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63 550 FW 3 Exhibit 2 Federal gegister~ / Vol. 59, No. 122. / Monday, jtine 27, 1994 / ~Notioes 33 Fish and Wildlife Service Record of Decision; Black-Footed Ferret Reintroduction f;onata HasiN Badlandsr SD AGENt;Y: Fish and,lNildlife Service. At:T10N: Notice. . SuMMUR1r: Pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1505.2) and the implementing procedures of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the National Environmental Polity Act of 1969 (40 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.), the Department of Interior has prepared this record of decision on the Final Environmental Impost Smtemeni, Block Footed Ferret Reirttrodudion, Conata Basin/Bodlands, South Dakoto. The record of decision is a concise statement of what dedsions were made, what alternatives were considered, and acceptable mitigation measures developed in order to avoid or minimize environmental impacts. This reintroduction effort is an interagenry program involving the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service. and the Forest Service, Each Agenry has the responsibility trader the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, to recover threatened and endangered species. Each Agenry will prepare a separate record of decision to cover its respective responsibilities under the reintroduction program. and their progeny will be classified as a nonessential experimental population under Federal rulemakiag requirements, Other Alternatives Considered Five alternatives. including the preferred alternative, were analyzed in the final environmental impact statement. All action altenratiti~es propose to reintroduce black-footed ferrets as a noaesssential experimental population. The alternatives included: Alternative A Black-footed ferrets would not be reintroduced into BNP or~ BGNG (No Action). Alternative B-Black-footed ferrets would be released only in BNP in a reintroduction area of approximate)y 25,000 acres which contains about 3200 acres of prairie dog colonies, Alternative D-Reintroduce blacl:- footed ferrets into a 42.000 nee reintroduction area on BNP and BGNG with initial releases in BGNG. The reintroduction area is similar to that of Alternative C and contains approximately 8.000 saes of prairie dog colonies. Altentative E-Release black-footed ferrets into a 172.000 acts reintroduction area on BNP and BGNG consisting ofthe-entire north unit of the BNP and the BGNG in the Conata Basis. No priority release site is identified is this alternative. The initial black-footed ferret releases would occur in the most biologically suitable habitat within the reintroduction area. impacx statement. The Fish and Wild Service considers that aII predicable means t08VOld Or' minimi~p environmental impacts that ootiId ree from implementation of the preferred plan have been identified and are considered amaptable. Decision The Fish-and Wildlife Service will . accept the proposed action to release capti« reared black-footed ferrets int the Conata BasinlBadlandfsnrea neat Wall. South Dakota as described in Alternative C in the Final Environmentd Impact Statement, • BJock Footed Ferret ReintrnductioA, Comic Basire/Badlonds, South Dpkod After careful evaluation of each altentative and wnsidering the issues public response; legislative intent; management objectives; and cost, socioeconomic, and envirotunental effects. the Fish and tllildlife Service believes that the proposed action represents the most balanced course of action for the future management of th black-footed ferret. The Selected Alternative The preferred alternative. Alternative C, releases blackfooted ferrets (Mustela aigripes) as a nonessential experimental population into a reintroduction area of approximately 42.000 awes (16.997 ha) on the Badlands National Park (BNP) and the Buffalo Gap National Grassland (BGNG). The initial reiatroductions will occur on the BNP. This area contains approximately 8.000 acres (3.238 ha) of black-tailed prairie dog colonies. A nonessential experimental population area of approximately 1.182.200 aces is delineated within which the legal status of the black-footed ferret is changes from endangered to nonessential experimental to allow for greater management flexibility. All of the Proposed reintroduction area is public land administered by either the National Park Sen+ice or the Forest Service. The purpose of the proposed action is to use experimental techniques to reintroduce and establish a free ranging, cooperatively managed wild population ofblack-footed ferrets in the Conata BasinlBadlands experimental population area near Wall. South Dakota. The released black-footed ferrets Environmcatally Preferable Alternative The Fish and Wildlife Sen toe consider Alternative E to be the most environmentally preferred alterriatis~e. The levels of active prairie dog habitat w ould not increase over Alternatives C and D. Alternative E provides the least potential risks to the black-focted ferret due to expanded protection measures through the expansion of off-read travel and trapping restriction and possible long-term shooting restrictions to an expanded reintroduction area. Alternative C was selected because it prescribes a reintroduction program that is more compatible with the existing reeeational and agricultural land uses in the area thereby garnishing additional support. It is the Fish and Wildlife Service's assessment that the benefits of additional support outweigh the possible benefits of extending land use restrictions associated with the expanded reintroduction area of Alternative E. 1~4inimization of Impacts Public concerns, potential impacts, and methods to mitigate those impacts are addressed in the final envimamentaI Dsted: wne 21. t99~t. Robert D. j.~, Acting Aegionol DiR+etor, ltlavetoin Avirie swtes Regoir. (F'R Doc 9~•-t5478 Filed 6-24-9~t: a:~sawl ease+a coos av,aas..M 03/29/96 FWM 248 FNVIRfrNMFNTer never rev