43718 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 165 / Thursday, August 27, 2009 / Notices 

implementation of these projects and 

programs. 

Next Step 

After the comment period ends, we 

will analyze the comments and address 

them. 

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. 

Authority 

This notice is published under the 

authority of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Improvement Act of 

1997, Public Law 105–57. 

Dated: June 25, 2009. 

Cynthia K. Dohner, 

Acting Regional Director. 

[FR Doc. E9–20665 Filed 8–26–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R7–R–2009–N0106; 70133–1265– 

0000–S3] 

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, 

Soldotna, AK 

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of the 

revised comprehensive conservation 

plan and final environmental impact 

statement. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service, USFWS), 

announce that the revised 

comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) 

and final environmental impact 

statement (EIS) for the Kenai National 

Wildlife Refuge is available for public 

review and comment. The CCP/EIS was 

prepared pursuant to the Alaska 

National Interest Lands Conservation 

Act of 1980 (ANILCA), the National 

Wildlife Refuge System Administration 

Act of 1966 (Refuge Administration Act) 

as amended by the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Improvement Act of 

1997 (Refuge Improvement Act), and the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA). It describes five 

alternatives for managing the Kenai 

Refuge for the next 15 years, including 

continuing current management. 

DATES: We will accept comments on the 

CCP/EIS until September 28, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: To provide written 

comments or to request a paper copy or 

a compact disk of the CCP/EIS, contact 

Peter Wikoff, Planning Team Leader, 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional 

Office, 1011 East Tudor Rd., MS–231, 

Anchorage, AK 99503; telephone: (907) 

786–3357; fax: (907) 786–3965; e-mail: 

fw7_kenai_planning@fws.gov. You may 

also view or download a copy of the 

CCP/EIS at: http://alaska.fws.gov/nwr/ 

planning/kenpol.htm. Copies of the 

CCP/EIS may be viewed at the Kenai 

Refuge Office in Soldotna, AK, and the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional 

Office in Anchorage, AK (address 

above). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Peter Wikoff at the address or phone 

number provided above. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Alaska National Interests Land 

Conservation Act (ANILCA) (16 U.S.C. 

410hh et seq., 43 U.S.C. 1602 et seq.) 

requires development of comprehensive 

conservation plans for all national 

wildlife refuges in Alaska. The CCP/EIS 

for the Kenai Refuge was developed 

consistent with Section 304(g) of 

ANILCA and the Refuge Administration 

Act as amended by the Refuge 

Improvement Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd et 

seq.). The purpose of developing a 

comprehensive conservation plan is to 

provide refuge managers with a 15-year 

management strategy for achieving 

refuge purposes and contributing 

toward the mission of the National 

Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with 

sound principles of fish, wildlife, and 

habitat management and conservation; 

legal mandates; and Service policies. 

Comprehensive conservation plans 

define long-term goals and objectives 

toward which refuge management 

activities are directed. Comprehensive 

conservation plans are reviewed and 

updated every 15 years in accordance 

with direction in Section 304(g) of 

ANILCA, the Refuge Improvement Act, 

and NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). 

Background 

In 1941, President Franklin D. 

Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8979 

creating the 1,730,000-acre Kenai 

National Moose Range. In 1980, 

ANILCA changed the name of the Range 

to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge 

and substantially increased the size of 

the Refuge. Kenai Refuge encompasses 

approximately 1,988,000 acres. Section 

303(4)(B) of ANILCA states that the 

purposes for which Kenai Refuge was 

established include (i) to conserve fish 

and wildlife populations and habitats in 

their natural diversity; (ii) to fulfill 

international treaty obligations of the 

United States with respect to fish and 

wildlife and their habitats; (iii) to ensure 

water quality and necessary water 

quantity within the refuge; (iv) to 

provide opportunities for scientific 

research, interpretation, environmental 

education, and land management 

training; and (v) to provide 

opportunities for fish and wildlifeoriented recreation. A CCP/EIS was 

completed for the Kenai Refuge in 1985 

(50 FR 31777, Aug. 6, 1985) following 

direction in Section 304(g) of ANILCA. 

The ANILCA requires the Service to 

designate areas according to their 

respective resources and values and to 

specify programs and uses within the 

areas designated. To meet these 

requirements, the Alaska Region 

established management categories. A 

management category is a set of refuge 

management directions applied to an 

area to accomplish refuge purposes and 

goals. Appropriate public uses, 

commercial uses, facilities, and human 

activities are identified for each 

management category. Five management 

categories currently apply to the Kenai 

Refuge, including (1) Intensive, (2) 

Moderate, (3) Traditional, (4) Minimal, 

and (5) Wilderness. 

The 1997 Refuge Improvement Act 

includes additional direction for 

conservation planning throughout the 

National Wildlife Refuge System. This 

direction has been incorporated into 

national planning policy for the 

National Wildlife Refuge System, 

including refuges in Alaska. The CCP/ 

EIS for the Kenai Refuge meets the 

requirements of both ANILCA and the 

Refuge Administration Act as amended 

by the Refuge Improvement Act. 

An Overview of Management 

Alternatives 

The CCP/EIS describes and evaluates 

five alternatives (A–E) for managing the 

Kenai Refuge for the next 15 years. 

Alternatives A through E are each 

consistent with the purposes of the 

Kenai Refuge as mandated by ANILCA. 

Alternative A (the No-Action 

Alternative) is required under NEPA 

and describes continuation of current 

management. Alternative A serves as a 

baseline against which to compare the 

other four alternatives, including 

Alternative E—the Service’s Preferred 

Alternative. Under Alternative A, 

management of the Kenai Refuge would 

continue to follow direction described 

in the 1985 CCP/EIS and record of 

decision and subsequent step-down 

management plans. Under Alternative 

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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 165 / Thursday, August 27, 2009 / Notices 43719 

A, the Kenai Refuge would continue to 

be managed under five management 

categories. 

Alternatives B through E would 

generally continue to follow 

management direction as described in 

the 1985 CCP/EIS and record of decision 

and subsequent step-down management 

plans. However, some specific direction 

occurring under current management 

(Alternative A) would be altered or no 

longer pursued under Alternatives B 

through E. For example, under 

Alternatives B through E, four 

management categories, not five, would 

be applied to the Kenai Refuge, 

eliminating the Traditional management 

category. Alternative B would convert 

Kenai Refuge lands that are currently 

managed as Traditional to the Moderate 

or the Minimal management categories, 

and Alternatives C through E would 

convert Refuge lands that are currently 

managed as Traditional to the Minimal 

management category. 

The Alternatives by Specific Issues 

Five planning issues were raised 

during scoping. The CCP/EIS for Kenai 

Refuge describes and evaluates specific 

management actions under Alternatives 

A through E and how each alternative 

addresses the planning issues. In this 

notice, we highlight key changes in 

management of the Kenai Refuge 

proposed under Alternatives A through 

E for each planning issue: 

Issue 1: Large-Scale Habitat Change and 

the Use of Fire 

Under Alternatives A through C, 

prescribed fire use would be allowed on 

31 percent of the Refuge, though such 

use would be limited under Alternative 

A on approximately 10 percent of the 

Refuge identified as Minimal 

management. Alternatives D and E 

(Alternative E is the Preferred 

Alternative) would allow prescribed fire 

use on 97.5 percent of the Refuge. 

Under Alternative A, use of wildland 

fire would be allowed on 95 percent of 

the Refuge, and Alternative B would 

allow such use on 84.5 percent of the 

Refuge. This is the technique of 

managing naturally ignited wildland 

fires to accomplish resource 

management objectives for specific 

areas. Alternatives C through E (the 

Preferred Alternative) would allow use 

of wildland fire on 97.5 percent of the 

Refuge—with use of wildland fire only 

being the default management action in 

designated Wilderness (66.4 percent of 

the Refuge) under Alternative C. Under 

Alternatives D and E (the Preferred 

Alternative), use of wildland fire would 

be the default management action in 

Minimal and designated Wilderness 

management categories (95 percent of 

the Refuge). 

Issue 2: Manage Existing Facilities for 

Public Use While Ensuring Resource 

Protection 

Presently, there are three active oil 

and gas leases (13,252 acres) on the 

Kenai Refuge that were granted under 

the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920. These 

leases are not anticipated to end during 

the life of this plan (15 years) but could 

in the foreseeable future. For two of the 

leases, the Swanson River and Beaver 

Creek Oil and Gas units, some of the 

existing industrial roads and operating 

facilities would be retained (in the event 

that operations cease) for public use 

(except bicycle use) under Alternative 

A, though none would be retained 

under Alternative B. Most industrial 

roads would be retained and converted 

to trails for pedestrian and horse use 

only under Alternative C; and 

Alternatives D and E (the Preferred 

Alternative) would retain and maintain 

most roads for public use, including 

bicycle use. No existing facilities would 

be retained for public use under 

Alternatives C through E (the Preferred 

Alternative) in these oil and gas units. 

In the Swanson River Oil and Gas Unit, 

up to five primitive camping areas 

would be provided for walk-in use only 

under Alternative C, and two developed 

campgrounds would be constructed 

under Alternatives D and E (the 

Preferred Alternative). In the Beaver 

Creek Oil and Gas Unit, up to two 

primitive camping areas would be 

provided for walk-in use only under 

Alternative C, one developed 

campground would be constructed 

under Alternative D, and no camping 

facilities would be provided under 

Alternative E (the Preferred Alternative). 

Public vehicle use on the unimproved 

Mystery Creek Access Road and 

pipeline corridor north to Chickaloon 

Bay would be allowed from the start of 

moose hunting season (approximately 

August 9) until snow cover under 

Alternative A. Under Alternative B, the 

access road would be improved and 

public vehicle use would be allowed 

July 1 to November 30 throughout the 

area, including southwest access to the 

East Fork of the Moose River. 

Alternatives C and E (the Preferred 

Alternative) would improve the access 

road to ensure public safety and 

environmental protection while 

providing for a primitive backcountry 

experience, and public vehicle use 

would be allowed August 9 to 

November 30 throughout the area, 

including southwest access to the East 

Fork of the Moose River. Under 

Alternative D, public vehicle use on the 

access road and pipeline corridor would 

not be allowed. Pedestrian, horse, and 

snowmachine use would be allowed 

under all the alternatives. Bicycle use 

would be allowed from August 9 until 

snow cover under Alternatives A, C, and 

E (the Preferred Alternative), and May 1 

to November 30 under Alternative B. 

Alternative D would not allow bicycle 

use. Public use registration would not 

be required under Alternatives A or D, 

but it would be required under 

Alternatives B, C, and E (the Preferred 

Alternative). 

Issue 3: Enhance Wildlife-Dependent 

Recreation Opportunities 

Under Alternative A, personal 

collection of berries, mushrooms, and 

other edible plants, and/or the 

collection of shed antlers would not be 

allowed. Under Alternatives B through 

E (the Preferred Alternative), personal 

collection and use of unlimited 

quantities of berries, mushrooms, and 

other edible plants, and up to eight 

naturally shed moose or caribou antlers 

per person per year, would be allowed. 

Issue 4: Manage Increasing Public Use 

To Ensure Resource and VisitorExperience Protection 

For the Upper Kenai River (Russian 

River to Skilak Lake), non-guided public 

use would be allowed without 

restriction under Alternative A. 

Alternative B would modify existing 

management agreements and/or plans 

cooperatively with stakeholders to 

address non-guided public use; and 

Alternatives C through E (the Preferred 

Alternative) would implement a limited 

permit program after a public 

rulemaking process is conducted. 

Under all of the Alternatives, 

sportfishing guides would be required to 

have special use permits. Permits would 

be limited to 20 under Alternatives A 

and B, reduced to 18 under C and E (the 

Preferred Alternative), and reduced to 

15 under Alternative D. Permits would 

be reduced through attrition and issued 

competitively. Each permit would allow 

10 starts per week with no more than 4 

starts per day—except under Alternative 

B, which would require additional 

restrictions on the timing and starts of 

boats beyond such levels. 

State-licensed sportfishing guides not 

having Refuge special use permits may 

be issued Incidental Use Permits (IUPs) 

under all the alternatives except 

Alternative D, which would eliminate 

the IUP Program. Alternatives A, C, and 

E (the Preferred Alternative) would 

issue up to three IUPs per year subject 

to quotas and blackout dates, and 

Alternative B would limit the number of 

IUPs to one per year. 

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43720 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 165 / Thursday, August 27, 2009 / Notices 

Dispersed camping would be allowed 

(except within one-quarter mile of the 

Sterling Highway) under all of the 

alternatives, but would be limited to 14 

days in any 30-day period under 

Alternative A; limited to 24 hours 

within any 14-day period within 100 

yards of the river under Alternative B; 

not allowed within 100 yards of the 

river under Alternatives C and E (the 

Preferred Alternative); limited to 48 

hours within any 14-day period within 

100 yards of the river and within 1 mile 

of the Kenai River/Skilak Lake inlet/ 

outlet under Alternative D. 

For the Middle Kenai River (Skilak 

Lake downstream to the Refuge 

boundary), non-guided public use 

would be allowed without restriction 

under Alternatives A and B. Such use 

would be allowed without restriction 

under Alternatives C and E (the 

Preferred Alternative) until a Limits-ofAcceptable Change planning process is 

completed with stakeholders; and 

Alternative D would implement a 

limited permit program after a public 

rulemaking process is conducted. 

Sportfishing guides would be required 

to have special use permits under all of 

the alternatives, though such permits 

would be issued without limit under 

Alternative A. Under Alternative B, the 

need to implement a permitting process 

would be evaluated after the conclusion 

of the ongoing Kenai River-wide guide 

process. Under Alternatives C and E (the 

Preferred Alternative), permits would be 

limited to the number of existing 

permittees, and existing permittees 

would be ‘‘grandfathered’’ in after a 

public rulemaking process is conducted; 

under Alternative D, permits would be 

limited to 20 through a competitive 

selection process, and management of 

the timing and starts of boats would be 

initiated. 

Issue 5: Balance Motorized Access With 

Resource and Visitor-Experience 

Protection 

Under all the alternatives, airplane 

access would not be allowed May 1 to 

September 30 on any lake where nesting 

trumpeter swans and/or their broods are 

present, except on two lakes in 

designated Wilderness—where the 

closure would be May 1 to September 

10 under Alternatives A through C and 

E (the Preferred Alternative)—and five 

lakes in designated Wilderness plus one 

lake outside of designated Wilderness 

under Alternative D. Airplane access 

would be allowed on 46 lakes in 

designated Wilderness under 

Alternatives A and E (the Preferred 

Alternative); 45 lakes under Alternative 

B; 50 lakes under Alternative C; and 59 

lakes under Alternative D. 

Under all the alternatives, floatplane 

access to Chickaloon Flats would be 

allowed on 6.5 miles of the Chickaloon 

River. Under Alternative A, wheeled 

airplane access would be allowed yearround within designated areas of the 

Chickaloon Flats area, including three 

upland landing zones, a designated 

beach zone, and the unmaintained Big 

Indian Creek airstrip. Under 

Alternatives B through E (the Preferred 

Alternative), wheeled airplane access 

would be allowed on 21 square miles of 

unvegetated portions of the Chickaloon 

Flats area. Access would also be 

allowed on the unmaintained Big Indian 

Creek airstrip under Alternatives B and 

E (the Preferred Alternative). Under 

Alternatives C and D, access would be 

allowed on the Big Indian Creek airstrip, 

which would be maintained by the 

Service; and under Alternative D, an 

additional 6.8 square miles of 

unvegetated portions of the Chickaloon 

Flats would be accessible September 1 

to December 15 (or to coincide with 

future waterfowl hunting seasons). 

Under Alternatives A through C and 

E (the Preferred Alternative), 

snowmachines would be allowed in 

designated areas December 1 to April 30 

when the refuge manager determines 

there is adequate snow cover. Under 

Alternative C, certain zones within 

designated areas may be opened earlier 

(than December 1) or later (than April 

30) depending on local snow 

conditions. 

Under Alternative D, the December 1 

to April 30 time restriction would be 

eliminated, and certain zones within 

designated areas may be opened 

depending on local snow conditions. 

Under Alternatives B through E (the 

Preferred Alternative), research studies 

would be conducted with stakeholders 

to evaluate the effects of snowmachine 

use on Refuge resources and visitor 

experiences, and the results of those 

studies would be used to support future 

management decisions. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your name, 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. We will make all comments from 

individual persons part of the official 

public record. We will handle requests 

for such comments in accordance with 

the Freedom of Information Act, NEPA, 

and Departmental policies and 

procedures. 

Dated: August 21, 2009. 

Gary Edwards, 

Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska. 

[FR Doc. E9–20664 Filed 8–26–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation 

and Enforcement 

Information Quality Guidelines 

Pursuant to Section 515 of the 

Treasury and General Government 

Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 

2001 

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining 

Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Revised 

Peer Review Guidelines. 

SUMMARY: This is a Notice of 

Availability of the amended Information 

Quality guidelines of the Office of 

Surface Mining Reclamation and 

Enforcement (OSM). OSM’s amended 

guidelines implement the Information 

Quality guidelines published by the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) in the Federal Register. The 

OMB guidelines directed Federal 

agencies to issue and implement 

guidelines to ensure and maximize the 

quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity 

of Government information 

disseminated to the public. 

Accordingly, OSM is amending its 

Information Quality Guidelines in order 

to provide current information about the 

title of the Information Quality contact. 

We are making no other substantive 

changes. We are making minor, nonsubstantive editorial and technical 

corrections. The corrected guidelines 

are available on the OSM Internet Web 

site at: http://www.osmre.gov/guidance/ 

osm_info_quality.shtm. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Office of the Chief Information Officer, 

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation 

and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution 

Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20240. 

Telephone (202) 208–2961 or by e-mail 

to infoquality@osmre.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The OSM guidelines, as amended, 

implement guidelines published by the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) in the Federal Register on 

September 28, 2001 (66 FR 49718) and 

February 22, 2002 (67 FR 8451). The 

OMB guidelines directed Federal 

agencies to issue and implement 

guidelines to ensure and maximize the 

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