Table of Contents

Introduction .............................................................................................. 1-2

Purpose and Need for Action ................................................................... 1-3

Project Area ............................................................................................. 1-4

Service Policies, Legal Mandates, and National and

 Regional Conservation Plans Guiding the Project ................................. 1-5

Refuge Purposes and Land Acquisition Authority .................................... 1-18

Existing Refuge Operational Plans (“Step-down” plans).......................... 1-20

Refuge Complex Vision Statement .......................................................... 1-22

Refuge Complex Goals ............................................................................ 1-22

The Comprehensive Conservation Planning Process ............................. 1-23

Issues, Concerns and Opportunities ........................................................ 1-26

Issues Outside the Scope of this EIS....................................................... 1-39

Plan Amendment and Revision ................................................................ 1-44

Chapter 1 Purpose and Need for Action

Chapter 2 Alternatives, Including the Service’s Preferred Alternative

Chapter 3 Description of the Affected Environment

Introduction .............................................................................................. 2-2

Formulating Alternatives .......................................................................... 2-2

Actions Common to All Alternatives ......................................................... 2-4

Alternatives or Actions Considered but not Fully Developed ................... 2-11

Descriptions of Individual Alternatives Analyzed in Detail ........................ 2-12

Alternative A: Current Management ............................................... 2-12

Alternative B: The Service’s Preferred Alternative ......................... 2-43

Alternative C ................................................................................... 2-114

Alternative D ................................................................................... 2-131

Comparison of Major Actions by Alternative and Issues .......................... 2-144

Part One: The Refuge Complex Landscape ................................... 3-2

Landscape-level Features ..................................................... 3-2

Socio-economic Characteristics of Coastal Maine................. 3-9

Wilderness Management ....................................................... 3-80

Part Two: Refuge Complex Island Resources ................................ 3-34

Islands Overview ................................................................... 3-34

Threatened and Endangered Species (Federal-listed) .......... 3-34

Seabirds ................................................................................ 3-36

Waterfowl............................................................................... 3-40

Other Resident Wildlife .......................................................... 3-41

Island Vegetation ................................................................... 3-42

Individual Island Descriptions ................................................ 13-42

Other Islands Affiliated with the Refuge Complex .................. 3-76

Part Three: Refuge Complex Mainland Resources ........................ 3-103

Petit Manan Point Division ..................................................... 3-103

Gouldsboro Bay Division ....................................................... 3-109

Sawyers Marsh Division ........................................................ 3-113

Corea Heath Division (pending transfer from the U.S. Navy) ... 3-117

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Chapter 4 Environmental Consequences

Introduction .............................................................................................. 4-2

Effects on Water Quality and Soils........................................................... 4-4

Effects on Air Quality ................................................................................ 4-13

Effects on the Local and Regional Economy ........................................... 4-19

Effects on Public Access, Educational and Recreational

 Opportunities .......................................................................................... 4-32

Effects on Cultural Resources ................................................................. 4-44

Effects on Vegetation and Habitats .......................................................... 4-46

Effects on Threatened and Endangered Species .................................... 4-62

Effects on Seabirds, Wading Birds, and Waterfowl .................................. 4-72

Effects on Other Native Wildlife of Concern ............................................. 4-83

Effects of Wilderness Recommendations ................................................ 4-93

Environmental Justice .............................................................................. 4-99

Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................. 4-101

Relationship Between Short-term Uses and

 Long-term Productivity ........................................................................... 4-105

Unavoidable Adverse Effects ................................................................... 4-106

Potential Irreversible and Irretrievable

 Commitment of Resources .................................................................... 4-106

Chapter 5 Consultation and Coordination with Others

1995 – 1998 Environmental Impact Statement for

 Protecting Maine Coastal Nesting Islands and

 Managing Petit Manan Refuge .............................................................. 5-2

1999 – 2000 Comprehensive Conservation Plan and

 Environmental Impact Statement for Petit Manan

 Refuge Complex .................................................................................... 5-4

Chapter 6 List of Preparers

Core Planning Team................................................................................. 6-2

Assisting in Land Protection Strategies ................................................... 6-3

Other Service Personnel Contributing to Plan ......................................... 6-4

Others Who Contributed to Plan .............................................................. 6-4

Appendices

Appendix A – Land Protection Plan .......................................................... A-1

Appendix B – Species and Habitats of Management Concern ................ B-1

Appendix C – Compatibility Determinations ............................................. C-1

Appendix D – Wilderness Inventory and Study........................................ D-1

Appendix E – Refuge Operations Needs System (RONS) and

Management Maintenance System (MMS) .................... E-1

Appendix F – Staffing Charts ................................................................... F-1

Appendix G – Property Tax Impact Analysis ............................................ G-1

Appendix H – Seabird Viewing Study Results ......................................... H-1

Glossary of Terms and Acronyms ............................................................ Glossary-1

Literature Cited ........................................................................................ Literature-1

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List of Tables

1-1 History of acquisition at Petit Manan Refuge ............................... 1-21

1-2 History of acquisition at Cross Island Refuge .............................. 1-21

2-1 Comparison of actions by alternative as they

relate to issues ............................................................................. 2-144

2-2 All 151 Nationally significant islands which are

not protected long-term and are proposed for Service

acquisition in Alternatives A, B, and/or C ..................................... 2-160

2-3 Land acquisition summary by alternative ..................................... 2-166

3-1 Populations of eight coastal Maine counties ................................ 3-10

3-2 Aquaculture operations in Maine under lease

as of June 2002 ........................................................................... 3-11

3-3 Distribution of coastal excursion companies ................................ 3-14

3-4 Refuge Complex budgets from 1998 to 2002 .............................. 3-22

3-5 Petit Manan Refuge complex revenue sharing

payments in fiscal year 2002 ....................................................... 3-23

3-6 Rare plants documented on Petit Manan NWR

Complex Islands .......................................................................... 3-43

3-7 through 3-37 Nesting seabird species, number of pairs,

(and year) observed on:

3-7 Smuttynose Island ........................................................... 3-45

3-8 Upper Flag Island ............................................................. 3-46

3-9 Ram Island ....................................................................... 3-46

3-10 Pond Island ...................................................................... 3-47

3-11 Lower Mark Island ............................................................ 3-48

3-12 Outer Heron Island ........................................................... 3-48

3-13 Outer White Island ........................................................... 3-49

3-14 Inner White Island ............................................................ 3-50

3-15 Little Thrumcap Island ...................................................... 3-50

3-16 Crane Island ..................................................................... 3-51

3-17 Franklin Island .................................................................. 3-52

3-18 Metinic Island ................................................................... 3-53

3-19 Two Bush Island............................................................... 3-54

3-20 Mantinicus Rock............................................................... 3-55

3-21 Seal Island ....................................................................... 3-57

3-22 Roberts Island .................................................................. 3-58

3-23 Little Roberts Island ......................................................... 3-58

3-24 Bar Island ......................................................................... 3-59

3-25 Eastern and Western Barge Islands ................................ 3-60

3-26 Ship Island ....................................................................... 3-61

3-27 Trumpet Island ................................................................. 3-62

3-28 John’s Island .................................................................... 3-63

3-29 Egg Rock Island ............................................................... 3-64

3-30 Petit Manan Island ........................................................... 3-66

3-31 Nash Island ...................................................................... 3-68

3-32 Inner Sand Island ............................................................. 3-68

3-33 Eastern Brothers Island ................................................... 3-71

3-34 Libby Island ...................................................................... 3-72

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List of Figures

List of Maps

1-1 Gulf of Maine Watershed ............................................................. 1-5

1-2 Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge Complex ........................... 1-45

1-3 Kittery ........................................................................................... 1-46

1-4 Saco Bay ...................................................................................... 1-47

1-5 Casco Bay .................................................................................... 1-48

1-6 Muscongus Bay ........................................................................... 1-49

1-7 Outer Penobscot Bay ................................................................... 1-50

1-8 Inner Penobscot Bay.................................................................... 1-51

1-9 Jericho Bay .................................................................................. 1-52

1-10 Frenchmans Bay .......................................................................... 1-53

1-11 Petit Manan .................................................................................. 1-54

1-12 Cobscook Bay .............................................................................. 1-55

2-1 Corea Health Division Public Use - Alternative A ......................... 2-39

2-2 Gouldsboro Bay Division Public Use - Alternative A .................... 2-40

2-3 Petit Manan Point Division Public Use - Alternative A ................. 2-41

2-4 Sawyers Marsh Division - Alternative A ....................................... 2-42

2-5 Corea Health Division Public Use - Alternative B......................... 2-110

2-6 Gouldsboro Bay Division Public Use - Alternative B .................... 2-111

2-7 Petit Manan Point Division Public Use - Alternative B ................. 2-112

2-8 Sawyers Marsh Division - Alternative B ....................................... 2-113

2-9 Corea Health Division Public Use - Alternative C ........................ 2-127

2-10 Gouldsboro Bay Division Public Use - Alternative C .................... 2-128

2-11 Petit Manan Point Division Public Use - Alternative C ................. 2-129

2-12 Sawyers Marsh Division Public Use - Alternative C ..................... 2-130

2-13 Corea Health Division Public Use - Alternative D ........................ 2-140

3-35 Old Man Island ................................................................. 3-73

3-36 Outer Double Head Shot Island ....................................... 3-74

3-37 Machias Seal Island ......................................................... 3-77

3-38 Petit Manan Point Division cover types by acres ......................... 3-103

3-39 Gouldsboro Bay Division habitat cover types by acres ................ 3-109

3-40 Sawyers Marsh Division cover types by acres ............................ 3-114

3-41 Corea Health Division habitat cover types by acres .................... 3-118

3-42 Summary of cover types by location on

Petit Manan Refuge Complex ...................................................... 3-121

4-1 Percent of minority populations in four coastal counties

in Maine ....................................................................................... 4-99

4-2 Percent of families and individual residents living

below the poverty level in four coastal counties in Maine ............ 4-100

4-3 Summary of the effects of management alternatives

on Refuge Complex resources .................................................... 4-106

1-1 Steps in the comprehensive conservation planning

process and their relationship to National Environmental

Policy Act compliance .................................................................. 1-25

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2-14 Gouldsboro Bay Division Public Use - Alternative D .................... 2-141

2-15 Petit Manan Point Division Public Use - Alternative D ................. 2-142

2-16 Sawyers Marsh Division Public Use - Alternative D ..................... 2-143

3-1 Smuttynose and Malaga Islands .................................................. 3-78

3-2 Upper Flag Island ......................................................................... 3-79

3-3 Ram Island ................................................................................... 3-80

3-4 Pond Island National Wildlife Refuge ........................................... 3-81

3-5 Lower Mark Island ........................................................................ 3-82

3-6 Outer Heron, Inner White and Outer White Islands ..................... 3-83

3-7 Little Thrumcap Island .................................................................. 3-84

3-8 Franklin Island National Wildlife Refuge and Crane Island .......... 3-85

3-9 Metinic Island ............................................................................... 3-86

3-10 Two Bush Island........................................................................... 3-87

3-11 Matinicus Rock ............................................................................. 3-88

3-12 Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge ............................................ 3-89

3-13 Roberts and Little Roberts Islands ............................................... 3-90

3-14 Little Marshall Island .................................................................... 3-91

3-15 Johns Island ................................................................................. 3-92

3-16 Bar, Ship and Trumpet Islands, East and West Barges ............... 3-93

3-17 Egg Rock ..................................................................................... 3-94

3-18 Petit Manan Island ....................................................................... 3-95

3-19 Sally and Abbott Islands............................................................... 3-96

3-20 Bois Bubert Island ....................................................................... 3-97

3-21 Nash and Inner Sand Islands ....................................................... 3-98

3-22 Halifax, Schoppee and Eastern Brother Islands .......................... 3-99

3-23 Libby Island .................................................................................. 3-100

3-24 Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge .......................................... 3-101

3-25 Machias Seal Island ..................................................................... 3-102

3-26 Petit Manan Point Division and Bois Bubert Island ...................... 3-107

3-27 Petit Manan Point Division and Bois Bubert Island

Cover Types ................................................................................. 3-108

3-28 Gouldsboro Bay Division.............................................................. 3-111

3-29 Gouldsboro Bay Division cover types .......................................... 3-112

3-30 Sawyers Marsh Division............................................................... 3-115

3-31 Sawyers Marsh Division cover types ........................................... 3-116

3-32 Corea Health Division .................................................................. 3-119

3-33 Corea Health Division habitat cover types ................................... 3-120

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