Lower Florida Keys Refuges, Monroe County, FL
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 8 / Wednesday, January 13, 2010 / Notices 1803 DATES: The request to terminate the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR a haven for a diversity of native flora Environmental Impact Statement and and fauna, including endemic, proceed with an Environmental Fish and Wildlife Service threatened, endangered, and candidate species. Assessment was approved by the Chief [FWS–R4–R–2009–N162; 40136–1265–0000– of the NPS Environmental Quality S3] Key West NWR Division on November 4, 2009. The Located west of Key West and draft general management plan and Lower Florida Keys Refuges, Monroe accessible only by boat, the refuge Environmental Assessment is expected County, FL consists of the Marquesas Keys and 13 to be distributed for a 30 day public AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, other keys distributed across over 375 comment period early in 2011 and a Interior. square miles of open water. Key West decision is expected be made in the fall ACTION: Notice of availability: final NWR is among the first refuges of 2011. The NPS will notify the public Comprehensive Conservation Plan and established in the United States. by mail, Web site, and other means, and finding of no significant impact. President Roosevelt created the refuge will include information on where and in 1908 as a preserve and breeding how to obtain a copy of the GMP/EA, SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife ground for colonial nesting birds and how to comment on the plan, and the Service (Service), announce our other wildlife. The refuge encompasses dates of the public comment period. decision and the availability of the final 208,308 acres of land and water with CCP and finding of no significant only 1 percent (2,019 acres) being land. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: impact (FONSI) for the Environmental Most islands are dominated by Steve Riley, Superintendent, Gila Cliff Assessment for the Lower Florida Keys mangrove plant communities. Dwellings National Monument, HC 68 Refuges in accordance with the National The refuge provides habitat and Box 100, Silver City, NM 88061. Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) protection for Federally listed species, Telephone (575) 536–9461. requirements. We completed a thorough including piping plovers and roseate SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In place of analysis of impacts on the human terns. The refuge harbors the largest the EIS, the NPS will prepare an environment, which are included in the wintering population of piping plovers Environmental Assessment (EA) that Environmental Assessment (Appendix and the largest colony of white-crowned pigeons in the Florida Keys. It is a analyzes four alternatives (no-action and N of the CCP). The CCP will guide us haven for over 250 species of birds, three action alternatives) that look at in managing and administering the including 10 wading-bird species that different ways of protecting resources, Lower Florida Keys Refuges for the next 15 years. nest in the refuge. Other notable providing appropriate visitor imperiled species include sea turtles. ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of experiences, and addressing joint NPS/ More loggerhead and green sea turtle the CCP by writing to: Ms. Anne Forest Service operations: nests are found each year in Key West Morkill, Refuge Manager, Florida Keys NWR than in any area of the Florida —Alternative 1 (No-Action) would National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Keys except the Dry Tortugas. Waters continue the present management 28590 Watson Boulevard, Big Pine Key, within the refuge’s administrative direction. FL 33043. You may also access and boundaries are important download the document from the —Alternative 2 would emphasize and developmental habitat for these sea Service’s Web site: http:// expand high-quality visitor services turtle species, as well as hawksbills and southeast.fws.gov/planning. and experiences by providing more Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. In 1975, comprehensive interpretation of the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Public Law 93–632 designated all Gila Headwaters area and its 2,000 Anne Morkill; telephone: 305/872–2239; islands in Key West NWR, except years of human occupation. or Mary Morris, Natural Resource Ballast Key, which is privately owned, Planner; telephone 850/567–6202. —Alternative 3 would enhance visitor as a part of the National Wilderness understanding and enjoyment of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Preservation System. These islands total Gila Headwaters’ natural and cultural Introduction 2,109 acres. heritage by providing a more unified With this notice, we finalize the CCP Great White Heron NWR management approach to the two process for the Lower Florida Keys Great White Heron NWR was units of the monument. Refuges. We started this process through established in 1938, by Executive Order —Alternative 4 would forge more a notice in the Federal Register on May 7993 signed by President Roosevelt, as personal connections between visitors 9, 2003 (68 FR 25058). a haven for great white herons, and the ancient cultures and The Lower Florida Keys Refuges migratory birds, and other wildlife. The wilderness character of the includes three wildlife refuges—Key refuge encompasses 117,683 acres of monument. West National Wildlife Refuge (Key land and water with 6,300 acres of land, West NWR), Great White Heron including 1,900 land acres which were Dated: November 12, 2009. National Wildlife Refuge (Great White designated Wilderness Areas in 1975, Michael D. Snyder, Heron NWR), and National Key Deer also under Public Law 93–632. While Director, Intermountain Region, National Refuge in Monroe County, Florida. the islands are primarily mangroves, Park Service. These are a collection of low-lying, some of the larger islands contain pine [FR Doc. 2010–443 Filed 1–12–10; 8:45 am] subtropical islands between the Gulf of rockland and tropical hardwood BILLING CODE 4312–FA–P Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean that hammock habitats. This vast area, protect all the vital habitats known locally as the ‘‘backcountry,’’ representative of the Florida Keys provides critical nesting, feeding, and ecosystem, including the globally resting areas for more than 250 species imperiled pine rockland and tropical of birds. We co-manage this area with hardwood hammock. These geologically the State through a ‘‘Management and climatically distinct islands provide Agreement for Submerged Lands Within VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:51 Jan 12, 2010 Jkt 220001 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\13JAN1.SGM 13JAN1 srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES 1804 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 8 / Wednesday, January 13, 2010 / Notices the Boundaries of Key West and Great whole. Each of the three refuges has with other agencies for non-refuge lands White Heron National Wildlife Refuges’’ different enabling legislation and that support the refuges’ missions. (hereinafter referred to as Management purposes. The CCP has been designed Partnerships exist to promote land Agreement). with consideration of the distinct conservation. Exotic plant control to Great white herons are a white color- purposes of each refuge. For the protect and maintain current habitat phase of great blue herons. In the United purposes of each refuge, refer to a notice would occur at existing levels by relying States, nesting is restricted to extreme in the Federal Register dated May 23, on partnerships with the Nature south Florida including the Florida 2008 (73 FR 30139). Conservancy, the Florida Fish and Keys. The refuge was created to protect Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Alternatives, Including the Preferred great white herons from extinction since Monroe County. A predator Alternative the population was decimated by the management program is currently under demand for feathered hats. Protection of The Service developed three development on National Key Deer great white herons was successful, and alternatives for managing the refuges Refuge to reduce the effects of feral cat these magnificent birds can be observed over the next 15 years and chose predation on the endangered Lower feeding on tidal flats throughout the Alternative B as the preferred Keys marsh rabbit and other native refuge. The refuge islands are also used alternative. A description of the three wildlife. for nesting by 10 wading bird species, alternatives follows. Most ecologically sensitive areas and including the reddish egret, and by Alternative A—(Current Management— living resources are protected from many neotropical migratory bird No Action) disturbance or degradation through the species. use of closure areas, law enforcement, The Lower Florida Keys Refuges have and the implementation of the National Key Deer Refuge a high diversity of community types and Management Agreement. Impacts from The National Key Deer Refuge was endemic species, with many threatened, concentrated, non-wildlife-dependent established on August 22, 1957, to endangered, candidate, and other uses threaten a limited number of sites, protect and conserve Key deer and other imperiled species. The primary mission particularly islands with accessible sand wildlife resources. It comprises about of these refuges is to provide habitat for beaches. The effects of commercial 8,983 acres of land on several islands wildlife. The refuges currently have a activities and public uses (both wildlife- within the authorized approved small staff and funding source for the dependent and non-wildlife-dependent) acquisition boundary, as well as inventorying and monitoring of natural have not been fully evaluated and additional parcels located outside the resources. Much effort has been put into visitor carrying capacities have not been boundary administered by the refuge. some resources, such as Key deer and quantified. These lands host diverse habitats, most their habitat (pine rocklands), as a result We have an active volunteer program notably globally endangered tropical of cooperative partnerships with to assist in all facets of refuge hardwood hammocks and pine academic and other research management. Partnerships for these rocklands. The refuge provides habitat organizations. Certain species, such as purposes and for research are for hundreds of endemic and migratory great white herons, white-crowned encouraged and maintained.