Record of Decision for the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Sweetwater Marsh and South San Diego Bay Units), 64552-64553 [E6-18373]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 212 / Thursday, November 2, 2006 / Notices
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amended.
Dated: October 26, 2006.
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Departmental Paperwork Reduction Act
Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer.
[FR Doc. E6–18438 Filed 11–1–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage
Corridor Commission Meeting
Department of Interior, Office
of the Secretary
AGENCY:
Notice of meeting.
SUMMARY: This notice announces an
upcoming meeting of the Delaware &
Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
Commission. Notice of this meeting is
required under the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463).
Thursday,
November 9, 2006—1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
MEETING DATE AND TIME:
Emrick Technology Center,
2750 Hugh Moore Park Road, Easton,
PA 18042.
The agenda for the meeting will focus
on implementation of the Management
Action Plan for the Delaware & Lehigh
National Heritage Corridor and State
Heritage Park. The Commission was
established to assist the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania and its political
subdivisions in planning and
implementing an integrated strategy for
protecting and promoting cultural,
historic and natural resources. The
Commission reports to the Secretary of
the Interior and to Congress.
ADDRESSES:
The
Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage
Corridor Commission was established
by Public Law 100–692, November 18,
1988 and extended through Public Law
105–355, November 13, 1998.
mstockstill on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
C. Allen Sachse, Executive Director,
Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage
Corridor Commission, 2750 Hugh Moore
Park Road, Easton PA 18042,
(610) 923–3548.
16:00 Nov 01, 2006
Jkt 211001
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Record of Decision for the Final
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and
Environmental Impact Statement for
the San Diego Bay National Wildlife
Refuge (Sweetwater Marsh and South
San Diego Bay Units)
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of record
of decision.
Office of the Secretary
VerDate Aug<31>2005
BILLING CODE 6820–PE–M
AGENCY:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
ACTION:
Dated: October 27, 2006.
C. Allen Sachse,
Executive Director, Delaware & Lehigh
National Heritage Corridor Commission.
[FR Doc. 06–9015 Filed 11–1–06; 8:45 am]
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) announces the
decision and availability of the Record
of Decision (ROD) for the Final
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and
Environmental Impact Statement (Final
CCP/EIS) for the Sweetwater Marsh and
South San Diego Bay Units of the San
Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge
(NWR or Refuge). A thorough analysis of
the environmental, social, and economic
considerations was completed and
presented in the Final CCP/EIS. The
Final CCP/EIS was released to the
public and a Notice of Availability was
published in the Federal Register on
August 25, 2006. The ROD documents
the Service’s decision to adopt and
implement Alternative C (Implement
Habitat Enhancement and Restoration
and Improve Existing Public Uses) for
the Sweetwater Marsh Unit and
Alternative D (Expand Habitat
Management, Enhance Nesting
Opportunities, Maximize Habitat
Restoration, and Provide Additional
Public Use Opportunities) for the South
San Diego Bay Unit.
DATES: The ROD was signed by the
Manager, California/Nevada Operations,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on
September 29, 2006.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the ROD may be
obtained by writing to: Victoria
Touchstone, Refuge Planner, San Diego
National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 6010
Hidden Valley Road, Carlsbad, CA
92011 or by e-mailing
Victoria_Touchstone@fws.gov. A copy
of the Final CCP/EIS and associated
Appendices is available at the following
Web site address: https://
sandiegorefuges.fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Victoria Touchstone, Refuge Planner, at
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the above street and e-mail address, or
via telephone at (760) 431–9440
extension 349, or by fax at (760) 930–
0256.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The San
Diego Bay NWR, which consists of the
Sweetwater Marsh and South San Diego
Bay Units, is located approximately 10
miles north of the United States Mexico
border in southwestern San Diego
County, California. Collectively, the two
Refuge Units encompass approximately
2,620 acres of land and water in and
around the south end of San Diego Bay.
The coastal wetlands protected within
this Refuge annually provide essential
foraging and resting habitat for tens of
thousands of migratory shorebirds and
wintering waterfowl traveling along the
Pacific Flyway. The South San Diego
Bay Unit also provides nesting habitat
for a variety of colonial nesting seabirds.
The Sweetwater Marsh Unit was
established as a National Wildlife
Refuge in 1988. Encompassing
approximately 316 acres, this Refuge
was established to protect federally
listed endangered and threatened
species. The South San Diego Bay Unit
was established in 1999 as a unit of the
San Diego National Wildlife Refuge for
the purpose of protecting, managing,
and restoring habitats for federally listed
endangered and threatened species and
migratory birds. The Service currently
manages approximately 2,300 acres of
the 3,940 acres included within the
Unit’s approved acquisition boundary.
The majority of this management area is
leased to the Service by the California
State Lands Commission.
The Final CCP will provide guidance
for how the refuge, its resources, and
compatible public uses should be
managed over the next 15 years. Three
alternatives for the Sweetwater Marsh
Unit and four alternatives for the South
San Diego Bay Unit, along with the
consequences of implementing each
alternative, were described in detail in
the Draft and Final CCP/EIS. The Draft
CCP/EIS was distributed for public
review and comment on July 22, 2005
and comments were accepted through
September 19, 2005. The Service
received 38 written comment letters and
four individuals presented verbal
comments at a public meeting held on
August 30, 2005. All substantive issues
raised in these comments were
addressed through changes incorporated
into the Final CCP/EIS and/or through
responses to the comments, which are
included in Appendix P, Responses to
Comments, of the Final CCP/EIS.
The ROD for the San Diego Bay NWR
Final CCP/EIS has been prepared by the
Service in compliance with the National
E:\FR\FM\02NON1.SGM
02NON1
mstockstill on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 212 / Thursday, November 2, 2006 / Notices
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended. It documents the
decision of the Service, based on the
information contained in the San Diego
Bay NWR Final CCP/EIS and the entire
Administrative Record. The Service
adopted and plans to implement
Alternative C (Implement Habitat
Enhancement and Restoration and
Improve Existing Public Uses) for the
Sweetwater Marsh Unit and Alternative
D (Expand Habitat Management,
Enhance Nesting Opportunities,
Maximize Habitat Restoration, and
Provide Additional Public Use
Opportunities) for the South San Diego
Bay Unit. These alternatives have been
identified by the Service as the
alternatives that would best achieve
refuge purposes and contribute toward
the mission of the NWRS, consistent
with sound principles of fish and
wildlife science, conservation, legal
mandates, and Service policies.
The selected alternatives recognize
the need to provide high quality habitat
for the Refuge’s federally listed species,
while also maintaining, and in some
cases enhancing, the habitats needed to
support the overall biological diversity
of the Refuge. The selected alternatives
also include expanded opportunities for
compatible public use including
wildlife observation, environmental
education, and interpretation;
provisions to protect cultural resources;
recommendations for addressing
existing contaminant issues; and
proposals for establishing partnerships
to address issues such as water quality,
the accumulation of discarded fishing
line around the bay, and stewardship of
Refuge resources.
Alternative C for the Sweetwater
Marsh Unit would improve habitat
quality and restore intertidal and
upland habitats to support six federally
listed species, along with the Refuge’s
other plant and animal resources. The
existing trail system on Gunpowder
Point would be redesigned and new
interpretive elements would be
provided to better complement the
existing environmental education
programs supported by the Refuge.
Alternative D for the South San Diego
Bay Unit would enhance nesting
opportunities in and around the salt
ponds for the California least tern,
western snowy plover, and various
other colonial seabirds; restore to native
coastal habitats the former agricultural
lands in the Otay River floodplain;
restore 650 acres of commercial solar
salt ponds to tidal influence to support
intertidal mudflat and coastal salt marsh
habitats; and manage the water and
salinity levels in an additional 275 acres
of salt ponds. Opportunities for wildlife
VerDate Aug<31>2005
14:49 Nov 01, 2006
Jkt 211001
observation, photography, and
environmental interpretation would be
expanded; a pedestrian pathway would
be constructed along the southern end
of the Refuge to improve wildlife
observation opportunities for Refuge
visitors; and the other public uses (i.e.,
fishing, environmental education, and
boating) currently provided on the
Refuge would be maintained.
The Service considered the
environmental and relevant concerns
presented by agencies, organizations,
and individuals and believes that
implementing Alternative C for the
Sweetwater Marsh Unit and Alternative
D for the South San Diego Bay Unit is
the best way to achieve the vision and
goals for the Refuge. The selected
alternatives are also the most consistent
with the purposes of the Refuge, the
mission of the NWRS, the recovery
actions proposed for those federally
listed species that are supported by the
Refuge, and the bird conservation
recommendations relevant to this part of
the Pacific Flyway. These alternatives
recognize the need to restore habitat
essential to the recovery of listed
species, while also protecting those
habitats and conditions that currently
support a diverse and abundant array of
migratory birds. The selected
alternatives also balance the need to
protect habitat with the need to provide
the public with the opportunity to
experience and enjoy the resources
being protected.
Dated: October 18, 2006.
Steve Thompson,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations,
Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. E6–18373 Filed 11–1–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Final Environmental Impact Statement
and Comprehensive Conservation Plan
for Upper Mississippi River National
Wildlife and Fish Refuge in Illinois,
Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of record
of decision.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, announce our decision
and the availability of the Record of
Decision (ROD) for the Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and Comprehensive Conservation Plan
(CCP) for Upper Mississippi River
National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
64553
accordance with National
Environmental Policy Act requirements
(NEPA).
ADDRESSES: The ROD and Final EIS/CCP
may be viewed at Upper Mississippi
River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Headquarters or at Refuge District
Offices in Winona, Minnesota; La
Crosse, Wisconsin; McGregor, Iowa; and
Savanna, Illinois. You may obtain a
copy of the ROD on the planning Web
site at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/
planning/uppermiss or by writing to:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division
of Conservation Planning, Bishop Henry
Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal
Drive, Fort Snelling, Minnesota 55111.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don
Hultman, (507) 452–4232.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
announce our decision and the
availability of the Record of Decision
(ROD) for the Final Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) and
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
(CCP) for Upper Mississippi River
National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in
accordance with NEPA requirements (40
CFR 1506.6(b)). We completed a
thorough analysis of the environmental,
social, and economic considerations,
which we included in the Final EIS/
CCP. We released the Final EIS/CCP to
the public and a published a notice of
availability in the Federal Register (71
FR 39125, July 11, 2006). The ROD
documents the selection of Alternative
E, the Preferred Alternative in the Final
EIS/CCP, with one modification. The
ROD was signed by the Regional
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Midwest Region, on August 24, 2006.
The CCP for the Upper Mississippi
River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
(Refuge) will guide the management and
administration of the Refuge for the next
15 years. Alternative E, as described in
the Final EIS, is the foundation for the
CCP, with one modification. The
modification designates 215 acres west
of the Rieck’s Lake area of Pool 4, in the
area between Highway 35 and the
railroad tracks, as a No Hunting Zone to
avoid impacts to persons using the
Buffalo River Access, access to the main
river, and anglers desiring to fish in the
area.
Four alternatives and their
consequences were developed for the
Draft EIS and CCP. A fifth alternative,
Alternative E, was developed based on
extensive public input and comment,
and was released as a Supplement to the
Draft EIS (71 FR 2561, January 17,
2006).
Alternative A—No Action or Current
Direction. Continue current level of
E:\FR\FM\02NON1.SGM
02NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 212 (Thursday, November 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64552-64553]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18373]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Record of Decision for the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan
and Environmental Impact Statement for the San Diego Bay National
Wildlife Refuge (Sweetwater Marsh and South San Diego Bay Units)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of record of decision.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
decision and availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement
(Final CCP/EIS) for the Sweetwater Marsh and South San Diego Bay Units
of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge (NWR or Refuge). A
thorough analysis of the environmental, social, and economic
considerations was completed and presented in the Final CCP/EIS. The
Final CCP/EIS was released to the public and a Notice of Availability
was published in the Federal Register on August 25, 2006. The ROD
documents the Service's decision to adopt and implement Alternative C
(Implement Habitat Enhancement and Restoration and Improve Existing
Public Uses) for the Sweetwater Marsh Unit and Alternative D (Expand
Habitat Management, Enhance Nesting Opportunities, Maximize Habitat
Restoration, and Provide Additional Public Use Opportunities) for the
South San Diego Bay Unit.
DATES: The ROD was signed by the Manager, California/Nevada Operations,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on September 29, 2006.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the ROD may be obtained by writing to: Victoria
Touchstone, Refuge Planner, San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex,
6010 Hidden Valley Road, Carlsbad, CA 92011 or by e-mailing Victoria--
Touchstone@fws.gov. A copy of the Final CCP/EIS and associated
Appendices is available at the following Web site address: https://
sandiegorefuges.fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria Touchstone, Refuge Planner,
at the above street and e-mail address, or via telephone at (760) 431-
9440 extension 349, or by fax at (760) 930-0256.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The San Diego Bay NWR, which consists of the
Sweetwater Marsh and South San Diego Bay Units, is located
approximately 10 miles north of the United States Mexico border in
southwestern San Diego County, California. Collectively, the two Refuge
Units encompass approximately 2,620 acres of land and water in and
around the south end of San Diego Bay. The coastal wetlands protected
within this Refuge annually provide essential foraging and resting
habitat for tens of thousands of migratory shorebirds and wintering
waterfowl traveling along the Pacific Flyway. The South San Diego Bay
Unit also provides nesting habitat for a variety of colonial nesting
seabirds.
The Sweetwater Marsh Unit was established as a National Wildlife
Refuge in 1988. Encompassing approximately 316 acres, this Refuge was
established to protect federally listed endangered and threatened
species. The South San Diego Bay Unit was established in 1999 as a unit
of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge for the purpose of
protecting, managing, and restoring habitats for federally listed
endangered and threatened species and migratory birds. The Service
currently manages approximately 2,300 acres of the 3,940 acres included
within the Unit's approved acquisition boundary. The majority of this
management area is leased to the Service by the California State Lands
Commission.
The Final CCP will provide guidance for how the refuge, its
resources, and compatible public uses should be managed over the next
15 years. Three alternatives for the Sweetwater Marsh Unit and four
alternatives for the South San Diego Bay Unit, along with the
consequences of implementing each alternative, were described in detail
in the Draft and Final CCP/EIS. The Draft CCP/EIS was distributed for
public review and comment on July 22, 2005 and comments were accepted
through September 19, 2005. The Service received 38 written comment
letters and four individuals presented verbal comments at a public
meeting held on August 30, 2005. All substantive issues raised in these
comments were addressed through changes incorporated into the Final
CCP/EIS and/or through responses to the comments, which are included in
Appendix P, Responses to Comments, of the Final CCP/EIS.
The ROD for the San Diego Bay NWR Final CCP/EIS has been prepared
by the Service in compliance with the National
[[Page 64553]]
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended. It documents the
decision of the Service, based on the information contained in the San
Diego Bay NWR Final CCP/EIS and the entire Administrative Record. The
Service adopted and plans to implement Alternative C (Implement Habitat
Enhancement and Restoration and Improve Existing Public Uses) for the
Sweetwater Marsh Unit and Alternative D (Expand Habitat Management,
Enhance Nesting Opportunities, Maximize Habitat Restoration, and
Provide Additional Public Use Opportunities) for the South San Diego
Bay Unit. These alternatives have been identified by the Service as the
alternatives that would best achieve refuge purposes and contribute
toward the mission of the NWRS, consistent with sound principles of
fish and wildlife science, conservation, legal mandates, and Service
policies.
The selected alternatives recognize the need to provide high
quality habitat for the Refuge's federally listed species, while also
maintaining, and in some cases enhancing, the habitats needed to
support the overall biological diversity of the Refuge. The selected
alternatives also include expanded opportunities for compatible public
use including wildlife observation, environmental education, and
interpretation; provisions to protect cultural resources;
recommendations for addressing existing contaminant issues; and
proposals for establishing partnerships to address issues such as water
quality, the accumulation of discarded fishing line around the bay, and
stewardship of Refuge resources.
Alternative C for the Sweetwater Marsh Unit would improve habitat
quality and restore intertidal and upland habitats to support six
federally listed species, along with the Refuge's other plant and
animal resources. The existing trail system on Gunpowder Point would be
redesigned and new interpretive elements would be provided to better
complement the existing environmental education programs supported by
the Refuge.
Alternative D for the South San Diego Bay Unit would enhance
nesting opportunities in and around the salt ponds for the California
least tern, western snowy plover, and various other colonial seabirds;
restore to native coastal habitats the former agricultural lands in the
Otay River floodplain; restore 650 acres of commercial solar salt ponds
to tidal influence to support intertidal mudflat and coastal salt marsh
habitats; and manage the water and salinity levels in an additional 275
acres of salt ponds. Opportunities for wildlife observation,
photography, and environmental interpretation would be expanded; a
pedestrian pathway would be constructed along the southern end of the
Refuge to improve wildlife observation opportunities for Refuge
visitors; and the other public uses (i.e., fishing, environmental
education, and boating) currently provided on the Refuge would be
maintained.
The Service considered the environmental and relevant concerns
presented by agencies, organizations, and individuals and believes that
implementing Alternative C for the Sweetwater Marsh Unit and
Alternative D for the South San Diego Bay Unit is the best way to
achieve the vision and goals for the Refuge. The selected alternatives
are also the most consistent with the purposes of the Refuge, the
mission of the NWRS, the recovery actions proposed for those federally
listed species that are supported by the Refuge, and the bird
conservation recommendations relevant to this part of the Pacific
Flyway. These alternatives recognize the need to restore habitat
essential to the recovery of listed species, while also protecting
those habitats and conditions that currently support a diverse and
abundant array of migratory birds. The selected alternatives also
balance the need to protect habitat with the need to provide the public
with the opportunity to experience and enjoy the resources being
protected.
Dated: October 18, 2006.
Steve Thompson,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. E6-18373 Filed 11-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
