38668 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 148 / Tuesday, August 4, 2009 / Notices 

therefore require National 

Environmental Policy Act analysis and 

public review. 

Draft Environmental Assessment 

This draft EA identifies and evaluates 

three alternatives for managing 

mountain lion predation on desert 

bighorn sheep on the Refuge. 

Alternative A: Under this alternative, 

the Refuge would continue to be 

managed as it has been in the past. We 

currently have no plan to guide the 

management of mountain lions. Current 

management efforts, described in the 

Refuge’s general management plan, 

focus on maintaining critical wildlife 

water sources for bighorn sheep, and, in 

coordination with the AZGFD, 

monitoring desert bighorn sheep 

numbers, and considering desert 

bighorn sheep transplants to augment 

populations elsewhere. Research on 

wildlife and wildlife water sources 

would continue. We would not take 

action to prevent mountain lion 

predation on desert bighorn sheep 

within the Refuge boundaries under this 

alternative. 

Alternative B: This is the our 

proposed action, which would allow the 

option of removing specific, 

individually identified offending 

mountain lions, through translocation or 

lethal removal, from the Refuge under 

certain circumstances, in order to 

recover and maintain an optimal 

population of desert bighorn sheep. The 

proposed action has several 

components. We would trap mountain 

lions and fit them with tracking devices 

to monitor their activities. When the 

Refuge bighorn sheep population 

estimate is below 600 animals, active 

mountain lion removal would occur. 

Active mountain lion control is the 

removal of mountain lions found to kill 

two or more bighorn sheep within a 6- 

month period. The Service, or its agents, 

would carry out the lethal removal or 

translocation. However, when the 

Refuge bighorn sheep population 

estimate is between 600 and 800 

animals, active mountain lion control 

may or may not be employed based on 

the totality of the circumstances at the 

time. In order to meet the bighorn sheep 

population objectives while minimizing 

the necessary impacts to mountain 

lions, some flexibility is desired. 

Decisions regarding whether active 

mountain lion control is necessary will 

be based on an adaptive management 

approach and based on the following 

factors: The current sheep population 

estimate; the current sheep population 

trend; bighorn sheep lamb survival and 

recruitment; the estimate of the number 

of mountain lions currently using the 

Refuge; current and forecasted habitat 

conditions; and available funding and 

manpower. When the Refuge bighorn 

sheep population estimate is at or above 

800 animals, active mountain lion 

control would not occur, although 

mountain lions on the Refuge would 

continue to be captured and fitted with 

tracking devices to aid in continuing 

research. 

Alternative C: Under this alternative, 

there would be no attempts to radio 

collar and distinguish which mountain 

lions are preying on bighorn sheep. 

Mountain lions would be lethally 

removed or translocated at a rate of 

approximately 2 mountain lions per 

year from the area until the sheep 

population reaches an estimated 800 

animals and has exhibited an increasing 

trend based on at least 3 sheep 

population surveys. Mountain lion 

removals would resume if the Refuge 

bighorn sheep population was found to 

again go below 800 animals. 

Additional Refuge Information 

Additional information on the history 

of the Refuge and its purpose, goals, 

objectives, and management strategies 

can be found in the Kofa National 

Wildlife Refuge & Wilderness and New 

Water Mountains Wilderness 

Interagency Management Plan and 

Environmental Assessment: EA–AZ– 

055–95–105, October 1996. Pertinent 

information can also be found in the 

April 2007 report titled Investigative 

Report and Recommendations for the 

Kofa Bighorn Sheep Herd, prepared 

jointly by the Service and the AZGFD. 

Both documents, along with other 

detailed information, are available at the 

following Web site: http://www.fws.gov/ 

southwest/refuges/arizona/kofa. 

Public Availability of Comments 

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. 

Authorities 

The Environmental Review of this 

project will be conducted in accordance 

with the requirements of the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 

1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq.); NEPA Regulations (40 CFR parts 

1500–1508); other appropriate Federal 

laws and regulations; Executive Order 

12996; the National Wildlife Refuge 

System Improvement Act of 1997; and 

Service policies and procedures for 

compliance with those laws and 

regulations. 

Dated: April 3, 2009. 

Benjamin N. Tuggle, 

Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

[FR Doc. E9–18285 Filed 8–3–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R8–R–2008–N0292; 80230–1265– 

0000–S3] 

Klamath Marsh National Wildlife 

Refuge, Klamath County, OR 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comments: draft comprehensive 

conservation plan/environmental 

assessment. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of a Draft Comprehensive 

Conservation Plan/Environmental 

Assessment (CCP/EA) for the Klamath 

Marsh National Wildlife Refuge for 

public review and comment. The CCP/ 

EA, prepared pursuant to the National 

Wildlife Refuge System Improvement 

Act of 1997, and in accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, describes how the Service will 

manage the Refuge for the next 15 years. 

Draft compatibility determinations for 

several existing and proposed public 

uses are also available for review and 

public comment with the Draft CCP/EA. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received at the address below on or 

before Friday, September 18, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: For more information on 

obtaining documents and submitting 

comments, see ‘‘Review and Comment’’ 

under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. For 

public meeting location see ‘‘Public 

Meetings.’’ 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Mark Pelz, Chief, Refuge Planning, 2800 

Cottage Way, W–1832, Sacramento, CA 

95825, phone (916) 414–6500. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd-668ee), which amended the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, requires us 

to develop a CCP for each national 

wildlife refuge. The purpose in 

developing a CCP is to provide refuge 

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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 148 / Tuesday, August 4, 2009 / Notices 38669 

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 and photography, 

environmental education and 

interpretation. 

We initiated the CCP/EA for the 

Klamath Marsh National Wildlife 

Refuge in February 2007. At that time 

and throughout the process, we 

requested, considered, and incorporated 

public scoping comments in numerous 

ways. Our public outreach has included 

a Federal Register notice of intent 

published on January 29, 2007, agency 

and Tribal scoping meetings, two public 

workshops, planning updates, and a 

CCP Web page. We received over 180 

scoping comments during the 60-day 

public comment period. 

Background 

Klamath Marsh was established in 

1958 and is located in south central 

Oregon on the east slope of the Cascade 

Mountain Range along the Williamson 

River. The Service owns approximately 

40,960 acres within the 49,583-acre 

acquisition boundary. The Refuge 

protects one of the largest remaining 

natural freshwater marshes on the west 

coast. Other important habitats on the 

refuge include sedge meadow, 

grassland, riverine, riparian scrub, and 

ponderosa pine forest. The refuge 

protects habitat for a variety of unique 

species including greater sandhill 

cranes, yellow rails, Oregon spotted 

frogs, red-naped sapsuckers, pygmy 

nuthatches, bald eagles, beaver, and red 

band trout. The entire Refuge is located 

within the former reservation of the 

Klamath Tribes. 

Alternatives 

The Draft CCP/EA identifies and 

evaluates three alternatives for 

managing Klamath Marsh National 

Wildlife Refuge for the next 15 years. 

The alternative that appears to best meet 

the Refuge purposes is identified as the 

preferred alternative. The preferred 

alternative is identified based on the 

analysis presented in the Draft CCP/EA, 

which may be modified following the 

completion of the public comment 

period based on comments received 

from other agencies, Tribal 

governments, non-governmental 

organizations, or individuals. 

Under Alternative A, the no action 

alternative, we would continue to 

manage the Refuge as we have in the 

recent past. No major changes in habitat 

management would occur. The existing 

wildlife observation, photography, 

environmental education, and 

interpretation programs would remain 

unchanged. 

Under Alternative B, (preferred 

alternative), the Service would restore 

the portion of the Williamson River and 

Big Spring Creek on the Refuge; 

substantially improve management of 

emergent marsh, meadows, ponderosa 

pine forest and aspen to increase habitat 

value for migratory birds and other 

wildlife; improve and expand visitor 

services by developing new trails, 

interpretive exhibits, an environmental 

education program, and a visitor contact 

station; maintain existing hunting and 

fishing programs with minor 

modifications; increase cultural 

resources protection; and recommend 

no units for wilderness designation. The 

Service would also revise and update 

the MOU with the Klamath Tribes 

regarding subsistence hunting and 

gathering. 

Under Alternative C, the Service 

would restore the portions of the 

Williamson River and Big Springs Creek 

on the Refuge; improve management of 

emergent marsh, meadows, ponderosa 

pine forest and aspen using a more 

limited tool set (fire only for nonforested areas); minimally expand 

opportunities for non-consumptive 

public uses; eliminate public hunting; 

increase cultural resource protection; 

and recommend 11,165 acres for 

wilderness designation. The Service 

would also revise and update the MOU 

with the Tribes regarding subsistence 

hunting and gathering. 

Public Meetings 

The locations, dates, and times of 

public meetings will be listed in a 

planning update distributed to the 

project mailing list and posted on the 

Refuge Web site at http://www.fws.gov/ 

klamathbasinrefuges/ 

KlamathMarshCCP/kmarshccp.html. 

Review and Comment 

Copies of the Draft CCP/EA may be 

obtained by writing to the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Attn: Mark Pelz, CA/ 

NV Refuge Planning Office, 2800 

Cottage Way, W–1832, Sacramento, CA 

95825–1846. Copies of the Draft CCP/EA 

may be viewed at this address or at the 

Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, HC 

63 Box 303, Chiloquin, OR 97624. The 

Draft CCP/EA will also be available for 

viewing and downloading online at: 

http://www.fws.gov/ 

klamathbasinrefuges/ 

KlamathMarshCCP/kmarshccp.html. 

Comments on the Draft CCP/EA 

should be addressed to: Mark Pelz, 

Chief, Refuge Planning, 2800 Cottage 

Way, W–1832, Sacramento, CA 95825– 

1846. Comments may also be faxed to 

(916) 414–6497 or if you choose to 

submit comments via electronic mail, 

submit them to the following address: 

fw8plancomments@fws.gov. 

At the end of the review and comment 

period for this Draft CCP/EA, comments 

will be analyzed by the Service and 

addressed in the Final CCP/EA. 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. 

Dated: July 28, 2009. 

Ren Lohoefener, 

Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, 

Sacramento, California. 

[FR Doc. E9–18427 Filed 8–3–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Reclamation 

Quarterly Status Report of Water 

Service, Repayment, and Other WaterRelated Contract Negotiations 

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of 

contractual actions that have been 

proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation 

and are new, modified, discontinued, or 

completed since the last publication of 

this notice on June 24, 2009. This notice 

is one of a variety of means used to 

inform the public about proposed 

contractual actions for capital recovery 

and management of project resources 

and facilities consistent with section 9(f) 

of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. 

Additional announcements of 

individual contract actions may be 

published in the Federal Register and in 

newspapers of general circulation in the 

areas determined by Reclamation to be 

affected by the proposed action. 

ADDRESSES: The identity of the 

approving officer and other information 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES