[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2754-2755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1019]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2011-N241; FXRS12650400000S3-123-FF04R02000]
Establishment of Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge
and Conservation Area
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)
has approved the establishment of the Everglades Headwaters National
Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area in Polk, Osceola, Highlands, and
Okeechobee Counties, Florida. The Service establishes the Refuge and
Conservation Area in order to support a connected conservation
landscape; to provide quality habitats for native wildlife diversity
and at-risk species; to enhance water quality, quantity, and storage;
and to provide opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation.
DATES: This action was effective on December 16, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Cheri M. Ehrhardt, Natural
Resource Planner, at (321) 861-2368 (telephone) or Mr. Charlie Pelizza,
Refuge Manager, at (772) 562-3909, extension 244 (telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The establishment of the Everglades
Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area will protect
approximately 150,000 acres in central and south Florida, helping to
protect and restore one of the great grassland and savanna landscapes
of eastern North America, conserving one of the nation's prime areas of
biological diversity. It will also help to address the threats from
habitat fragmentation and urban development, altered ecological
processes, and impacts from global climate change. The Service will
work with willing landowners to create a 100,000-acre conservation area
through conservation easements or other less-than-fee-title means, and
a 50,000-acre national wildlife refuge.
The authorities to establish and manage the Everglades Headwaters
National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area are the National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act [16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(2)],
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1534), Emergency Wetlands Resources
Act [16 U.S.C. 3901(b), 100 Stat. 3583], Migratory Bird Conservation
Act (16 U.S.C. 715d), Fish and Wildlife Act [16 U.S.C. 742f(a)(4)], and
Refuge Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4).
Working with conservation land managers across this landscape, the
Service will: (1) Manage the refuge and employ appropriate conditions
for the conservation area to support a more connected and functional
conservation landscape that will provide effective habitat connections
between existing conservation areas and allow habitats and species to
shift in response to urban development pressures and global climate
change; (2) provide a wide range of quality Kissimmee River Basin
habitats to support migratory birds, Federal- and State-listed species,
State-designated species of special concern, and native wildlife
diversity; (3) contribute to water quality, water quantity, and water
storage capacity of the upper Everglades watershed to complement
Everglades restoration goals and objectives and water quality and
supply for central and south Florida; and (4) provide opportunities for
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation, while increasing knowledge
of and support for conservation of the important grassland and savanna
landscape of the headwaters of the Everglades.
Several uses were evaluated in the interim compatibility
determinations and determined to be compatible for the refuge. These
included hunting, fishing, environmental education and interpretation,
wildlife observation and photography, research, camping, hiking,
horseback riding, bicycling, grazing, and off-road vehicle use (on
designated roads and trails to support hunting and research). The
Service is working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission to establish a memorandum of understanding to also employ
appropriate State wildlife management areas for hunting on properties
acquired for the refuge.
On September 8, 2011, the Service published a Federal Register
notice (76
[[Page 2755]]
FR 55699) announcing the proposed establishment of the Everglades
Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, and the
release for public review and comment of the Draft Land Protection Plan
and Draft Environmental Assessment in accordance with National
Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1506.6 (b)) requirements. On October
26, 2011, the Service published a Federal Register notice (76 FR 66321)
announcing the extension of the comment deadline to November 25, 2011.
With this extension, the public review and comment period on the Draft
Land Protection Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment totaled 79
days.
Based on the documentation in the Final Land Protection Plan and
Final Environmental Assessment, the Regional Director of the Southeast
Region of the Service signed a Finding of No Significant Impact on
December 9, 2011. Along with the interim compatibility determinations,
we have developed a Conceptual Management Plan, which will serve as an
interim management plan until the Service develops a Comprehensive
Conservation Plan and/or appropriate step-down management plans.
Authority
This notice is published under the authority of the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105-57.
Daniel M. Ashe,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-1019 Filed 1-18-12; 8:45 am]
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