[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 159 (Tuesday, August 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50023-50024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20184]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R5-NWRS-2015-0036; BAC-4311-K9-S3]


Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge; Draft 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement

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 a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and 
environmental impact statement (EIS) for Silvio O. Conte National Fish 
and Wildlife Refuge (Conte NFWR) for public review and comment. In this 
draft CCP/EIS, we describe how we propose to manage Conte NFWR over the 
next 15 years.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments 
by November 16, 2015. We will hold informal public information meetings 
during the comment period to provide information and answer questions 
on the draft plan. We will also hold four public hearings during the 
comment period to take oral comments. In addition, we will use special 
mailings, newspaper articles, internet postings, and other media 
announcements to inform people of opportunities to provide comments.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments or requests for more information by any 
one of the following methods:
     Electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
www.regulations.gov. In the ``Search'' box, commenters will enter the 
docket number (FWS-R5-NWRS-2015-0036) for this project. Comments can be 
submitted by clicking on ``Comment Now!'' Attachments can be made to 
the electronic comment form.
     By hard copy via U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public 
Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R5-NWRS-2015-0036; U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service; MS BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.
     Via oral public testimony at one of the four public 
hearings that will be scheduled.
    All comments will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov and will 
be available for public viewing. This generally means that any personal 
information you provide us will be posted with the comment.
    You will find the draft CCP/EIS, as well as information about the 
planning process and a summary of the CCP, on the planning Web site at 
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Silvio_O_Conte/what_we_do/conservation.html. 
To view comments on the CCP/EIS from the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA), or for information on EPA's role in the EIS process, see 
EPA's Role in the EIS Process under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy McGarigal, Planning Team Leader, 
phone: 413-253-8562; Email: [email protected]. Please include 
``Conte Refuge Draft CCP/EIS'' in the subject line of the message.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction

    With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Conte NFWR, which 
we began by publishing a notice of intent in the Federal Register (71 
FR 62006) on October 20, 2006. For more information about the initial 
process and the history of this refuge, please see that notice. In 
addition, EPA is publishing a notice announcing the availability of the 
draft CCP/EIS, as required under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act (42 
U.S.C. 7401 et seq.). The publication of EPA's notice of availability 
is the official start of the minimum requirement for a 45-day public 
comment period. We have chosen to distribute this draft CCP/EIS for a 
90-day public comment period.

EPA's Role in the EIS Process

    The EPA is charged under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act to review 
all Federal agencies' EISs and to comment on the adequacy and the 
acceptability of the environmental impacts of proposed actions in the 
EISs.
    EPA also serves as the repository (EIS database) for EISs prepared 
by Federal agencies and provides notice of their availability in the 
Federal Register. The EIS database provides information about EISs 
prepared by Federal agencies, as well as EPA's comments concerning the 
EISs. All EISs are filed with EPA, which publishes a notice of 
availability on Fridays in the Federal Register. For more information, 
see http://www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/eisdata.html. You may search for 
EPA comments on EISs, along with EISs themselves, at https://cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-public/action/eis/search.

Background

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, 
(Administration Act), as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), requires us to develop 
a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose of 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

[[Page 50024]]

opportunities that are compatible with each refuge's establishing 
purposes and the mission of the NWRS.

Additional Information

    The draft CCP/EIS for Conte NFWR, which includes detailed 
information about the planning process, refuge, issues, and management 
alternatives considered and proposed, may be found at http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Silvio_O_Conte/what_we_do/conservation.html. There 
are four alternative refuge management options considered in the draft 
plan. The Service's preferred alternative is alternative C.
    The alternatives analyzed in detail include:
     Alternative A--Current Management: This alternative 
represents continuing current management and serves as a baseline for 
comparing the other alternatives. Under this alternative, we would 
continue our current habitat and visitor services management activities 
on existing refuge lands. We would also continue to work with our 
existing partners throughout the Connecticut River Watershed 
(watershed) to support our conservation, education, and recreation 
programs. We would continue to actively manage forest habitats on the 
Nulhegan Basin Division (Vermont) to benefit forest-dependent species 
of conservation concern, and manage grasslands and shrublands habitats 
on our Pondicherry (New Hampshire) and Fort River (Massachusetts) 
Divisions for species dependent on those habitats. We would maintain 
our hunting and fishing programs on refuge lands, which generally are 
managed consistent with respective State regulations. We would also 
continue to acquire lands from willing sellers under our existing 
approved land acquisition authority of approximately 98,000 acres. Our 
focus would continue to be on acquiring lands that were identified in 
the refuge's 1995 Master Plan and its accompanying EIS.
     Alternative B--Consolidated Stewardship: This alternative 
would strategically focus our work with partners, and our staffing, 
funding, and other resource commitments across the watershed, in 14 
defined geographic areas called Conservation Partnership Areas (CPAs). 
CPAs are large areas, defined by sub-watersheds, with concentrations of 
high-value habitat for fish and wildlife. Within CPAs, we have 
identified a total of 18 areas we call Conservation Focus Areas (CFAs). 
These are areas with particularly high value to Federal trust resources 
and represent where we would focus our future refuge land acquisition. 
Under alternative B, we would not seek to expand the refuge beyond our 
current acreage authority. Instead, we propose to focus acquisition in 
CFAs rather than in the smaller, scattered areas proposed in the 
refuge's 1995 Master Plan and EIS. Under alternative B, we would expand 
our current wildlife habitat and visitor services management activities 
to other refuge divisions, and support those same opportunities within 
CPAs on other ownerships across the watershed.
     Alternative C--Enhanced Conservation Connections and 
Partnerships (Service's Preferred Alternative): Similar to alternative 
B, we would prioritize our work with partners in CPAs, and focus future 
refuge acquisitions in CFAs. However, under alternative C, we would 
seek to expand the refuge's approved acquisition authority in the 
watershed up to approximately 197,000 acres. The expanded network of 17 
CPAs and 22 CFAs would allow for greater flexibility and opportunity 
for us to work with partners to achieve common conservation goals. We 
would be a more significant contributor to a well-connected conserved 
lands network in the watershed. Under alternative C, we would be able 
to increase our benefits to species of conservation concern by managing 
more acres of habitat with better distribution across the watershed. 
Expanding the refuge land base would also enhance our ability to 
address, and adapt our management to, climate change. We would be able 
to provide more public access for compatible recreational opportunities 
such as hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and photography. We 
would also expand our education and interpretive programs with an 
emphasis on engaging urban communities.
     Alternative D--Conservation Connections Emphasizing 
Natural Processes: Similar to alternative C, we would prioritize our 
work both on and off refuge lands in the same 17 CPAs, and would focus 
refuge acquisition in the same 22 CFAs. However, under alternative D, 
we would further expand individual CFAs and seek additional acquisition 
authority of up to approximately 236,000 acres. The increased acres 
would further enhance the refuge's capability to establish connections 
in the watershed's conserved lands network, and would strengthen our 
ability to adapt refuge lands to climate change. A major difference 
between alternatives C and D is that alternative D proposes to limit 
active habitat management. We would only intervene in natural processes 
when a federally listed species is in jeopardy, or a major wildfire or 
pest outbreak occurs and restoration is a critical need. Under 
alternative D, we would be able to provide more public access due to 
the increased land base, but our visitor services programs would 
emphasize a reduced human footprint, with a focus on backcountry 
opportunities and fewer developed areas.

Public Involvement

    We will give the public an opportunity to ask questions and obtain 
more information about the draft plan at our informal public meetings. 
We will take oral testimony at the formal public hearings. You can 
obtain the schedule for meetings and the hearings, and find the address 
for submitting your comments, from the address or Web site listed in 
this notice (see ADDRESSES). You may also submit written comments 
anytime during the comment period.

Public Availability of Comments

    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.

    Dated: June 3, 2015.
Wendi Weber,
Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2015-20184 Filed 8-17-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-55-P