9690 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 33 / Friday, February 17, 2012 / Notices 

commerce, export, and cull of excess 

scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), 

from the captive herd maintained at 

their facility, for the purpose of 

enhancement of the survival of the 

species. This notification covers 

activities to be conducted by the 

applicant over a 5-year period. 

Applicant: KJC Holdings, Lohn, TX; 

PRT–200207 

The applicant requests amendment of 

their captive-bred wildlife registration 

under 50 CFR 17.21(g) to add scimitarhorned oryx (Oryx dammah), to 

enhance their propagation or survival. 

This notification covers activities to be 

conducted by the applicant over a 5- 

year period. 

Applicant: KJC Holdings, Lohn, TX; 

PRT–200211 

The applicant requests amendment of 

their permit authorizing interstate and 

foreign commerce, export, and cull to 

include scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx 

dammah) from the captive herd 

maintained at their facility, for the 

purpose of enhancement of the survival 

of the species. This notification covers 

activities to be conducted by the 

applicant over a 5-year period. 

Multiple Applicants 

The following applicants each request 

a permit to import the sport-hunted 

trophy of one male bontebok 

(Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled 

from a captive herd maintained under 

the management program of the 

Republic of South Africa, for the 

purpose of enhancement of the survival 

of the species. 

Applicant: John Jackman, Lancaster, CA; 

PRT–62465A 

Applicant: Scott Jennings, San Angelo, 

TX; PRT–60964A 

Brenda Tapia, 

Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch 

of Permits, Division of Management 

Authority. 

[FR Doc. 2012–3771 Filed 2–16–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R2–R–2011–N198; 1265–0000–10137– 

S3] 

Willamette Valley National Wildlife 

Refuge Complex, Corvallis, OR; 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 U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of our final comprehensive 

conservation plan (CCP) and a finding of 

no significant impact (FONSI) for the 

environmental assessment (EA) for the 

Willamette Valley National Wildlife 

Refuges (NWRs/refuges). In this final 

CCP, we describe how we will manage 

these refuges for the next 15 years. 

Implementing the CCP is subject to the 

availability of funding and any 

additional compliance requirements. 

ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain 

copies of the final CCP and FONSI/EA 

by any of the following methods. You 

may request a hard copy or CD–ROM. 

Agency Web Site: Download a copy of 

the document at http://www.fws.gov/ 

pacific/planning. 

Email: 

FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. 

Include ‘‘Willamette Valley NWR FCCP/ 

EA’’ in the subject line. 

Fax: Attn: Doug Spencer, Project 

Leader, (541) 757–4450. 

U.S. Mail: Doug Spencer, Project 

Leader, Willamette Valley National 

Wildlife Refuge Complex, 26208 Finley 

Refuge Road, Corvallis, Oregon 97333– 

9533. 

In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call 

(541) 757–7236 to make an appointment 

during regular business hours at W.L. 

Finley National Wildlife Refuge, 26208 

Finley Refuge Road, Corvallis, Oregon 

97333–9533. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Doug Spencer, Project Leader, (541) 

757–7236. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we announce the 

completion of the CCP process for the 

Willamette Valley National Wildlife 

Refuges. The Service started this process 

through a notice of intent in the Federal 

Register (73 FR 11137; February 29, 

2008). We released the draft CCP/EA to 

the public, announcing and requesting 

comments in a notice of availability in 

the Federal Register (76 FR 30382; May 

25, 2011). 

The Willamette Valley National 

Wildlife Refuge Complex includes three 

refuges: William L. Finley, Baskett 

Slough, and Ankeny. Together, the three 

refuges encompass approximately 

11,110 acres in western Oregon. 

Habitats on the refuges include 

seasonal, semipermanent, and 

permanent wetlands; wet prairies, 

upland prairie/oak savannas, oak 

woodlands, mixed deciduousconiferous forests, riparian, riverine, 

and stream habitats. Agricultural lands, 

the majority managed as grass fields, are 

also present on the refuges. The refuges 

were established under the Migratory 

Bird Conservation Act ‘‘for use as an 

inviolate sanctuary or for any other 

management purpose, for migratory 

birds * * * to conserve and protect 

migratory birds * * * and to restore or 

develop adequate wildlife habitat,’’ with 

emphasis on protecting dusky Canada 

geese. In the last four decades, these 

refuges have provided not only an 

important wintering grounds for the 

dusky Canada goose and thousands of 

other wintering geese and ducks, but 

also have been recognized more recently 

as increasingly important areas for 

conservation of the remaining fragments 

of the native Willamette Valley habitats 

and biota. The refuges support key 

populations of federally listed species, 

including Oregon chub, Fender’s blue 

butterfly, Bradshaw’s desert-parsley, 

Kincaid’s lupine, Nelson’s checkermallow, and Willamette daisy, and 

provide migration habitat for listed 

Chinook salmon and steelhead. Several 

other rare species are also found on the 

refuges. 

We announce our CCP decision and 

the availability of a FONSI for the final 

EA for Willamette Valley NWRs in 

accordance with the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Administration Act of 

1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd–668ee) (Refuge 

Administration Act) and National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 

CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements. We 

prepared an analysis of environmental 

impacts, which we included in an EA 

that accompanied the draft CCP. 

The CCP will guide us in managing 

and administering the refuges for the 

next 15 years. Alternative 2, as 

described in the draft CCP, is the basis 

of the final CCP. 

Background 

The Refuge 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 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 33 / Friday, February 17, 2012 / Notices 9691 

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 compatible 

wildlife-dependent recreational 

opportunities available to the public, 

including opportunities for compatible 

hunting, fishing, wildlife observation 

and photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update the CCP at least 

every 15 years in accordance with the 

Refuge Administration Act. 

CCP Alternatives, Including Selected 

Alternative 

Our draft CCP/EA (76 FR 30382; May 

25, 2011) discussed several issues. To 

address these, we developed and 

evaluated the following alternatives. 

Alternative 1 (No Action) 

Under Alternative 1, we analyzed the 

following ongoing actions: 

• Maintaining cultivated grass fields 

under a cooperative farming program to 

provide forage for wintering Canada 

geese; 

• Managing wetland habitats and 

providing sanctuary for geese; 

• Managing and enhancing the 

existing areas of native habitats; 

• Continuing habitat and population 

management for endangered and 

threatened species; 

• Providing wildlife observation, 

interpretation, environmental 

education, fishing, and hunting with 

current facilities and programs; and 

• Maintaining the current area closed 

to wintertime public access to provide 

sanctuary during the wintering 

waterfowl season. 

Alternative 2 (Selected Action) 

Alternative 2, our preferred 

alternative, represents a balanced 

approach among the many competing 

needs at the refuges. Overall, habitat 

and compatible public use programs 

will continue as currently managed but 

with many targeted improvements and 

additions. Implementing these actions is 

subject to the availability of funding and 

any additional compliance 

requirements. 

An emphasis on providing habitat for 

wintering geese will remain. Green 

forage for geese will continue to be 

provided primarily through cooperative 

farming agreements with local farmers. 

The Service will pursue measures to 

help retain the services of cooperative 

farmers, such as: 

• Providing enhanced irrigation 

capabilities (these will help the farmers 

to better establish green forage crops 

and perhaps grow other cash crops); 

• Providing additional lure crops 

such as corn or other grains; 

• Taking over farming on certain high 

goose use fields; and/or 

• Offsetting a portion of the costs to 

cooperative farmers; etc. 

• Goose use should be no less than 

under Alternative 1 and could increase 

if specific goose management strategies 

are implemented. Wetland habitat 

management and restoration activities 

will also be intensified to improve 

habitat for geese and other wildlife. 

Management and enhancement will 

continue in remnant native habitats and 

recently restored areas. In addition, 

approximately 845 additional acres on 

the three refuges will be restored to 

wetland, wet prairie, riparian, oak 

woodland, or upland prairie/oak 

savanna habitats over the next 15 years. 

Threatened and endangered species 

management will continue to be a 

priority, guided by recovery plans 

where applicable. Existing populations 

of several threatened and endangered 

species will be strengthened through 

habitat management activities, and 

several new populations will be 

established on the refuges. 

Wildlife observation and 

interpretation will continue to be 

emphasized as the cornerstone of the 

public use program. Several new trails 

and viewing facilities are planned, as 

well as interpretive signs and materials, 

including online materials. In addition, 

major special events are planned at a 

frequency of about 3–4/year, with 

monthly weekend interpretive 

programs. 

This alternative includes expansion of 

environmental education efforts, with 

an objective of reaching more students 

and schools, particularly at W.L. Finley 

Refuge. Outdoor classroom shelters are 

part of the alternative. In addition, a 

goal of this alternative is a new 

Environmental Education Center, indoor 

classroom facilities, and an interpretive 

exhibit area on W.L. Finley Refuge. This 

will depend on available funding. 

A new option to hunt deer of either 

sex will be added on W.L. Finley 

Refuge. In addition, new upland 

locations will be available for deer 

hunting during a portion of the 

restricted firearms season; this will 

require closure of two hiking trails for 

a week in November. The restricted 

firearms season will be shortened and 

shifted to later in the State season. A 

youth waterfowl hunt and a September 

goose hunt will be provided at Baskett 

Slough Refuge. Fishing will be 

promoted at the Willamette River by 

developing safe fishing access and a 

canoe launch at Snag Boat Bend Unit. 

The current area closed to public 

access will remain closed, in order to 

provide sanctuary during the wintering 

waterfowl season on the three refuges. 

However, the major portions of the Snag 

Boat Bend Unit will be open year-round. 

The refuges will develop an elk 

management plan cooperatively with 

the Oregon Department of Fish and 

Wildlife after completion of the CCP 

(within 1–2 years of CCP 

implementation). The refuges will 

continue to expand conservation 

partnerships, volunteer programs, and 

outreach to local communities. 

Proactive cultural resource management 

will occur by repairing/maintaining the 

historic structures on W.L. Finley 

Refuge and by adding associated 

interpretive facilities. 

Under the selected action, the Service 

also proposes protection, conservation, 

and management of additional lands 

within the Willamette Valley that could 

contribute to refuge purposes and goals 

by providing wintering habitat and 

forage for Canada geese; providing 

protection, enhancement, and 

restoration of native habitats and rare 

Willamette Valley species; and 

providing opportunity for additional 

wildlife-dependent public use. The 

refuges will undertake a subsequent 

land protection planning process to 

identify specific tracts of lands for these 

purposes. 

Alternative 3 

This alternative was analyzed but not 

selected. Alternative 3 included a major 

shift in management for wintering 

Canada geese. Forage would have been 

provided either through contract 

farming (paying farmers to grow crops 

on the refuges) and/or force account 

farming (refuge staff doing the farming). 

The refuges would have farmed only 

fields that were receiving moderate-tohigh goose use. Refuge farming program 

costs would have increased and goose 

use would have likely decreased. 

This alternative would have created 

the opportunity to restore 

approximately 1,564 acres of cropland 

to native habitat over the next 15 years, 

since the amount of farmland would be 

reduced. However, the fields to be 

restored would have likely lain fallow, 

open to nonnative plant introduction, 

while awaiting staff time and funding 

for restoration. 

Wildlife observation and 

interpretation would have continued to 

be emphasized as the cornerstone of the 

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9692 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 33 / Friday, February 17, 2012 / Notices 

public use program. About a third to 

half as many new observation facilities 

(trails, viewing overlooks, etc.) would 

have been added as under Alternative 2, 

due to staffing and funding resources 

being directed toward refuge farming 

activity. The current area closed to 

public access on all three refuges would 

have remained closed, in order to 

provide sanctuary during the wintering 

waterfowl season, except for the 

proposed change at Snag Boat Bend as 

described in Alternative 2 above. 

Fishing access to the Willamette River 

would have been provided through a 

canoe launch at Snag Boat Bend Unit; 

however, bank fishing access would not 

have been provided. 

Deer hunting, threatened and 

endangered species management, 

environmental education, elk 

management, cultural resources, 

subsequent land protection planning, 

and conservation partnership activity 

would have occurred as under 

Alternative 2. 

Comments 

We solicited comments on the draft 

CCP/EA from May 25, 2011, to June 24, 

2011 (76 FR 30382; May 25, 2011). A 

total of 27 separate communications 

from 25 different commenters (two 

commenters submitted two letters each) 

were received regarding the draft CCP/ 

EA. To address public comments, 

responsive changes and clarifications 

were made to the final CCP where 

appropriate. These changes are 

summarized in the FONSI. 

Selected Alternative 

After considering the comments 

received, we have selected Alternative 2 

for implementation. The goals, 

objectives, and strategies under 

Alternative 2 best achieve the purpose 

and need for the CCP while maintaining 

balance among the varied management 

needs and programs. Alternative 2 

addresses the refuge purposes, issues, 

and relevant mandates, and is consistent 

with principles of sound fish and 

wildlife management. 

Dated: October 20, 2011. 

Robyn Thorson, 

Regional Director, Pacific Region, Portland, 

Oregon. 

[FR Doc. 2012–3759 Filed 2–16–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R1–R–2011–N228;1265–0000–10137– 

S3] 

Kea ̄lia Pond National Wildlife Refuge 

and Kakahai‘a National Wildlife 

Refuge, Maui County, HI; Final 

Comprehensive Conservation Plans 

and Findings of No Significant Impact 

for the Environmental Assessments 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of our final comprehensive 

conservation plans (CCPs) and findings 

of no significant impacts for the 

environmental assessments for the 

Kea ̄lia Pond National Wildlife Refuge 

(refuge or NWR) and Kakahai‘a National 

Wildlife Refuge. In the final CCPs, we 

describe how we plan to manage these 

refuges for the next 15 years. 

ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain 

copies of the final CCPs and findings of 

no significant impacts (FONSIs) and 

environmental assessments (EAs) by any 

of the following methods. You may 

request a hard copy or CD–ROM. 

Agency Web Site: Download the 

documents at www.fws.gov/pacific/ 

planning. 

Email: 

FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. 

Include ‘‘Kea ̄lia Pond NWR final CCP’’ 

or ‘‘Kakahai‘a NWR final CCP’’ in the 

subject line of the message. 

Mail: Glynnis Nakai, Project Leader, 

Maui National Wildlife Refuge 

Complex, P.O. Box 1042, Kı ̄hei, Hawai‘i 

96753. 

In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call 

(808) 875–1582 to make an appointment 

during regular business hours at Maui 

NWR Complex, Milepost 6, Mokulele 

Highway (Hwy. 311), Kı ̄hei, Hawai‘i 

96753. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Glynnis Nakai, Project Leader, Maui 

NWR Complex, phone number (808) 

875–1582. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we announce the 

completion of the CCP processes for 

Kea ̄lia Pond NWR and Kakahai‘a NWR. 

The Service started this process through 

a notice of intent in the Federal Register 

on October 20, 2009 (74 FR 53755). We 

released the draft CCPs/EAs to the 

public, announcing and requesting 

comments in a notice of availability in 

the Federal Register (76 FR 52008; 

August 19, 2011). 

We announce our CCP decisions and 

the availability of the FONSIs for the 

EAs in accordance with the National 

Wildlife Refuge System Administration 

Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd–668ee) 

(Refuge Administration Act) and 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.6(b)) 

requirements. We prepared a thorough 

analysis of impacts, which we included 

in the EAs that accompanied the draft 

CCPs. 

The CCPs will guide us in managing 

and administering the refuges for the 

next 15 years. Alternative C, as 

described in the draft CCPs for each 

refuge, is the basis for the CCPs. 

Background 

The Refuge Administration Act, as 

amended by the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Improvement Act of 

1997, requires us to develop a CCP for 

each 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 compatible 

wildlife-dependent recreational 

opportunities available to the public, 

including opportunities for hunting, 

fishing, wildlife observation and 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update the CCP at least 

every 15 years in accordance with the 

Refuge Administration Act. 

The Kea ̄lia Pond and Kakahai‘a NWRs 

are part of the Maui NWR Complex. 

Kea ̄lia Pond Refuge, located along the 

southern shore of the island of Maui, 

was established in 1992 for the purpose 

of providing habitat for endangered 

Hawaiian waterbirds, specifically the 

endangered Hawaiian stilt (ae‘o) and 

endangered Hawaiian coot (‘alae 

ke‘oke‘o). The refuge is administered 

under a perpetual conservation 

easement provided by Alexander and 

Baldwin, Inc., and encompasses open 

water, marsh, mudflat, upland shrub, 

and coastal beach strand habitats. The 

refuge has one of the largest 

concentrations of wetland birds in 

Hawai‘i, and is an important breeding, 

foraging, and resting area for the ae‘o 

and ‘alae ke‘oke‘o. In addition, Kea ̄lia 

Pond NWR provides a strategic landfall 

for migratory birds coming from Alaska, 

Siberia, and Asia, including Northern 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES