[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 51 (Friday, March 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9548-9549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04905]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R8-NWRS-2013-0036; FXRS12610800000-190-FF08RSFC00]


South Farallon Islands Invasive House Mouse Eradication Project; 
Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, California; Final 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; final environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for a 
proposed project to eradicate invasive, introduced house mice on the 
South Farallon Islands of the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge 
in California. The final EIS describes the alternatives identified to 
eradicate house mice from the South Farallon Islands and eliminate 
their negative impacts to the ecosystem on these islands.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of the final EIS in the following 
places:
     Internet: http://www.regulations.gov (Docket No. FWS-R8-
NWRS-2013-0036).
     In-Person:
    [ssquf] San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex 
Headquarters, 1 Marshlands Road, Fremont, CA 94555.
    [ssquf] San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, San 
Francisco, CA 94102.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerry McChesney, Refuge Manager, by 
phone at 510-792-0222, ext. 222; via email at [email protected]; 
or via the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), announce the availability of a final environmental impact 
statement (EIS) for a proposed project to eradicate invasive, 
introduced house mice (Mus musculus) on the South Farallon Islands of 
the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge in California. This 
notice advises the public that the final EIS is now available to the 
public. The final EIS describes the alternatives identified to 
eradicate house mice from the South Farallon Islands and eliminate 
their negative impacts to the ecosystem of these islands.

National Environmental Policy Act

    We are conducting environmental review for the proposed South 
Farallon Islands Invasive House Mouse Eradication Project in accordance 
with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act as 
amended (NEPA; 43 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), its implementing regulations in 
40 CFR 1500-1508, other applicable regulations, and our procedures for 
compliance with those regulations. On April 13, 2011, we published in 
the Federal Register a notice of intent to prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) for the proposed project (76 FR 20706). We 
announced the availability of the draft EIS for public comment on 
August 16, 2013 (78 FR 50082). On October 25, 2013, we issued a revised 
draft EIS to clarify language on the population status of the ashy 
storm-petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) and revise the assessment of 
impacts to the ashy storm-petrel under the no action alternative (78 FR 
64002). In accordance with 40 CFR 1506.6, we now announce the 
availability of the final EIS.
    In addition to our publication of this notice, the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is publishing a notice announcing 
the final EIS, as required under section 309 of the Clean Air Act (42 
U.S.C. 7401 et seq.). The publication date of EPA's notice of 
availability in the Federal Register is the start of the 30-day wait 
period required for the final EIS. (See EPA's Role in the EIS Process, 
below, for further information.)
    We will make a decision on the alternatives presented in the EIS no 
sooner than 30 days after the publication of the final EIS. We 
anticipate issuing a Record of Decision (ROD) in June 2019.

Background

    In 2009, the Service completed a Comprehensive Conservation Plan 
(CCP) and Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact to 
guide the management of the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge 
(Refuge) over a 15-year period. The wildlife management goal in the CCP 
is to protect, inventory, and monitor, as well as to restore to 
historic levels, breeding populations of 12 seabird species, 5 marine 
mammal species, and other native wildlife. One of the strategies 
identified to meet this goal is the eradication of the non-native 
invasive house mouse from the South Farallon Islands, and the 
prevention of future introduction of mice.
    We now propose to eradicate invasive house mice from the South 
Farallon Islands. We expect that eradicating invasive mice will benefit 
native seabirds, amphibians, terrestrial invertebrates, plants, and 
wilderness quality, and will help restore natural ecosystem processes 
on the islands. The South Farallon Islands have sustained

[[Page 9549]]

ecological damage over many decades from the presence of invasive mice. 
Eradicating house mice would eliminate the last remaining invasive 
vertebrate species on the Refuge, thereby enhancing the recovery of 
this unique and sensitive ecosystem.

Alternatives

    We analyzed three alternatives in this final EIS:

Alternative A: No-Action Alternative

    Under this alternative, we would not take any action to eradicate 
mice from the South Farallon Islands, maintaining the status quo. 
Native species and wilderness would continue to be impacted by invasive 
mice. However, other ongoing invasive species management programs on 
the South Farallon Islands would continue based on previous agency 
decisions. Low-intensity mouse control, primarily snap-trapping, 
currently occurs within and around the residences and other buildings 
on Southeast Farallon Island. These localized control efforts would 
continue under the no-action alternative, but the mouse population on 
the rest of the South Farallon Islands would not be subject to control 
efforts.
    Under this alternative, we would also continue management 
activities focused on conserving storm-petrels, native plants, and 
their habitat on the islands, including invasive plant control and 
storm-petrel nesting habitat management. The current biosecurity 
measures would continue under this alternative, but these measures 
still could leave the Farallones at risk of additional invasions by 
non-native animal species.

Alternative B: Aerial Broadcast of Brodifacoum-25D Conservation 
(Preferred Alternative)

    Under this alternative, the project area would be treated with the 
rodent bait Brodifacoum-25D Conservation. This bait is a cereal grain-
based pellet (about 1 gram each) containing the rodenticide brodifacoum 
(25 ppm, or 0.0025 percent). Brodifacoum is typically effective after 
just one feeding by a mouse. The primary delivery of the bait would be 
through two aerial applications, with hand baiting and bait stations as 
a likely secondary means of bait delivery in selected areas. Bait 
applications would be separated by 10 to 21 days. The applications 
would take place between the months of October and December, with a 
most likely application period of November-December. The overall 
operational period is expected to be about six weeks long. Mitigation 
measures in this alternative consist of avoidance and minimization 
actions to limit adverse impacts to natural and cultural resources. For 
example, project timing is scheduled to occur outside seabird and 
marine mammal breeding seasons and when most wildlife populations are 
near annual minimums. We would implement a comprehensive gull hazing 
program in order to minimize the exposure of gulls to rodent bait. We 
would also capture and hold or translocate raptors present on the 
islands just prior to and during bait application. For precaution, a 
sample of Farallon arboreal salamanders (Aneides lugubris 
farallonensis) would be captured and held, then released back into the 
wild following bait degradation. To prevent bait drift into the marine 
environment, precision GPS techniques and a precision bait bucket will 
be utilized to keep bait application above the high tide line. Other 
mitigation measures include the possibility of using bait stations and 
hand broadcast of bait in certain high-risk areas, removing carcasses 
that may have been exposed to rodenticide, retrieving or crushing 
remaining rodent bait after it is no longer needed, minimizing wildlife 
disturbance during bait application, minimizing impacts to wilderness 
by using the minimum tools necessary for eradication, and protecting 
cultural resources during bait application. Monitoring of operational, 
mitigation, and ecosystem restoration objectives would be conducted 
before, during, and after the proposed mouse eradication. In addition, 
in order to minimize the risk of future rodent invasions, a biosecurity 
plan would be implemented prior to and in conjunction with the proposed 
eradication to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to potential future 
rodent incursions.

Alternative C: Aerial Broadcast of Diphacinone-50 Conservation

    Under this alternative, the project area would be treated with the 
rodent bait Diphacinone-50 Conservation. This bait is a cereal grain-
based pellet (about 1-2 grams each) containing the rodenticide 
diphacinone (50 ppm, or 0.0050 percent). Alternative C differs from 
Alternative B mainly in the type of rodenticide used for the proposed 
eradication, the number of applications that may be necessary, and the 
expected overall length of the operational period. To be effective, 
diphacinone requires multiple feedings by a mouse over several days. 
Under Alternative C, Diphacinone-50 Conservation would be broadcast 
primarily by helicopter, likely with some hand baiting and bait 
stations used in selected areas. The bait application would take place 
between the months of October and December, with most likely 
application in the November-December period. However, under Alternative 
C, we would need to broadcast a portion of the total amount of bait 
required during three applications, each separated by approximately 7 
days. The overall operational period is expected to be about 16 weeks 
long. Alternative C would include the same mitigation measures 
described under Alternative B, as well as the monitoring program and 
the biosecurity plan.

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 for EISs prepared by Federal 
agencies and provides notice of their availability in the Federal 
Register. The Environmental Impact Statement 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.
    The notice of availability is the start of the 30-day ``wait 
period'' for final EISs, during which agencies are generally required 
to wait 30 days before making a decision on a proposed action. For more 
information, see https://www.epa.gov/nepa. You may search for EPA 
comments on EISs, along with EISs themselves, at https://cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-public/action/eis/search.

Paul Souza,
Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2019-04905 Filed 3-14-19; 8:45 am]
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