[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 242 (Friday, December 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91192-91193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30247]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-ANRSS-22287; PPWONRADE2, PMP00EI05.YP0000]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement To Address the Presence of Wolves at Isle Royale National 
Park, Michigan

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the presence 
of wolves at Isle Royale National Park.

DATES: All comments must be postmarked or submitted not later than 
March 15, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Please contact Superintendent Phyllis

[[Page 91193]]

Green, Isle Royale National Park, ISRO Wolves, 800 East Lakeshore 
Drive, Houghton, Michigan 49931-1896, or by telephone at (906) 482-
0984. Information is available online for public review at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/isrowolves.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  This process is being conducted pursuant to 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and the regulations of 
the Department of the Interior. The purpose of this Draft EIS is to 
determine whether and how to bring wolves to Isle Royale to function as 
the apex predator in the near term within a changing and dynamic island 
ecosystem. A decision is needed because the potential absence of wolves 
raises concerns about possible effects to Isle Royale's current 
ecosystem, including effects to both the moose population and Isle 
Royale's forest/vegetation communities. Although wolves have not always 
been part of the Isle Royale ecosystem, they have been present for more 
than 65 years, and have played a key role in the ecosystem, affecting 
the moose population and other species during that time. The average 
wolf population on the island over the past 65 years has been about 22, 
but there have been as many as 50 wolves documented on the island and 
as few as two. Over the past five years the population has declined 
steeply, which has given rise to the need to determine whether the NPS 
should bring additional wolves to the island. There were three wolves 
documented on the island in 2015 and only two wolves were confirmed in 
2016. At this time, natural recovery of the population is unlikely.
    This Draft EIS evaluates the impacts of the no-action alternative 
(Alternative A) and three action alternatives (Alternatives B, C, and 
D).
    Alternative A would continue existing management practices and 
assume no new management actions would be implemented beyond those 
available at the outset of the wolf planning process. Wolves may arrive 
or depart independently via an ice bridge. Under Alternative A, wolves 
would not be introduced by management to Isle Royale National Park.
    The action alternatives include the capture and relocation of 
wolves from the Great Lakes Region to Isle Royale National Park. The 
NPS would target wolves for relocation that are known to feed on moose 
as one of their prey sources, are in good health with no apparent 
injuries, and have the appropriate genetic diversity to sustain a 
viable population on the island. Capture and relocation efforts would 
take place between late fall and late winter when the island is closed 
to visitors. All of the action alternatives include monitoring which 
could include radio or GPS collar tracking from ground and air, scat 
sample collection, visual observations, and other methodology as 
funding is available.
    Under Alternative B, between 20 and 30 wolves with a wide genetic 
diversity would be introduced to the island. The social makeup of 
introduced wolves could include packs, established pairs with pups, or 
unrelated individuals. Wolves may be supplemented as needed up to the 
third year after initial introduction. After the third year, should an 
unforeseen event occur that impacts the wolf population, such as a mass 
die-off or introduction of disease, and the goals of the alternative 
are not being met due to this event, wolves may be supplemented for an 
additional two years. No additional wolves would be brought to the 
island after five years from date of initial introduction.
    Alternative C would involve the initial introduction of a smaller 
number of wolves than Alternative B. The social makeup of introduced 
wolves could include an established pair with pups, or a pack, as well 
as unrelated individuals. The NPS would bring wolves to the island as 
often as needed in order to maintain a population of wolves on the 
island for at least the next 20 years. Under this alternative, 
additional wolves may be brought based on one or more resource 
indicators that could include genetic health of the wolves, ecological 
health, and prey species population trends.
    Under Alternative D, the NPS would not take immediate action and 
would continue current management, allowing natural processes to 
continue. This alternative is meant to continue the study of island 
ecosystem changes without an apex predator and only take action should 
the weight of evidence suggest an apex predator is necessary to 
ecosystem function. Resource indicators, such as population size and 
growth rate of moose would be used to determine if and when wolf 
introduction actions should be taken. If the weight of evidence 
indicates wolf introduction actions should be taken, the NPS would 
follow procedures outlined within Alternative C.
    Public Participation: After the Environmental Protection Agency's 
Notice of Availability is published, the NPS will schedule public 
meetings to be held during the comment period in the Great Lakes Region 
near the park. Dates, times, and locations of these meetings will be 
announced in press releases and on the NPS Planning, Environment, and 
Public Comment Web site for the Draft EIS at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/isrowolves.
    How to Comment: You are encouraged to comment on the Draft EIS 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/isrowolves. You may also mail or 
hand-deliver your written comments to Superintendent Phyllis Green, 
Isle Royale National Park, ISRO Wolves, 800 East Lakeshore Drive, 
Houghton, Michigan 49931-1896. Written comments will also be accepted 
during scheduled public meetings discussed above. Comments will not be 
accepted by fax, email, or by any method other than those specified 
above. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted 
on behalf of others will not be accepted. 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: October 25, 2016.
Cameron H. Sholly,
Regional Director, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-30247 Filed 12-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P