75644 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2012 / Notices Fort Bliss ACTION: Notice of availability. include: ‘‘A refuge and breeding ground El Paso TX 79916 for migratory birds and other wild life’’ Landholding Agency: Army SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and and ‘‘for use as an inviolate sanctuary, Property Number: 21200830031 Wildlife Service (Service), announce the or for any other management purpose, Status: Unutilized availability of the final comprehensive Directions: 1048, 1050, 1071, 1083, 1087, for migratory birds.’’ conservation plan and environmental The Refuge consists of more than 1091 impact statement (CCP/EIS) for the Comments: CHANGE IN UNSUITABILITY 187,000 acres of open water (marsh, REASON: Located in a secured area; pre- Malheur National Wildlife Refuge river, and stream), wetlands, springs, 9/11; where public access is denied and (Refuge). In the final CCP/EIS, we riparian areas, irrigated meadows, grain there is no alternative method to gain describe alternatives, including our fields, and shrub-steppe uplands. The access without comprising national preferred alternative, for managing the Refuge’s abundance of water in an security Refuge for the next 15 years. otherwise arid landscape attracts a Reasons: Secured Area DATES: We will sign a record of decision significant portion of the Pacific 11 Bldgs. no sooner than 30 days after publication Flyway’s migrating bird population Fort Bliss of this notice. El Paso TX 79916 during the spring. The large Landholding Agency: Army ADDRESSES: You may download a copy concentration of migrating birds is Property Number: 21200930023 of the final CCP/EIS, or contact us to recognized in flyway and regional bird Status: Unutilized request a printed or CD–ROM copy of conservation plans, and BirdLife Directions: 6901, 6906, 6907, 6908, 6909, the document, as follows. International designated the Refuge an 6912, 6914, 6915, 6917, 6918, 6919 Agency Web Site: Download the final Important Bird Area. Populations of Comments: CHANGE IN UNSUITABILITY CCP/EIS at www.fws.gov/pacific/ breeding waterfowl and waterbirds on REASON: Located in a secured area; pre- planning. Malheur Lake and other Refuge 9/11; where public access is denied and there is no alternative method to gain Email: wetlands have, however, dropped access without comprising national [email protected]. substantially from historic levels. This security Include ‘‘Malheur NWR CCP/EIS’’ in the decline is widely attributed to high Reasons: Secured Area subject line of your request for a printed populations of nonnative common carp 6 Bldgs. or CD–ROM copy of the final CCP/EIS. living in the lake and in adjacent water Fort Bliss Fax: Attn: Tim Bodeen, Project bodies. The bottom-feeding carp El Paso TX 79916 Leader, (541) 493–2405. impacts bird populations by competing Landholding Agency: Army Mail: Tim Bodeen, Project Leader, for insect and plant food sources, and Property Number: 21200930024 Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, uprooting vegetation and disturbing silt Status: Unutilized 36391 Sodhouse Lane, Princeton, OR in ponds and lakebeds. The resulting Directions: 6921, 6922, 6925, 6949, 6950, 97221. silt plumes degrade aquatic habitat and 6951, 6953 In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Comments: CHANGE IN UNSUITABILITY interfere with plant and insect REASON: Located in a secured area; pre- Schedule an appointment with Refuge production. 9/11; where public access is denied and staff to view or obtain a final CCP/EIS We announce the availability of the there is no alternative method to gain during regular business hours by calling Refuge’s final CCP/EIS in accordance access without comprising national (541) 493–2612. with National Environmental Policy Act security Local Libraries: The final CCP/EIS is (NEPA) 40 CFR 1506.6(b) requirements. Reasons: Secured Area available for review at the libraries We included a thorough analysis of Virginia listed under SUPPLEMENTARY impacts on the human environment in INFORMATION. the final CCP/EIS. OO2 & OO3 4000 Coast Guard Blvd. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim The CCP will guide us in managing Portsmouth VA 23703 Bodeen, (541) 493–2612. and administering the Refuge for the next 15 years. Alternative 2, as we Landholding Agency: Coast Guard SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Property Number: 88201240001 described in the final CCP/EIS, is our Status: Excess Introduction preferred alternative, and the Comments: Located on secured area; public foundation of the CCP. access denied & no alternative method to With this notice, we announce the gain access w/out compromising nat’l availability of the final CCP/EIS for the Background Refuge. We started this process through security The CCP Process Reasons: Secured Area a notice in the Federal Register (74 FR [FR Doc. 2012–30489 Filed 12–20–12; 8:45 am] 31046; June 29, 2009). We released the The National Wildlife Refuge System Draft CCP/EIS to the public, and Administration Act of 1966, 16 U.S.C. BILLING CODE 4210–67–P requested comments on it in a notice of 668dd–668ee (Refuge Administration availability in the Federal Register (77 Act), as amended by the National FR 13141, March 5, 2012). Wildlife Refuge System Improvement DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The Refuge was established by Act of 1997, requires us to develop a Fish and Wildlife Service President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 as CCP for each national wildlife refuge. the Lake Malheur Bird Reservation, to The purpose for developing a CCP is to [FWS–R1–R–2012–N169; 1265–0000–10137– prevent plume hunters from decimating provide refuge managers with a 15-year S3] colonial nesting bird populations. The plan for achieving refuge purposes and Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Refuge protected unclaimed lands contributing toward the mission of the Harney County, OR; Final encompassed by Malheur, Mud, and National Wildlife Refuge System, Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Harney Lakes as a preserve and breeding consistent with sound principles of fish Final Environmental Impact Statement ground for native birds. The Refuge was and wildlife management, conservation, expanded to include the Blitzen Valley legal mandates, and our policies. In AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, in 1935, and the Double-O Unit in 1941. addition to outlining broad management Interior. The Refuge’s establishing purposes direction for conserving wildlife and VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:28 Dec 20, 2012 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM 21DEN1 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2012 / Notices 75645 their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife- meadows would continue, because During periods of active plant growth, dependent recreational opportunities extended flood irrigation creates management tools would include highly available to the public, including favorable conditions for cattails. prescriptive grazing, mowing, farming, opportunities for hunting, fishing, Public uses, including hunting, and extended dewatering, to reclaim wildlife observation and photography, fishing, wildlife observation and acres overrun with invasive common and environmental education and photography, and environmental cattail and reed canarygrass plants, or to interpretation. We will review and education and interpretation, would rehabilitate plant communities. update the CCP at least every 15 years continue using the current facilities. No We would upgrade or develop in accordance with the Refuge new public use facilities would be overlooks, elevated viewing platforms, Administration Act. developed. Areas not on the main roads and photography blinds. We would closed to public access would remain maintain and replant cottonwood trees CCP Alternatives, Including the closed to provide sanctuary for wildlife. and other trees and shrubs at six historic Preferred Alternative Cultural resources, specifically sites, to provide rare and incidental We evaluated three alternatives for archaeological resources, would passerine habitat and high-quality managing the Refuge for the next 15 continue to be considered during Refuge wildlife viewing experiences for birders. years in the final CCP/EIS. Based on our project planning. Historic resources Trails would be built or upgraded to analysis, we identified Alternative 2 as would continue to be stabilized and provide access for visitors with mobility our preferred alternative; it was restored as funding becomes available. impairments, in compliance with the modified in the final CCP/EIS to address Paleontological resources would Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). the comments we received on the Draft continue to be protected. Interpretation Docent-led Refuge tours would occur CCP/EIS. Summaries of our alternatives of archaeological and historic resources approximately monthly at different follow. would remain the same under locations, including guided kayak and Alternative 1. Alternative 1 (No Action) canoe tours on Malheur Lake. We would emphasize modern media Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative) Under Alternative 1, the Refuge for interpretation. The George Benson would continue current practices. Under Alternative 2, our preferred Memorial Museum would be enhanced, Malheur, Harney, and Mud Lakes would alternative, our principal focus for and additional outdoor interpretive remain largely unmanaged, flooding and habitat management would be to panels would be placed. Special Refuge retreating according to annual weather improve the aquatic health of lakes and events and presentations would be fluctuations,