Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, 20164-20165 [05-7669]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 73 (Monday, April 18, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20164-20165]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7669]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for 
Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that 
the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Comprehensive Conservation 
Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Final CCP/EIS) for the Rocky 
Flats National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) is available. This Final CCP/
EIS was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Administration Act, as amended, and the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA). The Final CCP/EIS describes the Service's proposal for 
management of the Refuge for 15 years, beginning at Refuge 
establishment, which is anticipated to occur sometime between 2006 and 
2008. Four alternatives for management of the Refuge were considered in 
the CCP/EIS and are described in the ROD. The Service adopted and plans 
to implement Alternative B--Wildlife, Habitat, and Public Use.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, or to request 
a copy of the Final CCP or the ROD, contact Laurie Shannon, Planning 
Team Leader, Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Rocky Mountain 
Arsenal--Building 121, Commerce City, Colorado, 80222. Additionally, 
copies of the Final CCP, ROD, and the Final CCP/EIS may be downloaded 
from the project Web site: https://rockyflats.fws.gov. These materials 
will be available for reading at the following main branch libraries: 
Arvada Public Library, Boulder Public Library, Daniels Library, Golden 
Public Library, Westminster Public Library, Front Range Community 
College,

[[Page 20165]]

Louisville Public Library, Thornton Public Library, and Mamie Dowd 
Eisenhower Library in Broomfield.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 6,240-acre Rocky Flats National Wildlife 
Refuge site is in northern Jefferson County and southern Boulder 
County, Colorado. The Rocky Flats site was used as a nuclear weapons 
production facility until 1992, when the mission of Rocky Flats changed 
to environmental cleanup and closure. The majority of the site has 
remained undisturbed for over 50 years and provides habitat for many 
wildlife species, including the federally threatened Preble's meadow 
jumping mouse, and several rare plant communities. Under the Rocky 
Flats National Wildlife Refuge Act of 2001, most of the site will 
become a National Wildlife Refuge once cleanup and closure has been 
completed. The Refuge will likely be established sometime between 2006 
and 2008.
    The National Wildlife System Administration Act of 1966, as amended 
by the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act of 1997, 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 
strategy 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 Service policies. In addition to outlining broad 
management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, the CCP 
identifies wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to 
the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife 
observation and photography, and environmental education and 
interpretation. The CCP is intended to be a dynamic document that will 
be adaptable to changing resource and management conditions.
    The ROD provides the basis for the decision by the Service on the 
proposed management of the future Refuge. The Service adopted and plans 
to implement Alternative B--Wildlife, Habitat, and Public Use as 
described in the Final CCP/EIS to provide Refuge management direction 
for the first 15 years following the establishment of the Refuge. The 
Service identified Alternative B as the Preferred Alternative in the 
Final CCP/EIS. The Service believes that Alternative B best satisfies 
the mission of the Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System, the 
direction of the Refuge Act, and the long-term needs of the habitats 
and wildlife at Rocky Flats.
    Alternative B, the Service's selected alternative, emphasizes 
wildlife and habitat conservation with a moderate amount of wildlife-
dependent public use. Refuge-wide habitat conservation would include 
management of native plant communities, weeds, restoration tools, 
removal and revegetation of unused roads and stream crossings, 
management of deer and elk populations, prairie dogs, and protection of 
Preble's meadow jumping mouse habitat. Visitor use facilities would 
include about 16 miles of trails, a seasonally staffed visitor contact 
station, trailheads with parking, and developed overlooks. Most of the 
trails would use existing roads and public access would be by foot, 
bicycle, horse, or car. A limited public hunting program would be 
developed.
    Public comments were requested, considered, and incorporated 
throughout the planning process in numerous ways. Public outreach has 
included public open houses, public hearings, individual outreach 
activities, planning update mailings, and Federal Register notices. 
Three previous notices were published in the Federal Register 
concerning this CCP/EIS (67 FR 54667, August 23, 2002; 69 FR 7789, 
February 19, 2004, and 69 FR 75334, December 16, 2004).

    Dated: February 11, 2005.
Ralph O. Morgenweck,
Regional Director, Region 6, Denver, CO.
[FR Doc. 05-7669 Filed 4-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P