[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44144-44146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17770]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-R-2013-N087; FXRS12650800000-134-FF08R00000]
Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Sonny
Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge and Coachella Valley National
Wildlife Refuge), Imperial and Riverside Counties, CA; Draft
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment
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 Assessment (EA) for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex, which includes the Sonny Bono Salton Sea
NWR and the Coachella Valley NWR. The Draft CCP/EA, prepared under the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and in
accordance with the National
[[Page 44145]]
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes how the Service proposes to
manage the two Refuges for the next 15 years. A hunt plan, draft
compatibility determinations for existing public uses, a draft predator
management plan, and a draft integrated pest management plan are also
available for review and public comment with the Draft CCP/EA.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by August 22, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments, requests for more information, or
requests to be added to the mailing list by any of the following
methods.
Email: [email protected]. Include ``Sonny Bono Salton
Sea CCP'' in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attn: Victoria Touchstone, 619-476-9149.
U.S. Mail: Victoria Touchstone, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Refuge Planning, P.O. Box 2358, Chula Vista, CA 91912
In-Person Drop-off: You may drop off comments at the Sonny Bono
Salton Sea NWR Office between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; please call 760-348-
5278 for directions.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria Touchstone, Refuge Planner,
at 619-476-9150 extension 103, or Chris Schoneman, Project Leader, at
760-348-5278, extension 227. Further information may also be found at
http://go.usa.gov/jbhn.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), which amended the
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, requires
the Service to develop a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The
purpose in 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 and
photography, and environmental education and interpretation.
We initiated the CCP/EA for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National
Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes the Sonny Bono Salton Sea and
Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuges, in October 2010. At that
time and throughout the process, we requested, considered, and
incorporated public scoping comments in numerous ways. Our public
outreach included a Federal Register notice of intent published on
October 15, 2010 (75 FR 63502), two planning updates, and two public
scoping meetings. The scoping comment period ended on December 14,
2010. Verbal comments were recorded at public meetings, and written
comments were received via letters, emails, and comment cards.
Background
The Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR was established as a 32,766-acre
sanctuary and breeding ground for birds and other wildlife in 1930
(Executive Order 5498). Additional leased lands have been added to the
Refuge under the authorities of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16
U.S.C. 715d), ``for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other
management purpose, for migratory birds,'' and the Lea Act (16 U.S.C.
695), ``for the management and control of migratory waterfowl, and
other wildlife.'' Today, with the original Refuge lands covered by the
waters of the Salton Sea, management activities are focused on about
2,000 acres of primarily leased land. Approximately 900 acres consist
of managed wetlands that support resident and migratory birds, and
another 850 acres are farmed to provide forage for wintering geese and
other migratory birds. Existing public uses include waterfowl hunting,
fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education,
interpretation, and scientific research.
The Coachella Valley NWR was established in 1985 under the
authorities of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1534),
``to conserve (A) fish or wildlife which are listed as endangered
species or threatened species or (B) plants.'' The 3,709-acre Refuge,
which is part of the larger Coachella Valley Preserve, protects the
federally listed endangered Coachella Valley milk-vetch (Astragalus
lentiginosus var. coachellae) and threatened Coachella Valley fringe-
toed lizard (Uma inornata), as well as other desert-dwelling species
adapted to living in the sand dune habitat of the Coachella Valley.
Access onto the Refuge is limited to a designated corridor for
equestrian and hiking use.
Alternatives
The Draft CCP/EA identifies and evaluates three alternatives for
managing the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR and three alternatives for
managing the Coachella Valley NWR. For each Refuge, the alternative
that appears to best meet the Refuge's purposes is identified as the
preferred alternative. The preferred alternative for each Refuge is
identified based on the analysis presented in the draft CCP/EA, and may
be modified following the completion of the public comment period based
on comments received from other agencies, tribal governments,
nongovernmental organizations, and individuals.
For each Refuge, under Alternative A (no action alternative)
current management practices would continue to be implemented over the
next 15 years and no changes to the current public use programs would
occur.
Alternatives for Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR
Under Alternative B (preferred alternative), the Service would
expand current habitat management activities to enhance habitat
quality, particularly in managed wetlands and agricultural fields;
initiate the phased restoration of shallow saline water habitat at Red
Hill Bay, an area of the Salton Sea that has recently receded;
implement predator management to protect nesting western gull-billed
terns (Gelochelidon nilotica vanrossemi) and black skimmers (Rynchops
niger); and implement an integrated pest management (IPM) plan to
control invasive plants. A variety of actions are also proposed to
improve existing public use facilities and provide additional
opportunities for wildlife observation and photography.
Under Alternative C, the Service would implement habitat actions
similar to those proposed in Alternative B. The proposals for public
use in Alternative C would focus on enhancing existing facilities in
Units 1 and 2, rather than providing additional public use facilities
in Unit 2, as proposed in Alternative B.
Alternatives for the Coachella Valley NWR
Under Alternative B (preferred alternative), the Service would
increase listed and sensitive species management and support actions,
implement an IPM plan to control invasive plants; enhance the habitat
quality of an old agricultural site by reintroducing appropriate native
plant species; and in partnership with others develop and implement a
long-term sand transport monitoring plan. Also proposed is an expanded
public outreach program. Occasional guided tours of the Refuge would
continue at current levels and the only public access onto the Refuge
would occur on a designated trail corridor that extends along portions
of the Refuge's western and northern boundary. The remainder
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of the Refuge would continue to be closed to the public.
Under Alternative C, the Service would expand current management to
protect listed and sensitive species, implement an IPM Plan to control
invasive plants, and initiate a comprehensive restoration plan for an
old agricultural site on the Refuge to restore creosote bush scrub
habitat. In addition, the existing public outreach program would be
expanded and interpretive signs would be installed along the existing
trail corridor. Occasional guided tours of the Refuge would continue at
current levels and public access would continue to be limited to the
existing public trail corridor. All other areas within the Refuge would
remain closed to the public.
Public Meetings
The locations, dates, and times of public meetings will be listed
in a planning update distributed to the project mailing list and posted
on the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex public
Web site at http://go.usa.gov/jbhn.
Review and Comment
Copies of the Draft CCP/EA may be obtained by contacting Victoria
Touchstone (see ADDRESSES). Copies of the Draft CCP/EA may be viewed at
Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR office (see ADDRESSES for contact
information) and local libraries. The Draft CCP/EA is also available
for viewing and downloading online at: http://go.usa.gov/jbhn. Comments
on the Draft CCP/EA should be addressed to Victoria Touchstone (see
ADDRESSES).
At the end of the review and comment period for this Draft CCP/EA,
comments will be analyzed by the Service and addressed in the Final
CCP. 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.
Alexandra Pitts,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region Sacramento,
California.
[FR Doc. 2013-17770 Filed 7-22-13; 8:45 am]
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