Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 49 / Monday, March 16, 2009 / Notices 11129 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R5–R–2009–N0001; BAC 4311–K9; 

S3] 

Umbagog (Formerly ‘‘Lake Umbagog’’) 

National Wildlife Refuge, Coos County, 

NH and Oxford County, ME 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of decision and 

availability of record of decision. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

decision and availability of the record of 

decision (ROD) for the final 

comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) 

and environmental impact statement 

(EIS) for the Umbagog (formerly ‘‘Lake 

Umbagog’’) National Wildlife Refuge 

(NWR). The refuge is located in Coos 

County, New Hampshire, and Oxford 

County, Maine. We completed a 

thorough analysis of the environmental, 

social, and economic considerations and 

presented it in our final CCP/EIS, which 

we released to the public through a 

Federal Register notice on December 3, 

2008. The ROD documents our decision 

to adopt and implement the final CCP/ 

EIS Alternative B, Management for 

Particular Habitats and Focal Species as 

the CCP for Umbagog NWR. Alternative 

B was identified as the Service-preferred 

alternative in the final CCP/EIS. The 

Regional Director, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Northeast Region, 

signed the ROD on January 9, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain 

copies of the ROD and final CCP/EIS by 

any of the following methods: 

Agency Web site: Download a copy of 

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

northeast/planning/Lake%20Umbagog/ 

ccphome.html. 

Electronic mail: 

northeastplanning@fws.gov. Include 

‘‘Umbagog NWR ROD’’ in the subject 

line of the message. 

Mail: Paul Casey, Refuge Manager, 

Umbagog NWR, P.O. Box 240, Route 16 

North, Errol, NH 03579. 

In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Phone 

to make an appointment at refuge 

headquarters during regular business 

hours; 603–482–3415 (phone). 

Local Libraries: The final documents 

are available for review at the libraries 

listed under SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul 

Casey, Refuge Manager, Umbagog NWR, 

P.O. Box 240, Route 16 North, Errol, 

New Hampshire 03579; (603) 482–3415 

(phone); paul_casey@fws.gov (e-mail). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we finalize the CCP 

process for Umbagog NWR (formerly 

‘‘Lake Umbagog’’ NWR). The CCP will 

guide us in managing and administering 

the refuge for the next 15 years. We 

started this process in a Federal 

Register notice (67 FR 46682; July 16, 

2002). We released the draft CCP/EIS to 

the public, announcing and requesting 

comments in a notice of availability in 

the Federal Register (72 FR 37041; July 

6, 2007). We extended the public 

comment period through another 

Federal Register notice (72 FR 45044; 

August 10, 2007). The full public review 

period lasted 77 days. We announced 

the availability of the final CCP/EIS in 

the Federal Register (73 FR 73661; 

December 3, 2008). Public review of that 

document lasted 33 days. 

Umbagog NWR is a 21,650-acre 

refuge, which lies in Coos County, New 

Hampshire, and Oxford County, Maine. 

It contains widely diverse upland and 

wetland habitat types surrounding the 

8,500-acre Umbagog Lake. The refuge 

was established to provide long-term 

protection to unique wetlands, 

threatened and endangered species, and 

migratory birds of conservation concern, 

and to sustain regionally significant 

concentrations of wildlife. Since 

establishing the refuge in 1992, we have 

focused our management emphasis on 

conserving lands within the approved 

boundary; monitoring the occupancy 

and productivity of common loon, bald 

eagle, and osprey nesting sites and 

protecting them from human 

disturbance; conducting baseline 

biological inventories; and providing 

wildlife-dependent recreational 

opportunities. 

In accordance with National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 

CFR 1506.6(b)) requirements, this notice 

announces our decision and the 

availability of the ROD for the final 

CCP/EIS for Umbagog NWR. We 

evaluated three alternatives and 

completed a thorough analysis of the 

environmental, social, and economic 

considerations in the final CCP/EIS. The 

ROD documents our selection of 

Alternative B, Management for 

Particular Habitats and Focal Species, 

which we modified in the final 

document in response to public 

comments we received on the draft 

document. The ROD details those 

modifications made in the final 

document. Alternative B, as we describe 

in the ROD and final CCP/EIS, now 

serves as the foundation for the 

approved CCP. 

Background 

The National Wildlife Refuge System 

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

668dd–668ee) (Improvement Act), 

which amended the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Administration Act of 

1966, requires us to develop a CCP for 

each national wildlife 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 

(NWRS), 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, 

and environmental education and 

interpretation. We will review and 

update the CCP at least every 15 years 

in accordance with the Improvement 

Act. 

Basis for Selected Alternative 

Both our draft and final CCP/EIS 

identified 18 major issues generated by 

the public, other state or federal 

agencies, and the planning team. To 

address those issues, we developed and 

evaluated three alternatives in detail: 

Alternative A, Current Management; 

Alternative B, Management for 

Particular Habitats and Focal Species 

(Service-preferred alternative); and, 

Alternative C, Management to Create 

Natural Landscape Composition, 

Patterns, and Processes. Alternative B 

was identified as the Service-preferred 

alternative in both the draft and final 

CCP/EIS. Although the alternatives 

differ in many ways, they also share 

some similarities. Both their common 

elements and their distinctions were 

most recently outlined in the final CCP/ 

EIS Summary document available at 

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/ 

Lake%20Umbagog/ccphome.htm. 

Our decision is to adopt Alternative 

B, as described in the ROD and final 

CCP/EIS. The ROD details the basis of 

our decision, which we made after 

considering the following: The impacts 

identified in Chapter 4 of the draft and 

final CCP/EIS; the results of public and 

other agency comments; how well the 

alternative addresses the relevant issues, 

concerns, and opportunities identified 

during the planning process; and other 

relevant factors, including fulfilling the 

purposes for which the refuge was 

established, contributing to the mission 

11130 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 49 / Monday, March 16, 2009 / Notices 

and goals of the NWRS, and statutory 

and regulatory guidance. We have 

determined that Alternative B also 

includes the suite of activities that best 

achieves the stated purpose and need 

for action and the seven goals presented 

in the final CCP/EIS Chapter 1. 

Compared to the other two alternatives, 

Alternative B meets those needs and 

goals through the most balanced and 

integrated approach, considering both 

the biological and human environment. 

It will also provide the means to better 

respond to changing ecological and 

socioeconomic conditions within the 

surrounding environment using an 

adaptive management approach. 

In summary, Alternative B was 

selected for implementation because it 

provides the greatest number of 

opportunities for the refuge to make a 

significant contribution to the 

conservation of fish, wildlife, and 

habitat needs in the region, as well as 

make a positive contribution to the local 

and regional communities. 

Public Availability of Documents 

In addition to the methods in 

ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain 

documents at the following locations: 

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

northeast/planning/Lake%20Umbagog/ 

ccphome.html. 

At the following libraries: 

Library Address Phone No. 

Errol Public Library ................................................................... Route 26, Errol, NH 03579 ..................................................... 603–482–7720 

Berlin Public Library .................................................................. 270 Main Street, Berlin, NH 03570 ......................................... 603–752–5210 

White Mountains Community College ...................................... 2020 Riverside Drive Berlin, NH 03570 .................................. 603–752–1113 

Gorham Public Library .............................................................. 35 Railroad Street, Gorham, NH 03581 ................................. 603–466–2525 

Bethel Public Library ................................................................. 5 Broad Street, Bethel, ME 04217 .......................................... 207–824–2520 

Dated: January 9, 2009. 

Marvin E. Moriarty, 

Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Hadley, MA 01035. 

[FR Doc. E9–5592 Filed 3–13–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[10120–1113–0000–C4; FWS–R1–ES–2009– 

N0028] 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; Initiation of 5-Year Reviews 

of 103 Species in Hawaii 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of review. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year 

reviews for 103 species in Hawaii under 

the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (Act). We request any new 

information on these species that may 

have a bearing on their classification as 

endangered or threatened. Based on the 

results of these 5-year reviews we will 

determine whether these species are 

properly classified under the Act. 

DATES: To ensure consideration in our 

review, we are requesting submission of 

new information no later than May 15, 

2009. However, we will continue to 

accept new information about any listed 

species at any time. 

ADDRESSES: For the species under 

review, submit information or direct 

questions to: Field Supervisor, 

Attention: 5-Year Review, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish 

and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana 

Blvd., Room 3–122, Box 50088, 

Honolulu, HI 96850. Information or 

questions can also be submitted by email to: pifwo-5yr-review@fws.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marilet Zablan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Pacific Islands Fish and 

Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES), 808– 

792–9400. Individuals who are hearing 

impaired or speech impaired may call 

the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877– 

8337 for TTY assistance. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Why Do We Conduct 5-Year Reviews? 

Under the Endangered Species Act 

(Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we 

maintain a List of Endangered and 

Threatened Wildlife and Plants (List) at 

50 CFR 17.11 (for animals) and 17.12 

(for plants). Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Act 

requires that we conduct a review of 

listed species at least once every 5 years. 

Then, on the basis of such reviews 

under section 4(c)(2)(B), we determine 

whether or not any species should be 

removed from the List (delisted), or 

reclassified from endangered to 

threatened or from threatened to 

endangered. These actions must be 

supported by the best scientific and 

commercial data available. Delisting a 

species is considered only if such data 

substantiates that the species is neither 

endangered nor threatened for one or 

more of the following reasons: (1) The 

species is considered extinct; (2) the 

species is considered to be recovered; 

and/or (3) the original data available 

when the species was listed, or the 

interpretation of such data, were in error 

(50 CFR 424.11(d)). Any change in 

Federal classification would require a 

separate rulemaking process. The 

regulations in 50 CFR 424.21 require 

that we publish a notice in the Federal 

Register announcing those species 

currently under active review. This 

notice announces our active review of 

the 103 species listed in Table 1. 

TABLE 1—SPECIES FOR WHICH WE ARE INITIATING A STATUS REVIEW TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE APPROPRIATELY

LISTED UNDER THE U.S. ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Common name Scientific name Status Where listed Final listing rule 

Animals: 

Bat, Hawaiian hoary ......................... Lasiurus cinereus semotus ..................... E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 35 FR 16047; 10/13/1970. 

Finch, Nihoa ..................................... Telespyza ultima ..................................... E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 32 FR 4001; 03/11/1967. 

Goose, Hawaiian (= Nene) .............. Branta (=Nesochen) sandvicensis .......... E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 32 FR 4001; 03/11/1967. 

Honeycreeper, crested ..................... Palmeria dolei .......................................... E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 32 FR 4001; 03/11/1967. 

Parrotbill, Maui ................................. Pseudonestor xanthophrys ...................... E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 32 FR 4001; 03/11/1967. 

Petrel, Hawaiian dark-rumped ......... Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 32 FR 4001; 03/11/1967. 

Snail, Oahu tree ............................... Achatinella abbreviate ............................. E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 46 FR 3178; 01/13/1981. 

Snail, Oahu tree ............................... Achatinella apexfulva .............................. E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 46 FR 3178; 01/13/1981. 

Snail, Oahu tree ............................... Achatinella bellula ................................... E U.S.A. (HI) ........ 46 FR 3178; 01/13/1981.