Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Salem County, NJ, 54280-54281 [E7-18740]

Download as PDF 54280 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 184 / Monday, September 24, 2007 / Notices primarily above the high tide line on coastal beaches, sand spits, dune-backed beaches, sparsely vegetated dunes, beaches at creek and river mouths, and salt pans at lagoons and estuaries. Less common nesting habitats include bluffbacked beaches, dredged material disposal sites, salt pond levees, dry salt ponds, and river bars. The snowy plover winters mainly in coastal areas from southern Washington to Central America. In winter, snowy plovers are found on many of the beaches used for nesting as well as on beaches where they do not nest, in manmade salt ponds, and on estuarine sand and mud flats. Habitat degradation caused by human disturbance, urban development, introduced beachgrass (Ammophila spp.), and expanding predator populations has resulted in a decline in active nesting areas and in the size of the breeding and wintering populations. Our primary objective in this recovery plan is to remove the Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants by achieving well-distributed increases in numbers and productivity of breeding adult birds, and providing for long-term protection of breeding and wintering plovers and their habitat. Specific actions needed to achieve this objective and described in the recovery plan include (1) protection of breeding and wintering habitat; (2) monitoring and managing breeding habitat; (3) monitoring and managing wintering and migration areas; (4) undertaking scientific research that facilitates recovery efforts; (5) public participation, outreach, and education; and (6) establishing an international conservation program with the Mexican government to protect snowy plovers and their breeding and wintering locations in Mexico. Authority rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). Dated: September 17, 2007. Darrin Thome, Acting Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. E7–18638 Filed 9–21–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P VerDate Aug<31>2005 14:43 Sep 21, 2007 Jkt 211001 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Background Fish and Wildlife Service The CCP Process 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 us to develop a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose of a CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge purposes and contributing to the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), consistent with the sound principles of fish and wildlife management and conservation, legal mandates, and Service policies. In addition to providing broad management direction on conserving wildlife and habitat, the plans identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update the CCP at least every 15 years. We establish each refuge for specific purposes, and use those purposes to develop and prioritize its management goals, objectives, and public uses. The planning process is one way for us and for the public to evaluate those goals and objectives for the best possible conservation of important wildlife habitat, while providing opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation compatible with those purposes and the mission of the NWRS. We request your input on all issues, concerns, ideas, improvements and suggestions for the future management of Supawna Meadows NWR. You may submit comments at any time during the planning process by writing to the refuge planner (see ADDRESSES above). We will conduct the environmental review of this project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations on NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), other appropriate Federal laws and regulations, and our policies and procedures for complying with them. All of the comments we receive on either our EAs or our environmental impact statements become part of the official public record. We will handle requests for those comments in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6(f)), and other policies and procedures of the Department of the Interior or the Service. When we receive such a request, we will provide Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Salem County, NJ AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. Notice of intent to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment; announcement of public scoping and request for comments. ACTION: SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (we, us, Service) is gathering the information needed to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and associated environmental assessment (EA) for Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). We publish this notice in compliance with our policy of advising other agencies and the public of our intentions to conduct detailed planning on refuges and obtain suggestions and information about the scope of issues to consider in the planning process. We held public scoping meetings in September 2007 after announcing the location, date, and times at least 2 weeks in advance in special mailings, notices in local newspapers, in radio public service announcements, on our Web site (https://www.fws.gov/northeast/ planning), and through personal contacts. To ensure our consideration of your written comments, you must submit them within 30 days of the publication of this notice. DATES: Send your comments or requests for more information on the planning process to Beth Goldstein, Refuge Planner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA, 01035; 413–253–8564 (telephone); 413–253–8468 (fax); northeastplanning@fws.gov (electronic mail). If submitting comments by electronic mail, please put ‘‘Supawna Meadows NWR’’ in the subject line. ADDRESSES: To obtain more information on the refuge, contact Howard Schlegel, Refuge Manager, Cape May NWR, at 609–463–0994 (telephone); fw5rw_spmnwr@fws.gov (electronic mail); https://www.fws.gov/ refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=52571 (Supawna Meadows NWR Web site). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: This notice initiates the comprehensive conservation planning process for Supawna Meadows NWR, which is administered by Cape May NWR staff with headquarters in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\24SEN1.SGM 24SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 184 / Monday, September 24, 2007 / Notices rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES comment letters with the names and addresses of the individuals who wrote them. However, to the extent permissible by law, we will not provide the telephone numbers of those individuals. Supawna Meadows NWR Supawna Meadows NWR currently includes more than 3,000 acres of marsh, grassland, shrubland, and forest habitats. The approved refuge acquisition boundary encompasses 4,500 acres along the Upper Delaware Bay and Salem River in Pennsville Township, New Jersey. The refuge boundaries are defined by the Delaware Bay, Salem River, and Fort Mott Road. Supawna Meadows NWR was originally established as the Goose Pond addition to the Killcohook NWR (currently termed Killcohook Dredge Spoil Disposal Area), which was established by Executive Order 6582 on February 3, 1934. The refuge was renamed Supawna Meadows NWR and officially separated from Killcohook on April 10, 1974, by the Service. On October 30, 1998, the Service’s jurisdiction over Killcohook was revoked. Supawna Meadows NWR was established as a ‘‘* * *refuge and breeding ground for wild birds and animals;’’ ‘‘* * *for particular value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program;’’ ‘‘* * *for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds;’’ and as a refuge ‘‘* * *suitable for (1) incidental fish and wildlife-oriented recreational development, (2) the protection of natural resources, (3) the conservation of endangered species or threatened species* * *’’ The refuge is located in the Atlantic Flyway, where birds migrating from interior Canada and the coastal Provinces merge to form the main stem of the flyway. The area not only serves as an important migration area, but also provides wintering habitat for large numbers of waterfowl. Recent midwinter waterfowl inventory flights for the Salem River watershed averaged more than 2,000 dabbling ducks and more than 17,000 Canada geese. Supawna Meadows NWR provides critical foraging habitat for more than 6,000 pairs of 9 species of wading birds that nest on Pea Patch Island, one of the largest rookeries on the east coast. Pea Patch Island and the surrounding area, including the refuge, have been designated a Special Management Area by the States of New Jersey and Delaware, in accordance with the Coastal Zone Management Act. VerDate Aug<31>2005 14:43 Sep 21, 2007 Jkt 211001 Supawna Meadows NWR receives significant use by shorebirds during both spring and fall migrations. The refuge and adjacent marshes are currently being investigated for potential inclusion in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. It also provides habitat for the bald eagle, as well as State-listed endangered and threatened species and species of conservation concern. A maternity colony of more than 1,500 bats, primarily the little brown bat, roosts in a dilapidated barn on the refuge. The federally endangered Indiana bat is known to form small colonies within large little brown bat colonies. Indiana bats have been documented within the Highlands region of New Jersey, but little survey work has taken place within the southern portion of the State, and it is not yet known if the species is present within the Coastal Plain. Reptile and amphibian species of conservation concern at Supawna Meadows NWR include northern diamondback terrapin, eastern box turtle, spotted turtle, and Fowler’s toad. The predominant public uses of the refuge are hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography. There are two walking trails and one boating trail to facilitate those uses. Portions of the refuge are open to deer hunting and waterfowl hunting per State regulations. There is an historic lighthouse on the refuge, the Finns Point Rear Range Light, which draws a number of visitors. Dated: September 18, 2007. Thomas J. Healy, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, Massachusetts. [FR Doc. E7–18740 Filed 9–21–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Record of Decision for the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Wilderness Stewardship Plan for Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in Pima and Yuma Counties, AZ 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 availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), Wilderness Stewardship Plan (WSP) and Environmental Impact PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54281 Statement (EIS) for Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. ADDRESSES: The ROD and Final CCP/ WSP/EIS may be viewed at Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters at 1611 North Second Street, Ajo, Arizona 85321. You may obtain a copy of the ROD at the Planning Division Web site at https:// www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/ completeplans.html or by writing to the following address: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge System, Southwest Region, Planning Division, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Slown at (505) 248–7458 or e-mail: john_slown@fws.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce our decision and availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), Wilderness Stewardship Plan (WSP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in accordance with 40 CFR 1506.6(b). We completed a thorough analysis of the environmental, social, and economic considerations, which we included in the Final CCP/WSP/EIS. We released the Final CCP/WSP/EIS to the public and published a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register (72 FR, 20132– 20133, April 23, 2007). The ROD documents the selection of Alternative D, the Preferred Alternative in the Final CCP/WSP/EIS. The ROD was signed by the Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southwest Region, on July 19, 2007. The CCP/WSP/EIS for the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge will provide management guidance for conservation of Refuge resources and public use activities during the next 15 years. Five alternatives and their consequences were described in detail in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements. Under all alternatives the recovery plan for the Sonoran pronghorn would be implemented, wilderness resources would be protected and the Refuge would work cooperatively with the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Patrol, to protect Sonoran Desert resources while securing the Nation’s border. Alternative 1—No Action. No change from present management practices. The No Action alternative is a status quo scenario in which current conditions and trends would continue. This E:\FR\FM\24SEN1.SGM 24SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 184 (Monday, September 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54280-54281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18740]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Salem County, NJ

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan 
and environmental assessment; announcement of public scoping and 
request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (we, us, Service) is 
gathering the information needed to prepare a comprehensive 
conservation plan (CCP) and associated environmental assessment (EA) 
for Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). We publish this 
notice in compliance with our policy of advising other agencies and the 
public of our intentions to conduct detailed planning on refuges and 
obtain suggestions and information about the scope of issues to 
consider in the planning process.

DATES: We held public scoping meetings in September 2007 after 
announcing the location, date, and times at least 2 weeks in advance in 
special mailings, notices in local newspapers, in radio public service 
announcements, on our Web site (https://www.fws.gov/northeast/planning), 
and through personal contacts. To ensure our consideration of your 
written comments, you must submit them within 30 days of the 
publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments or requests for more information on the 
planning process to Beth Goldstein, Refuge Planner, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA, 01035; 413-
253-8564 (telephone); 413-253-8468 (fax); northeastplanning@fws.gov 
(electronic mail). If submitting comments by electronic mail, please 
put ``Supawna Meadows NWR'' in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain more information on the refuge, 
contact Howard Schlegel, Refuge Manager, Cape May NWR, at 609-463-0994 
(telephone); fw5rw_spmnwr@fws.gov (electronic mail); https://
www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=52571 (Supawna Meadows NWR 
Web site).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice initiates the comprehensive 
conservation planning process for Supawna Meadows NWR, which is 
administered by Cape May NWR staff with headquarters in Cape May Court 
House, New Jersey.

Background

The CCP Process

    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 us to develop a CCP for each national 
wildlife refuge. The purpose of a CCP is to provide refuge managers 
with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge purposes and contributing to 
the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), consistent 
with the sound principles of fish and wildlife management and 
conservation, legal mandates, and Service policies. In addition to 
providing broad management direction on conserving wildlife and 
habitat, the plans identify wildlife-dependent recreational 
opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for 
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and 
environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update 
the CCP at least every 15 years.
    We establish each refuge for specific purposes, and use those 
purposes to develop and prioritize its management goals, objectives, 
and public uses. The planning process is one way for us and for the 
public to evaluate those goals and objectives for the best possible 
conservation of important wildlife habitat, while providing 
opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation compatible with those 
purposes and the mission of the NWRS.
    We request your input on all issues, concerns, ideas, improvements 
and suggestions for the future management of Supawna Meadows NWR. You 
may submit comments at any time during the planning process by writing 
to the refuge planner (see ADDRESSES above).
    We will conduct the environmental review of this project in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council 
on Environmental Quality Regulations on NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), 
other appropriate Federal laws and regulations, and our policies and 
procedures for complying with them. All of the comments we receive on 
either our EAs or our environmental impact statements become part of 
the official public record. We will handle requests for those comments 
in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, NEPA (40 CFR 
1506.6(f)), and other policies and procedures of the Department of the 
Interior or the Service. When we receive such a request, we will 
provide

[[Page 54281]]

comment letters with the names and addresses of the individuals who 
wrote them. However, to the extent permissible by law, we will not 
provide the telephone numbers of those individuals.

Supawna Meadows NWR

    Supawna Meadows NWR currently includes more than 3,000 acres of 
marsh, grassland, shrubland, and forest habitats. The approved refuge 
acquisition boundary encompasses 4,500 acres along the Upper Delaware 
Bay and Salem River in Pennsville Township, New Jersey. The refuge 
boundaries are defined by the Delaware Bay, Salem River, and Fort Mott 
Road.
    Supawna Meadows NWR was originally established as the Goose Pond 
addition to the Killcohook NWR (currently termed Killcohook Dredge 
Spoil Disposal Area), which was established by Executive Order 6582 on 
February 3, 1934. The refuge was renamed Supawna Meadows NWR and 
officially separated from Killcohook on April 10, 1974, by the Service. 
On October 30, 1998, the Service's jurisdiction over Killcohook was 
revoked.
    Supawna Meadows NWR was established as a ``* * *refuge and breeding 
ground for wild birds and animals;'' ``* * *for particular value in 
carrying out the national migratory bird management program;'' ``* * 
*for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management 
purpose, for migratory birds;'' and as a refuge ``* * *suitable for (1) 
incidental fish and wildlife-oriented recreational development, (2) the 
protection of natural resources, (3) the conservation of endangered 
species or threatened species* * *''
    The refuge is located in the Atlantic Flyway, where birds migrating 
from interior Canada and the coastal Provinces merge to form the main 
stem of the flyway. The area not only serves as an important migration 
area, but also provides wintering habitat for large numbers of 
waterfowl. Recent midwinter waterfowl inventory flights for the Salem 
River watershed averaged more than 2,000 dabbling ducks and more than 
17,000 Canada geese.
    Supawna Meadows NWR provides critical foraging habitat for more 
than 6,000 pairs of 9 species of wading birds that nest on Pea Patch 
Island, one of the largest rookeries on the east coast. Pea Patch 
Island and the surrounding area, including the refuge, have been 
designated a Special Management Area by the States of New Jersey and 
Delaware, in accordance with the Coastal Zone Management Act.
    Supawna Meadows NWR receives significant use by shorebirds during 
both spring and fall migrations. The refuge and adjacent marshes are 
currently being investigated for potential inclusion in the Western 
Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. It also provides habitat for the 
bald eagle, as well as State-listed endangered and threatened species 
and species of conservation concern.
    A maternity colony of more than 1,500 bats, primarily the little 
brown bat, roosts in a dilapidated barn on the refuge. The federally 
endangered Indiana bat is known to form small colonies within large 
little brown bat colonies. Indiana bats have been documented within the 
Highlands region of New Jersey, but little survey work has taken place 
within the southern portion of the State, and it is not yet known if 
the species is present within the Coastal Plain.
    Reptile and amphibian species of conservation concern at Supawna 
Meadows NWR include northern diamondback terrapin, eastern box turtle, 
spotted turtle, and Fowler's toad.
    The predominant public uses of the refuge are hunting, fishing, 
wildlife observation and photography. There are two walking trails and 
one boating trail to facilitate those uses. Portions of the refuge are 
open to deer hunting and waterfowl hunting per State regulations. There 
is an historic lighthouse on the refuge, the Finns Point Rear Range 
Light, which draws a number of visitors.

    Dated: September 18, 2007.
Thomas J. Healy,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, 
Massachusetts.
[FR Doc. E7-18740 Filed 9-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
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