Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement Wilderness Review Wild and Scenic River Review Volume 1 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement Wilderness Review Wild and Scenic River Review Volume 1
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Arctic - United States Fish and Wildlife Service · 2014-03-31 · Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement
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ArcticNationalWildlifeRefuge
Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Wilderness Review
Wild and ScenicRiver Review
Volume 1
U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge101 12th Ave., Room 236 Fairbanks, AK 99701907-456-0250 • [email protected]
raft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environm
ental Impact Statem
ent June 2011
Volum
e 1
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mission
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats, for the continuing benefit of the American people.
National Wildlife Refuge System Mission
The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
This Comprehensive Conservation Plan describes programs that may exceed future budget allocations and therefore does not constitute specific commitments for future staff increases, project details, or funding.
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United States Department of the Interior
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Dear Reader: This is the draft revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (Plan, Revised Plan) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It includes a Wilderness Review (Appendix H) and a Wild and Scenic River Review (Appendix I). The final version of this Plan will guide management of the Refuge for the next 15 years. The Plan outlines goals and objectives, Refuge management guidelines, and six management alternatives for addressing management issues raised by the public and the agency. The Plan also describes our evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with implementing each alternative. Additionally, the Refuge manager’s preliminary reviews of the compatibility of Refuge uses with Refuge purposes are presented in Appendix G—Compatibility Determinations.
This Plan has been sent to you because public involvement in the planning process is essential for developing an effective plan. Please review and provide comment on the Plan’s content no later than 90 days after the Plan was released (see our web site (http://arctic.fws.gov/ccp.htm) for the comments due date). Comments should be specific and should address the merits of distinct aspects of the document such as the goals, objectives, management guidelines, or alternatives, or the adequacy of the environmental analysis. We will consider your comments as we prepare the Final Plan. Objections that could have been raised at this draft stage may be waived if they are not raised until after completion of the Final Plan.
All public comments received, including respondent names and addresses, will be included in the planning record, which will be available for public review. If you, as an individual, want us to withhold your name or contact information, please state this prominently at the beginning of your comments. We will honor your request to the extent allowed by law. We are unable to withhold the names or contact information for representatives or officials of organizations or businesses.
Public meetings will be held in the communities of Arctic Village, Fort Yukon, Kaktovik, Venetie, Fairbanks, and Anchorage during the public review period. Meeting dates, times, and locations will be announced at http://arctic.fws.gov/ccp.htm once they are confirmed.
You may view the draft revised Plan, EIS, Wilderness Review, Wild and Scenic River Review, and a summary of these reports, online at http://arctic.fws.gov/ccp.htm. You may also request a hard copy of the summary or a compact disc containing complete texts of all the documents.
Comments and requests should be received by the end of the comment period (visit http://arctic.fws.gov/ccp.htm for the comments due date). Submit comments to:
Sharon Seim, Planning Team Leader Email: [email protected] Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Phone: 907-456-0501 or 800-362-4546 101 12th Ave, Rm 236 Fairbanks AK 99701
Additional information about the planning process: web: http://arctic.fws.gov/ccp.htm email: [email protected] phone: 907-456-0501 or 800-362-4546
Information about Arctic Refuge: web: http://arctic.fws.gov/ facebook: facebook.com/arcticnationalwildliferefuge email: [email protected] phone: 907-456-0250 or 800-362-4546
Thank you for participating in our planning process! Your comments will help us prepare a better plan for the future of Arctic Refuge.
Arctic Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan v
Table of Contents Title Page ............................................................................................................................................................... i
Dear Reader Letter ............................................................................................................................................ iii
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................. v
Acronyms and Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................... xvii
5.12 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources ........................................................ 5-99
5.13 Relationship Between Local Short-term Uses and Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-term Productivity ................................................................................... 5-99
6.6 Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................................................................ 6-9
6.7 Plan Amendment and Revision ................................................................................................... 6-10
Table of Contents
Arctic Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan xi
List of Maps Map 1-1. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ...................................................................................................... 1-3
Map 1-2. National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska .............................................................................................. 1-7
Map 1-4. Arctic National Wildlife Range ..................................................................................................... 1-15
Map 3-1. Alternative A ................................................................................................................................... 3-15
Map 3-2. Alternative B ................................................................................................................................... 3-19
Map 3-3. Alternative C ................................................................................................................................... 3-25
Map 3-4. Alternative D .................................................................................................................................. 3-29
Map 3-5. Alternative E .................................................................................................................................. 3-35
Map 3-6. Alternative F ................................................................................................................................... 3-41
Map 4-1. Surface Estate Land Status ............................................................................................................ 4-3
Map 4-2. Special Designated Areas .............................................................................................................. 4-11
Map 4-4. Land Cover Types .......................................................................................................................... 4-43
Map 4-5. Fire History 1942-2010 .................................................................................................................. 4-51
Map 4-6. Frequency of Occurrence of Snow Goose Flocks with Greater Than 500 birds Observed During Aerial Surveys, 1982-2004 ........................................................................ 4-75
Map 4-7. Habitats and Numbers of Shorebirds Detected on Plots during Surveys, 2002 and 2004 ........................................................................................................................................... 4-81
Map 4-8. Range of the Central Arctic and Porcupine Caribou Herds ...................................................... 4-93
Map 4-9. Porcupine Caribou Herd Calving Area ........................................................................................ 4-99
Map 4-10. Observations, Satellite-Collar, and Radio-Telemetry Locations of Denning Female Polar Bears 1910-2010............................................................................................. 4-109
Map 4-11. Exclusive Commercial Hunting Guide Use Areas .................................................................. 4-153
Map 4-12. Arctic Village Subsistence Areas for Moose, Caribou, and Dall’s Sheep. ............................ 4-169
Map 4-13. Arctic Village Subsistence Areas for Fish, Wildfowl, and Wood ........................................... 4-171
Map 4-14. Arctic Village Subsistence Areas for Bears, Small Mammals, and Furbearers .................. 4-173
Map 4-15. Village of Chalkyitsik Subsistence Areas for Bear, Moose, Caribou and Furbearers ............................................................................................................................. 4-179
Map 4-16. Fort Yukon Subsistence Areas for Caribou, Moose and Trapping (Furbearers) ............... 4-183
Map 4-17. Kaktovik Subsistence Areas for Caribou ................................................................................. 4-191
Map 4-18. Kaktovik Subsistence Areas for Bowhead Whales and Seals ................................................ 4-193
Map 4-19. Kaktovik Subsistence Areas for Fish ....................................................................................... 4-195
Map 4-20. Venetie Subsistence Areas for Bear, Caribou, and Moose .................................................... 4-199
Map 4-21. Venetie Subsistence Areas for Furbearers, Small Mammals, and Wildfowl. ...................... 4-201
Map 4-22. Venetie Subsistence Areas for Fish, Plants/Berries, and Wood ........................................... 4-203
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xii Arctic Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Map 4-23. Wiseman Subsistence Use Areas .............................................................................................. 4-205
Map 4-24. Alaska Game Management Units ............................................................................................. 4-219
List of Figures Figure 1-1. The Planning Process ................................................................................................................ 1-26
Figure 4-1. Projected increases in temperature and precipitation in Arctic Refuge. ............................. 4-27
Figure 4-2. Shorebird density on Arctic Refuge delta mudflats observed during surveys, 2007–2009. ................................................................................................................................ 4-83
Figure 4-3. Diversity of mammals in Alaska and Arctic Refuge, shown as a percentage of mammal species present in North America. ......................................................................... 4-87
Figure 4-4. Population trends of the Porcupine, Central Arctic and Teshepuk caribou herds in northern Alaska, Data sources: Lenart 2007a, b; Carroll 2007; Arthur and Vecchio 2009. ........................................................................................................ 4-92
Figure 4-5. Dall’s sheep population trends in two northern drainages, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Data sources: Caikoski 2008, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service unpublished data ...................................................................................................... 4-101
Figure 4-6. Hunter success and number of Dall's sheep killed by all general hunters in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska 1988–2007. Data source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service unpublished data summarized from ADFG harvest records .................................................................................................................................... 4-101
Figure 4-7. Abundance of muskoxen in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Unit 26C) and adjacent regions 1982–2010. Data sources: Reynolds 2006; Lenart 2007c; Cooley and McDonald 2010; Reynolds 2010; S. Arthur, wildlife biologist, ADFG, pers. comm. ............................................................................................................... 4-104
Figure 4-8. Moose counts during fall surveys of North Slope drainages between the Canning River and Accomplishment Creek, 1986–2008 Data source: Lenart 2008. ........................................................................................................................................ 4-107
Figure 4-9. Moose counts along Sheenjek and Colleen Rivers south of the Brooks Range Mountains and southern reaches of the Kongakut and Firth-Mancha drainages, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 1989–2004. Data source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arctic ................................................................................. 4-107
Figure 4-10. Population trends for Arctic Refuge communities. ............................................................. 4-140
Figure 4-11. Projected change in population. Projected change in population...................................... 4-142
Figure 4-12. Numbers of commercial permits issues by Arctic Refuge, 1980–2009 (excludes hunt guide permits). .............................................................................................................. 4-210
Figure 4-13. Total number of documented visitors at Arctic Refuge based on client use reports and voluntary reports from Toolik Lake and Coldfoot Visitor Center, 2001–2009. .............................................................................................................................. 4-211
Figure 4-14. Comparison of guided and non-guided commercially-supported visitors to Arctic Refuge, 2001–2009...................................................................................................... 4-212
Figure 4-15. Comparison of guided and non-guided commercially-supported visitors to Arctic Refuge, 2001–2009...................................................................................................... 4-213
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Arctic Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan xiii
Figure 4-16. Mean daily distribution of commercially-supported visitors on the Kongakut River in Arctic Refuge, 2001–2009....................................................................................... 4-216
Figure 4-17. Harvest information (except caribou) from Game Management Units of Arctic Refuge over the 20-year period 1988–2008. Trapping harvest includes lynx, wolf, wolverine, and otter. ........................................................................................... 4-221
Figure 4-18. Caribou harvests from Game Management Units of Arctic Refuge during the 20-year period 1998–2008 (includes harvest on State-owned lands). ............................... 4-221
Figure 4-19. Hunting (excluding caribou) and trapping records (not number of hunters and trappers) returned to ADFG from Game Management Units 25A, 26B, and 26C during the 10-year period 1998–2008. ........................................................................... 4-222
Figure 4-20.Trapping records of furbearers (lynx, wolf, wolverine, and otter) harvested in GMUs 25A, 26B and 26C during the 20-year period 1988–2008. ...................................... 4-223
Figure 4-21. Hunting records from Game Management Unit 25A for harvest of each big game species over the 20-year period 1988–2008. .............................................................. 4-224
Figure 4-22. Harvest records (excluding caribou) from Game Management Unit 26B over the 20-year period 1998-2008. ............................................................................................... 4-224
Figure 4-23. Caribou harvest records from Game Management Unit 26B for Arctic Refuge, 1998–2008 (includes harvest on State-owned lands). ........................................... 4-225
Figure 4-24. Harvest records for each big game species from GMU 26C during the 10-year period 1998–2008. .................................................................................................................. 4-225
Figure 4-25. Number of hits for most popular webpages for Arctic Refuge, fiscal year 2010. ........................................................................................................................................ 4-230
List of Tables Table 1-1. Location, dates, and attendance of public meetings ................................................................. 1-28
Table 2-1. Activities, public uses, commercial activities or uses, and facilities by management category. ............................................................................................................ 2-75
Table 3-1. Comparison of alternatives by major planning issue and budget and staff requirements. ........................................................................................................................... 3-45
Table 3-2. Differences between current management direction in the 1988 Arctic Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan (Alternative A) and the new management direction proposed in this Plan (including Alternatives B, C, D, E, and F). ........................ 3-48
Table 3-3. Key differences between Minimal and Wilderness Management categories ........................ 3-52
Table 4-1. Surface land status as of October 7, 2010 .................................................................................... 4-5
Table 4-2. Average temperature, precipitation, snowfall, and snow depth .............................................. 4-23
Table 4-3. Average temperatures in Arctic Refuge ecoregions ................................................................ 4-24
Table 4-4. Projected temperature and precipitation changes in the Refuge ........................................... 4-30
Table 4-5. Land cover classes of Arctic Refuge .......................................................................................... 4-45
Table 4-6. Maximum post-breeding snow goose counts on the Refuge .................................................... 4-73
Table 4-7. Estimated densities, population, and percentage of estimated shorebird populations in the 1002 Area .................................................................................................. 4-80
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xiv Arctic Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Table 4-8. Terrestrial mammals of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are of special interest because they are used by humans and are known to be important components of northern ecosystems ........................................................................................................... 4-89
Table 4-9. Asserted RS 2477 Rights of Way .............................................................................................. 4-130
Table 4-10. Population by selected region ................................................................................................. 4-139
Table 4-11. Socioeconomic characteristics of Arctic Refuge communities ............................................. 4-141
Table 4-12. Projected births, deaths, and net migration 2006–2030 ....................................................... 4-142
Table 4-13. Housing characteristics of Refuge communities compared to State of Alaska .................. 4-144
Table 4-15. Employment by industry sector (number of individuals) ..................................................... 4-147
Table 4-16. Employment by industry sector (percent) ............................................................................. 4-149
Table 4-17. Number of people changing their type of employment between 1990 and 2000 in communities near Arctic Refuge; numbers in parentheses indicate a decrease in the number in that type of employment ......................................................... 4-151
Table 4-18. Commercial recreation and air operations permits .............................................................. 4-156
Table 4-19. Arctic Refuge – total Refuge budget ...................................................................................... 4-160