Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 20, 2009 / Notices 23741 

V. Definitions 

(A) Species includes any species or 

subspecies of fish, wildlife, or plant, 

and any distinct population segment of 

any species of vertebrate, which 

interbreeds when mature; 

(B) Endangered means any species 

that is in danger of extinction 

throughout all or a significant portion of 

its range; and 

(C) Threatened means any species 

that is likely to become an endangered 

species within the foreseeable future 

throughout all or a significant portion of 

its range. 

VI. Authority 

We release our final recovery plan 

under section 4(f) of the Act, 16 U.S.C. 

1533(f). We publish this notice under 

the authority of the Endangered Species 

Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.). 

Dated: March 30, 2009. 

Gary Edwards, 

Acting Regional Director, Region 7, U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–11700 Filed 5–19–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R8–R–2009–N0063;1261–0000– 

80230–W2] 

Cullinan Ranch Unit Restoration 

Project, San Pablo Bay National 

Wildlife Refuge, Solano County, CA 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; 

abbreviated final environmental impact 

statement and environmental impact 

report. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service) and the 

California Department of Fish and Game 

(CDFG) announce that the abbreviated 

final environmental impact statement/ 

environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) 

for the Cullinan Ranch Restoration 

Project is now available. The 

abbreviated final EIS/EIR, which we 

prepared and now announce in 

accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA), describes the restoration plan 

for 1,500 acres (ac) of former hayfield 

farmland in the San Pablo Bay. The 

abbreviated final EIS/EIR responds to all 

comments we received on the draft 

document. This restoration project 

would combine tidal salt marsh habitat 

for endangered species, waterfowl, 

waterbirds, and fish, as well as public 

access features to increase accessibility 

to wildlife resource values in the San 

Pablo Bay, while minimizing projectinduced flood impacts to Highway 37. 

ADDRESSES: The abbreviated final EIS/ 

EIR is available at the following 

locations: 

• Refuge Headquarters Office, San 

Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 

2100 Highway 37, Petaluma, CA 94954; 

(707) 769–4200 (telephone). 

• San Francisco Bay National 

Wildlife Refuge Complex, 9500 

Thornton Avenue, Newark, CA 94560; 

(510) 792–0222 (telephone). 

• John F. Kennedy Public Library, 

505 Santa Clara, Vallejo, CA 94590. 

• Internet: http://www.fws.gov/cno/ 

refuges/cullinan/index.cfm. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christy Smith, Refuge Manager, San 

Pablo Bay NWR, (707) 769–4200 

(phone), christy_smith@fws.gov (e-mail); 

or Louis Terrazas, Wildlife Refuge 

Specialist, San Pablo Bay NWR, (707) 

769–4200 (phone), 

louis_terrazas@fws.gov (e-mail). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Location 

Located within the existing Refuge 

boundary, the Cullinan Ranch Unit is 

bordered by the South Slough and 

Dutchman Slough to the north and State 

Route 37 to the south. California 

Department of Fish and Game Pond 1 

borders Cullinan Ranch to the west. 

Guadalcanal Village Wetlands 

(Guadalcanal), which is owned by the 

State of California and is currently being 

restored to tidal marsh, borders Cullinan 

Ranch to the east. 

Background 

The Cullinan Ranch restoration 

project would restore approximately 

1,500 acres of diked baylands to historic 

tidal conditions by reintroducing tidal 

flow into the project area. This area, 

Cullinan Ranch, is located in an area of 

the Napa River Delta that was 

historically defined by a network of 

meandering sloughs and extensive 

estuarine tidal marshes. Reintroduction 

of tidal flow will restore vital salt marsh 

habitat for endangered species, 

including the salt marsh harvest mouse 

(Reithrodontomys raviventris) and the 

California clapper rail (Rallus 

longirostris obsoletus), as well as 

provide foraging and roosting habitat for 

fish, migratory waterfowl and 

waterbirds. 

The proposed restoration is based on 

the concept that reintroduction of tidal 

waters will naturally develop saltwater 

marsh habitat conditions. The existing 

perimeter levee currently prevents tidal 

flows into the area, and, as a result, the 

land has subsided several feet in 

elevation and becomes inundated with 

fresh water during the rainy season. 

Once restored, twice-daily tidal flows 

would carry and deposit sediment, 

eventually establishing marsh plain 

elevations sufficient to support tidal 

marsh vegetation. As tidal waters enter 

and exit the site, tidal channels would 

develop or re-establish from previous 

channels. Continued tidal action would 

maintain an active exchange of water, 

sediment, and nutrients between the 

marsh habitat and the bay, further 

enhancing the value of the habitat for 

plants and wildlife. 

In keeping with one of the purposes 

of the Refuge, ‘‘to conserve fish, 

wildlife, or plants which are listed as 

endangered species or threatened 

species,’’ the Cullinan Ranch restoration 

project would restore historic salt marsh 

habitat for the benefit of threatened and 

endangered species as well as many 

other estuarine-dependent species. 

Because some of the proposed project 

area includes State lands, we prepared 

the DEIS/EIR to satisfy the requirements 

of both NEPA and the California 

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The 

California Department of Fish and Game 

is the CEQA lead agency for this project. 

Public Review 

The formal public comment period for 

the draft EIS/EIR opened on May 2, 

2008, and closed on June 17, 2008, 

although we received several comments 

during the 2 months following the 

comment period close. We announced 

the availability of the draft document by 

several methods, including press 

releases and public notice, including a 

notice in the Federal Register (73 FR 

24302, May 2, 2008). The draft EIS/EIR 

identified and evaluated three 

alternatives for restoration. We received 

seven comment letters on the draft EIS/ 

EIR. No comments received from 

interested individuals, groups, or 

agencies required us or CDFG to add 

new alternatives, significantly alter 

existing alternatives, or make changes to 

the impact analysis of the effect of any 

alternative. Thus, we were able to use 

an abbreviated format to fully document 

all our responses to comments in our 

final EIS/EIR, in compliance with the 

Council on Environmental Quality 

implementing regulations (40 CFR 

1503.4 [c]) for NEPA. 

Alternatives We Considered 

No-Action Alternative 

Under the No-Action Alternative, the 

lead agencies would take no action to 

23742 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 20, 2009 / Notices 

restore tidal influence to the site; 

however, continued maintenance of the 

Dutchman and South Slough levees 

would occur. Under this alternative, 

because the lead agencies would be 

required to maintain the northern levee 

along Dutchman Slough in perpetuity, 

maintenance activities would likely 

increase as the levees age and as scour 

increases in response to activities 

undertaken by the Napa Sonoma 

Restoration Project. Under the NoAction Alternative, the components of 

the Proposed Action would not be 

implemented. 

Preferred Restoration Alternative 

The Preferred Restoration Alternative 

would restore the entire 1,500-ac 

Cullinan Ranch Site with 

implementation of the following project 

components: 

• Component 1: Construct boardwalk 

to provide access to existing electrical 

towers. 

• Component 2: If needed, drainage 

ditches would be blocked to promote 

redevelopment of natural sloughs. 

• Component 3: Improve the DFG 

Pond 1 levee and install water control 

structures. 

• Component 4: Protect Highway 37 

from project-induced flooding and 

erosion, through levee construction. 

• Component 5: Construct public 

access areas. 

• Component 6: Breach the levees 

along Dutchman and South Sloughs and 

Guadalcanal Village. 

• Component 7: Implement long-term 

monitoring. 

Partial Restoration Alternative 

The Partial Restoration Alternative 

would restore 300 ac of the Cullinan 

Ranch Site. The Partial Restoration 

Alternative was developed in order to 

limit potential impacts to the hydrology 

of Dutchman Slough. While it would 

meet the purpose and need of the 

project, a smaller overall area within 

Cullinan Ranch would be restored, and 

connectivity with other adjacent 

restoration projects would be limited. 

The Partial Restoration Alternative 

would include implementation of the 

following project components: 

• Component 1: If needed, drainage 

ditches would be blocked to promote 

redevelopment of natural Sloughs. 

• Component 2: Construct internal 

levee. 

• Component 3: Protect Highway 37 

from project-induced flooding and 

erosion, through levee construction. 

• Component 4: Breach the levee 

along Dutchman Slough. 

• Component 5: Long-term 

monitoring. 

The final EIS/EIR contains our 

responses to all comments received on 

the draft document. Following the 

release of the abbreviated final EIS/EIR, 

we will prepare a Record of Decision 

not sooner than 30 days after the 

Environmental Protection Agency has 

published its notice of filing of the 

document in the Federal Register. We 

anticipate that we will issue a Record of 

Decision in the summer of 2009. 

We provide this notice under 

regulations implementing NEPA (40 

CFR 1506.6). 

Dated: May 13, 2009. 

Stephen M. Dyer, 

Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest 

Region. 

[FR Doc. E9–11778 Filed 5–19–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLMTB07900 09 L10100000.PH0000 

LXAMANMS0000] 

Notice of Public Meeting, Western 

Montana Resource Advisory Council 

Meeting 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM), the Western 

Montana Resource Advisory Council 

will meet as indicated below. 

DATES: The Western Montana RAC will 

meet June 18, 2009 at 9 a.m. The public 

comment period for the meeting will 

begin at 11:30 a.m. and the meeting is 

expected to adjourn at approximately 3 

p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Butte Field Office, 106 N. Parkmont, 

Butte, Montana. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David Abrams, Western Montana 

Resource Advisory Council Coordinator, 

Butte Field Office, 106 North Parkmont, 

Butte, Montana 59701, telephone 406– 

533–7617. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 15- 

member Council advises the Secretary 

of the Interior, through the Bureau of 

Land Management, on a variety of 

planning and management issues 

associated with public land 

management in western Montana. At the 

June 18 meeting, topics we plan to 

discuss include: Abandoned Mines 

Reclamation, public access issues, travel 

management implementation, Economic 

Stimulus Package Project Updates, and 

a review of Forest Service fee proposals. 

All meetings are open to the public. 

The public may present written 

comments to the Council. Each formal 

Council meeting will also have time 

allocated for hearing public comments. 

Depending on the number of persons 

wishing to comment and time available, 

the time for individual oral comments 

may be limited. Individuals who plan to 

attend and need special assistance, such 

as sign language interpretation, or other 

reasonable accommodations, should 

contact the BLM as provided below. 

Richard M. Hotaling, 

Field Manager. 

[FR Doc. E9–11708 Filed 5–19–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–$$–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

National Register of Historic Places; 

Notification of Pending Nominations 

and Related Actions 

Nominations for the following 

properties being considered for listing 

or related actions in the National 

Register were received by the National 

Park Service before May 2, 2009. 

Pursuant to § 60.13 of 36 CFR part 60 

written comments concerning the 

significance of these properties under 

the National Register criteria for 

evaluation may be forwarded by United 

States Postal Service, to the National 

Register of Historic Places, National 

Park Service, 1849 C St., NW., 2280, 

Washington, DC 20240; by all other 

carriers, National Register of Historic 

Places, National Park Service, 1201 Eye 

St., NW., 8th floor, Washington, DC 

20005; or by fax, 202–371–6447. Written 

or faxed comments should be submitted 

by June 4, 2009. 

J. Paul Loether, 

Chief, National Register of Historic Places/ 

National Historic Landmarks Program. 

CALIFORNIA 

El Dorado County 

Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony Farm, 941 

Cold Springs Rd., Gold Hill, 09000397 

Los Angeles County 

27th Street Historic District, (African 

Americans in Los Angeles) Along 27th St., 

Los Angeles, 09000399 

52nd Place Historic District, (African 

Americans in Los Angeles) Along E. 52nd 

Pl., Los Angeles, 09000398