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Chincoteague and Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan Vol

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Chincoteague and Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan Vol U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Chincoteague and Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan Vol. 3 - Appendices P through T October 2015 Front cover: Sunrise at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Steve Hillebrand/USFWS This blue goose, designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, has become the symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the National Wildlife Refuge System comprised of over 150 million acres including over 555 national wildlife refuges and thousands of waterfowl production areas. The Service also operates 70 national fish hatcheries and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, administers the Endangered Species Act, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration Program which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state wildlife agencies. Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCPs) provide long-term guidance for management decisions on a refuge and set forth goals, objectives, and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes. CCPs also identify the Service’s best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. CCPs do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases, or funding for future land acquisition. Table of Contents *Appendix A: The Proposed Assateague Wilderness ........................................................................................... A-1 *Appendix B: Other Federal Mandates and Relevant Plans and Initiatives ......................................................... B-1 *Appendix C: Laws and Executive Orders Applicable to Chincoteague and Wallops Island NWR CCP ........... C-1 *Appendix D: Interim Chincoteague Pony Management ....................................................................................... D-1 *Appendix E: Memorandum of Agreement: Interagency Cooperate at Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge ................................................................................ E-1 *Appendix F: Biological Opinion on Monitoring and Management Practices for Piping Plovers, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, and Seabeach Amaranth .................... F-1 *Appendix G: Notes on Sea Level Rise and Projected Impacts on Chincoteague NWR ..................................... G-1 *Appendix H: Adapting Now to a Changing Climate: Wallops Flight Facility and the Eastern Shore ................ H-1 *Appendix I: Summary Costs of Draft Alternatives and Comparison of Beach Access Costs ............................ I-1 *Appendix J: Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Beachfill. Abbreviated Analysis and Cost Opinion for Maintaining the Existing Parking Areas and Recreational Beach ............................................. J-1 *Appendix K: Staffing Charts for All Alternatives .................................................................................................. K-1 *Appendix L: Species Lists for Chincoteague and Wallops Island NWRs ........................................................... L-1 *Appendix M: Chincoteague NWR Economic Analysis in Support of CCP ......................................................... M-1 *Appendix N: Chincoteague NWR: Recreational Beach Structured Decision-Making Process, Locating the Best Site for a Recreational Beach and Parking Lot .................................................................. N-1 *Appendix O: Section 7 Biological Opinion for Alternative B ............................................................................... O-1 Appendix P: Compatibility Determinations ............................................................................................................. P-1 Wildlife Observation, Wildlife Photography, and Interpretation ........................................................................... P-3 Environmental Education ..........................................................................................................................................P-21 Fishing (Recreational) ................................................................................................................................................P-31 Migratory Game Bird Hunting..................................................................................................................................P-47 Big Game Hunting ......................................................................................................................................................P-69 Commercial Filming, Still Photography, and Photography Workshops ...............................................................P-91 Grazing of Chincoteague Ponies ................................................................................................................................P-99 Horseback Riding ..................................................................................................................................................... P-111 Research and Studies Conducted by non-USFWS Staff ...................................................................................... P-121 Shell Collection.......................................................................................................................................................... P-141 Big Game Hunting (Wallops Island NWR) ............................................................................................................ P-147 Research and Studies Conducted by non-USFWS Staff (Wallops Island NWR) .............................................. P-157 Appendix Q: Findings of Appropriateness .............................................................................................................. Q-1 *Appendix R: Summary of Public Comments and USFWS Responses on the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Chincoteague and Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuges ............................................................................................................................. R-1 *Appendix S: Federal Consistency Determination ................................................................................................. S-1 Appendix T: Record of Decision .............................................................................................................................. T-1 *Appendices A through O, R, and S are not included in print copy. Available online or on CD-ROM. Chincoteague and Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuges CCP/EIS Appendix P USFWS Boardwalk on Refuge Compatibility Determinations Appendix P October 2015 Chincoteague NWR and Wallops Island NWR Compatibility Determinations 1. Wildlife Observation, Wildlife Photography, and Interpretation 2. Environmental Education 3. Fishing (Recreational) 4. Migratory Game Bird Hunting 5. Big Game Hunting 6. Commercial Filming, Still Photography, and Photography Workshops 7. Grazing of Chincoteague Ponies 8. Horseback Riding 9. Research and Studies Conducted by non-USFWS Staff 10. Shell Collection 11. Big Game Hunting (Wallops Island NWR) 12. Research and Studies Conducted by non-USFWS Staff (Wallops Island NWR) P-1 Chincoteague and Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuges CCP Appendix P October 2015 COMPATIBILITY DETERMINATION USE: Wildlife Observation, Wildlife Photography, and Interpretation REFUGE NAME: Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge DATE ESTABLISHED: May 13, 1943 ESTABLISHING AND ACQUISITION AUTHORITY(IES): 1) Migratory Bird Conservation Act {16 U.S.C. 715d} 2) Refuge Recreation Act {16 U.S.C. 460 K-1, K-2)} 3) Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986 {16 U.S.C. 3901(b)} 4) Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 {16 U.S.C 742f (a)(4), (b)(1)} 5) Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act {7 U.S.C. 2002} REFUGE PURPOSE(S): • “ ... for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds.” 16 U.S.C. § 715d (Migratory Bird Conservation Act). • “... suitable for - (1) incidental fish and wildlife-oriented recreational development, (2) the protection of natural resources, (3) the conservation of endangered species or threatened species ...” 16 U.S.C. § 460k-1 “... the Secretary ... may accept and use ... real ... property. Such acceptance may be accomplished under the terms and conditions of restrictive covenants imposed by donors ...” 16 U.S.C. § 460k-2 (Refuge Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. § 460k-460k-4), as amended). • “... the conservation of the wetlands of the Nation in order to maintain the public benefits they provide and to help fulfill international obligations contained in various migratory bird treaties and conventions ...” 16 U.S.C. § 3901(b) (Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986). • “... for the development, advancement, management, conservation, and protection of fish and wildlife resources ...” 16 U.S.C. § 742f(a)(4) “... for the benefit
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