[Federal Register: December 21, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 244)]
[Notices]               
[Page 70413]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21de98-90]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

 
Notice of Availability of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation 
Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Alameda National Wildlife 
Refuge and Notice of Public Meeting to Seek Comments

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises agencies and the public that the draft 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan (Plan) and Environmental Assessment 
(Assessment) for the proposed Alameda National Wildlife Refuge are 
available for public review and comment. This notice also advises that 
an open house meeting will be held to solicit public comments on the 
draft Plan and Assessment.
    The purpose of the Comprehensive Management Plan is to guide Refuge 
management decisions and to identify strategies to meet the goals and 
objectives of the Alameda Refuge and National Wildlife Refuge System. 
The Comprehensive Conservation Plan addresses resources protection, 
management, and restoration; research and monitoring; education and 
interpretation; public involvement, use, and access; facilities 
development; and compatibility of uses with the purpose of the refuge.
    The Environmental Assessment evaluates the alternatives and 
analyzes the environmental effects of establishing the Alameda Refuge 
and of implementing the Comprehensive Conservation Plan. The four 
alternatives evaluated in the Environmental Assessment provide 
different levels of wildlife management and public use opportunities. 
The Environmental Assessment will be used to determine whether the 
implementation of the selected alternative would have a significant 
impact upon the quality of the human environment.

DATES: The agency must receive written comments on the Plan and 
Assessment on or before February 16, 1999. The agency will hold an open 
house meeting on January 14, 1999, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Alameda, 
California.

ADDRESSES: Address written comments to Charles Houghten, Division of 
Refuge Planning (ARW-RPL), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11th 
Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-4181. The public open house will be held at 
the Alameda High School Cafeteria, 2200 Central Avenue between Walnut 
and Oak Streets in Alameda, California.
    See the Supplementary Information Section for the electronic access 
and filing address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Availability of Documents

    Individuals who want copies of the draft Comprehensive Conservation 
Plan for the Alameda National Wildlife Refuge and associated 
Environmental Assessment should immediately contact the Division of 
Refuge Planning at the above referenced address or call 800-662-8933. 
These documents are also available at www.r1.fws.gov/planning/
plnhome.html/.

Background Information

    The draft Comprehensive Management Plan presents an overview of the 
Service's proposed management approaches to wildlife and habitats, 
public uses and wildlife-dependent recreation activities, and 
facilities. This plan corresponds to Alternative C, the preferred 
alternative, in the draft Environmental Assessment. The proposed 
management actions only apply to lands and waters within the National 
Wildlife Refuge System.
    The proposed Refuge would be managed for the conservation and 
management of native species of wildlife and fish and their habitats. 
Wildlife species identified as endangered or threatened will receive 
management priority, with a special emphasis on stewardship of the 
California least tern nesting colony. Management actions, including 
expanding the colony, would be taken to assure that the Alameda least 
tern colony continues to be one of the most successful breeding sites 
in California. Habitat management will emphasize keeping most of the 
currently unvegetated areas free of vegetation to deter predators, 
removing exotic species of plants, and restoring wetland habitat. 
Predators of least terns will be managed by an integrated program of 
preventative and selective humane control methods.
    Four alternatives for management of wildlife and habitat are 
analyzed in the draft Environmental Assessment. All alternatives except 
the no-action alternative would establish a national wildlife refuge of 
the same size but would differ in the type of management. Alternative 
A--No Action, Alternative B--Establish a national wildlife refuge with 
a minimum level of management, Alternative C--Establish a national 
wildlife refuge and optimize Wildlife Management and Wildlife-Dependent 
Public Uses (Preferred Alternative), and Alternative D--Establish a 
national wildlife refuge and maximize public use with moderate wildlife 
management.
    The environmental review of the Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 
associated Environmental Assessment will be conducted in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), National 
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 as amended by the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S. C. 
668dd et seq.), other appropriate Federal laws and regulations, and 
Service policies and procedures for compliance with those regulations.

Electronic Access and Filing Address

    You may submit comments by sending electronic mail (e-mail) to 
r1planning__guest@fws.gov (with ``Alameda NWR'' typed in the subject 
line). If comments are an attached file, submit as an ASCII file, 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption.

    Dated: December 14, 1998.
Michael J. Spear,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 98-33698 Filed 12-18-98; 8:45 am]
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