Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Sussex County, DE; Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, 26751-26753 [2011-11266]
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WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 89 / Monday, May 9, 2011 / Notices
information (a total capital/startup costs
and operations and maintenance costs).
The comments that are submitted will
be summarized and included in the CBP
request for Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approval. All comments
will become a matter of public record.
In this document CBP is soliciting
comments concerning the following
information collection:
Title: Documentation Requirements
for Articles Entered Under Various
Special Tariff Treatment Provisions.
OMB Number: 1651–0067.
Form Number: None.
Abstract: U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) is responsible for
determining whether imported articles
that are classified under Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTSUS) subheadings 9801.00.10,
9802.00.20, 9802.00.25, 9802.00.40,
9802.00.50, and 9802.00.60 are entitled
to duty-free or reduced duty treatment.
In order to file under these HTSUS
provisions, importers, or their agents,
must have the declarations that are
provided for in 19 CFR 10.1(a), 10.8(a),
and 10.9(a) in their possession at the
time of entry and submit them to CBP
upon request. These declarations enable
CBP to ascertain whether the statutory
conditions and requirements of these
HTSUS provisions have been satisfied.
CBP proposes to add the declaration
filed under HTSUS 9817.00.40 in
accordance with 19 CFR 10.121 to this
information collection.
Current Actions: CBP proposes to
extend the expiration date of this
information collection with a change to
the burden hours resulting from
updated estimates of the response time,
and the addition of HTSUS 9817.00.40.
There are no other changes to the
information being collected.
Type of Review: Extension and
Revision.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
19,455.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 3.
Estimated Number of Total Annual
Responses: 58,335.
Estimated Time per Response: 1
minute.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 933.
Dated: May 3, 2011.
Tracey Denning,
Agency Clearance Officer, U.S. Customs and
Border Protection.
[FR Doc. 2011–11246 Filed 5–6–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111–14–P
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15:23 May 06, 2011
Jkt 223001
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR–5500–N–15]
Notice of Availability: Notice of
Funding Availability (NOFA) for HUD’s
Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Lead Technical
Studies and Healthy Homes Technical
Studies Programs
Office of the Chief of the
Human Capital Officer, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
HUD announces the
availability on its Web site of the
applicant information, submission
deadlines, funding criteria, and other
requirements for HUD’s FY2011 Lead
Technical Studies and Healthy Homes
Technical Studies Programs NOFA.
Specifically, this NOFA announces the
availability of approximately $2.5
million, of the total amount available,
approximately $500,000 is for Lead
Technical Studies and approximately $2
million is for Healthy Homes Technical
Studies. The funding is made available
under the Department of Defense and
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations
Act, 2011, Public Law 112–10, approved
April 15, 2011.
Purpose: The purpose of these
programs is to fund technical studies to
improve existing methods for detecting
and controlling lead-based paint and
other housing-related health and safety
hazards; to develop new methods to
detect and control these hazards; and to
improve our knowledge of lead-based
paint and other housing-related health
and safety hazards.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
NOFA providing information regarding
the funds available, application process,
funding criteria and eligibility
requirements, application and
instructions can be found using the
Department of Housing and Urban
Development agency link on the
Grants.gov/Find Web site at https://
www.grants.gov/search/agency.do. A
link to the funding opportunity is also
available on the HUD Web site at
https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/
HUD?src=/program_offices/
administration/grants/fundsavail. The
link from the funds available page will
take you to the agency link on
Grants.gov.
The Catalogue of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) number for the Lead
Technical Studies Program is 14.902.
The Catalogue of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) number for the
Healthy Homes Technical Studies
Program is 14.906. Applications must be
submitted electronically through
Grants.gov.
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
26751
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions regarding specific program
requirements should be directed to the
agency contact identified in the program
NOFA. Program staff will not be
available to provide guidance on how to
prepare the application. Questions
regarding the 2011 General Section
should be directed to the Office of
Grants Management and Oversight at
(202) 708–0667 or the NOFA
Information Center at 800–HUD–8929
(toll free). Persons with hearing or
speech impairments may access these
numbers via TTY by calling the Federal
Information Relay Service at 800–877–
8339.
Dated: May 3, 2011.
Barbara S. Dorf,
Director, Office of Departmental Grants
Management and Oversight, Office of the
Chief of the Human Capital Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–11156 Filed 5–6–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R5–R–2010–N284; BAC–4311–K9–S3]
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge,
Sussex County, DE; Comprehensive
Conservation Plan and Environmental
Impact Statement
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), intend to
prepare a comprehensive conservation
plan (CCP) for Prime Hook National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Sussex
County, Delaware. An environmental
impact statement (EIS) evaluating effects
of various CCP alternatives will also be
prepared. We provide this notice in
compliance with our CCP policy to
advise other Federal and State agencies,
Tribes, and the public of our intentions,
and to obtain suggestions and
information on the scope of issues to
consider in the planning process. We
are also requesting public comments.
This notice also advises the public that
we have reconsidered a 2005 notice, in
which we announced our intention to
develop an environmental assessment
(EA) for the refuge. Comments already
received in response to the previous
notice will be considered during
preparation of the subject CCP/EIS.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please
send your written comments by June 23,
2011. We will announce opportunities
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\09MYN1.SGM
09MYN1
26752
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 89 / Monday, May 9, 2011 / Notices
for public input in local news media
throughout the CCP process.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments or
requests for more information by any of
the following methods.
E-mail: northeastplanning@fws.gov.
Include ‘‘Prime Hook CCP’’ in the subject
line of the message.
Fax: Attention: Thomas Bonetti,
Planning Team Leader, at 413–253–
8468.
U.S. Mail: Thomas Bonetti, Planning
Team Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Northeast Regional Office, 300
Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA
01035.
In-Person Drop-off: You may drop off
comments during regular business hours
at Prime Hook NWR, 11978 Turkle Pond
Road, Milton, DE 19968.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To
obtain more information on the refuge,
contact Michael Stroeh, Project Leader,
Prime Hook NWR, 11978 Turkle Pond
Road, Milton, DE 19968; phone: 302–
653–9345; fax: 302–684–8504.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue our
process for developing a CCP for Prime
Hook NWR in Sussex County, DE. This
notice complies with our CCP policy,
and the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), to (1) Advise other
Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and
the public of our intention to conduct
detailed planning on this refuge, and (2)
obtain suggestions and information on
the scope of issues to consider in the
environmental document and during
development of the CCP.
WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C.
668dd–668ee) (Administration Act), as
amended by the National Wildlife
Refuge System Improvement Act of
1997, requires us to develop a CCP for
each national wildlife refuge. The
purpose for developing a CCP is to
provide refuge managers with a 15-year
plan for achieving refuge purposes and
contributing toward the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System
(NWRS), consistent with sound
principles of fish and wildlife
management, conservation, legal
mandates, and our policies. In addition
to outlining broad management
direction on conserving wildlife and
their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities
available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing,
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:23 May 06, 2011
Jkt 223001
wildlife observation and photography,
and environmental education and
interpretation. We will review and
update the CCP at least every 15 years
in accordance with the Administration
Act.
Each unit of the NWRS was
established for specific purposes. We
use these purposes as the foundation for
developing and prioritizing the
management goals and objectives for
each refuge within the NWRS mission,
and to determine how the public can
use each refuge. The planning process is
a way for us and the public to evaluate
management goals and objectives that
will ensure the best possible approach
to wildlife, plant, and habitat
conservation, while providing for
wildlife-dependent recreation
opportunities that are compatible with
each refuge’s establishing purposes and
the mission of the NWRS.
Our CCP process provides
participation opportunities for Tribal,
State, and local governments; agencies;
organizations; and the public. At this
time, we encourage input in the form of
issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions
for the future management of Prime
Hook NWR. We previously published a
notice of intent on October 17, 2005 (70
FR 60365) stating we intended to
prepare a CCP and EA for Prime Hook
NWR. We held three public meetings in
November 2005 in Milton, Dover, and
Lewes, DE. All meetings were
announced in local newspapers. One
hundred and ten members of the public
attended the meetings and provided
comments. All comments we received
on the EA will go forward into the EIS
planning process. Based on the extent of
public comments already received, and
subsequent developments since scoping,
we have determined that an EIS would
be more appropriate than an EA to
ensure that a full and fair discussion of
all significant environmental impacts
occurs, and to inform decision-makers
and the public of the reasonable
alternatives that would avoid or
minimize adverse impacts and enhance
the quality of the human environment.
We will conduct the environmental
review of this project and develop an
EIS in accordance with the requirements
of NEPA, NEPA regulations (40 CFR
parts 1500–1508), other appropriate
Federal laws and regulations, and our
policies and procedures for compliance
with those laws and regulations.
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
In 1963, Prime Hook NWR was
established under the authority of the
Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16
U.S.C. 715–715r) for use as an inviolate
sanctuary, or any other management
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Frm 00068
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
purpose, expressly for migratory birds.
Farms and residences were once present
on portions of what is now the refuge.
Prime Hook NWR was established
primarily to preserve coastal wetlands
as wintering and breeding habitat for
migratory waterfowl. The 10,133 acres
of the refuge stretch along the west
shore of Delaware Bay, 22 miles
southeast of Dover, Delaware. Eighty
percent of the refuge’s vegetation cover
types are characterized by tidal and
freshwater creek drainages that
discharge into the Delaware Bay and
associated coastal marshes. The
remaining 20 percent is composed of
upland habitats. The land uses near the
refuge are intensive agricultural and
developed residential.
Scoping: Preliminary Issues, Concerns,
and Opportunities
We have identified preliminary
issues, concerns, and opportunities that
we will address in the CCP. We have
briefly summarized some of these issues
below. During public scoping, we may
identify additional issues.
Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise
A growing body of evidence indicates
that accelerating climate change,
associated with increasing global
temperatures, is affecting water, land,
and wildlife resources. Along our
coasts, rising sea levels have begun to
affect fish and wildlife habitats,
including those used by waterfowl,
wading birds, and shorebirds on our
national wildlife refuges. Successful
conservation strategies will require an
understanding of climate change and
the ability to predict how those changes
will affect fish and wildlife at multiple
scales. Overwash is the flow of water
and sediment over the crest of the beach
that does not directly return to the water
body where it originated. It is a natural
manifestation of rising sea levels, but
also critical to maintaining healthy
emergent wetlands in barrier island
systems of estuaries like the Delaware
and Chesapeake Bays.
Mosquito Control
Balancing the needs of wildlife and
people is becoming more difficult as
residential developments encroach
upon wild areas and more visitors
participate in wildlife-dependent
recreational opportunities on the refuge.
Providing quality habitat at sufficient
quantities for an increasing number of
species and individuals is challenging
to wildlife managers and biologists.
Mosquitoes are a part of the natural
environment and a food source for a
variety of wildlife. More importantly,
insecticides, in particular adulticides
E:\FR\FM\09MYN1.SGM
09MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 89 / Monday, May 9, 2011 / Notices
that are used to control mosquitoes, can
have devastating impacts on insects,
which are utilized by fish, amphibians,
and migratory birds as important food
sources. Prime Hook NWR has and will
continue to work with the State’s
Mosquito Control Section while striving
to protect the biological integrity,
diversity, and environmental health of
the refuge.
Cooperative Farming
Prime Hook NWR has an on-refuge
cooperative farming program, which has
a long history. However, the refuge has
never tilled more than 870 acres in any
year, and this farmed acreage has been
reduced incrementally over the years. In
2006, the Delaware Audubon Society,
Center for Food Safety, and Public
Employees for Environmental
Responsibility filed suit against the
Service alleging the refuge’s failure to
comply with Federal laws and policies.
The refuge ceased all farming operations
in 2006. In 2009, the refuge was
enjoined from farming and the planting
of genetically modified organisms until
the refuge completed compatibility
determinations and environmental
assessments dealing with the impacts.
WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
Hunting
On the Delmarva Peninsula, hunting
is a traditional outdoor pastime that is
deeply rooted in American and
Delaware heritage. Opportunities for
public hunting are decreasing with
increasing private land development.
Refuge lands thus become increasingly
important in the region as a place to
engage in this activity. Hunting has and
will continue to be an integral
component of the public use program at
the refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service Manual (605 FW 2) states that
hunting programs must provide quality
experiences for the public, be
compatible with the mission of the
NWRS and the purposes of the refuge,
and, to the extent practicable, be
consistent with State fish and wildlife
laws and regulations. In scoping for the
CCP, we invite suggestions on how to
improve the current hunting program.
Public Involvement
You may send comments anytime
during the planning process by mail,
e-mail, or fax (see ADDRESSES). There
will be additional opportunities to
provide public input once we have
prepared a draft CCP. Comments already
received under the previous notice will
be considered during preparation of the
subject CCP/EIS. The public’s ideas and
comments are an important part of the
CCP process, and we invite public
participation. The Service is looking for
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15:23 May 06, 2011
Jkt 223001
meaningful comments that will help
determine the desired future conditions
of the refuge and address the full range
of refuge issues and opportunities.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Dated: January 28, 2011.
Kyla J. Hastie,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–11266 Filed 5–6–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Grant Program To Assess, Evaluate
and Promote Development of Tribal
Energy and Mineral Resources
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
ACTION: Solicitation of proposals.
AGENCY:
The Energy and Mineral
Development Program (EMDP) provides
funding to Indian tribes with the
mission goal of assessing, evaluating,
and promoting energy and mineral
resources on Indian trust lands for the
economic benefit of Indian mineral
owners. To achieve these goals, the
Department of the Interior’s Office of
Indian Energy and Economic
Development (IEED), through its
Division of Energy and Mineral
Development (DEMD) office, is
soliciting proposals from tribes. The
Department will use a competitive
evaluation process to select several
proposed projects to receive an award.
DATES: Submit grant proposals on or
before June 23, 2011. We will not
consider grant proposals received after
this date.
ADDRESSES: E-mailing your proposal is
highly recommended this year. You may
e-mail your proposal to either Robert
Anderson at robert.anderson@bia.gov or
Amanda John at amanda.john@bia.gov.
We will respond back to you via e-mail
that we received your proposal and that
it was readable. In the alternative, you
may mail or hand-carry grant proposals
to the Department of the Interior,
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
26753
Division of Energy and Mineral
Development,
Attention: Energy and Mineral
Development Program, 12136 W.
Bayaud Avenue, Suite 300, Lakewood,
CO 80228. Applicants should also
inform local BIA offices by forwarding
a copy of their proposal to their own
BIA Agency and Regional offices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For questions about the EMDP
program or submission process:
• Amanda John, Tel: (720) 407–0607;
e-mail: amanda.john@bia.gov; or
• Robert Anderson, Tel: (720) 407–
0602; e-mail: robert.anderson@bia.gov.
For Additional Copies of the Proposal
Writing Guidelines Manual:
• Tahnee KillsCrow, Tel: (720) 407–
0655; e-mail: tahnee.killscrow@bia.gov;
For technical questions about the
commodity you wish to assess or
develop, please contact the appropriate
DEMD persons listed below:
• Mineral Projects (Precious Metals,
Sand and Gravel): Lynne Carpenter, Tel:
(720) 407–0605, e-mail:
lynne.carpenter@bia.gov, or David
Holmes, Tel: (720) 407–0609, e-mail:
david.holmes@bia.gov.
• Conventional Energy Projects (Oil,
Natural Gas, Coal): Bob Just, Tel: (720)
407–0611, e-mail: robert.just@bia.gov.
• Renewable Energy Projects
(Biomass, Wind, Solar): Winter JojolaTalburt, Tel: (720) 407–0668, e-mail:
winter.jojola-talburt@bia.gov.
• Geothermal Energy: Bob Just, Tel:
(720) 407–0611, e-mail:
robert.just@bia.gov.
You may also find additional
information on our Web site. Please see
the ‘‘Information on BIA’s Web site’’
portion of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION,
below.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Proposal Writing Guidelines
A. Background
B. Items To Consider Before Preparing an
Application for an Energy and Mineral
Development Grant
C. How To Prepare an Application for
Energy and Mineral Development
Funding
D. Submission of Application in Digital
Format
E. Application Evaluation and
Administrative Information
F. When To Submit
G. Where To Submit
H. Transfer of Funds
I. Reporting Requirements for Award
Recipients
J. Requests for Technical Information
II. Information on BIA’s Web site
I. Proposal Writing Guidelines
A. Background
Section 103 of the Indian SelfDetermination Act, Public Law 93–638,
E:\FR\FM\09MYN1.SGM
09MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 89 (Monday, May 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26751-26753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11266]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-R-2010-N284; BAC-4311-K9-S3]
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Sussex County, DE;
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to
prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) for Prime Hook National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Sussex County, Delaware. An environmental
impact statement (EIS) evaluating effects of various CCP alternatives
will also be prepared. We provide this notice in compliance with our
CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the
public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on
the scope of issues to consider in the planning process. We are also
requesting public comments. This notice also advises the public that we
have reconsidered a 2005 notice, in which we announced our intention to
develop an environmental assessment (EA) for the refuge. Comments
already received in response to the previous notice will be considered
during preparation of the subject CCP/EIS.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
June 23, 2011. We will announce opportunities
[[Page 26752]]
for public input in local news media throughout the CCP process.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments or requests for more information by any
of the following methods.
E-mail: northeastplanning@fws.gov. Include ``Prime Hook CCP'' in
the subject line of the message.
Fax: Attention: Thomas Bonetti, Planning Team Leader, at 413-253-
8468.
U.S. Mail: Thomas Bonetti, Planning Team Leader, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Northeast Regional Office, 300 Westgate Center Drive,
Hadley, MA 01035.
In-Person Drop-off: You may drop off comments during regular
business hours at Prime Hook NWR, 11978 Turkle Pond Road, Milton, DE
19968.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain more information on the
refuge, contact Michael Stroeh, Project Leader, Prime Hook NWR, 11978
Turkle Pond Road, Milton, DE 19968; phone: 302-653-9345; fax: 302-684-
8504.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we continue our process for developing a CCP for
Prime Hook NWR in Sussex County, DE. This notice complies with our CCP
policy, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended
(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), to (1) Advise other Federal and State
agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intention to conduct detailed
planning on this refuge, and (2) obtain suggestions and information on
the scope of issues to consider in the environmental document and
during development of the CCP.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Administration Act), as amended by the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, requires us to develop
a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose for developing a
CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving
refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the National
Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), consistent with sound principles of fish
and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and our
policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on
conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-
dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will
review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with
the Administration Act.
Each unit of the NWRS was established for specific purposes. We use
these purposes as the foundation for developing and prioritizing the
management goals and objectives for each refuge within the NWRS
mission, and to determine how the public can use each refuge. The
planning process is a way for us and the public to evaluate management
goals and objectives that will ensure the best possible approach to
wildlife, plant, and habitat conservation, while providing for
wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities that are compatible with
each refuge's establishing purposes and the mission of the NWRS.
Our CCP process provides participation opportunities for Tribal,
State, and local governments; agencies; organizations; and the public.
At this time, we encourage input in the form of issues, concerns,
ideas, and suggestions for the future management of Prime Hook NWR. We
previously published a notice of intent on October 17, 2005 (70 FR
60365) stating we intended to prepare a CCP and EA for Prime Hook NWR.
We held three public meetings in November 2005 in Milton, Dover, and
Lewes, DE. All meetings were announced in local newspapers. One hundred
and ten members of the public attended the meetings and provided
comments. All comments we received on the EA will go forward into the
EIS planning process. Based on the extent of public comments already
received, and subsequent developments since scoping, we have determined
that an EIS would be more appropriate than an EA to ensure that a full
and fair discussion of all significant environmental impacts occurs,
and to inform decision-makers and the public of the reasonable
alternatives that would avoid or minimize adverse impacts and enhance
the quality of the human environment.
We will conduct the environmental review of this project and
develop an EIS in accordance with the requirements of NEPA, NEPA
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), other appropriate Federal laws
and regulations, and our policies and procedures for compliance with
those laws and regulations.
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
In 1963, Prime Hook NWR was established under the authority of the
Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 715-715r) for use as an
inviolate sanctuary, or any other management purpose, expressly for
migratory birds. Farms and residences were once present on portions of
what is now the refuge. Prime Hook NWR was established primarily to
preserve coastal wetlands as wintering and breeding habitat for
migratory waterfowl. The 10,133 acres of the refuge stretch along the
west shore of Delaware Bay, 22 miles southeast of Dover, Delaware.
Eighty percent of the refuge's vegetation cover types are characterized
by tidal and freshwater creek drainages that discharge into the
Delaware Bay and associated coastal marshes. The remaining 20 percent
is composed of upland habitats. The land uses near the refuge are
intensive agricultural and developed residential.
Scoping: Preliminary Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities
We have identified preliminary issues, concerns, and opportunities
that we will address in the CCP. We have briefly summarized some of
these issues below. During public scoping, we may identify additional
issues.
Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise
A growing body of evidence indicates that accelerating climate
change, associated with increasing global temperatures, is affecting
water, land, and wildlife resources. Along our coasts, rising sea
levels have begun to affect fish and wildlife habitats, including those
used by waterfowl, wading birds, and shorebirds on our national
wildlife refuges. Successful conservation strategies will require an
understanding of climate change and the ability to predict how those
changes will affect fish and wildlife at multiple scales. Overwash is
the flow of water and sediment over the crest of the beach that does
not directly return to the water body where it originated. It is a
natural manifestation of rising sea levels, but also critical to
maintaining healthy emergent wetlands in barrier island systems of
estuaries like the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays.
Mosquito Control
Balancing the needs of wildlife and people is becoming more
difficult as residential developments encroach upon wild areas and more
visitors participate in wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities
on the refuge. Providing quality habitat at sufficient quantities for
an increasing number of species and individuals is challenging to
wildlife managers and biologists. Mosquitoes are a part of the natural
environment and a food source for a variety of wildlife. More
importantly, insecticides, in particular adulticides
[[Page 26753]]
that are used to control mosquitoes, can have devastating impacts on
insects, which are utilized by fish, amphibians, and migratory birds as
important food sources. Prime Hook NWR has and will continue to work
with the State's Mosquito Control Section while striving to protect the
biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the
refuge.
Cooperative Farming
Prime Hook NWR has an on-refuge cooperative farming program, which
has a long history. However, the refuge has never tilled more than 870
acres in any year, and this farmed acreage has been reduced
incrementally over the years. In 2006, the Delaware Audubon Society,
Center for Food Safety, and Public Employees for Environmental
Responsibility filed suit against the Service alleging the refuge's
failure to comply with Federal laws and policies. The refuge ceased all
farming operations in 2006. In 2009, the refuge was enjoined from
farming and the planting of genetically modified organisms until the
refuge completed compatibility determinations and environmental
assessments dealing with the impacts.
Hunting
On the Delmarva Peninsula, hunting is a traditional outdoor pastime
that is deeply rooted in American and Delaware heritage. Opportunities
for public hunting are decreasing with increasing private land
development. Refuge lands thus become increasingly important in the
region as a place to engage in this activity. Hunting has and will
continue to be an integral component of the public use program at the
refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual (605 FW 2) states
that hunting programs must provide quality experiences for the public,
be compatible with the mission of the NWRS and the purposes of the
refuge, and, to the extent practicable, be consistent with State fish
and wildlife laws and regulations. In scoping for the CCP, we invite
suggestions on how to improve the current hunting program.
Public Involvement
You may send comments anytime during the planning process by mail,
e-mail, or fax (see ADDRESSES). There will be additional opportunities
to provide public input once we have prepared a draft CCP. Comments
already received under the previous notice will be considered during
preparation of the subject CCP/EIS. The public's ideas and comments are
an important part of the CCP process, and we invite public
participation. The Service is looking for meaningful comments that will
help determine the desired future conditions of the refuge and address
the full range of refuge issues and opportunities.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Dated: January 28, 2011.
Kyla J. Hastie,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-11266 Filed 5-6-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P