Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge; Barnstable County, MA; Record of Decision for Final Environmental Impact Statement, 18637-18639 [2016-07158]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 62 / Thursday, March 31, 2016 / Notices
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Portal at https://www.regulations.gov,
and will include any personal
information you provide. Therefore,
submitting this information makes it
public. You may wish to consider
limiting the amount of personal
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Written comments and suggestions
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should address one or more of the
following four points:
(1) Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
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whether the information will have
practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
(4) Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Overview of This information
Collection
(1) Type of Information Collection:
Revision of a Currently Approved
Collection.
(2) Title of the Form/Collection:
Application To Register Permanent
Residence or Adjust Status and
Adjustment of Status Under Section
245(i).
(3) Agency form number, if any, and
the applicable component of the DHS
sponsoring the collection: Form I–485
and Supplement A to Form I–485;
USCIS.
(4) Affected public who will be asked
or required to respond, as well as a brief
abstract: Primary: Individuals or
households. The information collected
is used to determine eligibility to adjust
status under section 245 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act.
(5) An estimate of the total number of
respondents and the amount of time
estimated for an average respondent to
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respond: The estimated total number of
respondents for the paper version of
Form I–485 is 344,400 and the estimated
hour burden per response is 6.25 hours.
The estimated total number of
respondents for the electronic version of
Form I–485 is 229,600 and the estimated
hour burden per response is 5.25 hours.
The estimated total number of
respondents for the paper version of
Form I–485A is 21,600 and the
estimated hour burden per response is
.5 hours. The estimated total number of
respondents for the electronic version of
the Form I–485A is 14,400 and the
estimated hour burden per response is
.17 hours. The estimated total number of
respondents for the Biometric
Processing is 460,991 and the estimated
hour burden per response is 1.17 hours.
(6) An estimate of the total public
burden (in hours) associated with the
collection: The total estimated annual
hour burden associated with this
collection is 3,910,508 hours.
(7) An estimate of the total public
burden (in cost) associated with the
collection: The estimated total annual
cost burden associated with this
collection of information is
$196,882,000.
Dated: March 28, 2016.
Samantha Deshommes,
Acting Chief, Regulatory Coordination
Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services,
Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2016–07265 Filed 3–30–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111–97–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R5–R–2015–N228; BAC–4333–99]
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge;
Barnstable County, MA; Record of
Decision for Final Environmental
Impact Statement
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; record of
decision and comprehensive
conservation plan.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the record of decision
(ROD) and final comprehensive
conservation plan (CCP) for Monomoy
National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). We
prepared the ROD pursuant to the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) and its implementing
regulations. The Service is furnishing
this notice to advise the public and
SUMMARY:
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18637
other agencies of our decision and of the
availability of the ROD and CCP.
DATES: The ROD was signed on March
18, 2016.
ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain
copies of the final CCP and ROD by any
of the following methods.
Agency Web site: Download a copy of
the document at https://www.fws.gov/
refuge/Monomoy/what_we_do/
conservation.html.
Email: Send requests to libby_
herland@fws.gov; include ‘‘Monomoy
NWR CCP’’ in the subject line of your
email.
U.S. Mail: Elizabeth A. Herland,
Project Leader, Eastern Massachusetts
NWR Complex, 73 Weir Hill Road,
Sudbury, MA 01776.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Visit
during regular business hours at Eastern
Massachusetts NWR Complex (see
address above), or at Monomoy NWR,
30 Wikis Way, Chatham, MA 02633.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elizabeth A. Herland, Project Leader,
Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex,
73 Weir Hill Road, Sudbury, MA 01776;
978–443–4661 ext. 11 (phone); libby_
herland@fws.gov (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP
process for Monomoy NWR. We
officially began this process through a
notice of intent in the Federal Register
(64 FR 9166) on February 24, 1999. That
notice announced our intent to prepare
one CCP for all eight refuges in the
Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex,
including Monomoy NWR. In two
subsequent notices in the Federal
Register, published on February 15,
2001 (66 FR 10506), and December 13,
2004 (69 FR 72210), we explained our
intent to reorganize our CCP planning
effort for the eight refuges, including
Monomoy NWR. For more information
on the early planning process history,
see the December 13, 2004, notice. On
April 10, 2014, we announced the
release of the draft CCP/Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) to the public and
requested comments in a notice of
availability (NOA) in the Federal
Register (79 FR 19920). We
subsequently extended the public
comment period on the draft document
in another notice in the Federal Register
(79 FR 36553) on June 27, 2014. We
released the final CCP/EIS for public
review on October 30, 2015 (80 FR
66928). In addition, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) published
Federal Register notices announcing the
availability of our draft and final CCP/
EIS coincident with our notices as
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 62 / Thursday, March 31, 2016 / Notices
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required under Section 309 of the Clean
Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.). EPA’s
notice of availability of the draft CCP/
EIS was published on April 18, 2014,
and EPA’s notice of the final document
was published on November 6, 2015.
In the draft and final CCP/EIS, we
evaluated three alternatives for
managing the refuge and completed a
thorough analysis of the environmental,
social, and economic considerations of
each alternative. Alternative B was
identified as the Service-preferred
alternative in both draft and final
documents. Based on comments we
received during the public review
period for the draft CCP/EIS, we made
several modifications to alternative B in
the final CCP/EIS. All substantive issues
were addressed through revisions made
to text in the final CCP/EIS, or in our
responses to comments contained in
appendix K of final CCP/EIS. None of
the comments received on the final
CCP/EIS raised significant new issues,
nor require significant changes to either
alternative B or our analysis of impacts.
All substantive comments were
previously addressed in appendix K.
However, in response to some of the
final CCP/EIS comments, we felt we
should clarify our intent for certain
management strategies in the CCP.
Those clarifications are detailed in the
ROD.
In accordance with NEPA (40 CFR
1506.6(b)) requirements, this notice
announces the availability of the ROD
and final CCP for Monomoy NWR,
which further detail our decision to
select alternative B for implementation.
The final CCP will guide our
management and administration of the
refuges over the next 15 years.
Background
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 NWR. The purpose for
developing a CCP is to provide refuge
managers with a 15-year plan for
achieving refuge purposes and goals and
contributing to the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System
(Refuge System). CCPs should be
consistent with sound principles of fish
and wildlife management, conservation,
legal mandates, and our policies, as well
as respond to key issues and public
concerns. In addition to outlining broad
management direction on conserving
wildlife and their habitats, CCPs
identify wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities available to the public,
including opportunities for hunting,
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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
During the scoping phase of the
planning process, we identified a
variety of issues and concerns based on
input from the public; town of Chatham,
Massachusetts, officials; State or Federal
agencies; other Service programs; and
our planning team. We developed refuge
management alternatives to address
these issues and local community
concerns; help achieve refuge goals,
objectives, and purposes; and support
the Refuge System mission. Our draft
CCP/EIS (79 FR 19920) and final CCP/
EIS (80 FR 66928) fully analyze three
alternatives for the future management
of the refuge: (1) Alternative A, Current
Management; (2) Alternative B,
Enhanced Management of Habitat and
Public Uses; and (3) Alternative C,
Natural Processes. Alternative A
satisfies the NEPA requirement of a ‘‘No
Action’’ alternative. Both the draft and
final plans identify alternative B as the
Service-preferred alternative. Please
refer to the final CCP/EIS for more
details on each of the alternatives.
Basis for Selected Alternative
Our decision is to adopt alternative B,
as described in the final CCP/EIS. We
provide a brief summary of our decision
below. For the full basis of our decision,
please see the ROD (see ADDRESSES).
This decision to adopt alternative B
for implementation was made after
considering the follow factors: (1) How
well the alternative achieves the stated
purpose and need for a CCP and the six
goals presented in chapter 1 of the final
CCP/EIS; (2) How well the alternative
addresses the relevant issues, concerns,
and opportunities identified in the
planning process and summarized in
chapter 1 of final CCP/EIS; (3) The
results of public, partner, town of
Chatham, Federal and State agency, and
other stakeholder comments on the draft
and final CCP/EISs; (4) The projected
impacts identified in chapter 4 of the
final CCP/EIS; and, (5) Other relevant
factors, including fulfilling the purposes
for which the refuge was established,
contributing to the mission and goals of
the Refuge System and National
Wilderness Preservation System, and
statutory and regulatory guidance.
Compared to the other two
alternatives, alternative B includes the
suite of actions that best meet the factors
above, using the most balanced,
reasonable, practicable, and integrated
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approach, and with due consideration
for impacts on both the biological and
human environment. The refuge’s
establishment purposes emphasize the
conservation of migratory birds and the
protection of wilderness character and
values; thus, protecting those resources
on Monomoy NWR is paramount.
Alternative B will best fulfill the
refuge’s biological goal by managing for
migratory birds and other Federal trust
species and habitats that are of national
and regional conservation concern.
Under alternative B, there is clear
direction under goal 1, establishing
which Federal trust species will be a
management priority in each of the
habitat types. The objectives and
strategies under goal 1 further establish
the priority actions we will pursue to
achieve this goal.
Under alternative B, the objectives
and strategies under goal 4 best ensure
wilderness resource protection and
management will be achieved over the
long term. Alternative B also increases
inventory and monitoring efforts to help
evaluate the effectiveness of our actions
and to ensure our management into the
future is adaptive and strategic,
including considerations of the impacts
of climate change. Alternative B, under
goal 2, is best at promoting wildlifedependent recreation on the refuge,
with additional opportunities for our six
priority public uses: Hunting, fishing,
wildlife observation, wildlife
photography, environmental education,
and interpretation. These programs will
provide high-quality experiences for our
visitors while providing sufficient
protection for wildlife and wilderness
resources. However, we have also
determined that there are some
activities of interest to the public that
are inappropriate and not compatible
with resource protection and will not be
allowed. Our rationale for allowing
certain activities, and not allowing
others, is detailed in appendix D.
Alternative B best recognizes how
important Monomoy NWR is to the local
community and the larger social and
economic region of the Outer Cape. It
includes strategies for improving
communications and coordination with
the town of Chatham; State fish,
wildlife, and marine agency officials;
and the National Park Service; these
entities collectively represent the other
entities with management authority in
the area surrounding the refuge. Goal 3
and its objectives and strategies also
specifically identify actions to improve
outreach and engagement within the
local community, and to increase
appreciation and enjoyment of the
refuge.
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 62 / Thursday, March 31, 2016 / Notices
Alternative B complies with all major
Federal laws that apply to this type of
Federal action. The final CCP/EIS was
developed to comply with NEPA. The
CCP/EIS was developed with sufficient
detail to account for the greatest
potential impacts that could result from
proposed actions identified under all
alternatives. However, additional NEPA
analysis will be necessary for certain
types of actions, even once we adopt a
final CCP. We identified some of the
actions we anticipate will require
further NEPA analysis and public
involvement in chapter 3 of the final
CCP/EIS. Appendix M in the CCP
includes documentation of compliance
with the Coastal Zone Management Act
(Public Law 92–583, as amended);
Endangered Species Act (Public Law
93–205, as amended); and National
Historic Preservation Act (Public Law
89–665).
In summary, we selected alternative B
for implementation because it best
meets the factors identified above when
compared to alternatives A and C.
Alternative B provides the greatest
number of opportunities for Monomoy
NWR to contribute to the conservation
of fish, wildlife, habitat, and wilderness
resources at local, regional, and national
levels. It will also increase our capacity
to meet refuge purposes, contribute to
the Refuge System mission, and
enhance visitor use and enjoyment, and
it will provide the means to better
respond to changing ecological
conditions within the surrounding
environment.
Public Availability of Documents
You can view or obtain the final CCP
and ROD as indicated under ADDRESSES.
Dated: March 23, 2016.
Kenneth Elowe,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–07158 Filed 3–30–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
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[FWS–R5–ES–2015–N021;
FXES11130500000–167–FF05E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
and Plants; Draft Recovery Plan for the
Gulf of Maine Distinct Population
Segment of Atlantic Salmon
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability and
request for public comment.
AGENCY:
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We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a draft recovery plan for
the endangered Gulf of Maine Distinct
Population Segment (DPS) of Atlantic
salmon. This draft plan has been
prepared jointly by the Service and the
National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS). The draft recovery plan
includes specific recovery objectives
and a set of criteria that, when met,
would allow us to consider reclassifying
the DPS from endangered to threatened
under the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (Act), and, ultimately,
to remove the GOM DPS of Atlantic
salmon from the Federal List of
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.
We request review of and comment on
this draft recovery plan from Federal,
State, and local agencies; Tribes;
nongovernmental organizations; and the
public.
DATES: Submitting Comments: In order
to be considered, comments on the draft
recovery plan must be received by May
31, 2016.
Public Information Meetings:
Informational meetings in Maine have
been scheduled for April 19, 2016, from
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Brewer, and for
April 20, 2016, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30
p.m. in Waterville (see ADDRESSES).
Each meeting will include a
presentation on the draft recovery
proposals and a question and answer
period with staff from the Service and
NMFS.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: If
you wish to review the draft recovery
plan or have questions, you may contact
Steve Shepard, via U.S. mail at U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Maine Field
Office, 17 Godfrey Drive, Suite 2, Orono,
ME 04473; via telephone at 207–866–
3344 x1116; or via email at steve_
shepard@fws.gov; or Dan Kircheis,
National Marine Fisheries Service, 17
Godfrey Drive, Orono, ME 04473; via
telephone at 207–866–7320; or via email
at dan.kircheis@noaa.gov. You can also
download a copy by visiting https://
atlanticsalmonrestoration.org/
resources/documents/atlantic-salmonrecovery-plan-2015.
Submitting Comments: If you wish to
comment, you may submit your
comments by one of the following
methods:
1. You may mail written comments
and materials to Steve Shepard, at the
above address.
2. You may hand-deliver written
comments to Steve Shepard at the above
address, or fax them to 207–866–3351.
3. You may send comments by email
to steve_shepard@fws.gov.
4. You may submit handwritten
comments at either of the two public
SUMMARY:
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18639
information meetings announced in this
notice.
For additional information about
submitting comments, see Request for
Public Comments.
Public Information Meetings:
Meetings will be held in the following
Maine locations: at Jeff’s Catering, East/
West Industrial Park, 15 Littlefield Way
in Brewer, and at the Best Western
PLUS Motel, 375 Main Street, Exit 130
in Waterville. See DATES above for the
date and time of each meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Shepard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service; or Dan Kircheis, National
Marine Fisheries Service (see
ADDRESSES).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
announce the availability of a draft
recovery plan for the endangered Gulf of
Maine (GOM) Distinct Population
Segment (DPS) of Atlantic salmon
(Salmo salar). This draft plan has been
prepared jointly by the Service and the
National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. The draft
recovery plan includes specific recovery
objectives and a set of criteria that,
when met, would allow us to consider
reclassifying the DPS from endangered
to threatened under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; Act), and,
ultimately, to remove the GOM DPS of
Atlantic salmon from the Federal List of
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.
The plan also includes site-specific
management actions and time and cost
estimates, as required by the Act. We
request review of and comment on this
draft recovery plan from Federal, State,
and local agencies; Tribes;
nongovernmental organizations; and the
public.
Background
The GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon was
originally listed as an endangered
species under the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.) on November 17, 2000 (65 FR
69459), and a recovery plan for the DPS
was approved on December 2, 2005.
Based on a second status review, the
DPS listing was revised on June 19,
2009 (74 FR 29344), to cover an
expanded range that encompassed
additional large river systems in Maine
found to contain Atlantic salmon
population genetically similar to those
in the previously listed coastal river
populations. Critical habitat for the
GOM DPS was also designated at this
time (June 19, 2009; 74 FR 29300).
The expanded DPS includes all
anadromous Atlantic salmon in a
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18637-18639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07158]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-R-2015-N228; BAC-4333-99]
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge; Barnstable County, MA; Record
of Decision for Final Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; record of decision and comprehensive
conservation plan.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of the record of decision (ROD) and final comprehensive
conservation plan (CCP) for Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). We
prepared the ROD pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) and its implementing regulations. The Service is furnishing
this notice to advise the public and other agencies of our decision and
of the availability of the ROD and CCP.
DATES: The ROD was signed on March 18, 2016.
ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain copies of the final CCP and ROD by
any of the following methods.
Agency Web site: Download a copy of the document at https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Monomoy/what_we_do/conservation.html.
Email: Send requests to libby_herland@fws.gov; include ``Monomoy
NWR CCP'' in the subject line of your email.
U.S. Mail: Elizabeth A. Herland, Project Leader, Eastern
Massachusetts NWR Complex, 73 Weir Hill Road, Sudbury, MA 01776.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Visit during regular business hours at
Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex (see address above), or at Monomoy
NWR, 30 Wikis Way, Chatham, MA 02633.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth A. Herland, Project Leader,
Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex, 73 Weir Hill Road, Sudbury, MA
01776; 978-443-4661 ext. 11 (phone); libby_herland@fws.gov (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for Monomoy NWR. We
officially began this process through a notice of intent in the Federal
Register (64 FR 9166) on February 24, 1999. That notice announced our
intent to prepare one CCP for all eight refuges in the Eastern
Massachusetts NWR Complex, including Monomoy NWR. In two subsequent
notices in the Federal Register, published on February 15, 2001 (66 FR
10506), and December 13, 2004 (69 FR 72210), we explained our intent to
reorganize our CCP planning effort for the eight refuges, including
Monomoy NWR. For more information on the early planning process
history, see the December 13, 2004, notice. On April 10, 2014, we
announced the release of the draft CCP/Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to the public and requested comments in a notice of availability
(NOA) in the Federal Register (79 FR 19920). We subsequently extended
the public comment period on the draft document in another notice in
the Federal Register (79 FR 36553) on June 27, 2014. We released the
final CCP/EIS for public review on October 30, 2015 (80 FR 66928). In
addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published Federal
Register notices announcing the availability of our draft and final
CCP/EIS coincident with our notices as
[[Page 18638]]
required under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et
seq.). EPA's notice of availability of the draft CCP/EIS was published
on April 18, 2014, and EPA's notice of the final document was published
on November 6, 2015.
In the draft and final CCP/EIS, we evaluated three alternatives for
managing the refuge and completed a thorough analysis of the
environmental, social, and economic considerations of each alternative.
Alternative B was identified as the Service-preferred alternative in
both draft and final documents. Based on comments we received during
the public review period for the draft CCP/EIS, we made several
modifications to alternative B in the final CCP/EIS. All substantive
issues were addressed through revisions made to text in the final CCP/
EIS, or in our responses to comments contained in appendix K of final
CCP/EIS. None of the comments received on the final CCP/EIS raised
significant new issues, nor require significant changes to either
alternative B or our analysis of impacts. All substantive comments were
previously addressed in appendix K. However, in response to some of the
final CCP/EIS comments, we felt we should clarify our intent for
certain management strategies in the CCP. Those clarifications are
detailed in the ROD.
In accordance with NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements, this
notice announces the availability of the ROD and final CCP for Monomoy
NWR, which further detail our decision to select alternative B for
implementation. The final CCP will guide our management and
administration of the refuges over the next 15 years.
Background
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 NWR. The purpose for developing a CCP is to
provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge
purposes and goals and contributing to the mission of the National
Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System). CCPs should be consistent with
sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal
mandates, and our policies, as well as respond to key issues and public
concerns. In addition to outlining broad management direction on
conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-
dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will
review and update the CCP at least every 15 years, in accordance with
the Refuge Administration Act.
CCP Alternatives
During the scoping phase of the planning process, we identified a
variety of issues and concerns based on input from the public; town of
Chatham, Massachusetts, officials; State or Federal agencies; other
Service programs; and our planning team. We developed refuge management
alternatives to address these issues and local community concerns; help
achieve refuge goals, objectives, and purposes; and support the Refuge
System mission. Our draft CCP/EIS (79 FR 19920) and final CCP/EIS (80
FR 66928) fully analyze three alternatives for the future management of
the refuge: (1) Alternative A, Current Management; (2) Alternative B,
Enhanced Management of Habitat and Public Uses; and (3) Alternative C,
Natural Processes. Alternative A satisfies the NEPA requirement of a
``No Action'' alternative. Both the draft and final plans identify
alternative B as the Service-preferred alternative. Please refer to the
final CCP/EIS for more details on each of the alternatives.
Basis for Selected Alternative
Our decision is to adopt alternative B, as described in the final
CCP/EIS. We provide a brief summary of our decision below. For the full
basis of our decision, please see the ROD (see ADDRESSES).
This decision to adopt alternative B for implementation was made
after considering the follow factors: (1) How well the alternative
achieves the stated purpose and need for a CCP and the six goals
presented in chapter 1 of the final CCP/EIS; (2) How well the
alternative addresses the relevant issues, concerns, and opportunities
identified in the planning process and summarized in chapter 1 of final
CCP/EIS; (3) The results of public, partner, town of Chatham, Federal
and State agency, and other stakeholder comments on the draft and final
CCP/EISs; (4) The projected impacts identified in chapter 4 of the
final CCP/EIS; and, (5) Other relevant factors, including fulfilling
the purposes for which the refuge was established, contributing to the
mission and goals of the Refuge System and National Wilderness
Preservation System, and statutory and regulatory guidance.
Compared to the other two alternatives, alternative B includes the
suite of actions that best meet the factors above, using the most
balanced, reasonable, practicable, and integrated approach, and with
due consideration for impacts on both the biological and human
environment. The refuge's establishment purposes emphasize the
conservation of migratory birds and the protection of wilderness
character and values; thus, protecting those resources on Monomoy NWR
is paramount. Alternative B will best fulfill the refuge's biological
goal by managing for migratory birds and other Federal trust species
and habitats that are of national and regional conservation concern.
Under alternative B, there is clear direction under goal 1,
establishing which Federal trust species will be a management priority
in each of the habitat types. The objectives and strategies under goal
1 further establish the priority actions we will pursue to achieve this
goal.
Under alternative B, the objectives and strategies under goal 4
best ensure wilderness resource protection and management will be
achieved over the long term. Alternative B also increases inventory and
monitoring efforts to help evaluate the effectiveness of our actions
and to ensure our management into the future is adaptive and strategic,
including considerations of the impacts of climate change. Alternative
B, under goal 2, is best at promoting wildlife-dependent recreation on
the refuge, with additional opportunities for our six priority public
uses: Hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography,
environmental education, and interpretation. These programs will
provide high-quality experiences for our visitors while providing
sufficient protection for wildlife and wilderness resources. However,
we have also determined that there are some activities of interest to
the public that are inappropriate and not compatible with resource
protection and will not be allowed. Our rationale for allowing certain
activities, and not allowing others, is detailed in appendix D.
Alternative B best recognizes how important Monomoy NWR is to the
local community and the larger social and economic region of the Outer
Cape. It includes strategies for improving communications and
coordination with the town of Chatham; State fish, wildlife, and marine
agency officials; and the National Park Service; these entities
collectively represent the other entities with management authority in
the area surrounding the refuge. Goal 3 and its objectives and
strategies also specifically identify actions to improve outreach and
engagement within the local community, and to increase appreciation and
enjoyment of the refuge.
[[Page 18639]]
Alternative B complies with all major Federal laws that apply to
this type of Federal action. The final CCP/EIS was developed to comply
with NEPA. The CCP/EIS was developed with sufficient detail to account
for the greatest potential impacts that could result from proposed
actions identified under all alternatives. However, additional NEPA
analysis will be necessary for certain types of actions, even once we
adopt a final CCP. We identified some of the actions we anticipate will
require further NEPA analysis and public involvement in chapter 3 of
the final CCP/EIS. Appendix M in the CCP includes documentation of
compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act (Public Law 92-583, as
amended); Endangered Species Act (Public Law 93-205, as amended); and
National Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 89-665).
In summary, we selected alternative B for implementation because it
best meets the factors identified above when compared to alternatives A
and C. Alternative B provides the greatest number of opportunities for
Monomoy NWR to contribute to the conservation of fish, wildlife,
habitat, and wilderness resources at local, regional, and national
levels. It will also increase our capacity to meet refuge purposes,
contribute to the Refuge System mission, and enhance visitor use and
enjoyment, and it will provide the means to better respond to changing
ecological conditions within the surrounding environment.
Public Availability of Documents
You can view or obtain the final CCP and ROD as indicated under
ADDRESSES.
Dated: March 23, 2016.
Kenneth Elowe,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-07158 Filed 3-30-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
