U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmentatal Assessment Vision Statement “The Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex protects a unique collection of thriving coastal sandplain and beach strand communities, which represents some of the last undeveloped seacoast in southern New England. Leading the way in the protection and restoration of wetlands and early successional coastal habitats, the Refuge Complex insures long- term sustainability of migratory and resident native populations, and contributes to the recovery of threatened and endangered species. These refuges offer research opportunities and provide a showcase of habitat management for other landowners.” “The Refuge Complex is the premiere destination for visitors to coastal Rhode Island to engage in high quality, wildlife- dependent recreation. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are rewarded each year with inspiring vistas and exceptional, barrier-free opportunities to view wildlife in native habitats. Innovative environmental educational and interpretive programs effectively promote better stewardship of coastal resources.” “Through partnerships and extensive outreach efforts, Refuge staff are committed to accomplishing Refuge goals and significantly contributing to the Mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System. This commitment will strengthen with the future, revitalizing the southern New England ecosystem for generations to come.” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Planning Northeast Regional Office 300 Westgate Center Drive Hadley, MA 01035 December 2000 Chapter 1 White water lily USFWS photo Purpose of and Need for Action I Introduction and Background I Purpose of and Need for a CCP I Analysis Area I Decision to be Made I National and Regional Mandates Guiding the Project I Establishing Legislation I Refuge Land Acquisition Histories I Refuge Operational Plans (”Step-down” plans) I Rhode Island Refuge Complex Vision I Rhode Island Refuge Complex Goals I The Comprehensive Conservation Planning Process I Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities I Issues Outside the Scope of this EA Draft CCP/EA – December, 2000 1-1 Chapter 1 Introduction and Background This draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment (draft CCP/EA) for the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Refuge Complex) combines two documents required by federal law: a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), required by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Refuge Improvement Act; Public Law 105-57); and an Environmental Assessment (EA), required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; Public Law 91-190). Chapter 1, Purpose of and Need for Action, sets the stage for Chapters 2 through 4. It… I Describes the purpose and need of a CCP/EA for the Refuge Complex I Identifies national, regional, and state plans that influenced this draft I Highlights the purpose for which each of the five refuges in the Refuge Complex was established and its land acquisition history I Presents the vision and goals for the Refuge Complex I Explains the planning process for developing this draft CCP/EA, and I Describes its key issues, concerns, and opportunities Chapter 2, Description of the Affected Environment, describes the existing physical, biological, and human environment. Chapter 3, Alternatives, describes alternative management strategies for meeting goals and responding to key issues and compares them to current management. Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences, evaluates the environmental consequences of implementing each of the proposed management alternatives. Chapter 5, List of Preparers, credits Service and non-Service contributors. Chapter 6, Consultation and Coordination with Others, summarizes each public involvement activity. Eleven appendices provide additional references and information used in compiling this draft CCP/EA. The Purpose of and Need for a CCP Our goal is a CCP for each refuge in the Refuge Complex that attains its vision and goals; best achieves each refuge’s purpose; contributes to the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System); addresses key issues and relevant mandates; and uses sound principles of fish and wildlife science. 1-2 Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex Chapter 1 As NEPA requires, this draft CCP/EA evaluates a reasonable range of alternatives and the predictable socio-economic, physical, and biological impacts of implementing each alternative. We designed each alternative with the potential to develop into a CCP for each of the five refuges (see Analysis Area). Those plans will guide our management decisions and actions over the next 15 years, and help the public and our partners understand and support them. Developing a CCP is vital to the management of each refuge. The final CCPs will provide strategic management direction over the next 15 years, by… I Providing a clear statement of desired future conditions for habitat, wildlife, visitor services, and facilities; I Providing refuge neighbors, visitors, and partners with a clear understanding of the reasons for management actions; I Ensuring refuge management reflects the policies and goals of the Refuge System and legal mandates; I Ensuring the compatibility of current and future public use; I Providing long-term continuity and direction for refuge management; and I Providing direction for staffing, operations, maintenance, and developing budget requests. The need to develop CCPs for the Refuge Complex is two-fold. First, the Refuge Improvement Act requires that all national wildlife refuges have a CCP in place by 2012 to help fulfill the mission of the Refuge System. Second, the Refuge Complex lacks a master plan that establishes priorities and ensures consistent, integrated management among its five refuges. Our vision statement and Refuge Complex-wide goals, management strategies, and actions will help us effectively manage natural resources and priority, wildlife-dependent recreational uses. By involving the public and conservation partners, it will help us resolve persistent issues of non-wildlife-dependent public use, beach access, and management for threatened and endangered species. It will help us develop criteria for evaluating available sites for a new Refuge Complex headquarters and visitor center. Finally, it will help us consider expanding each of the five refuges to ensure their sustained biological integrity. All of these reasons clearly underscore the need for the type of strategic direction a CCP provides. Draft CCP/EA – December, 2000 1-3 Chapter 1 Analysis Area The Refuge Complex comprises five national wildlife refuges. Map 1-1 shows their locations. I Block Island National Wildlife Refuge (Block Island Refuge) on Block Island, Town of New Shoreham; I Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge (Ninigret Refuge), in the Town of Charlestown; I John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge (Chafee Refuge), in the Towns of South Kingstown and Narragansett; I Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge (Sachuest Point Refuge), in the Town of Middletown; and I Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge (Trustom Pond Refuge), in the Town of South Kingstown. Our planning team not only evaluated current refuge lands, but also evaluated significant habitats within five Areas of Biological Significance (ABS) in southern Rhode Island, southeastern Connecticut, and southwestern Massachusetts. Those ABS represent contiguous coastal landscapes, typically defined by watersheds or other landscape-level, geomorphologic features, where trust species and other species and habitats of special management concern occur. They also represent the ecosystems in which those resources primarily flow, move, or are transported. Appendix A lists the species and habitats of management concern used in defining the Freshwater wetland. ABS. Map 1-2 depicts their boundaries, drawn to link existing USFWS photo protected lands. Decision to Be Made Based on the Service mission, the Refuge System mission, the purposes for which each of the refuges was established, other legal mandates, public and partner responses to this draft CCP/EA, and completion of a final CCP/EA, the Regional Director will select a preferred alternative and issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The Regional Director’s selected alternative could be the proposed action in the draft CCP/EA, the no action alternative, or a combination of actions or alternatives presented. The final decision will identify the desired combination of species protection, habitat management, public use and access, administration, and new land acquisition for the Refuge Complex. A FONSI certifies that we have met agency compliance requirements and that the CCPs, when implemented, will achieve the purposes of the refuge and help fulfill the Refuge System mission. Once the Regional Director has signed the FONSI and we have completed stand-alone CCPs for each refuge, we will notify the public in the Federal Register, and implementation can begin. 1-4 Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex Map 1-1 Draft CCP/EA – December, 2000 1-5 Map 1-2 1-6 Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex Chapter 1 National and Regional Mandates Guiding this Project This section highlights Service policy, legal mandates, and existing resource plans, arranged from the national to the local level, that directly influenced development of this draft CCP/EA. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its Mission “...working with others,