2, rather than providing additional public 
use facilities.

Coachella Valley NWR

    Under Alternative A (no action), management would continue 
unchanged. Under Alternative B (preferred alternative), the Service 
would increase listed and sensitive species management; implement an 
IPM plan to control invasive plants; enhance the habitat quality of an 
old agricultural site by reintroducing appropriate native plant 
species; and, in partnership with others, develop and implement a long-
term sand transport monitoring plan. Also proposed is an expanded 
public outreach program. Occasional guided tours of the Refuge would 
continue at current levels, and the only public access onto the Refuge 
would occur on a designated trail corridor that extends along portions 
of the Refuge's western and northern boundary. The remainder of the 
Refuge would continue to be closed to the public.
    Under Alternative C, the Service would expand current management to 
protect listed and sensitive species; implement an IPM Plan to control 
invasive plants; and initiate a comprehensive restoration plan for an 
old agricultural site on the Refuge to restore creosote bush scrub 
habitat. In addition, the existing public outreach program would be 
expanded and interpretive signs would be installed along the existing 
trail corridor. Occasional guided tours of the Refuge would continue at 
current levels, and public access would continue to be limited to the 
existing public trail corridor. All other areas within the

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Refuge would remain closed to the public.

Selected Alternative for Each Refuge

    During the review period for the draft CCP and EA, we received 13 
letters containing over 85 comments. Comments focused on land tenure, 
Colorado River water history, water rights, water levels in the Salton 
Sea, groundwater availability in the Coachella Valley, cultural 
resource protection, water quality, geothermal development, restoration 
of Red Hill Bay, protection of nesting western gull-billed terns, and 
restoration and management of the Salton Sea. We incorporated comments 
we received into the CCP when appropriate, and we responded to the 
comments in an appendix to the CCP. In the FONSI, we selected 
Alternative B (restore and enhance habitat quality; expand 
opportunities for wildlife observation, environmental education, and 
interpretation) for implementation on the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR and 
Alternative B (expand management actions to support listed and 
sensitive species; expand public outreach) for implementation on the 
Coachella Valley NWR. The FONSI documents our decision and is based on 
information and analysis contained in the EA.
    The alternative we selected for each of the Refuges within the 
Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR Complex was determined to be the alternative 
that would most effectively achieve Refuge purposes, goals, and 
objectives; contribute to the National Wildlife Refuge System mission; 
and be consistent with principles of sound fish and wildlife 
management. Implementation of the selected alternative will be subject 
to the availability of funding and other resources, and may occur 
incrementally over the life of the 15-year plan. Based on the 
associated EA, the selected alternatives are not expected to result in 
significant environmental impacts and therefore do not require the 
preparation of an environmental impact statement.

Alexandra Pitts,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, 
California.
[FR Doc. 2014-22272 Filed 9-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P