[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 15 (Monday, January 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4061-4062]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01417]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-R-2015-N235]; [FXRS12650400000S3-123-FF04R02000]


Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, LA; 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 Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of the final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and 
finding of no significant impact for the environmental assessment for 
Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in West Feliciana Parish, 
Louisiana. In the final CCP, we describe how we will manage this refuge 
for the next 15 years.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the CCP by writing to: Lower 
Mississippi River NWR Complex, P.O. Box 217, Sibley, MS 39165. 
Alternatively, you may download the document from our Internet Site at 
http://southeast.fws.gov/planning under ``Final Documents.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jimmy Laurent, Project Leader, Lower 
Mississippi River NWR Complex, by telephone at (601) 442-6696 or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction

    With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for Cat Island NWR. 
We started the process through a notice in the Federal Register on 
November 25, 2013 (78 FR 70318). For more about the process, see that 
notice.
    Cat Island NWR was established in October 2000, as the 526th refuge 
in the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is located in West Feliciana 
Parish, Louisiana, near the town of St. Francisville, 25 miles north of 
Baton Rouge. Acquisition has occurred in stages, beginning in 2000 when 
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of Louisiana made the first purchase of 
about 9,500 acres of forested wetlands. That and subsequent 
acquisitions by TNC were purchased by the Service using both the Land 
and Water Conservation Fund and Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. 
Today, the refuge encompasses 10,473 acres. The congressionally 
approved acquisition boundary encloses 36,500 acres.
    Cat Island NWR was created by Congress through Public Law 106-369, 
which states: ``The purposes for which the Refuge is established and 
shall be managed are: (1) To conserve, restore, and manage habitats as 
necessary to contribute to the migratory bird population goals and 
habitat objective [sic] as established through the Lower Mississippi 
Valley Joint Venture; (2) to conserve, restore, and manage the 
significant aquatic resource values associated with the area's forested 
wetlands and to achieve the habitat objectives of the Mississippi River 
Aquatic Resources Management Plan; (3) to conserve, enhance, and 
restore the historic native bottomland community characteristics of the 
lower Mississippi alluvial valley and its associated fish, wildlife, 
and plant species; (4) to conserve, enhance, and restore habitat to 
maintain and assist in the recovery of endangered and threatened plants 
and animals; and (5) to encourage the use of

[[Page 4062]]

volunteers and facilitate partnerships among the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service, local communities, conservation organizations, and 
other non-Federal entities to promote public awareness of the resources 
of the Refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge System and public 
participation in the conservation of those resources'' (Cat Island NWR 
Establishment Act, 114 Stat. 1418, October 27, 2000).

Background

The CCP Process

    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, wildlife photography, and 
environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update 
the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Administration 
Act.

Comments

    We made copies of the Draft CCP/EA available for a 30-day public 
review and comment period via a Federal Register notice on May 1, 2015 
(80 FR 24958). Copies of the Draft CCP/EA were posted at refuge 
headquarters and also were available for download at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/planning/CCP/cat-island.html. Over 100 letters 
with links to the draft comprehensive conservation plan and 
environmental assessment were distributed to local landowners, the 
public, and local, State, and Federal agencies. Three respondents, 
consisting of the Humane Society of the United States, the Jena Band of 
Choctaw Indians, and local citizens, submitted comments on the Draft 
CCP/EA by mail or email.

CCP Alternatives, Including Our Preferred Alternative

    We developed three alternatives for managing the refuge 
(Alternatives A, B, and C), with Alternative B selected for 
implementation. This alternative will focus on managing the refuge's 
natural resources to enhance habitats for priority species including 
waterfowl and other migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, 
species of concern, and resident fish and wildlife. Additionally, 
wildlife surveys would be conducted using established protocols to 
establish baseline habitat conditions, estimate wildlife population 
indices, determine responses to management actions, and contribute to 
larger scale biological assessments. Invasive exotic and nuisance 
species would be actively managed to minimize their impacts on refuge 
resources. Refuge forests would be actively managed to enhance wildlife 
habitat. Aquatic habitats on the refuge would be inventoried and 
assessed, and where feasible, access to them would be improved for 
recreational anglers.
    Refuge cultural resources would continue to be protected as they 
have been in the past. In addition, the refuge would seek funding to 
survey and catalog cultural resources on the refuge. Protection of 
cultural resources would be integrated into refuge planning at all 
levels, and management actions would be reviewed in order to avoid or 
mitigate impacts to cultural resources.
    Under the preferred alternative, public use would be more actively 
managed by refuge staff. Hunting and fishing would continue to be 
managed and made available with the active partnership of Louisiana 
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. More law enforcement personnel 
hours would be allocated by the Service for Cat Island NWR. New 
partnerships with organizations interested in promoting nonconsumptive 
refuge use would be sought, and existing ones strengthened. In 
particular, environmental education opportunities would be enhanced by 
active participation of Service personnel with local schools and 
nonprofit organizations.
    Refuge infrastructure would be maintained as in the past. The 
refuge would seek to improve access via the main refuge road and 
various trails. Efforts would be made to provide access to the 
northeast section of the refuge, and access via Cat Island Road would 
be pursued. The refuge would hire or assign staff to the refuge. Staff 
may include one or more of the following: Refuge manager, volunteer 
coordinator, equipment operator, law enforcement officer, forester, and 
biologist. Any or all of these may be shared positions among refuges in 
the Lower Mississippi River Refuge Complex. Full staffing under this 
alternative is anticipated to be 1.5 to 2 full-time employees.

Authority

    This notice is published under the authority of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 
seq.).

     Dated: November 10, 2015.
Brett E. Hunter,
Deputy Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-01417 Filed 1-22-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P