Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, Pacific County, WA; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, 50247-50249 [2011-19838]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 156 (Friday, August 12, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50247-50249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19838]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R1-R-2011-N121; 1265-0000-10137-S3]


Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, Pacific County, WA; Final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of the final comprehensive conservation plan and 
environmental impact statement (Final CCP/EIS) for the Willapa National 
Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). In this final CCP/EIS, we describe how we 
propose to manage this Refuge for the next 15 years.

DATES: We will sign a record of decision no sooner than 30 days after 
publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: You may view or request a printed or CD-ROM copy of the 
Final CCP/EIS by any of the following methods.
    Agency Web Site: Download a copy of the Final CCP/EIS at https://www.fws.gov/willapa.
    E-mail: FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. Include ``Willapa NWR Final 
CCP/EIS'' in the subject line of the message.
    Mail: Charlie Stenvall, Project Leader, Willapa National Wildlife 
Refuge Complex, 3888 SR 101, Ilwaco, WA 98624.
    In Person Viewing: Willapa National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 3888 
SR 101, Ilwaco, WA 98624.
    Local Libraries: The Final CCP/EIS is available for review at the 
libraries listed under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlie Stenvall, Project Leader, 
(360) 484-3482 (phone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    With this notice, we announce the availability of the Refuge's 
Final CCP/EIS. We started this process through a notice in the Federal 
Register (73 FR 19238; April 9, 2008). We announced

[[Page 50248]]

the availability of the Draft CCP/EIS and requested public comments on 
it through a notice of availability published in the Federal Register 
(76 FR 3922; January 21, 2011).
    The Refuge was established in 1937 to protect migrating and 
wintering populations of brant, waterfowl, shorebirds, and other 
migratory birds, and for conservation purposes. The Refuge encompasses 
over 16,000 acres of tidelands, temperate rainforest, ocean beaches, 
sand dunes, rivers, and small streams. It also preserves several rare 
remnants of old growth coastal cedar forest, and habitat for spawning 
wild salmon, hundreds of thousands of migrating shorebirds, and 
threatened and endangered species such as the western snowy plover and 
marbled murrelet.
    We announce the availability of the Final CCP/EIS in accordance 
with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) 
requirements. We completed a thorough analysis of potential impacts on 
the human environment in the Final CCP/EIS. The CCP will guide us in 
managing and administering the Refuge for the next 15 years.

Background

The CCP Process

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Refuge 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, consistent with sound principles of 
fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and our 
policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction for 
conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify compatible 
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 Refuge Administration Act.

CCP Alternatives We Are Considering

    We identified a number of issues in our Draft CCP/EIS and received 
a number of comments on the following Refuge management alternatives.
    Under Alternative 1, there would be no changes to current Refuge 
management programs. We would continue to conduct current programs and 
operations based on Refuge funding and staffing levels. We would 
continue to maintain, and where feasible, restore, forest, wetland, and 
beach dune habitats, including habitats for imperiled species that are 
State or Federally listed as threatened or endangered. We would 
continue to implement the Refuge's forest management plan with our 
partners. Existing public uses--hunting, fishing, wildlife observation 
and photography, environmental education and interpretation, and 
camping--would continue.
    Under Alternative 2, our preferred alternative, current wildlife 
and habitat management programs would be maintained. In addition, 
Alternative 2 contains the highest level of habitat improvements of the 
three alternatives. The intensively managed pastures and impoundments 
would be restored to historic estuarine conditions, increasing open 
water, intertidal flats, and salt marsh habitat by 621 acres. We would 
continue to implement the Refuge's forest management plan with our 
partners. On the Leadbetter Point Unit, a predator management program 
would be implemented, as necessary, to control avian and mammalian 
predators, and help meet western snowy plover recovery goals. On the 
Riekkola Unit, 93 acres of short-grass fields would be managed as 
foraging habitat for Canada geese, elk, and other grassland-dependent 
wildlife. Grassland restoration on 33 acres would include establishing 
the early-blue violet, a host plant that would serve the future 
reintroduction of the endangered Oregon silverspot butterfly. Managed 
freshwater wetlands would remain on the Tarlatt Unit. In Alternative 2, 
we proposed expanding the Refuge's approved boundary by 6,809 acres, in 
the Nemah, Naselle, South Bay, and East Hills areas. The Shoalwater and 
Wheaton Units (941 acres) would be divested from the Refuge.
    Improvements to the wildlife-dependent public use program under 
Alternative 2 would include a new interpretive trail and wildlife 
observation deck along the South Bay. The new trail would tie into our 
proposed Tarlatt Unit visitor/administrative facility. We would expand 
the area where waterfowl hunting is conducted (in accordance with the 
State's season), to include approximately 5,570 acres, after the 
proposed estuarine restoration is completed. An additional 100 acres 
would be available for goose hunting. We would provide three blinds for 
goose hunting, and two blinds for waterfowl hunting. Walk-in hunters 
would have access to the blinds on a first-come, first-served basis. We 
would develop a cartop boat launch to access the South Bay. A special 
permit elk hunt is proposed for the Leadbetter Point Unit, and we would 
also expand elk and deer hunting in the South Bay and East Hills Units, 
in accordance with State seasons.
    Under Alternative 3, the Refuge's intensively managed pastures and 
impoundments would be restored to historic estuarine conditions, 
creating and maintaining approximately 878 acres of open water habitat 
and 4,178 acres of intertidal flats, and increasing salt marsh habitat 
by 429 acres. The proposed estuarine restoration project would occur on 
the Lewis and Porter Point Units only. On the Leadbetter Point Unit, 
predator management would be implemented as necessary, to control avian 
predators and help meet western snowy plover recovery goals. We would 
continue to implement the Refuge's forest management plan, with 
partners. We would restore grassland habitat and establish the early-
blue violet host plant on 33 acres, to serve the future reintroduction 
of the endangered Oregon silverspot butterfly. Managed freshwater 
wetlands would remain on the Riekkola and Tarlatt Units. An expanded 
land acquisition boundary is proposed, to include 4,900 acres located 
in the South Bay and East Hills areas. The Shoalwater and Wheaton Units 
would be divested from the Refuge.
    Improvements to the wildlife-dependent public use program would 
include a new interpretive trail and wildlife observation deck along 
the South Bay that would tie into our proposed Tarlatt Unit visitor/
administrative facility. After the proposed estuarine restoration is 
completed, the area where waterfowl hunting is conducted (in accordance 
with the State's season) would expand to include approximately 5,440 
acres. In addition, we would provide seven blinds for walk-in goose 
hunting, available to hunters through a lottery system. We would expand 
hunting opportunities at the Leadbetter Point Unit, to include a 
permit-only regulated elk hunt. We would also provide elk and deer 
hunting opportunities in the South Bay Unit, in accordance with State 
seasons.

Comments

    We initially solicited public comments on the Draft CCP/EIS for 45 
days, from January 21 to March 7, 2011

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(76 FR 3922), then extended the comment period to March 21, 2011, in 
response to public requests for more review time. We received comments 
on the Draft CCP/EIS from 213 individuals, agencies, and groups. We 
addressed the comments in the Final CCP/EIS, primarily by changing 
parts of Alternative 2, our preferred alternative. The changes we made 
to Alternative 2 follow.
     On the South Bay Units, we would restore 621 acres of 
historic estuarine habitats (open water, intertidal flats, and salt 
marsh), instead of the 749 acres previously identified in the Draft 
CCP/EIS, restoring only parts of the units' estuarine habitat. Also on 
the Riekkola Unit, instead of removing all of the short grass fields, 
we would manage 93 acres of short-grass fields for Canada geese and 
Roosevelt elk.
     Instead of removing all goose hunting blinds from the 
Riekkola Unit, we would maintain three goose hunting blinds, including 
a barrier-free blind, and add two waterfowl hunting blinds, including a 
barrier free blind, to the unit. Walk-in access to the blinds for 
hunting would be provided in accordance with State hunting regulations. 
During the nonhunting season, all Refuge visitors could use the blinds.
     In addition to previously proposed opportunities for 
wildlife observation, photography, and interpretive trails; the parking 
area, cartop boat launch, and a new trail to Porter Point would be open 
year round to all Refuge visitors.

Public Availability of Documents

    In addition to the methods in ADDRESSES, you can view our Final 
CCP/EIS at the following libraries.
     Ilwaco Timberland Library, 158 1st Ave. North, Ilwaco, WA 
98624.
     South Bend Timberland Library, West 1st and Pacific, South 
Bend, WA 98586.
     Ocean Park Timberland Library, 1308 256th Place, Ocean 
Park, WA 98640.
     Astoria Public Library, 450 10th St., Astoria, OR 97103.

    Dated: June 23, 2011.
Robyn Thorson,
Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 2011-19838 Filed 8-11-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P