27174 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 108 / Monday, June 8, 2009 / Notices 

Mary Morris, Natural Resource Planner, 

Chassahowitzka NWR, 1502 Southeast 

Kings Bay Drive, Crystal River, FL 

34429. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Mary Morris, Natural Resource Planner; 

telephone: 850/567–6202; e-mail: 

ChassCCP@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we initiate our 

process for developing a CCP for 

Chassahowitzka NWR in Citrus and 

Hernando Counties, Florida. This notice 

complies with our CCP policy to: (1) 

Advise other Federal and State agencies, 

Tribes, and the public of our intention 

to conduct detailed planning on this 

refuge; and (2) obtain suggestions and 

information on the scope of issues to 

consider in the environmental 

document and during development of 

the CCP. 

Background 

The CCP Process 

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 

refuge. The purpose for developing a 

CCP is to provide refuge managers with 

a 15-year strategy for achieving refuge 

purposes and contributing to 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 for conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public, including 

opportunities for hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation, wildlife 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update the CCP at least 

every 15 years in accordance with the 

Improvement Act. 

Each unit of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System was established for 

specific purposes. We use these 

purposes as the foundation for 

developing and prioritizing the 

management goals and objectives for 

each refuge within the National Wildlife 

Refuge System mission, and to 

determine how the public can use each 

refuge. The planning process is a way 

for us and the public to evaluate 

management goals and objectives for the 

best possible conservation approach to 

this important wildlife habitat, while 

providing for wildlife-dependent 

recreation opportunities that are 

compatible with the refuge’s 

establishing purposes and the mission 

of the National Wildlife Refuge System. 

Our CCP process provides 

participation opportunities for Tribal, 

State, and local governments; agencies; 

organizations; and the public. At this 

time we encourage input in the form of 

issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions 

for the future management of 

Chassahowitzka NWR. 

We will conduct the environmental 

review of this project and develop an 

environmental assessment in 

accordance with the requirements of the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.); NEPA regulations (40 CFR 

parts 1500–1508); other appropriate 

Federal laws and regulations; and our 

policies and procedures for compliance 

with those laws and regulations. 

Located in the southwestern corner of 

Citrus County and the northwestern 

corner of Hernando County, 

approximately 65 miles north of Tampa, 

the 30,843-acre Chassahowitzka NWR 

was established by authority of the 

Migratory Bird Conservation Act on 

June 15, 1943, as ‘‘an inviolate 

sanctuary’’ for wintering waterfowl and 

other migratory birds. In 1976, we 

designated 16,893 acres in Citrus 

County and 6,736 acres in Hernando 

County as ‘‘Wilderness.’’ The refuge’s 

diverse ecosystem, including prime 

estuarine habitat, is home for an 

incredible variety and abundance of 

flora and fauna. The marshlands, 

swamplands, shallow bays, and tidal 

streams provide both the quantity and 

quality of aquatic plant and animal life 

required to support thousands of 

wintering waterfowl, marsh and 

waterbirds, shorebirds, fishes, and a 

variety of animal species that depend on 

a marine environment. Additionally, the 

refuge includes 2,560 acres of hardwood 

swamplands and 250 acres of upland 

forest that form its eastern boundary. 

Notable imperiled species include 

Florida manatees, whooping cranes, 

Gulf sturgeon, and smalltooth sawfish. 

The endangered whooping crane was 

introduced to the refuge’s marsh 

habitats. A highly visible partnership 

program has been in place for several 

years. 

Public Availability and 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: May 5, 2009. 

Cynthia K. Dohner, 

Acting Regional Director. 

[FR Doc. E9–13291 Filed 6–5–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R4–R–2009–N0074; 40136–1265– 

0000–S3] 

Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge, 

St. Mary Parish, LA 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability: draft 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of a draft comprehensive 

conservation plan and environmental 

assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Bayou 

Teche National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) 

for public review and comment. In this 

Draft CCP/EA, we describe the 

alternative we propose to use to manage 

this refuge for the 15 years following 

approval of the final CCP. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive your written comments by 

July 8, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments, questions, 

and requests for information to: Mr. 

Paul Yakupzack, Refuge Manager, 

Bayou Teche NWR, 3599 Bayou Black 

Drive, Houma, LA 70360. The Draft 

CCP/EA is available on compact disk or 

in hard copy. The Draft CCP/EA is also 

available at the Service’s Internet site: 

http://southeast.fws.gov/planning/. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Paul Yakupzack; telephone: 985/853– 

1078; fax: 985/853–1079; e-mail: 

paul_yakupzack@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we continue the CCP 

process for Bayou Teche NWR. We 

started this process through a notice in 

the Federal Register on March 19, 2007 

(72 FR 12811). 


cprice-sewell on PRODPC61 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 108 / Monday, June 8, 2009 / Notices 27175 

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 

strategy 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, wildlife 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update the CCP at least 

every 15 years in accordance with the 

Improvement Act. 

Bayou Teche NWR is located near the 

town of Franklin in St. Mary Parish, 

Louisiana. The refuge contains 9,028 

acres and is composed of wet 

bottomland hardwood forests laced with 

bayous and canals. The refuge was 

established on lands important to the 

coastal subpopulation of the Louisiana 

black bear. The refuge consists of six 

separate units, ranging in size from 

3,724 acres to 80 acres. Bayou Teche 

NWR is one of eight refuges within the 

Southeast Louisiana NWR Complex, 

which is headquartered in Lacombe, 

Louisiana. 

CCP Alternatives, Including Our 

Proposed Alternative 

We developed three alternatives for 

managing the refuge and chose 

Alternative B as the proposed 

alternative. A full description is in the 

Draft CCP/EA. We summarize each 

alternative below. 

Alternative A—No Action Alternative 

Under this alternative, no new actions 

would be taken to improve or enhance 

the refuge’s current habitat, wildlife, 

and public use management programs. 

Species of Federal responsibility, such 

as threatened and endangered species 

and migratory birds, would continue to 

be monitored at present levels. 

Additional species monitoring would 

occur through the use of volunteers as 

they become available. Current 

programs of marsh management would 

be maintained, with no improvements 

or adaptations. No progressive wetland 

restoration projects would be 

implemented. All public use programs 

of hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 

wildlife photography, and 

environmental education and 

interpretation would continue at present 

levels and with current facilities. 

Acquisition of lands into the refuge 

would occur when funding is 

appropriated and willing sellers offer 

land that is quality waterfowl or 

Louisiana black bear habitat. Staff 

would consist of a refuge manager and 

a wildlife biologist supporting both 

Bayou Teche NWR and Mandalay NWR; 

a part-time law enforcement officer 

supporting Bayou Teche NWR; and 

supplementary support from the 

remainder of the Southeast Louisiana 

NWR Complex staff when needed. The 

refuge headquarters would serve as an 

administrative office, with no 

enhancement of the grounds for public 

use. 

Alternative B—Resource Focused 

Management (Proposed Alternative) 

Alternative B would emphasize 

management of the natural resources of 

Bayou Teche NWR based on 

maintaining and improving Louisiana 

black bear and wetland habitats, 

monitoring targeted flora and fauna 

representative of the Lower Atchafalaya 

River Basin, and providing quality 

wildlife-dependent public use activities. 

All species occurring on the refuge 

would be considered and certain 

targeted species would be managed and 

monitored, in addition to species of 

Federal responsibility. These species 

would be chosen based on the criteria 

that they would be indicators of the 

health of important habitat or species of 

concern. 

Wetland loss would be documented 

and, whenever possible, the lost 

wetlands would be restored. Public use 

programs would be improved by 

offering more facilities and wildlife 

observation areas. Public use facilities 

would undergo annual reviews for 

maintenance needs and safety concerns. 

Overall public use would be monitored 

to determine if any uses would 

negatively impact refuge resources. 

Education programs would be reviewed 

and improved to complement current 

refuge management and staffing. 

Archaeological resources would be 

surveyed. 

Land acquisition within the approved 

acquisition boundary would be based on 

importance of the habitat for target 

management species. The refuge 

headquarters would house a small 

administrative office. We would offer 

interpretation of refuge wildlife and 

habitats, as well as demonstrate habitat 

improvements for individual 

landowners. The main interpretive 

facilities would be housed at the 

Southeast Louisiana NWR Complex 

Headquarters in Lacombe, Louisiana. 

In general, under Alternative B, 

management decisions and actions 

would support wildlife species and 

habitats occurring on the refuge based 

on well-planned strategies and sound 

scientific judgment. Quality wildlifedependent recreational uses and 

environmental education and 

interpretation programs would be 

offered to support and explain the 

natural resources of the refuge. 

Alternative C—Maximized Public Use 

Alternative C would emphasize the 

management of natural resources of 

Bayou Teche NWR for maximized 

public use activities. The majority of 

staff time and efforts would support 

hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 

wildlife photography, and 

environmental education and 

interpretation. Federal trust species and 

archaeological resources would be 

monitored as mandated. 

All refuge programs for conservation 

of wildlife and habitats, such as 

monitoring, surveying, and managing 

marsh, would support species and 

resources of importance for public use. 

More emphasis would be placed on 

interpreting and demonstrating these 

programs. Access, through means such 

as trails for walking and dredged areas 

for boat access, would be maximized, 

and we would provide public use 

facilities throughout the refuge. 

Land acquisition within the approved 

acquisition boundary would be based on 

importance of the habitat for public use. 

The refuge headquarters at Mandalay 

NWR would provide a small 

administrative office and a visitor 

center, which would be developed for 

public use activities. 

In general, Alternative C would focus 

on expanding public use activities to the 

fullest extent possible and conducting 

only mandated resource protection. 

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 


cprice-sewell on PRODPC61 with NOTICES
27176 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 108 / Monday, June 8, 2009 / Notices 

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: May 9, 2009. 

Cynthia K. Dohner, 

Acting Regional Director. 

[FR Doc. E9–13329 Filed 6–5–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Notice of Termination of the 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Jean Lafitte National Historical 

Park and Preserve, Chalmette 

Battlefield, and National Cemetery 

General Management Plan Amendment 

AGENCY: National Park Service, 

Department of the Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Termination of the 

Environmental Impact Statement for the 

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, 

and Preserve, Chalmette Battlefield, and 

National Cemetery General Management 

Plan Amendment. 

SUMMARY: The National Park Service 

(NPS) is terminating the Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS) for the Jean 

Lafitte National Historical Park and 

Preserve, Chalmette Battlefield, and 

National Cemetery General Management 

Plan Amendment (GMPA). A Notice of 

Intent to prepare this EIS was published 

in the Federal Register on May 2, 2003. 

After public scoping and a preliminary 

analysis of impacts related to the GMPA 

alternatives, the NPS determined that 

the impacts of the alternatives 

considered would be at or below the 

minor/negligible level. Consequently, 

the EIS is not necessary and NPS 

decided to terminate the EIS. The NPS 

intends to continue the GMPA process 

by completing an Environmental 

Assessment. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

National Park Service, Jean Lafitte 

National Historical Park and Preserve, 

419 Decatur Street, New Orleans, 

Louisiana 70130–1035, telephone: 504– 

589–3882, e-mail: 

JELA_Superintendent@nps.gov. 

The authority for publishing this 

notice is 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C). 

The responsible official for this EIS is 

David Vela, Regional Director, Southeast 

Region, National Park Service, 100 

Alabama Street, SW., 1924 Building, 

Atlanta, Georgia 30303. 

Dated: May 7, 2009. 

Art Frederick, 

Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region. 

[FR Doc. E9–13325 Filed 6–5–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–VE–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[CACA 49539, CACA 49537, LLCAD08000, 

L51030000] 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement/Staff 

Assessment and Land Use Plan 

Amendment for the SES Solar One 

Project, San Bernardino County, CA 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, as amended (NEPA), and the 

California Environmental Quality Act 

(CEQA), the Department of the Interior, 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 

together with the California Energy 

Commission, (hereinafter jointly 

referred to as the Agencies) intend to 

prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement/Staff Assessment (EIS/SA), 

and a Proposed Land Use Plan 

Amendment for the Stirling Energy 

Systems (SES) Solar One Project 

(Project), a Stirling engine systems solar 

dish project in San Bernardino County, 

California. SES is seeking approval to 

construct and operate an electrical 

generating facility with a nominal 

capacity of 850 megawatts (MW), using 

concentrated solar thermal power. 

Approximately 8,230 acres of BLM 

administered public land are needed to 

develop the Project. SES has submitted 

an application to the BLM requesting a 

right-of-way (ROW) to construct the 

Project and related facilities. Pursuant to 

BLM’s California Desert Conservation 

Area (CDCA) Plan (1980, as amended), 

sites associated with power generation 

or transmission not identified in the 

CDCA Plan will be considered through 

the plan amendment process. 

Under Federal law, BLM is 

responsible for processing requests for 

rights-of-way to authorize solar projects 

and associated transmission lines and 

other appurtenant facilities on the land 

it manages. BLM must comply with the 

requirements of NEPA to ensure that 

environmental impacts associated with 

construction, operation, and 

decommissioning will be identified, 

analyzed and considered in the 

application process. This will be 

accomplished through preparation of 

Draft and Final Environmental Impact 

Statements (EIS) in coordination with 

the Energy Commission. 

Under California law, the Energy 

Commission is responsible for 

reviewing the Application for 

Certification (AFC) filed for thermal 

power plants over 50 MW, and also has 

the role of lead agency for the 

environmental review of such projects 

under the CEQA (Pub. Res. Code, 

sections 21000 et seq., 25500 et seq.) 

The Energy Commission conducts this 

review in accordance with the 

administrative adjudication provisions 

of California’s Administrative Procedure 

Act (Government Code section 11400 et 

seq.) and its own regulations governing 

site certification proceedings (Cal. Code 

Regs., tit. 20, section 1701 et seq.), 

which have been deemed CEQA 

equivalent by the Secretary of 

Resources. SES Solar One, LLC, has 

submitted an AFC to the Energy 

Commission. The AFC facilitates 

analysis and review by staff prior to an 

Energy Commission decision on the 

proposed project. 

DATES: Publication of this notice 

initiates a public scoping period of at 

least 30 days. During the formal public 

scoping period, the Agencies will solicit 

public comments on issues, concerns, 

potential impacts, alternatives, and 

mitigation measures that should be 

considered in the analysis of the 

proposed action. In addition, the 

Agencies expect to hold one BLM public 

scoping meeting/Energy Commission 

information hearing during the formal 

scoping period to encourage public 

input. The public scoping meeting will 

be held in Barstow, California on June 

22, 2009 with further details to be 

announced through the local news 

media, newspapers, mailings, the BLM 

Web page [http://www.ca.blm.gov/ 

barstow] and the Energy Commission 

Web page [http://www.energy.ca.gov/ 

sitingcases/solarone/] at least 15 days 

prior to the event. While you may have 

the opportunity to make oral comments 

at the June 22nd BLM public scoping 

meeting, written comments are strongly 

encouraged to be submitted. In order to 

be included in the Draft EIS/Preliminary 

Staff Assessment (DEIS/PSA), all 

comments must be received prior to the 

close of the formal scoping period 

which will be July 7, 2009. Additional 

opportunities for public participation 

and formal comment occur when the 

DEIS/PSA is issued. BLM will also 

utilize and coordinate the NEPA 

commenting process to satisfy the 

public involvement process for Section 

106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 


cprice-sewell on PRODPC61 with NOTICES