16636 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 57 / Thursday, March 24, 2011 / Notices 

e-mail 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: March 16, 2011. 

Ren Lohoefener, 

Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, 

Sacramento, California. 

[FR Doc. 2011–6907 Filed 3–23–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R4–R–2010–N240; 40136–1265–0000– 

S3] 

Pine Island, Matlacha Pass, Island Bay, 

and Caloosahatchee NWRs, Lee 

County, FL; Final Comprehensive 

Conservation Plan and Finding of No 

Significant Impact for Environmental 

Assessment 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife 

Service (Service), announce the 

availability of our final comprehensive 

conservation plan (CCP) and finding of 

no significant impact (FONSI) for the 

environmental assessment for Pine 

Island, Matlacha Pass, Island Bay, and 

Caloosahatchee NWRs. In the final CCP, 

we describe how we will manage these 

refuges for the next 15 years. 

ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of 

the CCP by writing via U.S. mail to: Mr. 

Paul Tritaik, Project Leader, 1 Wildlife 

Drive, Sanibel, FL 33957. Alternatively, 

you may request a copy by sending email to: DingDarling@fws.gov. The CCP 

may also be accessed and downloaded 

from the Service’s Web site: http:// 

www.fws.gov/southeast/planning/under 

‘‘Final Documents.’’ 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Paul Tritaik, at 239/472–1100 

(telephone) or DingDarling@fws.gov (email); or Ms. Cheri M. Ehrhardt, at 321– 

861–2368 (telephone) or 

DingDarlingCCP@fws.gov (e-mail). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we finalize the CCP 

process for Pine Island, Matlacha Pass, 

Island Bay, and Caloosahatchee NWRs. 

We started this process through notices 

in the Federal Register on June 27, 2007 

(72 FR 35254) and April 2, 2008 (73 FR 

17991). 

The four refuges currently total about 

1,201 acres: Pine Island NWR is 602.24 

acres, Matlacha Pass NWR is 538.25 

acres, Island Bay NWR is 20.24 acres, 

and Caloosahatchee NWR is 40 acres. As 

part of the largest undeveloped 

mangrove ecosystem in the United 

States, these four closed refuges provide 

for native wildlife and habitat diversity 

through a mix of habitats, including 

mangrove islands and shorelines, 

saltwater marshes and ponds, tidal flats, 

and upland hardwood forests. They also 

provide protection for 13 Federal-listed 

and 25 State-listed species, as well as 

for wading birds, waterbirds, raptors 

and birds of prey, neotropical migratory 

birds, shorebirds, and seabirds. 

We announce our decision and the 

availability of the final CCP and FONSI 

for Pine Island, Matlacha Pass, Island 

Bay, and Caloosahatchee NWRs in 

accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 

CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements. We 

completed a thorough analysis of 

impacts on the human environment, 

which we included in the draft 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment (Draft CCP/ 

EA). 

The CCP will guide us in managing 

and administering Pine Island, Matlacha 

Pass, Island Bay, and Caloosahatchee 

NWRs for the next 15 years. 

Background 

The National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd–668ee) (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 hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation, wildlife 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update the CCP at least 

every15 years in accordance with the 

Administration Act. 

Comments 

We made copies of the Draft CCP/EA 

available for a 30-day public review and 

comment period via a Federal Register 

notice on May 21, 2010 (75 FR 28643). 

We received comments from the general 

public, an organization, and 

governmental agencies, including State 

and local agencies and a national 

estuary program. Comments were also 

submitted through the State 

Clearinghouse for State agencies. 

Selected Alternative 

After considering the comments we 

received, we have selected Alternative C 

for implementation. The primary focus 

under Alternative C is migratory birds. 

Implementing Alternative C is expected 

to result in increased protection for 

breeding, nesting, resting, roosting, 

foraging, and migrating birds on these 

four refuges. Increased information on a 

variety of species, suites of species, and 

habitats will enhance decision-making 

for these refuges. Further benefits will 

be realized from increased control of 

exotic, invasive, and nuisance species. 

We will coordinate with the partners to 

address concerns related to the impacts 

from water quality, quantity, and timing 

of flows and from climate change and 

sea level rise. Resource protection will 

be enhanced, including through 

increased information about cultural 

resources on the refuges, resolved 

boundary issues, additional special 

designations, improved management of 

the Island Bay Wilderness Area, 

improved coordination with the 

partners to increase awareness and 

understanding of area residents and area 

visitors of these closed refuges, and 

minimized impacts from adjacent uses. 

To achieve this, we will work with 

governmental and non-governmental 

partners, area communities, the ‘‘Ding’’ 

Darling Wildlife Society, and local 

businesses, and we will pursue the 

addition of refuge-specific staff to 

address management concerns. 

Alternative C is considered to be the 

most effective for meeting the purposes 

of the refuges and addressing the 

priority issues facing each refuge, 

including increasing and changing 

human population, development of the 

landscape, recreational uses and 

demands, and associated impacts; issues 

and impacts associated with water 

quality, water quantity, and timing of 

flows; invasion and spread of exotic, 

invasive, and nuisance species; climate 

change impacts; need for long-term 

protection of important resources; 

declines in and threats to rare, 

threatened, and endangered species; 

insufficient baseline wildlife and habitat 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 57 / Thursday, March 24, 2011 / Notices 16637 

data and lack of a comprehensive 

habitat management plan; and lack of 

resources to address refuge needs. 

Authority 

This notice is published under the 

authority of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Improvement Act of 

1997, Public Law 105–57. 

Dated: November 22, 2010. 

Mark J. Musaus, 

Acting Regional Director. 

Editorial Note: This document was 

received in the Office of the Federal Register 

on March 21, 2011. 

[FR Doc. 2011–6939 Filed 3–23–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R4–R–2010–N241; 40136–1265–0000– 

S3] 

J.N. ‘‘Ding’’ Darling NWR, Lee County, 

FL; Final Comprehensive Conservation 

Plan and Finding of No Significant 

Impact for Environmental Assessment 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife 

Service (Service), announce the 

availability of our final comprehensive 

conservation plan (CCP) and finding of 

no significant impact (FONSI) for the 

environmental assessment for J.N. 

‘‘Ding’’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge 

(NWR). In the final CCP, we describe 

how we will manage this refuge for the 

next 15 years. 

ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of 

the CCP by writing via U.S. mail to: Mr. 

Paul Tritaik, Project Leader, 1 Wildlife 

Drive, Sanibel, FL 33957, or 

DingDarling@fws.gov (e-mail). The CCP 

may also be accessed and downloaded 

from the Service’s Web site: http:// 

www.fws.gov/southeast/planning/under 

‘‘Final Documents.’’ 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Paul Tritaik, at 239/472–1100 

(telephone) or DingDarling@fws.gov (email); or Ms. Cheri M. Ehrhardt, at 321/ 

861–2368 (telephone) or 

DingDarling@fws.gov (e-mail). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we finalize the CCP 

process for J.N. ‘‘Ding’’ Darling NWR. We 

started this process through notices in 

the Federal Register on June 27, 2007 

(72 FR 35254) and April 2, 2008 (73 FR 

17991). 

The 6,406-acre refuge supports 

hundreds of species of wildlife and 

plants, providing protection for 14 

Federal-listed and 49 State-listed 

species, migratory birds, and native 

wildlife and habitat diversity through a 

mix of habitats, including tropical 

hardwood forests, beaches, mangrove 

swamps, mixed wetland shrubs, salt 

marshes, open waters and seagrass beds, 

and lakes and canals. The refuge holds 

several special designations, including 

Wilderness Area, Research Natural 

Area, Marine Protected Area, Florida 

Important Bird Area, and Outstanding 

Florida Water. Annual visitation to the 

refuge exceeds 700,000. 

We announce our decision and the 

availability of the final CCP and FONSI 

for J.N. ‘‘Ding’’ Darling NWR in 

accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 

CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements. We 

completed a thorough analysis of 

impacts on the human environment, 

which we included in the draft 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment (Draft CCP/ 

EA). 

The CCP will guide us in managing 

and administering J.N. ‘‘Ding’’ Darling 

NWR for the next 15 years. The 

following compatibility determinations 

are available in the CCP: (1) Wildlife 

observation and photography— 

including walking, hiking, motorized 

and non-motorized boating, and 

motorized and non-motorized trail use; 

(2) environmental education and 

interpretation—including walking, 

hiking, motorized and non-motorized 

boating, and motorized and nonmotorized trail use; (3) fishing— 

including motorized and non-motorized 

boating and non-motorized trail use; (4) 

research; (5) commercial services; (6) 

commercial photography; (7) mosquito 

control; and (8) commercial bait 

fishing—including phasing out this use 

within the 15-year life of the CCP. 

Background 

The National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd–668ee) (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 hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation, wildlife 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update the CCP at least 

every 15 years in accordance with the 

Administration Act. 

Comments 

We made copies of the Draft CCP/EA 

available for a 30-day public review and 

comment period via a Federal Register 

notice on May 17, 2010 (75 FR 27576). 

We received comments from local 

citizens, a local business, organizations, 

and State and local governmental 

agencies. Comments were also 

submitted through the State 

Clearinghouse for State agencies. 

Selected Alternative 

After considering the comments we 

received, we have selected Alternative C 

for implementation. The primary focus 

under Alternative C is migratory birds. 

Implementing Alternative C is expected 

to result in increased protection for 

breeding, nesting, resting, roosting, 

foraging, and migrating birds on the 

refuge. Increased information on a 

variety of species, suites of species, and 

habitats will enhance decision-making 

for the refuge. Further benefits will be 

realized from increased control of 

exotic, invasive, and nuisance species. 

We will coordinate with the partners to 

address concerns related to the impacts 

from water quality, quantity, and timing 

of flows and from climate change and 

sea level rise. Resource protection will 

be enhanced, including through 

increased information about cultural 

resources on the refuge, increased 

protection of cultural resources, 

additional special designations, 

improved management of the J.N. ‘‘Ding’’ 

Darling Wilderness Area, improved 

coordination with the partners to 

increase ethical outdoor behavior, 

enhanced visitor services programs, and 

addition of visitor facilities. To achieve 

this, we will work with governmental 

and non-governmental partners, area 

communities, the ‘‘Ding’’ Darling 

Wildlife Society, and local businesses, 

and we will pursue the addition of staff 

to address management concerns. 

Alternative C is considered to be the 

most effective for meeting the purposes 

of the refuge and addressing the priority 

issues facing the refuge, including 

increasing and changing human 

population, development of the 

landscape, recreational uses and 

demands, and associated impacts; issues 

and impacts associated with water 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES