Notice of Intent To Issue 2 Final Comprehensive Conservation Plans, Associated Environmental Assessments, and Findings of No Significant Impact for 2 National Wildlife Refuges in the Southwest Region

DEPARMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Intent To Issue 2 Final Comprehensive Conservation

Plans, Associated Environmental Assessments, and Findings of No

Significant Impact for 2 National Wildlife Refuges in the Southwest

Region

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) has prepared Final Comprehensive Conservation Plans

(CCP), associated Environmental Assessments (EA), and Findings of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Bitter Lake National Wildlife

Refuge, Roswell, New Mexico, and San Andres National Wildlife Refuge,

Las Cruces, New Mexico pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System

Improvement Act of 1997, and National Environmental Policy Act of 1969,

and its implementing regulations. The Regional Director, Southwest

Regional Office, upon issuing a FONSI for both the San Andres NWR EA

and the Bitter Lake NWR EA considered ranges of alternatives for each

document.

Approval of the Bitter Lake NWR CCP formalizes six goals which will

result in: (1) Restoration, enhancement, and protection of biological

diversity, land, wildlife and habitat; (2) Restoration of hydrological

resources and improvements to water quality; (3) Provision of

compatible recreational uses; (4) Protection of cultural resources; (5)

Strengthening and maintenance of effective relationships with other

governmental agencies and stakeholders; (6) Improvements to refuge

staffing and funding. Some of the specific changes to the existing

program changes include but are not necessarily limited to the

following strategies:

A restoration of 250 acres of Research Natural Areas and

1000 acres in other areas by removal and control of non-native salt

cedar;

Restoration of over story vegetation near the refuge

headquarters (10 acres) and providing appropriate irrigation;

Restoration of 140 acres of abandoned agricultural fields

as grasslands;

Enhance promotion of environmental education in area

schools and organizations on the value of short grass prairie

ecosystems;

Acquire identified land parcels as appropriate as they

become available on a willing seller basis;

Restoration of 100 acres of habitat associated with 25

gypsum sinkholes;

Conversion of non-productive farmlands to seasonal

wetlands/moist soil units;

Construction and upgrade of all-weather road for wildlife

tour route.

Approval of the San Andres NWR CCP constitutes the definition of

appropriate management approaches and establishment of refuge goals,

objectives and strategies leading to the achievement of the refuge's

purposes and mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The CCP

formalizes six goals which will result in: (1) Restoration,

enhancement, and protection of biological diversity, land, wildlife and

habitat; (2) Protection of archeological and cultural resources; (3)

Provision of increased wildlife education and interpretation

initiatives; (4) Strengthening and maintenance of effective

relationships with other governmental agencies and stakeholders; (5)

Improvements to refuge staffing and funding. Approval of the San Andres

NWR CCP establishes a management program inclusive of the following

objectives:

Enhancing refuge baseline biological data collection;

Establishing and protecting an augmentable scabies free

desert bighorn population;

Reducing and eliminating non-native plant and animal

species:

Implementing cost effective fire management strategies for

habitat protection and enhancement;

Continuing cultural resource inventory and monitoring

efforts;

Continuing effective educational outreach;

Improving coordination efforts with other agencies and

stakeholders; and,

Improving use of internal budgetary reporting mechanisms

to achieve effecting staffing and facilities levels.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the San Andres NWR CCP

establishes the following strategies:

Continue herpetofauna surveys;

Continue to mist net and band neotropical migratory birds;

Conduct point count surveys of neotropical migratory

birds;

Conduct small mammals surveys to improve baseline data;

Conduct annual mule deer and mountain lion surveys to

determine population trends and effects on bighorn sheep habitat;

Continue cooperative efforts with WSMR regarding Land

Condition Trend Analysis program transects;

Gather air quality data from air quality stations on the

refuge;

Participate with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in

efforts

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to transplant and track radio collared sentinel rams;

Conduct and promote research on scabies mite in the San

Andres Mountains;

Determine effects of ungulate encroachment and consider

establishment of special depredation hunts;

Reduce salt cedar refuge-wide by at least 20% using

various methods of extraction;

Develop prescribe burn proposals for portions of Bennett

Mountain, Black Brushy Mountain and San Andres Mountain approximately

5,000 acres);

Monitor and evaluate effects of burning strategies;

Engage in public outreach to foster better understandings

of refuge fire management efforts;

Conduct Global Positioning System (GPS) survey of known

archeological and historic sites;

Construct shelters for historical sites in jeopardy from

natural degradation;

Participate in cooperative effort with state and federal

agencies to establish an off site visitor center that would emphasize

refuge resources and those of other jurisdictions;

Construct an information kiosk and associated interpretive

information at the San Augustine Pass parking area;

Improve interagency coordinating efforts; and,

Secure needed staffing, funding, and facilities to assist

in the implementation efforts to achieve plan goals and objectives.

Based on a review and evaluation of the information contained in

the CCP and EA for Bitter Lake NWR and San Andres NWR, the Regional

Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has

determined that the approval of the individual or cumulative approaches

reflected in the respective Proposed Alternatives and CCP Goals,

Objectives and Strategies, is not deemed to constitute a major Federal

action which would significantly affect the quality of the human

environment within the meaning of Section 102(2)(c) of the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Therefore, an Environmental Impact

Statement is not required. However, it is the intent of the Service to

revisit questions of potential significant environmental consequences

in accordance with NEPA upon consideration of the implementation of

site specific proposals called for and discussed in the final plan

document.

ADDRESSES: Copies may be obtained by writing to: Mr. Tom Baca, Natural

Resource Planner, Division of Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

P. O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103-1306.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is Service policy to have all lands

within the National Wildlife Refuge System managed in accordance with

an approved CCP. The CCP guides management decisions and identifies

refuge goals, long-range objectives, and strategies for achieving

refuge purposes. The planning process has considered many elements,

including habitat and wildlife management, habitat protection and

acquisition, public and recreational uses, and cultural resources.

Public input into this planning process has assisted in the development

of these documents. The CCP will provide other agencies and the public

with a clear understanding of the desired conditions for the Refuges

and how the Service will implement management strategies.

The Service considered comments and advice generated in response to

draft documents issued July 1998. The Service is furnishing this notice

in compliance with Service CCP policy to advise other agencies and the

public of the availability of the final documents.

Dated: September 25, 1998.

Nancy M. Kaufman,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 98-26396 Filed 10-1-98; 8:45 am]

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