Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Termination of the Southern Sea Otter Translocation Program; Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on the Translocation of Southern Sea Otters, 67302-67303 [2012-27310]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 218 / Friday, November 9, 2012 / Rules and Regulations
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wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with
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VerDate Mar<15>2010
13:51 Nov 08, 2012
Jkt 229001
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[FR Doc. 2012–27350 Filed 11–8–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
[FWS–R8–FHC–2011–0046]; [FF08E00000–
FXES11130800000D2–123]
RIN 1018–AX51
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
and Plants; Termination of the
Southern Sea Otter Translocation
Program; Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement on
the Translocation of Southern Sea
Otters
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement on the
Translocation of Southern Sea Otters
(final SEIS). The final SEIS evaluates
options for continuing, revising, or
terminating the southern sea otter
translocation program, which was
initiated in 1987. The purpose of the
program was to achieve a primary
recovery action for the southern sea
otter: to create an established
population at San Nicolas Island
sufficient to repopulate other areas of
the range should a catastrophic event
affect the mainland population. The
document describes the proposed action
and alternatives under consideration
and discloses the direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental effects of
each of the alternatives.
DATES: We will execute a Record of
Decision no sooner than 30 days after
the date the Environmental Protection
Agency publishes its notice of
availability of the final SEIS in the
Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: The final SEIS and other
documents are available in electronic
format at the following places:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov. In the
search field, enter FWS–R8–FHC–2011–
0046, which is the docket number. Then
click on the Search button. On the
resulting screen, you may view
documents associated with the docket.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
• Agency Web site: You can view
supporting documents on our Web site
at https://www.fws.gov/ventura/.
• Our office: Call 805–644–1766 to
make an appointment, during normal
business hours, to view the documents,
comments, and materials in person at
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493
Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA
93003–7726.
Alternatively, a limited number of
CD–ROMs and hard copies of the final
SEIS are available from the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish and
Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road,
Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003–7726.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lilian Carswell, at the above Ventura
street address, by telephone (805–612–
2793), or by electronic mail
(Lilian_Carswell@fws.gov). Persons who
use a telecommunications device for the
deaf may call the Federal Information
Relay Services at 800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We
announce the availability of our final
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement on the Translocation of
Southern Sea Otters (final SEIS). The
final SEIS evaluates options for
continuing, revising, or terminating the
southern sea otter translocation program
(52 FR 29754, Aug. 11, 1987). The
document describes the proposed action
and alternatives under consideration
and discloses the direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental effects of
each of the alternatives.
Background
The final SEIS reevaluates the effects
of the southern sea otter translocation
plan, as described in the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service’s 1987 environmental
impact statement on our program for
translocation of southern sea otters (May
8, 1987, 52 FR 17486). Using
information obtained over the decades
since the program’s implementation, we
evaluate the impacts of alternatives to
the current translocation program,
including termination or revisions to the
program. The need for action stems from
our inability to meet the goals of the
southern sea otter translocation
program. Contrary to the primary
recovery objective of the program, the
translocation of sea otters to San Nicolas
Island has not resulted in an established
population sufficient to repopulate
other areas of the range should a
catastrophic event affect the mainland
population. Additionally, maintenance
of a management zone has proven to be
more difficult than anticipated and
hinders or may prevent recovery of the
southern sea otter.
E:\FR\FM\09NOR1.SGM
09NOR1
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 218 / Friday, November 9, 2012 / Rules and Regulations
We consider six alternatives,
including a No Action Alternative.
Alternative 1 resumes implementation
of the 1987 southern sea otter
translocation program as originally
defined. Alternative 2 resumes
implementation of the 1987 southern
sea otter translocation program but
reduces the size of the management
zone. Alternatives 3A, 3B, and 3C allow
for the natural range expansion of
southern sea otters through termination
of the 1987 translocation program,
including its associated translocation
zone and management zone, but differ
in the actions to be taken with sea otters
existing in these zones upon
termination of the program. Alternative
3A requires the short-term removal of
sea otters from both the management
zone and the translocation zone before
natural range expansion is allowed.
Alternative 3B requires the short-term
removal of sea otters from the
translocation zone only. The Service’s
preferred alternative (Alternative 3C) is
to allow for the natural range expansion
of sea otters through termination of the
1987 translocation program and to allow
sea otters existing in the former
translocation and management zones to
remain there.
We have afforded other government
agencies and the public extensive
opportunity to participate in the
preparation of this EIS. On July 27,
2000, we published in the Federal
Register a notice of intent to prepare a
SEIS on the southern sea otter
translocation program (65 FR 46172).
The notice of intent announced that
public scoping meetings would be held
on August 15, 2000, in Santa Barbara,
California, and on August 17, 2000, in
Monterey, California. In April 2001, we
published a scoping report and
distributed it to scoping meeting
participants and other interested parties
(the scoping report is included as
Appendix E to the final SEIS).
We announced the availability of the
draft SEIS and the beginning of the
public comment period on October 7,
2005 (70 FR 58737). The comment
period was originally scheduled to end
on January 5, 2006 (70 FR 58737). On
December 30, 2005, we extended the
comment period to March 6, 2006 (70
FR 77380), based on requests for a 30day or 60-day extension of the comment
period by fishing and environmental
groups. We accepted oral and written
testimony during public hearings held
in Santa Barbara, California, on
November 1, 2005, and Monterey,
California, on November 3, 2005. During
the 5-month comment period, we
received approximately 20,000
VerDate Mar<15>2010
13:51 Nov 08, 2012
Jkt 229001
comments from interested individuals
and organizations.
Continuing efforts to resolve
stakeholder concerns forestalled
publication of a final SEIS for several
years. On September 30, 2009, two
environmental groups filed suit against
the Service under provisions of the
Administrative Procedure Act, alleging
that we had unreasonably delayed a
decision on the translocation program.
Publication of a final SEIS on the
translocation program is part of the
settlement agreement we reached with
plaintiffs on November 23, 2010.
In order to ensure that our analysis
reflects current conditions, we revised
the draft SEIS. We announced the
availability of a revised draft SEIS and
a proposed rule to implement the
preferred alternative on August 26, 2011
(76 FR 53381). Appendix G to the
revised draft SEIS included a list of
commenters, summaries of comments
received on the draft SEIS, and our
responses to those comments. The
comment period for the revised draft
SEIS was originally scheduled to end on
October 24, 2011 (76 FR 53381). On
November 4, 2011, we announced a
reopening of the comment period until
November 21, 2011 (76 FR 68393),
based on a request for a 45-day
extension by the California Sea Urchin
Commission. We were unable to grant
the full 45-day extension because we
required sufficient time to consider
public comments and to revise the SEIS
as appropriate while still meeting court
settlement deadlines; however, the
reopened comment period allowed us to
accept public comments for 18
additional days. We accepted oral and
written testimony during public
hearings held in Ventura, California, on
September 27, 2011; Santa Barbara,
California, on October 4, 2011; and
Santa Cruz, California, on October 6,
2011. Approximately 190 people
attended the public hearings, and 68
provided testimony.
In the 78 days during which
comments were accepted, we received
6,843 comment letters, postcards, and
emails from interested individuals and
organizations. Among the comment
letters were 5 petitions with 12,514
signatories.
Appendix G to the final SEIS includes
a list of commenters, summaries of
comments received on the revised draft
SEIS, and our responses to those
comments.
Authority
This notice is provided pursuant to
Fish and Wildlife Service regulations for
implementing the National
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
67303
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (40
CFR 1506.6).
Dated: November 1, 2012.
Alexandra Pitts,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest
Region.
[FR Doc. 2012–27310 Filed 11–8–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120417412–2412–01]
RIN 0648–BB90
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish
Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Gray
Triggerfish Management Measures
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; interim
measures extended.
AGENCY:
NMFS issues this temporary
rule to extend the expiration date of
interim measures to reduce overfishing
of gray triggerfish in the Gulf of Mexico
(Gulf) implemented by a temporary rule
published by NMFS on May 14, 2012.
This temporary rule extends the
reduced commercial quota (commercial
annual catch target (ACT)), commercial
and recreational annual catch limits
(ACLs), and recreational ACT; and the
revised recreational accountability
measures (AMs) for gray triggerfish, as
requested by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council). The
intended effect of this temporary rule is
to reduce overfishing of the gray
triggerfish resource in the Gulf while the
Council develops permanent
management measures.
DATES: The expiration date for the
interim rule published at 77 FR 28308,
May 14, 2012, is extended from
November 10, 2012, through May 15,
2013, unless NMFS publishes a
superseding document in the Federal
Register.
SUMMARY:
Electronic copies of
documents supporting this temporary
rule, which include an environmental
assessment (EA) and a regulatory
flexibility analysis, may be obtained
from the Southeast Regional Office Web
site at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\09NOR1.SGM
09NOR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 218 (Friday, November 9, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67302-67303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27310]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
[FWS-R8-FHC-2011-0046]; [FF08E00000-FXES11130800000D2-123]
RIN 1018-AX51
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Termination of the
Southern Sea Otter Translocation Program; Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement on the Translocation of Southern Sea
Otters
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
on the Translocation of Southern Sea Otters (final SEIS). The final
SEIS evaluates options for continuing, revising, or terminating the
southern sea otter translocation program, which was initiated in 1987.
The purpose of the program was to achieve a primary recovery action for
the southern sea otter: to create an established population at San
Nicolas Island sufficient to repopulate other areas of the range should
a catastrophic event affect the mainland population. The document
describes the proposed action and alternatives under consideration and
discloses the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of
each of the alternatives.
DATES: We will execute a Record of Decision no sooner than 30 days
after the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice
of availability of the final SEIS in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: The final SEIS and other documents are available in
electronic format at the following places:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. In the search field, enter FWS-R8-FHC-2011-0046,
which is the docket number. Then click on the Search button. On the
resulting screen, you may view documents associated with the docket.
Agency Web site: You can view supporting documents on our
Web site at https://www.fws.gov/ventura/.
Our office: Call 805-644-1766 to make an appointment,
during normal business hours, to view the documents, comments, and
materials in person at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Fish
and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003-
7726.
Alternatively, a limited number of CD-ROMs and hard copies of the
final SEIS are available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura,
CA 93003-7726.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lilian Carswell, at the above Ventura
street address, by telephone (805-612-2793), or by electronic mail
(Lilian_Carswell@fws.gov). Persons who use a telecommunications device
for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Services at 800-
877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We announce the availability of our final
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on the Translocation of
Southern Sea Otters (final SEIS). The final SEIS evaluates options for
continuing, revising, or terminating the southern sea otter
translocation program (52 FR 29754, Aug. 11, 1987). The document
describes the proposed action and alternatives under consideration and
discloses the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of
each of the alternatives.
Background
The final SEIS reevaluates the effects of the southern sea otter
translocation plan, as described in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service's 1987 environmental impact statement on our program for
translocation of southern sea otters (May 8, 1987, 52 FR 17486). Using
information obtained over the decades since the program's
implementation, we evaluate the impacts of alternatives to the current
translocation program, including termination or revisions to the
program. The need for action stems from our inability to meet the goals
of the southern sea otter translocation program. Contrary to the
primary recovery objective of the program, the translocation of sea
otters to San Nicolas Island has not resulted in an established
population sufficient to repopulate other areas of the range should a
catastrophic event affect the mainland population. Additionally,
maintenance of a management zone has proven to be more difficult than
anticipated and hinders or may prevent recovery of the southern sea
otter.
[[Page 67303]]
We consider six alternatives, including a No Action Alternative.
Alternative 1 resumes implementation of the 1987 southern sea otter
translocation program as originally defined. Alternative 2 resumes
implementation of the 1987 southern sea otter translocation program but
reduces the size of the management zone. Alternatives 3A, 3B, and 3C
allow for the natural range expansion of southern sea otters through
termination of the 1987 translocation program, including its associated
translocation zone and management zone, but differ in the actions to be
taken with sea otters existing in these zones upon termination of the
program. Alternative 3A requires the short-term removal of sea otters
from both the management zone and the translocation zone before natural
range expansion is allowed. Alternative 3B requires the short-term
removal of sea otters from the translocation zone only. The Service's
preferred alternative (Alternative 3C) is to allow for the natural
range expansion of sea otters through termination of the 1987
translocation program and to allow sea otters existing in the former
translocation and management zones to remain there.
We have afforded other government agencies and the public extensive
opportunity to participate in the preparation of this EIS. On July 27,
2000, we published in the Federal Register a notice of intent to
prepare a SEIS on the southern sea otter translocation program (65 FR
46172). The notice of intent announced that public scoping meetings
would be held on August 15, 2000, in Santa Barbara, California, and on
August 17, 2000, in Monterey, California. In April 2001, we published a
scoping report and distributed it to scoping meeting participants and
other interested parties (the scoping report is included as Appendix E
to the final SEIS).
We announced the availability of the draft SEIS and the beginning
of the public comment period on October 7, 2005 (70 FR 58737). The
comment period was originally scheduled to end on January 5, 2006 (70
FR 58737). On December 30, 2005, we extended the comment period to
March 6, 2006 (70 FR 77380), based on requests for a 30-day or 60-day
extension of the comment period by fishing and environmental groups. We
accepted oral and written testimony during public hearings held in
Santa Barbara, California, on November 1, 2005, and Monterey,
California, on November 3, 2005. During the 5-month comment period, we
received approximately 20,000 comments from interested individuals and
organizations.
Continuing efforts to resolve stakeholder concerns forestalled
publication of a final SEIS for several years. On September 30, 2009,
two environmental groups filed suit against the Service under
provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, alleging that we had
unreasonably delayed a decision on the translocation program.
Publication of a final SEIS on the translocation program is part of the
settlement agreement we reached with plaintiffs on November 23, 2010.
In order to ensure that our analysis reflects current conditions,
we revised the draft SEIS. We announced the availability of a revised
draft SEIS and a proposed rule to implement the preferred alternative
on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53381). Appendix G to the revised draft SEIS
included a list of commenters, summaries of comments received on the
draft SEIS, and our responses to those comments. The comment period for
the revised draft SEIS was originally scheduled to end on October 24,
2011 (76 FR 53381). On November 4, 2011, we announced a reopening of
the comment period until November 21, 2011 (76 FR 68393), based on a
request for a 45-day extension by the California Sea Urchin Commission.
We were unable to grant the full 45-day extension because we required
sufficient time to consider public comments and to revise the SEIS as
appropriate while still meeting court settlement deadlines; however,
the reopened comment period allowed us to accept public comments for 18
additional days. We accepted oral and written testimony during public
hearings held in Ventura, California, on September 27, 2011; Santa
Barbara, California, on October 4, 2011; and Santa Cruz, California, on
October 6, 2011. Approximately 190 people attended the public hearings,
and 68 provided testimony.
In the 78 days during which comments were accepted, we received
6,843 comment letters, postcards, and emails from interested
individuals and organizations. Among the comment letters were 5
petitions with 12,514 signatories.
Appendix G to the final SEIS includes a list of commenters,
summaries of comments received on the revised draft SEIS, and our
responses to those comments.
Authority
This notice is provided pursuant to Fish and Wildlife Service
regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: November 1, 2012.
Alexandra Pitts,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-27310 Filed 11-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
