Final Anacostia Park Wetlands and Resident Canada Goose Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, 71788 [2014-28437]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 232 (Wednesday, December 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 71788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28437]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-NCR-NACA-15371; PX.P0136318C.00.1]


Final Anacostia Park Wetlands and Resident Canada Goose 
Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Anacostia Park 
Wetlands and Resident Canada Goose Management Plan, Anacostia Park, 
Washington, DC The plan provides integrated tools to protect and manage 
previously restored wetlands in the park, as well as other park 
resources, including management of the resident Canada goose 
population.

DATES: The NPS will execute a Record of Decision (ROD) no sooner than 
30 days from the date of publication of the Notice of Availability of 
the FEIS and Plan by the Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: The FEIS and Plan is available in electronic format online 
at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/anac. This Web site also provides 
information where public review copies of the FEIS and Plan are 
available for viewing. A limited number of compact discs and hard 
copies of the FEIS and Plan are available at National Capital Parks-
East, 1900 Anacostia Drive SE., Washington, DC 20020. You may also 
request a CD or hard copy by contacting Gopaul Noojibail, Acting 
Superintendent of National Capital Parks-East, 1900 Anacostia Drive 
SE., Washington, DC 20020, or by telephone at (202) 690-5127.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gopaul Noojibail, Acting 
Superintendent of National Capital Parks-East, 1900 Anacostia Drive 
SE., Washington, DC 20020, or by telephone at (202) 690-5127.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS and Plan responds to, and 
incorporates as appropriate, agency and public comments received on the 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Plan which was 
available for public review from July 21, 2011, to September 26, 2011. 
A public meeting, including hearing, was held on September 7, 2011, to 
gather input on the DEIS and Plan. Thirteen pieces of correspondence 
were received during the public review period. Agency and public 
comments and NPS responses are provided in Appendix F of the FEIS and 
Plan.
    The FEIS and Plan evaluates five alternatives for managing wetlands 
and resident Canada geese in the park. The document describes and 
analyzes the environmental impacts of the no-action alternative and 
four action alternatives. When approved, the Plan will guide wetland 
and resident Canada goose management actions in Anacostia Park 
(including Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens) over the next 15 years.
    The alternatives included in this plan and FEIS are presented as a 
two-tiered approach, which includes techniques for wetland vegetation 
management and also for goose management. Wetland vegetation management 
includes the following elements: hydrology, vegetation, cultural/
education, wetland restoration, and park operations.
    Alternative B has been identified as the NPS preferred alternative. 
This alternative combines high wetland management and high goose 
management techniques, including lethal control. This alternative would 
provide the park with the maximum number of techniques to implement at 
most locations to best protect park resources.
    This alternative includes the following wetland management 
techniques: Using adaptive management to monitor and manage vegetation 
for impacts due to excessive goose herbivory; working with the 
Washington, DC harbormaster to enforce no wake zones, which would 
minimize shoreline erosion; managing invasive species; a high density 
planting effort with persistent, native species at variable growth 
heights; removing the sheet piling along the Anacostia River Fringe 
Wetlands; increasing education and interpretation; improving trash 
management; reducing impervious areas; and creating new rain gardens 
for improving stormwater management. The NPS would also commit to using 
adaptive management to monitor and manage the resident Canada goose 
population. Management actions are: lethal control (round-up, capture, 
euthanasia, and shooting) until the resident Canada goose population 
goal of 54 is met planting new buffers along the shorelines throughout 
the park; increasing the width of existing vegetation buffers; and 
reproductive control (egg addling). Additional wetland and resident 
Canada goose techniques available to the park are described in detail 
in the FEIS and plan, and would be implemented on as needed basis to 
achieve wetland and goose desired conditions. Many of these additional 
techniques would be subject to further planning and compliance.
    Alternative B would fully meet the plan objectives and has more 
certainty of success than the other alternatives analyzed. The 
potential for implementing the maximum wetland and resident Canada 
goose management techniques would ensure that benefits to natural 
resources of the park are realized and sustained over the life of the 
plan.

    Dated: May 2, 2014.
Stephen E. Whitesell,
Regional Director, National Park Service, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-28437 Filed 12-2-14; 8:45 am]
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