U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan/ Environmental Assessment March 2011 Comprehensive Conservation Plans provide long-term guidance for management decisions and set forth goals, objectives, and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes and identify the Service’s best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. The plans do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases, or funding for future land acquisition. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan/ Environmental Assessment March 2011 Vision Statement Tidal channels meandering through a sea of cordgrass deliver moisture and nourishment to support a healthy marsh ecosystem. As the quiet calm of the morning is interrupted by the clacking of a light-footed clapper rail, school children and other visitors, standing on the elevated observation deck, point with excitement in the direction of the call hoping for a glimpse of the rare bird. Shorebirds dart from one foraging area to another feasting on what appears to be an endless supply of food hidden within the tidal flats. California least terns fly above the tidal channels searching for small fish to carry back to their nests on NASA Island. A diverse array of marine organisms, from tube worms and sea stars to rays and sharks, and even an occasional green sea turtle, thrive within the tidal channels and open water areas of the Refuge’s diverse marsh complex, while Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrows and other upland birds find food and shelter within the native upland vegetation that borders the marsh. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-1832 Sacramento, CA 95825-1846 March 2011 Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan/Environmental Assessment Orange County, California Type of Action: Administrative Lead Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Responsible Official: Ren Lohoefener, Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region For Further Information: Victoria Touchstone, Refuge Planner San Diego NWR Complex 6010 Hidden Valley Road, Suite 101 Carlsbad, CA 92011 (760) 431-9440 extension 349 Abstract: This Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan/Environmental Assessment (CCP/EA) describes and evaluates various alternatives for managing the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Three alternatives, including a No Action Alternative (Alternative A) as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, are described, compared, and assessed for the Seal Beach NWR. The three alternatives are summarized below: Alternative A – No Action: This alternative assumes no change from past management programs and serves as the baseline to which all other action alternatives are compared. There would be no major changes in habitat management or the current public use program under this alternative. Alternative B – Maximize Salt Marsh Restoration, Continue Current Public Uses: Under this alternative, current wildlife and habitat management activities would be expanded to include evaluation of current baseline data for fish, wildlife, and plants on the Refuge, identification of data gaps, implementation of species surveys to address data gaps as staff time and funding allows, and support for new research projects that would benefit Refuge resources and Refuge management. Also proposed is the restoration of approximately 22 acres of intertidal habitat (salt marsh and intertidal mudflat) and 15 acres of wetland/upland transition habitat. Pest control would be implemented in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and mosquito monitoring and control would be guided by a Mosquito Management Plan. No changes to the current public use program are proposed. Alternative C (Proposed Action) – Optimize Upland/Wetland Restoration, Improve Opportunities for Wildlife Observation: The majority of the management activities, including the IPM program and Mosquito Management Plan, proposed in Alternative B would also be implemented under this Alternative. The primary difference between Alternatives B and C is that under Alternative C a larger portion of the areas to be restored would consist of upland and wetland/upland transition habitat. Approximately 12 acres of currently disturbed upland would be restored to native upland habitat, about 10 acres would be restored to wetland/upland transition habitat, and approximately 15 acres would be restored to intertidal habitat. In addition, Alternative C includes limited expansion of the current public use program, including expanded opportunities for wildlife observation. Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan/Environmental Assessment Abstract The issues addressed in this Draft CCP/EA include the potential effects of the various alternatives on the physical environment, biological and cultural resources, and the social/economic environment. The adverse and beneficial effects of implementing the alternatives are generally described in the following action categories: habitat and wildlife management, pest management, and public use. Providing Comments: Your comments on the Draft CCP/EA should be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the San Diego NWR Complex no later than May 11, 2011. Comments should be mailed to: Victoria Touchstone U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service San Diego NWR Complex 6010 Hidden Valley Road, Suite 101 Carlsbad, CA 92011 Faxed comments should be directed to Victoria Touchstone at (760) 930-0256 and emailed comments should be directed to [email protected] (please include “Seal Beach CCP” in the subject line). Comments should be provided to the Service during the public review period of this Draft CCP/EA. This will enable us to analyze and respond to the comments at one time and to use this input in the preparation of the Final CCP. Comments should be specific and should address the document’s adequacy and the merits of the alternatives described. Environmental objections that could have been raised at the draft stage may be waived if not raised until after the completion of the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). All comments received from the public will be placed in the Service’s record for this action. As part of the record, comments will be made available for inspection by the general public, and copies may be provided to the public. For persons who do not wish to have their names and other identifying information made available, anonymous comments will be accepted. Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge Reader’s Guide The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will manage the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in accordance with an approved Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). This CCP provides long range guidance on Refuge management through its vision, goals, objectives, and strategies. The CCP also provides a basis for a long-term adaptive management process including implementation, monitoring progress, evaluating and adjusting, and revising plans accordingly. Additional step- down planning will be required prior to implementation of certain programs and projects. This document combines both a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA). Following the completion of public review and evaluation of the comments received, the Service will identify the preferred alternative. Assuming no significant adverse effects are identified, the Service will also issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). Once the FONSI is signed, the Final CCP will be prepared. The following chapter and appendix descriptions are provided to assist readers in locating and understanding the various components of the CCP/EA. Chapter 1, Introduction, includes the purpose of and need for the CCP and EA; an overview of the National Wildlife Refuge System; legal and policy guidance for planning for and managing the resources on National Wildlife Refuges; setting, regional context, and history of the Seal Beach NWR; and Refuge purposes, vision, and goals for future management. Chapter 2, The Planning Process, describes the CCP planning process, including the public involvement aspects of the process. This chapter also provides background on major planning issues identified by Refuge staff, Federal, Tribal, State, and local agencies, and/or the public, as well as a variety of management concerns and opportunities. Chapter 3, Alternatives, describes three management alternatives proposed for the Refuge. Each alternative represents a different approach to achieving the vision, goals, and objectives for the Refuge. Alternative A (No Action) describes current management practices. Alternative C is the proposed action. Chapter 4, Affected Environment, describes the existing physical and biological environment, public uses, cultural resources, and socioeconomic conditions. They represent baseline conditions for the comparisons made in Chapter 5. Chapter 5, Environmental Consequences, describes the potential impacts of each of the alternatives on the resources, programs, and conditions outlined in Chapter 4. Chapter 6, Implementation, presents the details of how the proposed action (Alternative C) for the Seal Beach NWR would be implemented if it is selected as the preferred alternative