20706 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 71 / Wednesday, April 13, 2011 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R8–R–2011–N041; 1261–0000–80230– 

W5] 

South Farallon Islands Nonnative 

Mouse Eradication Project; Farallon 

National Wildlife Refuge, California; 

Intent To Prepare an Environmental 

Impact Statement 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for 

public comment. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), advise the 

public that we intend to gather 

information necessary to prepare an 

environmental impact statement (EIS) 

pursuant to the National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA, for a proposed 

project to eradicate nonnative mice from 

the South Farallon Islands, part of the 

Farallon National Wildlife Refuge off 

the coast of California. We encourage 

the public and other agencies to 

participate in the planning process by 

sending written comments on 

management actions that we should 

consider. 

DATES: To ensure that we have adequate 

time to evaluate and incorporate 

suggestions and other input, we must 

receive your comments on or before 

May 27, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments or 

requests to be added to our project 

mailing list to: Gerry McChesney, 

Refuge Manager, Farallon National 

Wildlife Refuge, 9500 Thornton Avenue, 

Newark, CA 94560. Alternatively, you 

may send written comments or requests 

by fax to (510) 745–9285 or by e-mail to 

sfbaynwrc@fws.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Gerry McChesney, Refuge Manager, 

(510) 792–0222. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

In 2009, the Service completed a 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

(CCP) and Environmental Assessment/ 

Finding of No Significant Impact to 

guide the management of Farallon 

National Wildlife Refuge over a 15-year 

period (75 FR 5102 February 1, 2010). 

The wildlife management goal of the 

selected management alternative in the 

CCP is to protect, inventory, monitor, 

and restore to historic levels breeding 

populations of 12 seabird species, 5 

marine mammal species, and other 

native wildlife. One of the strategies 

identified to meet this goal is the 

eradication of the house mouse and the 

prevention of future human 

introduction of mice. 

We now propose to eradicate 

nonnative house mice (Mus musculus) 

from the South Farallon Islands. The 

purpose of this project is to protect and 

restore the ecosystem of the South 

Farallon Islands, particularly for 

seabirds and other native biological 

resources. The South Farallon Islands 

have sustained ecological damage over 

many years from the presence of 

introduced mice. 

In 1909, President Theodore 

Roosevelt established the Farallon 

National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), as a 

preserve and breeding ground for 

marine birds under Executive Order 

1043. The Refuge originally 

encompassed only the North and 

Middle Farallon Islands and Noonday 

Rock. In 1969 the Refuge was expanded 

to include the South Farallon Islands 

and is still managed with the same basic 

purpose today. The isolated nature, 

varied and extensive habitats, and 

adjacent productive marine 

environment make the South Farallon 

Islands an ideal breeding and resting 

location for wildlife, especially seabirds 

and marine mammals. The Refuge 

comprises the largest continental U.S. 

seabird breeding colony south of Alaska, 

and supports the world’s largest 

breeding colonies of ashy storm-petrel 

(Oceanodroma homochroa), Brandt’s 

cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) 

and western gull (Larus occidentalis). 

Prior to the introduction of non-native 

mammals, the South Farallon Islands 

were nearly devoid of land-based 

predatory threats. Introduced European 

rabbits and cats, which were later 

removed, and mice, which remain on 

the South Farallon Islands today, have 

had noticeable negative impacts on 

native species. 

Introduced nonnative mice directly 

and indirectly cause negative impacts to 

the populations of small burrow- and 

crevice-nesting seabirds on the South 

Farallones, particularly storm-petrels. In 

order to reduce this impact, the Service 

has identified mouse eradication as a 

critical step in fulfilling its main 

purpose to protect and restore the native 

ecosystems of the South Farallon 

Islands. Eradicating mice would 

increase the survivorship, and would 

likely increase the local population 

sizes, of at least two seabird species, the 

ashy storm-petrel and Leach’s stormpetrel. The eradication project may also 

benefit other seabirds, as well as native 

amphibians, insects, invertebrates, and 

plants, including the endemic Farallon 

arboreal salamander (Aneides lugubris 

farallonensis) and Farallon camel 

cricket (Farallonophilus cavernicolus). 

The Service has initially identified 

three possible alternatives: 

(1) No Action, which would allow 

mice to remain on the South Farallon 

Islands, maintaining the status quo. 

(2) Mouse eradication, with an aerial 

broadcast of granular pellets with the 

rodenticide brodifacoum as the primary 

technique, with the entire island group 

treated simultaneously. 

(3) Mouse eradication, with an aerial 

broadcast of granular bait pellets with 

the rodenticide brodifacoum as the 

primary technique, conducted in 

phases, in which different islands of the 

group would be treated from days to 

weeks apart. 

The Service is currently determining 

what measures could be included to 

minimize adverse effects to nontarget 

species, while ensuring that every 

mouse has access to the bait during the 

eradication window. 

Public Comment 

We are furnishing this notice in 

accordance with section 1501.7 of the 

NEPA implementing regulations, to 

obtain suggestions and information from 

other agencies and the public on the 

scope of issues to be addressed in the 

EIS. We invite written comments from 

interested parties to ensure 

identification of the full range of 

alternatives, issues and concerns. 

Information gathered through this 

scoping process will assist us in 

developing a range of alternatives. A 

detailed description of the proposed 

action and alternatives will be included 

in the EIS. The EIS will also address the 

direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts 

of the alternatives on environmental 

resources and identify appropriate 

mitigation measures for adverse 

environmental effects. 

Written comments we receive become 

part of the public record associated with 

this action. Before including your 

address, phone number, 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. 

In addition to providing written 

comments, the public is encouraged to 

attend a public scoping meeting to 

provide us with suggestions and 

information on the scope of issues and 

alternatives to consider when drafting 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 71 / Wednesday, April 13, 2011 / Notices 20707 

the EIS. A public scoping meeting will 

be held in San Francisco, California, in 

the spring of 2011. We will mail a 

separate announcement to the public 

with the exact date, time, and location 

of the public scoping meeting. We will 

accept both oral and written comments 

at the scoping meeting. 

NEPA Compliance 

We will conduct environmental 

review in accordance with the 

requirements of NEPA, as amended (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), its implementing 

regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), 

other applicable regulations, and our 

procedures for compliance with those 

regulations. We anticipate that a draft 

EIS will be available for public review 

in the fall of 2011. 

Dated: April 7, 2011. 

Alexandra Pitts, 

Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region. 

[FR Doc. 2011–8813 Filed 4–12–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Reclamation 

[INT–FES 11–02] 

Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage Facilities 

and Fish Reintroduction Project; 

Kittitas County, WA 

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of the 

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

(FEIS) for the Cle Elum Dam Fish 

Passage Facilities and Fish 

Reintroduction Project. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation 

(Reclamation) is notifying the public 

that it has prepared an FEIS on the 

proposed Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage 

Facilities and Fish Reintroduction 

Project. The Washington State 

Department of Ecology is a joint lead 

with Reclamation in the preparation of 

the FEIS, in coordination with the 

Washington Department of Fish and 

Wildlife and the Yakama Nation. The 

Bonneville Power Administration has 

assumed the role of a cooperating 

agency. The FEIS will also be used to 

comply with requirements of the 

Washington State Environmental Policy 

Act. 

Reclamation published a Draft EIS in 

the Federal Register on February 3, 

2010 (75 FR 562622) with a public 

comment period ending on March 22, 

2010. Revisions were made in the FEIS 

to incorporate responses to comments. 

The FEIS also identifies Alternative 3, 

Right Bank Juvenile Passage with Right 

Bank Adult Passage without Barrier 

Dam as the preferred alternative. 

DATES: Reclamation will not make a 

decision on the proposed action until at 

least 30 days after filing of the FEIS with 

the Environmental Protection Agency. 

After the 30-day waiting period, 

Reclamation will complete a Record of 

Decision. The Record of Decision will 

identify the selected action for 

implementation and will discuss factors 

and rationale used in making the 

decision. 

ADDRESSES: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Columbia-Cascades Area Office, 

attention: Candace McKinley, 

Environmental Program Manager, 1917 

Marsh Road, Yakima, Washington 

98901. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Candace McKinley, Environmental 

Program Manager, Telephone (509) 575– 

5848, ext. 276, fax: (509) 454–5650. The 

FEIS and other information on this 

project can be found at http:// 

www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/ucao_misc/ 

fishpassage/. To receive a hard copy or 

compact disc of the FEIS refer to the 

above contact. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to Section 102(2)(C) of the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 

1969, as amended, Reclamation is 

evaluating the construction of 

downstream juvenile fish passage and 

upstream adult fish passage alternatives 

at the dam for the Cle Elum Dam Fish 

Passage Facilities Project. Cle Elum Dam 

did not include fish passage facilities 

when constructed in 1933; 

consequently, fish passage to upstream 

habitat for fish species was blocked. 

As part of the effort to restore fish 

above Cle Elum Dam, the Washington 

Department of Fish and Wildlife, in 

collaboration with the Yakama Nation, 

is evaluating the implementation of a 

project to reintroduce fish populations 

above the dam. The reintroduction plan 

would involve the transportation and 

release of adults for natural spawning 

and potentially hatchery 

supplementation techniques to restore 

fish above the dam. 

Early in 2001, Yakima River basin 

interest groups urged Reclamation to 

incorporate fish passage facilities as part 

of the reconstruction of Keechelus Dam 

under the Safety of Dams program. 

Reclamation determined that fish 

passage facilities could not be added 

under existing Safety of Dams authority. 

However, in the January 2002 Record of 

Decision for Keechelus Dam 

Modification EIS, Reclamation 

committed to seek funding under 

existing authorities to conduct a 

feasibility study for providing fish 

passage at all Yakima Project storage 

dams. Additionally, Reclamation agreed 

to mitigation agreement terms and 

Hydraulic Project Approval conditions 

with Washington Department of Fish 

and Wildlife to investigate fish passage 

feasibility. In 2003, Reclamation 

prevailed in a suit filed by the Yakama 

Nation concerning the NEPA and 

Endangered Species Act compliance for 

the Keechelus Safety of Dams project. 

The Yakama Nation then appealed that 

decision to the 9th Circuit Court of 

Appeals. In 2006, Reclamation and the 

Yakama Nation entered into a 

settlement agreement to resolve 

litigation in which the parties agreed to 

collaborate to prepare technical plans 

and a planning report for fish passage at 

Cle Elum and Bumping Lake Dams. This 

FEIS is part of the agreed-upon planning 

process for Cle Elum Dam only. An EIS 

for Bumping Lake fish passage will be 

prepared separately at a future time. 

Public Disclosure 

Before including your name, address, 

phone number, e-mail address, or other 

personal identifying information in any 

correspondence, you should be aware 

that your entire correspondence— 

including your personal identifying 

information—may be made publicly 

available at any time. While you can ask 

us in your correspondence to withhold 

your personal identifying information 

from public view, we cannot guarantee 

that we will be able to do so. 

Dated: January 5, 2011. 

Karl E. Wirkus, 

Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region. 

[FR Doc. 2011–8862 Filed 4–12–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

COMMISSION 

Notice of Possible Shutdown of 

Investigative Activities 

AGENCY: U.S. International Trade 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the U.S. International Trade 

Commission has determined to shut 

down its investigative activities in the 

event of the absence of an 

appropriation. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

James R. Holbein, Secretary to the 

Commission, U.S. International Trade 

Commission, 500 E Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20436, telephone (202) 

205–2000. General information 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES