The Refuge’s Final CCP/EIS is AvailableBighorn sheep are just one of the many majestic native wildlife species you can find at the Refuge

The Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (CCP/EIS) for Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge is available. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are pleased to announce that we completed our analysis of the alternatives in the CCP/EIS, and identified Alternative 2 as our preferred alternative for managing the Refuge. Thirty days after the CCP/EIS is available to the public, our Regional Director will select an alternative to implement on the Refuge in a Record of Decision.

We developed the CCP/EIS to provide reasonable, scientifically grounded guidance for managing fish and wildlife populations. Under the preferred alternative, we would manage habitats for priority sagebrush-dwelling species, stock and maintain native trout species, and control feral horse and burro populations for the long-term conservation of native fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.

Actions for protecting and sustaining the Refuge’s habitats, migratory bird populations, and other fish and wildlife species are

identified in the CCP/EIS. Our priority public uses—wildlife observation, photography, environmental education and interpretation, hunting, and fishing; along with commercial guiding, rock collecting, and scientific research are evaluated in the CCP/EIS as well.

Public Comments on the Draft CCP/EIS We sincerely appreciate everyone who provided comments and participated in our planning process. We reviewed your comments on the Draft CCP/EIS, and responded to them by revising our alternatives and summarizing the comments and our responses in Appendix N of the CCP/EIS. A copy of the CCP/EIS can be obtained by downloading it from our website or by contacting the Refuge. See page 4 for details.

Thank you for commenting on the Draft CCP/EIS

SheldonNational Wildlife RefugePlanning Update 5, August 2012

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

CCP/EIS Highlights................................2 Summary of Public Involvement........3What Happens Next?...............................3CCP/EIS is Available from the Refuge...4

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Sheldon National Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 111Lakeview, OR 97630

The Final CCP/EIS is Available from the RefugePlease contact Aaron Collin as follows, to obtain a CD-ROM copy of the Final CCP/EIS:

Aaron Collins, Planning Team LeaderSheldon National Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 111Lakeview, OR 97630

Phone: 541/947-3315 ext. 223

Fax: 541/947-4414

E-mail: SheldonCCP@fws.gov

Mule deer

You can download the Final CCP/EIS and other planning documents online at: www.fws.gov/pacifi c/planning/main/docs/NV/docssheldon.htm

A printed copy of the Final CCP/EIS is available at each of the following libraries:

Humboldt County Library85 East Fifth StreetWinnemucca, NV 89445

Washoe County Library301 South Center StreetReno, NV 89501

Modoc County Library212 W. 3rd StAlturas, CA 96101

Lake County Library513 Center StreetLakeview, OR 97630

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Highlights of our Preferred Alternative How would Refuge management change?

Under Alternative 2, our preferred alternative, we would manage for a natural mosaic of Great Basin habitats and the native species that depend on them. We would use a broad range of management tools, including prescribed and natural fire, mechanical treatments, and water management.

Opportunities for wildlife-dependentrecreation on the Refuge such aswildlife observation and photography, environmental education and interpretation, hunting, and fishing, would improve, see the map insert.

The Refuge staff would also conduct the following management actions, often with partners.• Improve native habitat conditions

by removing all feral horses and burros within five years.

• Stock and maintain indigenous trout species, such as Lahontan cutthroat trout, Alvord cutthroat trout, or redband trout, in Big Spring Reservoir and Virgin Creek (instead of nonnative rainbow trout).

• Increase control of nonnative and invasive plants.

• Remove western juniper where it isencroaching upon sagebrush habitats.

• Restore springs and playas by removing abandoned water control developments where appropriate and beneficial to wildlife.

• Improve recreation opportunities by relocating and expanding the visitor contact station, upgrading campground facilities, developing an accessible interpretive trail, creating a self-guided auto tour route, and designating and improving signage of routes open to vehicle use.

• Manage 424,360 acres for wilderness character.

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What Happens Next?Now that the CCP/EIS is available, after 30 days our Regional Director will make a decision regarding which alternative to implement. The decision will be documented in a Record of Decision (ROD). We can begin implementing CCP strategies at the Refuge once the ROD is signed. Some actions may require new funding; those actions will be implemented as funding becomes available. We will publish a final approved CCP, which will include the ROD and final compatibility determinations for public uses.

Public Involvement Wrap-up Our mailing list includes 4,500 participants We initiated our planning and public involvement process in 2008 by announcing our intention to complete a CCP/EIS in the Federal Register. Simultaneously, we issued a press release and distributed Planning Update 1 announcing the planning process and a series of open house meetings, and requesting public comments.

We held five public open house meetings in 2008, and several additional meetings were held with county, state, and federal agencies, and key stakeholder groups.

Planning Update 2 was distributed in April 2009, in it we summarized the significant planning issues we identified in public comments.

In Planning Update 3, distributed in June 2010, we included our three preliminary management alternatives that we drafted based on public comments, the Refuge’s resource needs, and our management policy. We requested

public comments on the alternatives, including Alternative 2, our preferred alternative.

Additional meetings were held with Nevada’s Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and key stakeholder groups after we released Planning Update 3. We modified our preliminary alternatives based onthe comments we received from thepublic, NDOW, and our stakeholders,and presented our refined alternatives in the Draft CCP/EIS.

We announced the availability of the Draft CCP/EIS in the Federal Register in September 2011, andsimultaneously sent a news releaseto local media outlets and distributedPlanning Update 4 to more than 4,500 interested individuals, organizations, and agencies.

We included descriptions and a summary table of the alternatives, including the Service’s preferred alternative, in Planning Update 4, and requested comments. The public comments we received

on the Draft CCP/EIS have been addressed in the Final CCP/EIS.

We appreciate all the comments we received during the planning process and encourage you to stay involved in the Refuge’s activities. Successful implementation of the CCP is largely dependent upon continued public support, partnerships, funding, and volunteer efforts.

Pronghorn antelopes and other fish and wildlife species native to the Refuge will benefit from habitat improvements

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How were comments addressed?

Public comments on the Draft CCP/EIS resulted in additions and corrections that helped clarify the intent of management direction in the Final CCP/EIS. The primary changes and additions included: • Expanding our rationale for Refuge

goals, objectives, and strategies. • Adding information regarding the

Refuge’s wilderness stewardship. • Expanding descriptions contained

in our alternatives of actions needed to maintain wildlife guzzlers.

• Updating our public involvement appendix.

• Adding an appendix summarizing public comments and our responses.

• Adding an appendix summarizing the Refuge’s integrated pest management program.

• Increase inventory, protection, and the quality of interpretation for historic and cultural resources.

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In this issue: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sheldon National Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 111Lakeview, OR 97630

The Final CCP/EIS is Available from the RefugePlease contact Aaron Collin as follows, to obtain a CD-ROM copy of the Final CCP/EIS:

Aaron Collins, Planning Team LeaderSheldon National Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 111Lakeview, OR 97630

Phone: 541/947-3315 ext. 223

Fax: 541/947-4414

E-mail: SheldonCCP@fws.gov

Mule deer

You can download the Final CCP/EIS and other planning documents online at: www.fws.gov/pacifi c/planning/main/docs/NV/docssheldon.htm

A printed copy of the Final CCP/EIS is available at each of the following libraries:

Humboldt County Library85 East Fifth StreetWinnemucca, NV 89445

Washoe County Library301 South Center StreetReno, NV 89501

Modoc County Library212 W. 3rd StAlturas, CA 96101

Lake County Library513 Center StreetLakeview, OR 97630

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