Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge; Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Ottawa, and Sequoyah Counties, OK; Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment, 9410-9415 [2013-02976]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
9410
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2013 / Notices
Office, 3817 Luker Road, Cortland, NY
13045; or by phone at 607–753–9334; or
(3) Mr. Mike Armstrong, Endangered
Species Biologist, by U.S. mail at U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological
Services Field Office, J.C. Watts Federal
Building, Room 265, 330 West
Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601–8670;
or by phone at 502–229–4632.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Background
The Indiana bat was originally listed
as in danger of extinction under the
Endangered Species Preservation Act of
1966. It was subsequently listed as
endangered under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended.
Summer survey guidelines (mist-netting
protocols) were first developed for the
species in the early 1990s and the
USFWS provided revised mist-netting
guidelines in our 2007 Draft Revised
Recovery Plan. The USFWS recently
convened a group of State and Federal
agency representatives to revise existing
survey guidelines. We solicited peer
review through the bat working groups
across the range of the Indiana bat
between February and March 2012 and
received comments from 57 individuals.
Based upon comments received and the
results of pilot testing of the survey
guidelines at known Indiana bat
maternity colonies in the summer of
2012, we offer the revised guidelines for
public review and comment.
In addition to soliciting comments on
draft survey guidelines for determining
presence or probable absence of Indiana
bats in the summer, we request
comment on our proposed approach and
criteria for testing the accuracy and
suitability of available acoustic
identification software programs. Only
programs that pass our suitability test
would be approved by the USFWS for
official survey use. Our goal is to
incorporate comments and finalize the
draft survey guidelines and testing
criteria in time for implementation in
the 2013 field season. However, should
no USFWS-approved software programs
be concurrently available, we propose to
follow an intermediary contingency
plan. The draft survey guidelines, draft
acoustic identification software testing
criteria, and 2013 contingency plan,
with instructions for commenting, are
available on the Internet (see
ADDRESSES).
Request for Public Comments
We invite written comments on (1)
The draft survey guidelines, (2) the
acoustic identification software testing
criteria, and (3) the 2013 contingency
plan. Substantive comments may or may
not result in changes to the USFWS
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:23 Feb 07, 2013
Jkt 229001
guidance document. Please include
sufficient information with your
comments to allow us to verify any
scientific or commercial information
you include.
While all comments we receive will
be considered in developing final
documents, we encourage commenters
to focus on those portions of the
guidelines that have been revised,
particularly those topics noted above
that address peer-review comments. If
you have previously submitted
comments, you need not resubmit them
because we have already incorporated
them in the public record and will fully
consider them in our final USFWS
summer survey guidelines for the
Indiana bat.
All comments received by the date
specified in DATES will be considered in
preparing final documents. Methods of
submitting comments are in ADDRESSES.
Public Availability of Comments
Responses to individual commenters
will not be provided; however, we will
provide the comments we receive and a
summary of how we addressed
substantive comments in a frequently
asked questions document on the Web
site listed above. If you submit
comments or information by email to
indiana_bat@fws.gov, your entire
submission—including any personal
identifying information—will be posted
on the Web site. If your submission is
made by hard copy that includes
personal identifying information, you
may request at the top of your document
that we withhold this information from
public review. However, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
We will post all hard copy and email
submissions on the Web site listed
above in ADDRESSES.
Comments and materials we receive
will be available on our Web site;
however, individuals without internet
access may request an appointment to
inspect the comments during normal
business hours at our office in
Bloomington, Indiana (see ADDRESSES).
Authority
The authority for this action is the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: February 4, 2013.
Sean O. Marsan,
Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological
Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2013–02889 Filed 2–7–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
PO 00000
Frm 00054
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R2–R–2012–N277;
FXRS1265022CCP0–134–FF02R06000]
Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge;
Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware,
Mayes, Ottawa, and Sequoyah
Counties, OK; Draft Comprehensive
Conservation Plan and Environmental
Assessment
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive
conservation plan (Draft CCP) and an
environmental assessment (EA) for
Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge
(NWR), which is located within the
approved acquisition area of Adair,
Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes,
Ottawa, and Sequoyah Counties of
Oklahoma, for public review and
comment. The Draft CCP/EA describes
our proposal for managing the Refuge
for the next 15 years.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please
send your written comments by March
8, 2013. Public meetings will be hosted
on Monday, February 25th at the
Delaware County Library, in Jay, OK
74346; Tuesday, February 26th at the
Stilwell Community Center in Stilwell,
OK; and Thursday, Februay 28th in the
Community Ballroom of the Cherokee
Nation Tribal Headquarters in
Tahlequah, OK. All three meetings will
begin at 5:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
or requests for copies or more
information on the Draft CCP/EA by any
of the methods listed below. You may
request hard copies or a CD–ROM of the
Draft CCP/EA documents. Please contact
Sarah Catchot, Lead Planner, or Shea
Hammond, Refuge Wildlife Specialist.
Email: sarah_catchot@fws.gov.
Include ‘‘Ozark Plateau NWR Draft CCP
and EA’’ in the subject line of the
message.
U.S. Mail: Sarah Catchot, Lead
Planner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
NWRS Division of Planning, P.O. Box
1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shea Hammond, Refuge Wildlife
Specialist of Ozark Plateau National
Wildlife Refuge, 16602 County Road
465, Colcord, OK 74338, Phone: 918–
326–0156.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM
08FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2013 / Notices
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP
process for the Ozark Plateau National
Wildlife Refuge. We started this process
through a notice in the Federal Register
on June 19, 1998 (63 FR 33693).
The Refuge manages several units
scattered throughout its seven-county
(Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware,
Mayes, Ottawa, and Sequoyah)
approved acquisition area in
northeastern Oklahoma. Management
units of Ozark Plateau NWR are
identified, acquired, and/or managed
based upon impact to federally listed
threatened or endangered Ozark cave
species, including cave habitat,
groundwater recharge areas, foraging
areas, and movement corridors
important to these species as well as
other species of concern. In addition,
Ozark Plateau NWR’s management units
play a role in conserving continuous
tracts of mature oak-hickory or oakhickory-pine Ozark forest, beneficial to
nesting and migrating Neotropical birds
as well as cave species.
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 on conserving wildlife and
their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities
available to the public, including
opportunities for 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.
Public Outreach
Formal scoping began with
publication of a notice of intent to
prepare a comprehensive conservation
plan and environmental assessment in
the Federal Register on June 19, 1998
(63 FR 33693). The Refuge solicited
public comments on issues and
concerns to aid in CCP development
through three open house meetings held
in December 2009 at Tribal
Headquarters of the Cherokee Nation in
Tahlequah, the Senior Center in
Stilwell, and the Delaware County
Library in Jay, Oklahoma.
9411
The Refuge also met on March 3,
2010, with the Cherokee Nation
Environmental Protection Commission
at the Cherokee Nation Headquarters to
understand issues concerning the tribe
and discuss potential ways to
collaborate on solving issues common to
the two agencies. On March 4, 2010, the
Refuge met with the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conservation
staff at the Porter Office in Oklahoma
also to discuss their concerns regarding
past management, future management,
and issues common to both agencies.
The feedback received at the
conclusion of the public scoping period
identified numerous concerns from a
variety of stakeholders. These concerns
were organized by the following seven
broad issue categories: Landscape-level,
Habitat Management, Wildlife
Management, Public Use Opportunities,
Cultural Resources, Facilities &
Infrastructure, and Administration.
CCP Alternatives We Are Considering
During the public scoping process
with which we started work on this
Draft CCP, we, other Federal agencies,
Tribal Nations, State agencies, and the
public raised multiple issues. Our Draft
CCP addresses them. A full description
of each alternative is in the EA (see
Appendix A). To address these issues,
we developed and evaluated the
following alternatives, summarized in
the table below.
Issue
Alternative A: current management
Alternative B: proposed future management
Landscape-Level Management Issue 1: Ozark
Habitat Loss & Fragmentation.
Acquire land from willing sellers or enter into
agreements for conservation easements;
maintain strong landscape-level partnerships; maintain 4,000 acres of forested
habitat; restore 70 acres of agricultural land
to forested habitat at Beck Unit; refrain from
developing new roads or infrastructure.
Monitor baseline data on cave microclimate
changes; use energy-efficient heating/cooling system and water filtration system on
Looney facility.
Alternative (Alt) A + partner with the FWS
southwestern, midwestern, southeastern
and mountain-prairie regions to expand acquisition boundaries in the Ozark ecoregion;
maintain, conserve, and restore up to
15,000 acres of acquired lands to native
forest habitat.
Alt A + implement long-term Anabat monitoring stations to monitor climate change
impacts to bat species; expand data
loggers for climate info; install weather stations; install solar panels on Refuge facilities; sequester carbon by restoring up to
15,000 acres of acquired lands to native
forest habitat.
Alt A + partner with U.S. Geological Services
(USGS) and local universities to implement
a permanent water quality and quantity
monitoring program.
Landscape-Level Management Issue 2: Climate
Change.
Landscape-Level Management Issue 3: Surface
and Groundwater Quality & Quantity.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Landscape-Level Management Issue 4: Whitenose Syndrome (WNS).
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:23 Feb 07, 2013
Jkt 229001
Survey groundwater recharge areas; acquire
land and conservation easements from willing sellers to restore forest and control runoff; partner with adjacent and nearby landowners; sample water quality.
Implement actions in WNS National Plan;
close caves to the public; partner to monitor
for WNS on and off Refuge; take recommended preventative measures in decontamination of staff caving gear; perform
public outreach; gain Law Enforcement (LE)
support from Sequoyah NWR.
PO 00000
Frm 00055
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Alt A + coordinate/partner to implement permanent monitoring program to monitor species at risk, track movement and occurrence of WNS, and search for physical
signs in Ozark ecoregion; develop a Refuge-specific WNS contingency plan; identify
migration corridors; increase LE support; investigate feasibility of installing alarms inside caves.
E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM
08FEN1
9412
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2013 / Notices
Issue
Alternative A: current management
Alternative B: proposed future management
Landscape-Level Management Issue 5: Wind
Energy Farms.
Monitor baseline data of bird/bat populations
affected by wind turbines and determine locations to minimize impacts.
Build and repair cave gates on- and off-Refuge; post signs prohibiting entry of caves;
maintain confidentiality of cave locations;
gain LE support ‘‘on call’’ from Sequoyah
NWR; partner with landowners; survey and
mark boundaries; implement fire management plans for Looney and Sally Bull Hollow Units.
Perform cave bio-inventories; survey bat
hibernacula and maternity sites; survey
cavefish and cave crayfish; map subterranean extent of caves.
Alt A + identify bat migration corridors; use
GIS to delineate high-risk areas; quantify
impacts; investigate mitigation measures.
Alt A + increase LE presence; install alarm
systems and infrared cameras at caves;
search for unknown caves with partners;
outreach to landowners.
Habitat Management Issue 1: Degradation of
Cave, Stream, and Forest Habitat.
Habitat Management Issue 2: Lack of Detailed
Scientific Cave Habitat Data.
Remove with handtools, chainsaws, and mow
on 10 acres; partner for burns and invasive
control; inventory vegetation with Oklahoma
State University; (see Fire Management,
below).
Habitat Management Issue 4: Fire Management
Coordinate response to all wildfires based on
ecological, social, and legal consequences
of fire; implement Fire Management Plans
for Looney and Sally Bull Hollow Units, including prescribed burns of 400 acres/year
every 3–5 years.
Wildlife Management Issue 1: Threatened and
Endangered (T&E) Species and Species of
Concern.
Continue annual bio-inventorying research of
cave fauna; monitor surveys of bat populations, activity, guano measurements, and
cavefish/crayfish counts; monitor emergence/foraging/migration of bat species
using radio telemetry, infrared video, and
thermal imaging; partner with universities
for genetic research.
Wildlife Management Issue 2: Migratory and
Resident Bird Species.
Conduct bird counts during migration seasons; use prescribed fire on Looney and
Sally Bull Hollow Units; enforce limited public use.
Wildlife Management Issue 3: Resident NonT&E Species.
Conduct mobile acoustic monitoring once or
twice a month from spring through fall from
roadways and cave entrances; perform bioinventories in 2–3 caves every 5 years.
Wildlife Management Issue 4: Invasive Fauna
Species and Pest Management.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Habitat Management Issue 3: Invasive Flora ....
No management for invasive fauna species
and/or pests.
Public Use Management Issue 1: Hunting .........
No hunting permitted .......................................
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:23 Feb 07, 2013
Jkt 229001
PO 00000
Frm 00056
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Alt A + partner to develop habitat suitability indexes for cave species; research effects of
prescribed burning/thinning on cave habitats and wildlife; implement acoustic monitor program for non-listed species; survey
macroinvertebrates and other cave fauna.
Alt A + work with partners to identify, document, and monitor all plant species occurring on the Refuge; assess changes in
vegetation over time; use mechanical treatments and if necessary, use herbicide spottreatment a maximum of one to three applications per year, March–November (see
Fire Management, below).
Alt A + develop a Refuge-wide Fire Management Plan to increase use of prescribed fire
to 1⁄3 of Refuge’s total acreage/year every
3–5 years; establish agreements with landowners to increase use of prescribed fire
surrounding the Refuge; monitor effects of
prescribed fire and midstory thinning on
habitats and species.
Alt A + establish permanent, stationary acoustic monitors in and around caves on all
Units; establish permanent acoustic survey
program on designated routes; develop a
habitat suitability index model for T&E cave
species; increase genetic research; install
permanent cameras in caves; increase prescribed fires to all Units (see Fire Management).
Alt A + identify all migratory bird species occurring on or near the Refuge (spring and
fall); conduct seasonal nesting studies and
MAPS banding of birds monthly for 6
months each year; increase prescribed fires
to all Units (see Fire Management).
Alt A + establish permanent, stationary acoustic monitors in and around caves on all
Units; establish permanent acoustic survey
program on designated routes; perform annual count surveys of non-listed cavefish
and mark recapture of cave crayfish; survey
all wildlife species occurring on Refuge; increase genetic research of cave species;
install permanent cameras in caves; increase prescribed fires to all Units (see Fire
Management).
Partner to identify, document, and monitor all
species occurring on the Refuge; conduct a
feral hog, feral cat, and hothouse millipede
survey; research eradication strategies; if
necessary, develop an Integrated Pest
Management Plan.
Develop a Hunt Plan to allow walk-in-only,
open-access hunting on the Sally Bull Hollow Unit, adjacent to the State-managed
Ozark Plateau Wetlands Management Area
(WMA).
E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM
08FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2013 / Notices
9413
Issue
Alternative A: current management
Alternative B: proposed future management
Public Use Management Issue 2: Environmental Education (EE).
Partner to offer place-based EE programs on
the Looney Unit and at the Mary & Murray
Looney Education & Research Center
(MMLERC), by permit only, limited to 10–20
people, 2–3 times per month in spring and
fall, 1–2 times per month in summer and 1
per month in winter.
Public Use Management Issue 3: Interpretation
Partner to conduct interpretation programs on
the Looney Unit and MMLERC, by permit
only, for approximately 25 people per
month on-site and to 5 to 100s of people
per month off-site.
Provide opportunities by permit only on the
Looney Unit, in conjunction with interpretive
and/or EE programs.
Alt A + increase visitation to 50–100 people
per week, 3–4 times per week in spring,
summer, and fall and 10–20 people per
week, 1–2 times per week in winter; expand
programs to include after- and homeschool, teacher continuing education, gardening program, tribal-lead; train other FWS
and partner agencies in effective EE methods; if necessary, develop a Visitor Services Plan.
Alt A + offer interpretive programs to include
permaculture gardening, showcase Refuge
use of sustainable/green technologies; if
necessary, develop a Visitor Services Plan.
Public Use Management Issue 4: Wildlife Observation & Photography.
Prohibit wood harvesting by the public ............
Public Use Management Issue 6: Public Outreach.
Maintain confidentiality to protect Refuge resources (no pamphlets/fliers available).
Cultural/Historical
Resources
Issue 1: Historical Sites.
Management
Keep sites confidential; partner with State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to preserve sites.
Cultural/Historical
Resources
Management
Issue 2: Archeological and Paleontological
Sites.
Keep sites confidential; partner with SHPO,
Sam Noble Museum archeologists, and paleontologists to preserve sites.
Facilities/Infrastructure Management Issue 1:
Mary & Murray Looney Education & Research Center (MMLERC).
Operate and maintain MMLERC (1,200 sq. ft.)
facility; maintain Americans with Disability
Act (ADA) accessibility.
Facilities/Infrastructure Management Issue 2:
Access Roads.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Public Use Management Issue 5: Wood Harvesting.
Maintain a 0.25-mile unpaved and unimproved access road to the MMLERC, with a
gate; maintain an unpaved parking area for
approximately 10 vehicles; excess parking
near the maintenance shop.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:23 Feb 07, 2013
Jkt 229001
PO 00000
Frm 00057
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Alt A + allow walk-in access of wildlife observation and photography on Sally Bull Hollow Unit, aside from hunting season; explore additional opportunities on acquired
lands; prohibit use in caves; install photography blinds and 3 primitive overlook areas
on Looney Unit trails and potentially newly
acquired lands.
Permit wood harvesting by the public of
downed-trees as Refuge forest and wildlife
management needs dictate.
Create a flier/brochure to advertise Visitor
Services opportunities and update Refuge
websites to include contact info; work with
volunteers to establish an official Friends
group to assist with public outreach.
Alt A + increase LE from Sequoyah NWR to
secure known sites; partner to preserve and
perform studies on known sites and newly
discovered sites.
Alt A + increase LE from Sequoyah NWR to
secure known sites; partner to preserve and
survey known sites and newly discovered
sites.
Alt A + renovate roof; insulate basement and
attic; renovate cabin exterior; renovate
porch; renovate front door to be ADA-accessible; renovate one bathroom to be
ADA-accessible; install monitored alarm
system; replace plumbing system; replace
electrical system; replace propane gas
lines; install energy-efficient windows; maintain water filter; install rainwater collection
system; build raised garden beds and relandscape with native plants; install solar
panels; use energy-efficient heating and
cooling system and appliances; install A/V
technology; remove small cabin adjacent to
MMLERC and replace with a 800 sq. ft.
outdoor pavilion studio space and bridge.
Alt A + improve roads and parking areas, including: widen MMLERC access drive/parking area by 2 feet and improve with gravel;
improve road with gravel from county road
to maintenance shop; improve parking area
surfaces with gravel; improve 0.3 miles of
gravel road on Beck Unit; improve and/or
maintain roads on newly acquired lands, if
necessary.
E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM
08FEN1
9414
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2013 / Notices
Issue
Alternative A: current management
Alternative B: proposed future management
Facilities/Infrastructure Management Issue 3:
Nature Trails and Overlooks.
Utilize and maintain trails around the Refuge,
including: deteriorating path from the
MMLERC to the pavilion, small path from
the parking area to the MMLERC, 1⁄4-mile
trail from MMLERC to Spavinaw Creek, 1⁄8mile trail from MMLERC to the old garden
area at top of hill, 150-yard trail from Guess
house to the MMLERC, and 1⁄4-mile trails
near the Guess house; no established overlook areas.
Facilities/Infrastructure Management Issue 4:
Public Use Signs and Interpretive Displays.
No public use signs or interpretive signs posted on any Refuge units, except for outside
of caves stating that they are closed to the
public.
Facilities/Infrastructure Management Issue 5:
Refuge Headquarters (HQ) Site.
No centralized HQ site—each staff member
works out of the Oklahoma ES Office in
Tulsa, the MMLERC (Refuge), and/or
Sequoyah NWR.
Facilities/Infrastructure Management Issue 6:
Boundaries.
Maintain and repair 60 miles of Unit boundaries with a total of over 4 miles of fencing
and 11 gates.
Facilities/Infrastructure Management Issue 7:
Maintenance Shops and Service Buildings.
Utilize and maintain three maintenance shops:
Beck Unit Shop—50 x 30 ft metal building
on concrete pad, Looney Unit: 50 x 30 ft
metal building on concrete pad, and Guess
House Shop.
Facilities/Infrastructure Management Issue 8:
Refuge Housing.
Provide Refuge housing for Refuge staff at
the Guess House and one bedroom for
staff, volunteers, guests, etc. at the
MMLERC cabin (Looney Unit); maintain
agreement with Leslie Krause.
Administration Management Issue 1: Funding
and Staffing.
Receive funding and staffing for operations,
infrastructure, and maintenance, determined
by Congress and allocated to refuges by
the Southwest Regional Office of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service; seek additional
funding such as applying for grants and
working with Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in order to leverage funds.
No official Friends group established (support
from National Speleological Society local
chapters); approximately 5,000 to 10,000
volunteer hours total per year.
Alt A + Establish a 0.25-mile primitive trail to
connect the MMLERC trail to maintenance
shop trail; build a 2-mile primitive trail
around the perimeter of the Looney Unit;
repave the 0.1-mile concrete path from the
MMLERC cabin to the pavilion; improve the
0.25-mile trail with gravel from the Looney
maintenance shop to the MMLERC; improve the 0.1-mile primitive trail with gravel
from the parking/camping area on top of the
hill down to the MMLERC.
Construct and post a sign for the MMLERC
and new HQ site; install directional
MMLERC sign at the county road entrance;
install signs at all cave entrances to prohibit
public entry and also to inform them about
White-nose Syndrome (WNS); install limited
interpretive signage on Looney Unit.
Acquire up to 15,000 acres of land and conservation easements from willing sellers
within the approved acquisition boundary
and utilize an acquired building(s), if appropriate, for new centralized HQ site; or build
a new HQ site on centralized acquired site.
Alt A + Contract surveyors to survey and
mark all un-surveyed/un-marked Unit
boundaries on the Refuge; maintain new
markers.
Alt A + build an additional 50 x 100 ft metal
building on concrete pad maintenance shop
at new HQ site; construct additional decontamination and storage facility at new HQ,
with ventilation building; outfit facilities; construct a fueling station for Refuge vehicles
and equipment at new HQ; reconstruct existing pole barn on the Beck Unit.
Alt A + once HQ is established, convert existing Refuge office to a second guest room at
the MMLERC; new HQ plan would include
kitchen/bath facilities; construct two Recreational Vehicle (RV) pads at the new HQ
site; construct RV pad on the Looney Unit;
when agreement with Leslie Krause is terminated (donation), renovate Krause residence for Refuge housing.
Same as Alt A.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Administration Management Issue 2: Volunteers/Friends Program.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:38 Feb 07, 2013
Jkt 229001
PO 00000
Frm 00058
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Alt A + coordinate with unofficial Friends
group and/or dedicated volunteer members
to encourage formation of official Friends
Group; perform outreach to increase parttime, non-resident volunteers to approximately 10,000 to 20,000 volunteer hours
per year; educate and train volunteers.
E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM
08FEN1
9415
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 27 / Friday, February 8, 2013 / Notices
Issue
Alternative A: current management
Alternative B: proposed future management
Administration Management Issue 3: Coordinate Beyond FWS Regional Boundaries to
More Effectively Manage Federally Listed
Cave Species on a Landscape Level.
No management agreement in place to coordinate across FWS Regional boundaries
to manage cave habitat and species.
Coordinate with the State of Arkansas and
FWS Region 4 to manage or co-manage
Logan Cave NWR as a Unit of Ozark Plateau NWR; coordinate with the State of
Missouri and FWS Region 3 to manage or
co-manage Cavefish NWR and Pilot Knob
NWR as Units of Ozark Plateau NWR; coordinate with the State of Kansas and FWS
Region 6 for Ozark Plateau NWR to cooperate management of federally listed
Ozark cave species; expand and establish
new acquisition areas within the Ozark
landscape across multiple State and Regional boundaries.
• Our Web site: https://www.fws.gov/
southwest/refuges/Plan/
plansinprogress.html.
• At the following public libraries:
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to any methods in
ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
documents at the following locations:
Library
Address
Delaware County Library .......................
Stilwell Public Library .............................
Tahlequah Public Library .......................
Miami Public Library ...............................
Stanley Tubbs Memorial Library ............
Central Library ........................................
429 South 9th St., Jay, OK 74346 .........................................................................
5 N 6th St., Stilwell, OK 74960 ..............................................................................
120 S College Ave., Tahlequah, OK 74464 ...........................................................
200 N. Main, Miami, OK 74354 ..............................................................................
101 E Cherokee Ave., Sallisaw, OK 74955 ...........................................................
400 Civic Ctr., Tulsa, OK 74103 ............................................................................
Submitting Comments/Issues for
Comment
We consider comments substantive if
they:
• Question, with reasonable basis, the
accuracy of the information in the
document;
• Question, with reasonable basis, the
adequacy of the environmental
assessment (EA);
• Present reasonable alternatives
other than those presented in the EA;
and/or
• Provide new or additional
information relevant to the assessment.
Next Steps
After this comment period ends, we
will analyze each comment and address
them in an appendix form of the Final
CCP along with a finding of no
significant impact.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone
number, email 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: November 30, 2012.
Joy Nicholopoulos,
Regional Director, Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2013–02976 Filed 2–6–13; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R3–ES–2013–N027;
FXES11130300000F3–134–FF03E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Species;
Permits
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of issuance of permits.
AGENCY:
Jkt 229001
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, have issued the
following permits to conduct certain
activities with endangered species
under the authority of the Endangered
Species Act, as amended (Act).
SUMMARY:
Ms.
Lisa Mandell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Ecological Services—
Endangered Species, 5600 American
Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN
55437–1458; (612) 713–5343 (phone) or
lisa_mandell@fws.gov (email).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
We have
issued the following permits in response
to recovery permit applications we
received under the authority of section
10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Each permit listed below was issued
only after we determined that it was
applied for in good faith, that granting
the permit would not be to the
disadvantage of the listed species, and
that the terms and conditions of the
permit were consistent with purposes
and policy set forth in the Act.
Permit No.
ABR, INC. ....................................................................................................................................
AHLSTEDT, STEVEN A ..............................................................................................................
BAT CALLS IDENTIFICATION, INC. ..........................................................................................
BAT CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, INC. ...................................................................
BENEDICT, RUSSELL A .............................................................................................................
BERNARDIN-LOCHMUELLER & ASSOCIATES ........................................................................
BHE ENVIRONMENTAL, INC .....................................................................................................
17:23 Feb 07, 2013
918–253–8521
918–696–7512
918–456–2581
918–542–3064
918–596–7897
918–596–7897
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Applicant name
VerDate Mar<15>2010
Phone number
PO 00000
Frm 00059
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
224720
113009
60958A
212440
06820A
06845A
38789A
E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM
08FEN1
Date issued
4/10/2012
12/13/2012
2/17/2012
4/9/2012
5/16/2012
4/10/2012
5/24/2012
Date expired
12/31/2013
12/31/2014
12/31/2013
12/31/2012
12/31/2013
12/31/2013
12/31/2012
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9410-9415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02976]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R2-R-2012-N277; FXRS1265022CCP0-134-FF02R06000]
Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge; Adair, Cherokee, Craig,
Delaware, Mayes, Ottawa, and Sequoyah Counties, OK; Draft Comprehensive
Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (Draft CCP) and
an environmental assessment (EA) for Ozark Plateau National Wildlife
Refuge (NWR), which is located within the approved acquisition area of
Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Ottawa, and Sequoyah Counties
of Oklahoma, for public review and comment. The Draft CCP/EA describes
our proposal for managing the Refuge for the next 15 years.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
March 8, 2013. Public meetings will be hosted on Monday, February 25th
at the Delaware County Library, in Jay, OK 74346; Tuesday, February
26th at the Stilwell Community Center in Stilwell, OK; and Thursday,
Februay 28th in the Community Ballroom of the Cherokee Nation Tribal
Headquarters in Tahlequah, OK. All three meetings will begin at 5:30
p.m.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments or requests for copies or more
information on the Draft CCP/EA by any of the methods listed below. You
may request hard copies or a CD-ROM of the Draft CCP/EA documents.
Please contact Sarah Catchot, Lead Planner, or Shea Hammond, Refuge
Wildlife Specialist.
Email: sarah_catchot@fws.gov. Include ``Ozark Plateau NWR Draft
CCP and EA'' in the subject line of the message.
U.S. Mail: Sarah Catchot, Lead Planner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, NWRS Division of Planning, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM
87103.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shea Hammond, Refuge Wildlife
Specialist of Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge, 16602 County Road
465, Colcord, OK 74338, Phone: 918-326-0156.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 9411]]
Introduction
With this notice, we continue the CCP process for the Ozark Plateau
National Wildlife Refuge. We started this process through a notice in
the Federal Register on June 19, 1998 (63 FR 33693).
The Refuge manages several units scattered throughout its seven-
county (Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, Ottawa, and Sequoyah)
approved acquisition area in northeastern Oklahoma. Management units of
Ozark Plateau NWR are identified, acquired, and/or managed based upon
impact to federally listed threatened or endangered Ozark cave species,
including cave habitat, groundwater recharge areas, foraging areas, and
movement corridors important to these species as well as other species
of concern. In addition, Ozark Plateau NWR's management units play a
role in conserving continuous tracts of mature oak-hickory or oak-
hickory-pine Ozark forest, beneficial to nesting and migrating
Neotropical birds as well as cave species.
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 on
conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-
dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including
opportunities for 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.
Public Outreach
Formal scoping began with publication of a notice of intent to
prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment
in the Federal Register on June 19, 1998 (63 FR 33693). The Refuge
solicited public comments on issues and concerns to aid in CCP
development through three open house meetings held in December 2009 at
Tribal Headquarters of the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, the Senior
Center in Stilwell, and the Delaware County Library in Jay, Oklahoma.
The Refuge also met on March 3, 2010, with the Cherokee Nation
Environmental Protection Commission at the Cherokee Nation Headquarters
to understand issues concerning the tribe and discuss potential ways to
collaborate on solving issues common to the two agencies. On March 4,
2010, the Refuge met with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation staff at the Porter Office in Oklahoma also to discuss
their concerns regarding past management, future management, and issues
common to both agencies.
The feedback received at the conclusion of the public scoping
period identified numerous concerns from a variety of stakeholders.
These concerns were organized by the following seven broad issue
categories: Landscape-level, Habitat Management, Wildlife Management,
Public Use Opportunities, Cultural Resources, Facilities &
Infrastructure, and Administration.
CCP Alternatives We Are Considering
During the public scoping process with which we started work on
this Draft CCP, we, other Federal agencies, Tribal Nations, State
agencies, and the public raised multiple issues. Our Draft CCP
addresses them. A full description of each alternative is in the EA
(see Appendix A). To address these issues, we developed and evaluated
the following alternatives, summarized in the table below.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternative B:
Issue Alternative A: proposed future
current management management
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Landscape-Level Management Acquire land from Alternative (Alt) A
Issue 1: Ozark Habitat Loss willing sellers or + partner with the
& Fragmentation. enter into FWS southwestern,
agreements for midwestern,
conservation southeastern and
easements; maintain mountain-prairie
strong landscape- regions to expand
level partnerships; acquisition
maintain 4,000 boundaries in the
acres of forested Ozark ecoregion;
habitat; restore 70 maintain, conserve,
acres of and restore up to
agricultural land 15,000 acres of
to forested habitat acquired lands to
at Beck Unit; native forest
refrain from habitat.
developing new
roads or
infrastructure.
Landscape-Level Management Monitor baseline Alt A + implement
Issue 2: Climate Change. data on cave long-term Anabat
microclimate monitoring stations
changes; use energy- to monitor climate
efficient heating/ change impacts to
cooling system and bat species; expand
water filtration data loggers for
system on Looney climate info;
facility. install weather
stations; install
solar panels on
Refuge facilities;
sequester carbon by
restoring up to
15,000 acres of
acquired lands to
native forest
habitat.
Landscape-Level Management Survey groundwater Alt A + partner with
Issue 3: Surface and recharge areas; U.S. Geological
Groundwater Quality & acquire land and Services (USGS) and
Quantity. conservation local universities
easements from to implement a
willing sellers to permanent water
restore forest and quality and
control run-off; quantity monitoring
partner with program.
adjacent and nearby
landowners; sample
water quality.
Landscape-Level Management Implement actions in Alt A + coordinate/
Issue 4: White-nose WNS National Plan; partner to
Syndrome (WNS). close caves to the implement permanent
public; partner to monitoring program
monitor for WNS on to monitor species
and off Refuge; at risk, track
take recommended movement and
preventative occurrence of WNS,
measures in and search for
decontamination of physical signs in
staff caving gear; Ozark ecoregion;
perform public develop a Refuge-
outreach; gain Law specific WNS
Enforcement (LE) contingency plan;
support from identify migration
Sequoyah NWR. corridors; increase
LE support;
investigate
feasibility of
installing alarms
inside caves.
[[Page 9412]]
Landscape-Level Management Monitor baseline Alt A + identify bat
Issue 5: Wind Energy Farms. data of bird/bat migration
populations corridors; use GIS
affected by wind to delineate high-
turbines and risk areas;
determine locations quantify impacts;
to minimize impacts. investigate
mitigation
measures.
Habitat Management Issue 1: Build and repair Alt A + increase LE
Degradation of Cave, cave gates on- and presence; install
Stream, and Forest Habitat. off-Refuge; post alarm systems and
signs prohibiting infrared cameras at
entry of caves; caves; search for
maintain unknown caves with
confidentiality of partners; outreach
cave locations; to landowners.
gain LE support
``on call'' from
Sequoyah NWR;
partner with
landowners; survey
and mark
boundaries;
implement fire
management plans
for Looney and
Sally Bull Hollow
Units.
Habitat Management Issue 2: Perform cave bio- Alt A + partner to
Lack of Detailed Scientific inventories; survey develop habitat
Cave Habitat Data. bat hibernacula and suitability indexes
maternity sites; for cave species;
survey cavefish and research effects of
cave crayfish; map prescribed burning/
subterranean extent thinning on cave
of caves. habitats and
wildlife; implement
acoustic monitor
program for non-
listed species;
survey
macroinvertebrates
and other cave
fauna.
Habitat Management Issue 3: Remove with Alt A + work with
Invasive Flora. handtools, partners to
chainsaws, and mow identify, document,
on 10 acres; and monitor all
partner for burns plant species
and invasive occurring on the
control; inventory Refuge; assess
vegetation with changes in
Oklahoma State vegetation over
University; (see time; use
Fire Management, mechanical
below). treatments and if
necessary, use
herbicide spot-
treatment a maximum
of one to three
applications per
year, March-
November (see Fire
Management, below).
Habitat Management Issue 4: Coordinate response Alt A + develop a
Fire Management. to all wildfires Refuge-wide Fire
based on Management Plan to
ecological, social, increase use of
and legal prescribed fire to
consequences of \1/3\ of Refuge's
fire; implement total acreage/year
Fire Management every 3-5 years;
Plans for Looney establish
and Sally Bull agreements with
Hollow Units, landowners to
including increase use of
prescribed burns of prescribed fire
400 acres/year surrounding the
every 3-5 years. Refuge; monitor
effects of
prescribed fire and
midstory thinning
on habitats and
species.
Wildlife Management Issue 1: Continue annual bio- Alt A + establish
Threatened and Endangered inventorying permanent,
(T&E) Species and Species research of cave stationary acoustic
of Concern. fauna; monitor monitors in and
surveys of bat around caves on all
populations, Units; establish
activity, guano permanent acoustic
measurements, and survey program on
cavefish/crayfish designated routes;
counts; monitor develop a habitat
emergence/foraging/ suitability index
migration of bat model for T&E cave
species using radio species; increase
telemetry, infrared genetic research;
video, and thermal install permanent
imaging; partner cameras in caves;
with universities increase prescribed
for genetic fires to all Units
research. (see Fire
Management).
Wildlife Management Issue 2: Conduct bird counts Alt A + identify all
Migratory and Resident Bird during migration migratory bird
Species. seasons; use species occurring
prescribed fire on on or near the
Looney and Sally Refuge (spring and
Bull Hollow Units; fall); conduct
enforce limited seasonal nesting
public use. studies and MAPS
banding of birds
monthly for 6
months each year;
increase prescribed
fires to all Units
(see Fire
Management).
Wildlife Management Issue 3: Conduct mobile Alt A + establish
Resident Non-T&E Species. acoustic monitoring permanent,
once or twice a stationary acoustic
month from spring monitors in and
through fall from around caves on all
roadways and cave Units; establish
entrances; perform permanent acoustic
bio-inventories in survey program on
2-3 caves every 5 designated routes;
years. perform annual
count surveys of
non-listed cavefish
and mark recapture
of cave crayfish;
survey all wildlife
species occurring
on Refuge; increase
genetic research of
cave species;
install permanent
cameras in caves;
increase prescribed
fires to all Units
(see Fire
Management).
Wildlife Management Issue 4: No management for Partner to identify,
Invasive Fauna Species and invasive fauna document, and
Pest Management. species and/or monitor all species
pests. occurring on the
Refuge; conduct a
feral hog, feral
cat, and hothouse
millipede survey;
research
eradication
strategies; if
necessary, develop
an Integrated Pest
Management Plan.
Public Use Management Issue No hunting permitted Develop a Hunt Plan
1: Hunting. to allow walk-in-
only, open-access
hunting on the
Sally Bull Hollow
Unit, adjacent to
the State-managed
Ozark Plateau
Wetlands Management
Area (WMA).
[[Page 9413]]
Public Use Management Issue Partner to offer Alt A + increase
2: Environmental Education place-based EE visitation to 50-
(EE). programs on the 100 people per
Looney Unit and at week, 3-4 times per
the Mary & Murray week in spring,
Looney Education & summer, and fall
Research Center and 10-20 people
(MMLERC), by permit per week, 1-2 times
only, limited to 10- per week in winter;
20 people, 2-3 expand programs to
times per month in include after- and
spring and fall, 1- home- school,
2 times per month teacher continuing
in summer and 1 per education,
month in winter. gardening program,
tribal-lead; train
other FWS and
partner agencies in
effective EE
methods; if
necessary, develop
a Visitor Services
Plan.
Public Use Management Issue Partner to conduct Alt A + offer
3: Interpretation. interpretation interpretive
programs on the programs to include
Looney Unit and permaculture
MMLERC, by permit gardening, showcase
only, for Refuge use of
approximately 25 sustainable/green
people per month on- technologies; if
site and to 5 to necessary, develop
100s of people per a Visitor Services
month off-site. Plan.
Public Use Management Issue Provide Alt A + allow walk-
4: Wildlife Observation & opportunities by in access of
Photography. permit only on the wildlife
Looney Unit, in observation and
conjunction with photography on
interpretive and/or Sally Bull Hollow
EE programs. Unit, aside from
hunting season;
explore additional
opportunities on
acquired lands;
prohibit use in
caves; install
photography blinds
and 3 primitive
overlook areas on
Looney Unit trails
and potentially
newly acquired
lands.
Public Use Management Issue Prohibit wood Permit wood
5: Wood Harvesting. harvesting by the harvesting by the
public. public of downed-
trees as Refuge
forest and wildlife
management needs
dictate.
Public Use Management Issue Maintain Create a flier/
6: Public Outreach. confidentiality to brochure to
protect Refuge advertise Visitor
resources (no Services
pamphlets/fliers opportunities and
available). update Refuge
websites to include
contact info; work
with volunteers to
establish an
official Friends
group to assist
with public
outreach.
Cultural/Historical Keep sites Alt A + increase LE
Resources Management Issue confidential; from Sequoyah NWR
1: Historical Sites. partner with State to secure known
Historic sites; partner to
Preservation Office preserve and
(SHPO) to preserve perform studies on
sites. known sites and
newly discovered
sites.
Cultural/Historical Keep sites Alt A + increase LE
Resources Management Issue confidential; from Sequoyah NWR
2: Archeological and partner with SHPO, to secure known
Paleontological Sites. Sam Noble Museum sites; partner to
archeologists, and preserve and survey
paleontologists to known sites and
preserve sites. newly discovered
sites.
Facilities/Infrastructure Operate and maintain Alt A + renovate
Management Issue 1: Mary & MMLERC (1,200 sq. roof; insulate
Murray Looney Education & ft.) facility; basement and attic;
Research Center (MMLERC). maintain Americans renovate cabin
with Disability Act exterior; renovate
(ADA) accessibility. porch; renovate
front door to be
ADA-accessible;
renovate one
bathroom to be ADA-
accessible; install
monitored alarm
system; replace
plumbing system;
replace electrical
system; replace
propane gas lines;
install energy-
efficient windows;
maintain water
filter; install
rainwater
collection system;
build raised garden
beds and re-
landscape with
native plants;
install solar
panels; use energy-
efficient heating
and cooling system
and appliances;
install A/V
technology; remove
small cabin
adjacent to MMLERC
and replace with a
800 sq. ft. outdoor
pavilion studio
space and bridge.
Facilities/Infrastructure Maintain a 0.25-mile Alt A + improve
Management Issue 2: Access unpaved and roads and parking
Roads. unimproved access areas, including:
road to the MMLERC, widen MMLERC access
with a gate; drive/parking area
maintain an unpaved by 2 feet and
parking area for improve with
approximately 10 gravel; improve
vehicles; excess road with gravel
parking near the from county road to
maintenance shop. maintenance shop;
improve parking
area surfaces with
gravel; improve 0.3
miles of gravel
road on Beck Unit;
improve and/or
maintain roads on
newly acquired
lands, if
necessary.
[[Page 9414]]
Facilities/Infrastructure Utilize and maintain Alt A + Establish a
Management Issue 3: Nature trails around the 0.25-mile primitive
Trails and Overlooks. Refuge, including: trail to connect
deteriorating path the MMLERC trail to
from the MMLERC to maintenance shop
the pavilion, small trail; build a 2-
path from the mile primitive
parking area to the trail around the
MMLERC, \1/4\-mile perimeter of the
trail from MMLERC Looney Unit; repave
to Spavinaw Creek, the 0.1-mile
\1/8\-mile trail concrete path from
from MMLERC to the the MMLERC cabin to
old garden area at the pavilion;
top of hill, 150- improve the 0.25-
yard trail from mile trail with
Guess house to the gravel from the
MMLERC, and \1/4\- Looney maintenance
mile trails near shop to the MMLERC;
the Guess house; no improve the 0.1-
established mile primitive
overlook areas. trail with gravel
from the parking/
camping area on top
of the hill down to
the MMLERC.
Facilities/Infrastructure No public use signs Construct and post a
Management Issue 4: Public or interpretive sign for the MMLERC
Use Signs and Interpretive signs posted on any and new HQ site;
Displays. Refuge units, install directional
except for outside MMLERC sign at the
of caves stating county road
that they are entrance; install
closed to the signs at all cave
public. entrances to
prohibit public
entry and also to
inform them about
White-nose Syndrome
(WNS); install
limited
interpretive
signage on Looney
Unit.
Facilities/Infrastructure No centralized HQ Acquire up to 15,000
Management Issue 5: Refuge site--each staff acres of land and
Headquarters (HQ) Site. member works out of conservation
the Oklahoma ES easements from
Office in Tulsa, willing sellers
the MMLERC within the approved
(Refuge), and/or acquisition
Sequoyah NWR. boundary and
utilize an acquired
building(s), if
appropriate, for
new centralized HQ
site; or build a
new HQ site on
centralized
acquired site.
Facilities/Infrastructure Maintain and repair Alt A + Contract
Management Issue 6: 60 miles of Unit surveyors to survey
Boundaries. boundaries with a and mark all un-
total of over 4 surveyed/un-marked
miles of fencing Unit boundaries on
and 11 gates. the Refuge;
maintain new
markers.
Facilities/Infrastructure Utilize and maintain Alt A + build an
Management Issue 7: three maintenance additional 50 x 100
Maintenance Shops and shops: Beck Unit ft metal building
Service Buildings. Shop--50 x 30 ft on concrete pad
metal building on maintenance shop at
concrete pad, new HQ site;
Looney Unit: 50 x construct
30 ft metal additional
building on decontamination and
concrete pad, and storage facility at
Guess House Shop. new HQ, with
ventilation
building; outfit
facilities;
construct a fueling
station for Refuge
vehicles and
equipment at new
HQ; reconstruct
existing pole barn
on the Beck Unit.
Facilities/Infrastructure Provide Refuge Alt A + once HQ is
Management Issue 8: Refuge housing for Refuge established,
Housing. staff at the Guess convert existing
House and one Refuge office to a
bedroom for staff, second guest room
volunteers, guests, at the MMLERC; new
etc. at the MMLERC HQ plan would
cabin (Looney include kitchen/
Unit); maintain bath facilities;
agreement with construct two
Leslie Krause. Recreational
Vehicle (RV) pads
at the new HQ site;
construct RV pad on
the Looney Unit;
when agreement with
Leslie Krause is
terminated
(donation),
renovate Krause
residence for
Refuge housing.
Administration Management Receive funding and Same as Alt A.
Issue 1: Funding and staffing for
Staffing. operations,
infrastructure, and
maintenance,
determined by
Congress and
allocated to
refuges by the
Southwest Regional
Office of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife
Service; seek
additional funding
such as applying
for grants and
working with Non-
Government
Organizations
(NGOs) in order to
leverage funds.
Administration Management No official Friends Alt A + coordinate
Issue 2: Volunteers/Friends group established with unofficial
Program. (support from Friends group and/
National or dedicated
Speleological volunteer members
Society local to encourage
chapters); formation of
approximately 5,000 official Friends
to 10,000 volunteer Group; perform
hours total per outreach to
year. increase part-time,
non-resident
volunteers to
approximately
10,000 to 20,000
volunteer hours per
year; educate and
train volunteers.
[[Page 9415]]
Administration Management No management Coordinate with the
Issue 3: Coordinate Beyond agreement in place State of Arkansas
FWS Regional Boundaries to to coordinate and FWS Region 4 to
More Effectively Manage across FWS Regional manage or co-manage
Federally Listed Cave boundaries to Logan Cave NWR as a
Species on a Landscape manage cave habitat Unit of Ozark
Level. and species. Plateau NWR;
coordinate with the
State of Missouri
and FWS Region 3 to
manage or co-manage
Cavefish NWR and
Pilot Knob NWR as
Units of Ozark
Plateau NWR;
coordinate with the
State of Kansas and
FWS Region 6 for
Ozark Plateau NWR
to cooperate
management of
federally listed
Ozark cave species;
expand and
establish new
acquisition areas
within the Ozark
landscape across
multiple State and
Regional
boundaries.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Availability of Documents
In addition to any methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
documents at the following locations:
Our Web site: https://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/plansinprogress.html.
At the following public libraries:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Library Address Phone number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delaware County Library...... 429 South 9th St., 918-253-8521
Jay, OK 74346.
Stilwell Public Library...... 5 N 6th St., 918-696-7512
Stilwell, OK 74960.
Tahlequah Public Library..... 120 S College Ave., 918-456-2581
Tahlequah, OK 74464.
Miami Public Library......... 200 N. Main, Miami, 918-542-3064
OK 74354.
Stanley Tubbs Memorial 101 E Cherokee Ave., 918-596-7897
Library. Sallisaw, OK 74955.
Central Library.............. 400 Civic Ctr., 918-596-7897
Tulsa, OK 74103.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitting Comments/Issues for Comment
We consider comments substantive if they:
Question, with reasonable basis, the accuracy of the
information in the document;
Question, with reasonable basis, the adequacy of the
environmental assessment (EA);
Present reasonable alternatives other than those presented
in the EA; and/or
Provide new or additional information relevant to the
assessment.
Next Steps
After this comment period ends, we will analyze each comment and
address them in an appendix form of the Final CCP along with a finding
of no significant impact.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email 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: November 30, 2012.
Joy Nicholopoulos,
Regional Director, Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2013-02976 Filed 2-6-13; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
