Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge in Jackson County, Mississippi; Availability of Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment, 67627-67630 [06-9343]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 225 / Wednesday, November 22, 2006 / Notices
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and
describes how the refuge will be
managed for the next 15 years. The
compatibility determinations for big
game hunting, small game hunting,
migratory bird hunting, fishing, wildlife
observation and photography,
environmental education and
interpretation, trapping of selected
furbearers, and horseback riding are also
available within the plan.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the plan may be
obtained by writing to the D’Arbonne
National Wildlife Refuge, 11372
Highway 143, Farmerville, Louisiana
71241. The plan may also be accessed
and downloaded from the Service’s Web
site https://southeast.fws.gov/planning/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge,
established in 1975, is located within
the Lower Mississippi River floodplain
in north Louisiana, approximately six
miles of West Monroe, Louisiana. The
refuge’s 17,421 acres include deep
overflow swamp, bottomland hardwood
forest, and upland mixed-pine/
hardwoods. D’Arbonne Refuge provides
habitat for thousands of wintering
waterfowl, wading and waterbirds, and
year-round habitat for nesting wood
ducks, squirrels, deer, river otters, and
raccoons. Hunting and fishing
opportunities are permitted on most
areas of the refuge, which is open yearround for wildlife observation and
wildlife photography.
The availability of the Draft
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and
Environmental Assessment for a 30-day
public review and comment period was
announced in the Federal Register on
April 11, 2006 (71 FR 18348). The plan
and environmental assessment
identified and evaluated three
alternatives for managing the refuge
over the next 15 years. Alternative A,
the proposed alternative, emphasized
natural ecological processes,
enhancement of the biological program,
restoration of biological integrity with
management for endangered species,
and more use of adaptive management
primarily to benefit migratory birds and
forests. Alternative B would focus
resources toward obtaining biological
information while providing an artificial
habitat for the endangered red-cockaded
woodpecker. There would be a
reduction in visitor services. Alternative
C, the ‘‘status quo’’ alternative, would
continue management and public use.
Based on the environmental
assessment and the comments received,
the Service adopted Alternative A as its
preferred alternative. This alternative
was considered to be the most effective
for meeting the purposes of the refuge—
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that of conserving bottomland
hardwood forest for migratory birds and
for providing wildlife-dependent public
use. Alternative A best achieves
national, ecosystem, and refuge-specific
goals and objectives and positively
addresses significant issues and
concerns expressed by the public.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kelby Ouchley, Refuge Manager,
D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge,
telephone: 318/726–4222; fax: 318/726–
4667; e-mail: Kelby_Ouchley@fws.gov;
or by writing to the Refuge Manager at
the addresses in the ADDRESSES section.
Authority: This notice is published under
the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act of 1997, Public
Law 105–57.
Dated: June 29, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 06–9344 Filed 11–21–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–M
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Mississippi Sandhill Crane National
Wildlife Refuge in Jackson County,
Mississippi; Availability of Draft
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and
Environmental Assessment
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service
announces that a Draft Comprehensive
Conservation Plan and Environmental
Assessment for Mississippi Sandhill
Crane National Wildlife Refuge are
available for review and comment. This
draft plan and environmental
assessment were prepared pursuant to
the National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act, as amended, and
the National Environmental Policy Act.
The draft plan describes the Service’s
proposal for management of the refuge
for 15 years.
DATES: Written comments must be
received at the postal or electronic
addresses listed below no later than
December 22, 2006.
ADDRESSES: To provide written
comments or to obtain a copy of the
draft plan and environmental
assessment, please write to the
Mississippi Sandhill Crane National
Wildlife Refuge, 7200 Crane Lane,
Gautier, Mississippi 39553; Telephone
601/497–6322. Comments may also be
submitted via electronic mail to
mike_dawson@fws.gov. The plan and
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environmental assessment may be
accessed and downloaded from the
Service’s Internet site: https://
southeast.fws.gov/planning/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966, as amended
by the National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C.
668dd–668ee), requires the Service to
develop a plan for each refuge. The
purpose in developing a comprehensive
conservation plan 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, plans identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities
available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing,
wildlife observation, wildlife
photography, and environmental
education and interpretation.
A meeting will be held to present the
plan to the public. Mailings, newspaper
articles, and posters will be the avenues
to inform the public of the date and time
for the meeting.
After the review and comment period
for the draft plan and environmental
assessment, all comments will be
analyzed and considered by the Service.
All comments received from individuals
on the draft plan and environmental
assessment become part of the official
public record. Requests for such
comments will be handled in
accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act and Service and
Departmental policies and procedures.
Mississippi Sandhill Crane National
Wildlife Refuge was established in 1975
to safeguard the critically endangered
Mississippi sandhill crane and its
unique disappearing habitat.
Significant issues addressed in the
draft plan include: Threatened and
endangered species; waterfowl
management; neotropical migratory
birds; savanna restoration; visitor
services (e.g., fishing, wildlife
observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and
interpretation); staffing; and cultural
resources. The Service developed four
alternatives for managing the refuge and
chose Alternative D as the proposed
alternative.
Under Alternative A, the No Action
Alternative, present management would
continue. Current approaches to
managing and protecting cranes, other
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 225 / Wednesday, November 22, 2006 / Notices
wildlife and habitats, and allowing for
public use would remain unchanged.
With regard to the endangered
Mississippi sandhill crane, the refuge’s
objective would be to maintain a
population of 110–130 individuals,
including 20–25 nesting pairs, while
fledging 2–4 young annually. Staff
would cultivate 15–40 acres of chufa in
multiple food plots to provide foraging
areas for the cranes. The refuge would
also maintain 14 existing ponds; these
provide roosting, feeding, and release
pen habitat for cranes. Predator control
would need to continue, since predation
is one of the key factors in retarding
successful recruitment of young and
achievement of a self-sustaining
population. The refuge’s objective
would be to conduct sufficient predator
control to allow for 40 percent hatching
success, 25 percent fledging success,
and 75 percent survival of after-hatchyear birds. Two to three red-tailed
hawks, one of the principal predators of
nestling and juvenile cranes, would be
removed annually.
The refuge would continue to furnish
incidental benefits for other native
wildlife species. It would also maintain
the current habitat mix for the benefit of
other migratory birds, including
waterfowl, shorebirds, marsh birds, and
landbirds. Staff would continue existing
amphibian surveys to monitor long-term
population trends and health of these
vertebrates. Managers would continue to
record casual sightings of invertebrates,
while maintaining incidental benefits to
invertebrates from various management
actions.
Habitat objectives are oriented toward
providing benefits to wildlife, and thus
overlap wildlife objectives to some
extent. The main habitat the refuge
strives to restore and manage is pine
savanna, particularly wet pine savanna.
Under Alternative A, refuge
management would continue to provide
8,000–10,000 acres of savanna habitat to
benefit the Mississippi sandhill crane
and priority grassland bird species. The
staff would maintain the current habitat
mix to provide incidental benefits to
other migratory birds, including
waterfowl, shorebirds, marsh birds, and
landbirds. Fire management, in
particular prescribed fire, is an
important ecological tool in maintaining
savanna habitat against encroachment
by woody vegetation and trees. The
refuge would continue to aim for
conducting prescribed fires on all
compartments on a 2–3 year rotation,
although attaining this objective would
depend on weather conditions. Other
habitats on the refuge would be
maintained at current levels and in the
same locations as at present:
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Approximately 9,000 acres in pine
flatwood forest; 1,300 acres in forested
wetlands; and 600 acres in open water.
Resource protection would continue
to be carried out as it is currently. One
hundred acres of cogongrass would be
targeted for annual spraying to reduce
infestations of this non-native weed.
Tallow trees and other invasives would
be controlled or eliminated as
opportunities arise. The refuge’s Private
Lands program would remain the same,
with passive management of 12 Farm
Service Agency tracts totaling 2,203
acres (1,975 acres in fee title and 228
acres in easement). At present, the
refuge has one collateral duty officer
(0.25 FTE) and shares a law enforcement
officer with Grand Bay National
Wildlife Refuge. The refuge would
follow standard Service protocol and
procedures in conducting cultural
resource surveys.
Existing public use and
environmental education programs
would be maintained. The refuge would
continue to serve the public without
being guided by a Visitor Services
Management Plan, relying instead on
experience and general Service
mandates and practices. A new
headquarters/visitor center would be
constructed.
Current wildlife observation and
wildlife photography programs and
facilities would be maintained. These
include guided crane tours in vans
every January and February, two hiking/
nature trails, and observation/
photography blinds. The refuge would
maintain environmental education and
interpretation at their current levels,
including participation in community
events, on-site and off-site
environmental education, guided tours,
and interpretive trails. The refuge would
technically remain closed to sport
hunting and fishing, though the latter
would continue to be available to
anglers in watercraft (e.g., boats, canoes,
and kayaks) entering the refuge on
bayous under State jurisdiction and
management.
Under Alternative B, the refuge would
emphasize its biological program by
applying maximum efforts to enhance
habitat conditions and increase wildlife
populations, particularly the
endangered crane. The visitor services
program would remain as it is at
present. An assistant refuge manager
would be hired for supervisory and
administrative support.
With regard to the endangered
Mississippi sandhill crane, the refuge’s
objective would be to provide for a selfsustaining crane population of 130 to
170 individuals, including 30–35
nesting pairs, fledging 10–15 young
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annually for at least 10 years. Chufa
cultivation would expand to 40–60
acres, and winter cover crops and
legumes would be planted on up to 20
acres within food plots. Staff would also
create a food plot in the Fontainbleau
Unit in addition to exploring
opportunities with partners to protect
existing and extend potential foraging
areas off-refuge would continue to
maintain 14 existing ponds, which
provide roosting, feeding, and release
pen habitat for cranes. In addition to
these 14 ponds, 10 new small, shallow
ponds would be created. Staff would
clear overgrown interiors of five Grady
ponds. An additional equipment
operator would be hired to assist with
construction and maintenance.
Under Alternative B, predator
management for Mississippi sandhill
crane survival would increase to allow
for 60 percent hatching success, 67
percent fledging success, and over 80
percent survival of after-hatch-year
birds. Up to 10 red-tailed hawks would
be removed annually.
The refuge would also continue to
furnish incidental benefits to other
native wildlife species. It would provide
15,000–17,000 acres of savanna habitat
to benefit priority grassland bird
species, as well as the Mississippi
sandhill crane. This would be an
increase of 7,000 acres over Alternative
A. Alternative B would aim to increase
the refugee’s knowledge about other
migratory birds by developing and
implementing monitoring programs.
Staff would continue existing
amphibian surveys to monitor long-term
population trends and health of these
vertebrates. The refuge would maintain
and develop habitats and promote
management actions that would support
viable populations of both amphibians
and reptiles.
The refuge would conduct periodic
sampling to evaluate incidental benefits
to invertebrates from various
management actions. Management of
invertebrates would increase overall by
maintaining the native diversity of
butterfly and dragonfly species as
indicators of biodiversity, and by
providing for high-quality orthoptera
and related species numbers for food by
the sandhill cranes and their young.
Under Alternative B, pine savanna
acreage would increase. Fire
management, particularly prescribed
fire, is an important ecological tool in
maintaining savanna habitat against
encroachment by woody vegetation and
trees. Under Alternative B, the refuge
would continue to aim for conducting
prescribed fires on all compartments on
a 2–3 year rotation, although attaining
this objective would depend on weather
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conditions. Pine flatwood forests would
be reduced to 2,000–5,000 acres (from
9,000 acres currently), because the
majority of this habitat would be
converted to pine savanna (i.e., opened
up and thinned out), which is more
desirable to cranes and other indigenous
species of management concern.
Forested wetlands would be maintained
at current levels (1,300 acres) and the
acreage of open water, that is, bayous
and ponds, would increase somewhat
from the construction of 10 new ponds.
Under Alternative B, resource
protection would be intensified. The
main invasive species at present is
cogongrass, and the refuge’s objective
would be to reduce cogongrass by 90
percent within 5 years, to total no more
than 15 acres. A program would also be
developed to control tallow trees and
other invasive species. In the refuge’s
Private Lands Program, staff would
work with private landowners of the 12
Farm Service Agency tracts to manage
and improve habitats. Staff would also
reduce cogongrass on these areas and
explore opportunities with partners to
protect existing and extend potential
foraging areas off-refuge. The refuge
would partner with The Nature
Conservancy and other nearby
landowners on fire management issues
and biological assistance.
Current wildlife observation, wildlife
photography, and environmental
education and interpretation programs
would be maintained under the
Alternative B. As in Alternative A, the
refuge would technically remain closed
to sport hunting and fishing.
Under Alternative C, management
would focus on maximizing
opportunities for public visitation,
increasing both facilities and activities
throughout the 15-year duration of the
plan. Current approaches to managing
and protecting cranes and other wildlife
and habitats would remain unchanged.
An assistant refuge manager would be
hired for supervisory and administrative
support.
One difference between Alternatives
C and A is in the area of law
enforcement: Alternative C would
provide a full-time law enforcement
officer to protect refuge resources and
the public. With regard to cultural
resources, including those of an
archaeological or historical nature,
within 15 years of the plan’s approval,
the refuge would develop and begin to
implement a Cultural Resources
Management Plan.
Public use and environmental
education would increase under
Alternative C. Within 3 years of plan
completion, the refuge would develop a
Visitor Services Management Plan to be
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22:25 Nov 21, 2006
Jkt 211001
used in expanding public use facilities
and opportunities on the refuge. This
step-down management plan would
provide overall, long-term direction and
guidance in developing and running a
larger public use program. The Service
would construct a new headquarters
and a separate visitor center. The new
visitor center would include a small
auditorium for use in talks, meetings,
films, videos, and other audiovisual
presentations.
Alternative C would also increase
opportunities for visitors by adding
facilities such as photo-blinds,
observation sites, and trails, including
boardwalks. Two on-refuge auto tours
would be developed as well.
Over the 15-year life of the plan, the
staff would increase emphasis on
environmental education and
interpretation to lead to a better
understanding of the importance of
wildlife and habitat resources,
especially sandhill cranes, savanna, fire
ecology, invasive species, endangered
species, and migratory birds. A public
use specialist would be hired. Within 5
years of plan approval, the refuge would
prepare a Fishing Plan that would
outline permissible fishing
opportunities within the refuge and a
Hunting Plan that would allow for a
limited deer hunt. The refuge would
construct a fishing pier and canoe and
kayak trail with access point.
Under Alternative D, the proposed
alternative, the refuge would strive to
optimize both its biological program and
its visitor services program. Thus it
would include certain elements of
Alternative B, which emphasizes the
biological program, and Alternative C,
which focuses on the visitor services
program. Alternative D recognizes that
there may be tradeoffs and opportunity
costs between the various elements of
the biological and visitor services
programs. Hence, Alternative D stresses
the principle of optimization rather than
maximization of wildlife, habitat, and
public use outputs. An assistant refuge
manager would be hired for supervisory
and administrative support.
With regard to the endangered
Mississippi sandhill crane, the refuge’s
objective would be the same as
Alternative B. Also, objectives to furnish
incidental benefits to other native
wildlife species would be the same as
Alternative B. The main habitat the
refuge strives to restore and manage is
pine savanna, particularly wet pine
savanna. Under Alternative D, savanna
acreage would increase.
Under Alternative D, resource
protection at the refuge would be
intensified from the level now
maintained in Alternative A. Efforts to
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67629
control invasive species would increase.
The main invasive species at present is
cogongrass, and the refuge’s objective
would be to reduce the species by 80
percent within 5 years. Tallow trees and
other invasive species would continue
to be controlled or eliminated as
opportunities are available. In the
refuge’s Private Lands Program, staff
would work with private landowners of
the 12 Farm Service Agency tracts to
manage and improve habitats. Staff
would also explore opportunities with
partners to protect existing and extend
potential foraging areas off-refuge. The
refuge would partner with The Nature
Conservancy and other nearby
landowners on fire management issues
and biological assistance.
Alternative D would provide a fulltime law enforcement officer, an
equipment operator, a maintenance
mechanic, and a wildlife technician.
The refuge would develop and begin to
implement a Cultural Resources
Management Plan. Until such time as
the plan is completed and implemented,
the refuge would follow standard
Service protocol and procedures in
conducting cultural resource surveys.
Public use and environmental
education would increase under
Alternative D. Within 3 years of the
plan’s completion, the refuge would
develop a Visitor Services Plan to be
used in expanding public use facilities
and opportunities on the refuge. This
step-down management plan would
provide overall, long-term direction and
guidance in developing and running a
larger public use program. Within the
15-year planning horizon, the Service
would construct a new visitor center
near the existing one and convert the
existing visitor center into a refuge
headquarters. The new visitor center
would include a small auditorium for
use in talks, meetings, films, videos, and
other audiovisual presentations.
Alternative D would also increase
opportunities for visitors by adding
facilities such as photoblinds,
observation sites, and trails, but would
not include boardwalks. One or more
on-refuge auto tours would be
developed as well.
Over the 15-year life of the plan, the
staff would increase emphasis on
environmental education and
interpretation to lead to a better
understanding of the importance of
wildlife and habitat resources,
especially sandhill cranes, savanna, fire
ecology, invasive species, endangered
species, and migratory birds. Within 5
years of the plan’s approval, the refuge
would prepare a Fishing Plan that
would outline permissible fishing
opportunities within the refuge. The
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 225 / Wednesday, November 22, 2006 / Notices
refuge would also construct a fishing
pier on the bayou and a canoe and
kayak trail with access point. Staff
would investigate opportunities for
limited hunting possibilities.
Authority: This notice is published under
the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act of 1997, Public
Law 105–57.
Dated: October 11, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 06–9343 Filed 11–21–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–M
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Submitted for Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
Review; Comment Request
Minerals Management Service
(MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of revision of an
information collection (1010–0154).
pwalker on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: To comply with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), MMS is notifying the public that
it has submitted to OMB an information
collection request (ICR) to renew
approval of the paperwork requirements
under the Endangered Species Act
Biological Opinions, issued by the Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS) and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Fisheries (NOAA
Fisheries) and are titled: ‘‘Notices to
Lessees and Operators (NTLs)—
Implementation of Seismic Survey
Mitigation Measures and Protected
Species Observer Program; Vessel Strike
Avoidance and Injured/Dead Protected
Species Reporting; and, Marine Trash
and Debris Awareness and
Elimination.’’ This notice also provides
the public a second opportunity to
comment on the paperwork burden of
these regulatory requirements.
DATES: Submit written comments by
December 22, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this information collection directly
to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention:
Desk Officer for the Department of the
Interior via OMB e-mail:
(OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov); or by
fax (202) 395–6566; identify with (1010–
0154).
Submit a copy of your comments to
the Department of the Interior, MMS,
via:
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22:25 Nov 21, 2006
Jkt 211001
• Public Connect on-line commenting
system, https://ocsconnect.mms.gov.
Follow the instructions on the website
for submitting comments.
• E-mail MMS at
rules.comments@mms.gov. Identify with
Information Collection Number 1010–
0154 in the subject line.
• Fax: 703–787–1093. Identify with
Information Collection Number 1010–
0154.
• Mail or hand-carry comments to the
Department of the Interior; Minerals
Management Service; Attention: Rules
Processing Team (RPT); 381 Elden
Street, MS–4024; Herndon, Virginia
20170–4817. Please reference
‘‘Information Collection 1010–0154’’ in
your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and
Standards Branch, (703) 787–1607. You
may also contact Cheryl Blundon to
obtain a copy, at no cost, of the NTLs
that require the subject collection of
information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Notices to Lessees and
Operators (NTLs)—Implementation of
Seismic Survey Mitigation Measures
and Protected Species Observer
Program; Vessel Strike Avoidance and
Injured/Dead Protected Species
Reporting; and, Marine Trash and
Debris Awareness and Elimination.
OMB Control Number: 1010–0154.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) Lands Act, as amended (43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.),
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior
to prescribe rules and regulations to
administer leasing of the OCS. Such
rules and regulations will apply to all
operations conducted under a lease.
Operations on the OCS must preserve,
protect, and develop oil and natural gas
resources in a manner that is consistent
with the need to make such resources
available to meet the Nation’s energy
needs as rapidly as possible; to balance
orderly energy resource development
with protection of human, marine, and
coastal environments; to ensure the
public a fair and equitable return on the
resources of the OCS; and to preserve
and maintain free enterprise
competition.
As a Federal agency, we have a
continuing affirmative duty to comply
with the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
This includes a substantive duty to
carry out any agency action in a manner
that is not likely to jeopardize protected
species as well as a procedural duty to
consult with the FWS and NOAA
Fisheries before engaging in a
discretionary action that may affect a
protected species.
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The MMS follows these procedural
requirements by conducting formal
consultations with FWS and NOAA
Fisheries prior to lease sales.
Consultations on OCS lease sales 181,
184, and the 5-year multisale (2002–
2007) program in the Central and
Western Planning Areas of the Gulf of
Mexico (GOM) resulted in no-jeopardy
biological opinions from the FWS and
NOAA Fisheries. In their biological
opinions, NOAA Fisheries determined
that some activities associated with the
proposed action (lease sale and related
exploration, development, and
production activities) may adversely
affect (harm) sperm whales and sea
turtles in the action area and that certain
reasonable and prudent measures are
necessary to minimize the potential for
incidental take of these animals. To be
exempt from the prohibitions of Section
9 of the ESA (which prohibits taking
listed species), MMS must implement
and enforce nondiscretionary terms and
conditions. The ESA also requires
monitoring and reporting. Monitoring
programs resulting from ESA
interagency consultations are designed
to (1) detect adverse effects resulting
from a proposed action, (2) assess the
actual level of incidental take in
comparison with the level of anticipated
incidental take documented in the
biological opinion, (3) detect when the
level of anticipated take is exceeded,
and (4) determine the effectiveness of
reasonable and prudent alternatives and
their implementing terms and
conditions.
To provide supplementary guidance
and procedures, MMS issues Notices to
Lessees and Operators (NTLs) on a
regional or national basis. Regulation 30
CFR 250.103 allows MMS to issue NTLs
to clarify, supplement, or provide more
detail about certain requirements. To
implement the nondiscretionary terms
and conditions of these biological
opinions, the MMS issued three NTLs,
as follows (note that the NTL numbers
were removed since they will be
reissued after renewal):
• Implementation of Seismic Survey
Mitigation Measures and Protected
Species Observer Program,
• Vessel Strike Avoidance and
Injured/Dead Protected Species
Reporting,
• Marine Trash and Debris Awareness
and Elimination.
It should be noted that it has now
become common practice for OCS
lessees and operators to subcontract the
marine mammal observation and
monitoring activities associated with the
requirements of the Seismic Survey
Mitigation Measures and Protected
Species Observer Program NTL.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67627-67630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9343]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge in Jackson
County, Mississippi; Availability of Draft Comprehensive Conservation
Plan and Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Draft
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for
Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge are available for
review and comment. This draft plan and environmental assessment were
prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration
Act, as amended, and the National Environmental Policy Act. The draft
plan describes the Service's proposal for management of the refuge for
15 years.
DATES: Written comments must be received at the postal or electronic
addresses listed below no later than December 22, 2006.
ADDRESSES: To provide written comments or to obtain a copy of the draft
plan and environmental assessment, please write to the Mississippi
Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, 7200 Crane Lane, Gautier,
Mississippi 39553; Telephone 601/497-6322. Comments may also be
submitted via electronic mail to mike_dawson@fws.gov. The plan and
environmental assessment may be accessed and downloaded from the
Service's Internet site: https://southeast.fws.gov/planning/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), requires the
Service to develop a plan for each refuge. The purpose in developing a
comprehensive conservation plan 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, plans
identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the
public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife
observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and
interpretation.
A meeting will be held to present the plan to the public. Mailings,
newspaper articles, and posters will be the avenues to inform the
public of the date and time for the meeting.
After the review and comment period for the draft plan and
environmental assessment, all comments will be analyzed and considered
by the Service. All comments received from individuals on the draft
plan and environmental assessment become part of the official public
record. Requests for such comments will be handled in accordance with
the Freedom of Information Act and Service and Departmental policies
and procedures.
Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge was established
in 1975 to safeguard the critically endangered Mississippi sandhill
crane and its unique disappearing habitat.
Significant issues addressed in the draft plan include: Threatened
and endangered species; waterfowl management; neotropical migratory
birds; savanna restoration; visitor services (e.g., fishing, wildlife
observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and
interpretation); staffing; and cultural resources. The Service
developed four alternatives for managing the refuge and chose
Alternative D as the proposed alternative.
Under Alternative A, the No Action Alternative, present management
would continue. Current approaches to managing and protecting cranes,
other
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wildlife and habitats, and allowing for public use would remain
unchanged.
With regard to the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane, the
refuge's objective would be to maintain a population of 110-130
individuals, including 20-25 nesting pairs, while fledging 2-4 young
annually. Staff would cultivate 15-40 acres of chufa in multiple food
plots to provide foraging areas for the cranes. The refuge would also
maintain 14 existing ponds; these provide roosting, feeding, and
release pen habitat for cranes. Predator control would need to
continue, since predation is one of the key factors in retarding
successful recruitment of young and achievement of a self-sustaining
population. The refuge's objective would be to conduct sufficient
predator control to allow for 40 percent hatching success, 25 percent
fledging success, and 75 percent survival of after-hatch-year birds.
Two to three red-tailed hawks, one of the principal predators of
nestling and juvenile cranes, would be removed annually.
The refuge would continue to furnish incidental benefits for other
native wildlife species. It would also maintain the current habitat mix
for the benefit of other migratory birds, including waterfowl,
shorebirds, marsh birds, and landbirds. Staff would continue existing
amphibian surveys to monitor long-term population trends and health of
these vertebrates. Managers would continue to record casual sightings
of invertebrates, while maintaining incidental benefits to
invertebrates from various management actions.
Habitat objectives are oriented toward providing benefits to
wildlife, and thus overlap wildlife objectives to some extent. The main
habitat the refuge strives to restore and manage is pine savanna,
particularly wet pine savanna. Under Alternative A, refuge management
would continue to provide 8,000-10,000 acres of savanna habitat to
benefit the Mississippi sandhill crane and priority grassland bird
species. The staff would maintain the current habitat mix to provide
incidental benefits to other migratory birds, including waterfowl,
shorebirds, marsh birds, and landbirds. Fire management, in particular
prescribed fire, is an important ecological tool in maintaining savanna
habitat against encroachment by woody vegetation and trees. The refuge
would continue to aim for conducting prescribed fires on all
compartments on a 2-3 year rotation, although attaining this objective
would depend on weather conditions. Other habitats on the refuge would
be maintained at current levels and in the same locations as at
present: Approximately 9,000 acres in pine flatwood forest; 1,300 acres
in forested wetlands; and 600 acres in open water.
Resource protection would continue to be carried out as it is
currently. One hundred acres of cogongrass would be targeted for annual
spraying to reduce infestations of this non-native weed. Tallow trees
and other invasives would be controlled or eliminated as opportunities
arise. The refuge's Private Lands program would remain the same, with
passive management of 12 Farm Service Agency tracts totaling 2,203
acres (1,975 acres in fee title and 228 acres in easement). At present,
the refuge has one collateral duty officer (0.25 FTE) and shares a law
enforcement officer with Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge
would follow standard Service protocol and procedures in conducting
cultural resource surveys.
Existing public use and environmental education programs would be
maintained. The refuge would continue to serve the public without being
guided by a Visitor Services Management Plan, relying instead on
experience and general Service mandates and practices. A new
headquarters/visitor center would be constructed.
Current wildlife observation and wildlife photography programs and
facilities would be maintained. These include guided crane tours in
vans every January and February, two hiking/nature trails, and
observation/photography blinds. The refuge would maintain environmental
education and interpretation at their current levels, including
participation in community events, on-site and off-site environmental
education, guided tours, and interpretive trails. The refuge would
technically remain closed to sport hunting and fishing, though the
latter would continue to be available to anglers in watercraft (e.g.,
boats, canoes, and kayaks) entering the refuge on bayous under State
jurisdiction and management.
Under Alternative B, the refuge would emphasize its biological
program by applying maximum efforts to enhance habitat conditions and
increase wildlife populations, particularly the endangered crane. The
visitor services program would remain as it is at present. An assistant
refuge manager would be hired for supervisory and administrative
support.
With regard to the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane, the
refuge's objective would be to provide for a self-sustaining crane
population of 130 to 170 individuals, including 30-35 nesting pairs,
fledging 10-15 young annually for at least 10 years. Chufa cultivation
would expand to 40-60 acres, and winter cover crops and legumes would
be planted on up to 20 acres within food plots. Staff would also create
a food plot in the Fontainbleau Unit in addition to exploring
opportunities with partners to protect existing and extend potential
foraging areas off-refuge would continue to maintain 14 existing ponds,
which provide roosting, feeding, and release pen habitat for cranes. In
addition to these 14 ponds, 10 new small, shallow ponds would be
created. Staff would clear overgrown interiors of five Grady ponds. An
additional equipment operator would be hired to assist with
construction and maintenance.
Under Alternative B, predator management for Mississippi sandhill
crane survival would increase to allow for 60 percent hatching success,
67 percent fledging success, and over 80 percent survival of after-
hatch-year birds. Up to 10 red-tailed hawks would be removed annually.
The refuge would also continue to furnish incidental benefits to
other native wildlife species. It would provide 15,000-17,000 acres of
savanna habitat to benefit priority grassland bird species, as well as
the Mississippi sandhill crane. This would be an increase of 7,000
acres over Alternative A. Alternative B would aim to increase the
refugee's knowledge about other migratory birds by developing and
implementing monitoring programs. Staff would continue existing
amphibian surveys to monitor long-term population trends and health of
these vertebrates. The refuge would maintain and develop habitats and
promote management actions that would support viable populations of
both amphibians and reptiles.
The refuge would conduct periodic sampling to evaluate incidental
benefits to invertebrates from various management actions. Management
of invertebrates would increase overall by maintaining the native
diversity of butterfly and dragonfly species as indicators of
biodiversity, and by providing for high-quality orthoptera and related
species numbers for food by the sandhill cranes and their young.
Under Alternative B, pine savanna acreage would increase. Fire
management, particularly prescribed fire, is an important ecological
tool in maintaining savanna habitat against encroachment by woody
vegetation and trees. Under Alternative B, the refuge would continue to
aim for conducting prescribed fires on all compartments on a 2-3 year
rotation, although attaining this objective would depend on weather
[[Page 67629]]
conditions. Pine flatwood forests would be reduced to 2,000-5,000 acres
(from 9,000 acres currently), because the majority of this habitat
would be converted to pine savanna (i.e., opened up and thinned out),
which is more desirable to cranes and other indigenous species of
management concern. Forested wetlands would be maintained at current
levels (1,300 acres) and the acreage of open water, that is, bayous and
ponds, would increase somewhat from the construction of 10 new ponds.
Under Alternative B, resource protection would be intensified. The
main invasive species at present is cogongrass, and the refuge's
objective would be to reduce cogongrass by 90 percent within 5 years,
to total no more than 15 acres. A program would also be developed to
control tallow trees and other invasive species. In the refuge's
Private Lands Program, staff would work with private landowners of the
12 Farm Service Agency tracts to manage and improve habitats. Staff
would also reduce cogongrass on these areas and explore opportunities
with partners to protect existing and extend potential foraging areas
off-refuge. The refuge would partner with The Nature Conservancy and
other nearby landowners on fire management issues and biological
assistance.
Current wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation programs would be maintained
under the Alternative B. As in Alternative A, the refuge would
technically remain closed to sport hunting and fishing.
Under Alternative C, management would focus on maximizing
opportunities for public visitation, increasing both facilities and
activities throughout the 15-year duration of the plan. Current
approaches to managing and protecting cranes and other wildlife and
habitats would remain unchanged. An assistant refuge manager would be
hired for supervisory and administrative support.
One difference between Alternatives C and A is in the area of law
enforcement: Alternative C would provide a full-time law enforcement
officer to protect refuge resources and the public. With regard to
cultural resources, including those of an archaeological or historical
nature, within 15 years of the plan's approval, the refuge would
develop and begin to implement a Cultural Resources Management Plan.
Public use and environmental education would increase under
Alternative C. Within 3 years of plan completion, the refuge would
develop a Visitor Services Management Plan to be used in expanding
public use facilities and opportunities on the refuge. This step-down
management plan would provide overall, long-term direction and guidance
in developing and running a larger public use program. The Service
would construct a new headquarters and a separate visitor center. The
new visitor center would include a small auditorium for use in talks,
meetings, films, videos, and other audiovisual presentations.
Alternative C would also increase opportunities for visitors by
adding facilities such as photo-blinds, observation sites, and trails,
including boardwalks. Two on-refuge auto tours would be developed as
well.
Over the 15-year life of the plan, the staff would increase
emphasis on environmental education and interpretation to lead to a
better understanding of the importance of wildlife and habitat
resources, especially sandhill cranes, savanna, fire ecology, invasive
species, endangered species, and migratory birds. A public use
specialist would be hired. Within 5 years of plan approval, the refuge
would prepare a Fishing Plan that would outline permissible fishing
opportunities within the refuge and a Hunting Plan that would allow for
a limited deer hunt. The refuge would construct a fishing pier and
canoe and kayak trail with access point.
Under Alternative D, the proposed alternative, the refuge would
strive to optimize both its biological program and its visitor services
program. Thus it would include certain elements of Alternative B, which
emphasizes the biological program, and Alternative C, which focuses on
the visitor services program. Alternative D recognizes that there may
be tradeoffs and opportunity costs between the various elements of the
biological and visitor services programs. Hence, Alternative D stresses
the principle of optimization rather than maximization of wildlife,
habitat, and public use outputs. An assistant refuge manager would be
hired for supervisory and administrative support.
With regard to the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane, the
refuge's objective would be the same as Alternative B. Also, objectives
to furnish incidental benefits to other native wildlife species would
be the same as Alternative B. The main habitat the refuge strives to
restore and manage is pine savanna, particularly wet pine savanna.
Under Alternative D, savanna acreage would increase.
Under Alternative D, resource protection at the refuge would be
intensified from the level now maintained in Alternative A. Efforts to
control invasive species would increase. The main invasive species at
present is cogongrass, and the refuge's objective would be to reduce
the species by 80 percent within 5 years. Tallow trees and other
invasive species would continue to be controlled or eliminated as
opportunities are available. In the refuge's Private Lands Program,
staff would work with private landowners of the 12 Farm Service Agency
tracts to manage and improve habitats. Staff would also explore
opportunities with partners to protect existing and extend potential
foraging areas off-refuge. The refuge would partner with The Nature
Conservancy and other nearby landowners on fire management issues and
biological assistance.
Alternative D would provide a full-time law enforcement officer, an
equipment operator, a maintenance mechanic, and a wildlife technician.
The refuge would develop and begin to implement a Cultural Resources
Management Plan. Until such time as the plan is completed and
implemented, the refuge would follow standard Service protocol and
procedures in conducting cultural resource surveys.
Public use and environmental education would increase under
Alternative D. Within 3 years of the plan's completion, the refuge
would develop a Visitor Services Plan to be used in expanding public
use facilities and opportunities on the refuge. This step-down
management plan would provide overall, long-term direction and guidance
in developing and running a larger public use program. Within the 15-
year planning horizon, the Service would construct a new visitor center
near the existing one and convert the existing visitor center into a
refuge headquarters. The new visitor center would include a small
auditorium for use in talks, meetings, films, videos, and other
audiovisual presentations.
Alternative D would also increase opportunities for visitors by
adding facilities such as photoblinds, observation sites, and trails,
but would not include boardwalks. One or more on-refuge auto tours
would be developed as well.
Over the 15-year life of the plan, the staff would increase
emphasis on environmental education and interpretation to lead to a
better understanding of the importance of wildlife and habitat
resources, especially sandhill cranes, savanna, fire ecology, invasive
species, endangered species, and migratory birds. Within 5 years of the
plan's approval, the refuge would prepare a Fishing Plan that would
outline permissible fishing opportunities within the refuge. The
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refuge would also construct a fishing pier on the bayou and a canoe and
kayak trail with access point. Staff would investigate opportunities
for limited hunting possibilities.
Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law
105-57.
Dated: October 11, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 06-9343 Filed 11-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
