AgendaAgenda

2:00 pm Introduce FWS and FKMCD Introductions and brief logistics

 2:05 pm Presentation of Background

Purpose and Methods of Mosquito Control

Overview of Refuge policy and resources, why an EA? 2:40 pm Overview of Environmental Assessment process and target dates (FWS)

Discuss timeline and products available for review

 2:50 pm Move to comment recording tables and document oral comments  4:00 pm Adjourn

Mosquito Management Plan and Mosquito Management Plan and Environmental AssessmentEnvironmental Assessment

Lower Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges

1938

19081957

Refuge PurposesRefuge Purposes• The purposes of the refuges come from the executive The purposes of the refuges come from the executive

orders and subsequent laws Congress passed as it orders and subsequent laws Congress passed as it established each refuge. For National Key Deer:established each refuge. For National Key Deer:

– ““... to protect and preserve in the national interest the Key ... to protect and preserve in the national interest the Key deer and other wildlife resources in the Florida Keys.” 71 deer and other wildlife resources in the Florida Keys.” 71 Stat. 412, dated Aug. 22, 1957Stat. 412, dated Aug. 22, 1957

– ““... to conserve (A) fish or wildlife which are listed as ... to conserve (A) fish or wildlife which are listed as endangered species or threatened species .... or (B) endangered species or threatened species .... or (B) plants....” 16 U.S.C. 1534 (Endangered Species Act of 1973)plants....” 16 U.S.C. 1534 (Endangered Species Act of 1973)

– ““... suitable for–(1) incidental fish and wildlife-oriented ... suitable for–(1) incidental fish and wildlife-oriented recreational development, (2) the protection of natural recreational development, (2) the protection of natural resources, (3) the conservation of endangered species or resources, (3) the conservation of endangered species or threatened species....” 16 U.S.C. 460k-1threatened species....” 16 U.S.C. 460k-1

Refuge Purpose (cont.)Refuge Purpose (cont.)

• ““... for the development, advancement, management, ... for the development, advancement, management, conservation, and protection of fish and wildlife conservation, and protection of fish and wildlife resources ....” 16 U.S.C. 742f(a)(4)resources ....” 16 U.S.C. 742f(a)(4)

• ““... conservation, management, and … restoration of the ... conservation, management, and … restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats … for fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats … for the benefit of present and future generations of the benefit of present and future generations of americans....” 16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(2) (National Wildlife americans....” 16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(2) (National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act)Refuge System Administration Act)

• “…“…so as to provide protection of these areas…and to so as to provide protection of these areas…and to ensure…the preservation of their wilderness character.…” ensure…the preservation of their wilderness character.…” (Wilderness Act of 1964, Public Law 88-577)(Wilderness Act of 1964, Public Law 88-577)

Comprehensive Conservation Management Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCP)Plan (CCP)

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) prepared The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) prepared its Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) to guide its Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) to guide the management of three national wildlife refuges in the management of three national wildlife refuges in the Florida Keys, as mandated by the National the Florida Keys, as mandated by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.

• The CCP outlines management strategies and The CCP outlines management strategies and corresponding resource needs for the next 15 years corresponding resource needs for the next 15 years to protect, enhance, and restore the natural diversity to protect, enhance, and restore the natural diversity and integrity of the ecological landscapes of the and integrity of the ecological landscapes of the Lower Florida Keys Refuges, and provides unique Lower Florida Keys Refuges, and provides unique opportunities for research and compatible wildlife-opportunities for research and compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses in cooperation with our dependent recreational uses in cooperation with our partners.partners.

CCP (cont). CCP (cont). • The CCP calls for the development of 11 step-down The CCP calls for the development of 11 step-down

management plans in specific program areas, such as management plans in specific program areas, such as visitor services and fire management.visitor services and fire management.

• Under Habitat Management (Page 60)Under Habitat Management (Page 60)• Objective 3: Objective 3: Protect tropical hardwood hammock and Protect tropical hardwood hammock and

the endangered, threatened, candidate and other the endangered, threatened, candidate and other imperiled species that inhabit hammock.imperiled species that inhabit hammock.

– Strategies: Strategies: Maintain the policy of prohibiting the Maintain the policy of prohibiting the spraying of insecticides used to control adult spraying of insecticides used to control adult mosquitos to protect non-target invertebrate species mosquitos to protect non-target invertebrate species in Watson and Cactus Hammocks and on No Name in Watson and Cactus Hammocks and on No Name Key (National Key Deer Refuge), and expand to other Key (National Key Deer Refuge), and expand to other tropical hardwood hammocks.tropical hardwood hammocks.

CCP (cont.)CCP (cont.)

• Under: FISH AND WILDLIFE POPULATION MANAGEMENT Under: FISH AND WILDLIFE POPULATION MANAGEMENT (Page 63 and 68) (Page 63 and 68)

• Objective 1: Objective 1: Implement necessary measures to ensure the Implement necessary measures to ensure the viability of all imperiled species and their habitats.viability of all imperiled species and their habitats.

– Strategy: Adopt a step-down Mosquito Management Plan Strategy: Adopt a step-down Mosquito Management Plan according to Service policy guidance that will reduce or according to Service policy guidance that will reduce or eliminate impacts of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control eliminate impacts of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District’s operations to nontarget species on and District’s operations to nontarget species on and adjacent to refuge lands.adjacent to refuge lands.

CCP (cont.)CCP (cont.)

• Objective 11: Lepidopterans – Maintain or restore Objective 11: Lepidopterans – Maintain or restore refuge populations of Lepidopterans of special refuge populations of Lepidopterans of special conservation concern, particularly Bartram’s conservation concern, particularly Bartram’s hairstreak, Florida leafwing and Miami blue hairstreak, Florida leafwing and Miami blue butterflies.butterflies.– Develop a step-down Mosquito Management Plan in Develop a step-down Mosquito Management Plan in

cooperation with the Mosquito Control District, state cooperation with the Mosquito Control District, state public health officials and entomologists to balance public health officials and entomologists to balance the conservation of native insect species on refuge the conservation of native insect species on refuge lands with public health concerns with nuisance and lands with public health concerns with nuisance and potentially disease-carrying mosquito populations.potentially disease-carrying mosquito populations.

– Continue cooperative efforts in developing improved Continue cooperative efforts in developing improved methods of mosquito control which reduce the use of methods of mosquito control which reduce the use of broad-spectrum adulticides and minimizes impacts broad-spectrum adulticides and minimizes impacts to natural resources.to natural resources.

– Maintain and expand the “no spray” zones in pine Maintain and expand the “no spray” zones in pine rockland, hardwood hammock and other sensitive rockland, hardwood hammock and other sensitive habitat.habitat.

FWS Guidance and PolicyFWS Guidance and Policy• 569 FW 1

Integrated Pest Management Policy – Use our best professional judgment and available scientific

information to select the lowest risk, most effective IPM method or combination of methods that is feasible for each pest management project.  When appropriate, we will include IPM methods in short- and long-term management planning documents such as refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plans, IPM plans, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents, and invasive species plans.

• Chapter 6 (601 FW 6): Draft Mosquito and Mosquito-Borne Disease Management Policy– Allow populations of native mosquito species to exist unimpeded

unless they pose a specific human or wildlife health threat.– Identifying mosquito management activities through development

of a mosquito management plan or comprehensive conservation plan

– Other bullets

Mosquito Management PlanMosquito Management Plan

• CCP stipulated that “The plan will CCP stipulated that “The plan will identify the specific conditions under identify the specific conditions under which mosquito populations would be which mosquito populations would be managed on the refuge, taking into managed on the refuge, taking into account the local environment, as account the local environment, as well as current and historical well as current and historical mosquito-associated health threats.” mosquito-associated health threats.” (Page 95)(Page 95)

U.S. District Court - Action 10-377U.S. District Court - Action 10-377• As part of a court-approved settlement,

the Service has committed to publish certain Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing actions – petition findings, listing determinations, critical habitat designations – in Fiscal Years 2013-2018.

Published Proposed Rule Published Proposed Rule

• On August 15, 2013, the Service published its “Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Designation of Critical Habitat for Florida Leafwing and Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak Butterflies” proposed rule.

• The Refuge is required to initiate consultation under ESA on any action that might adversely affect candidate or listed species.

Listed species with risk Listed species with risk from insecticide from insecticide applicationsapplications

• Stock Island tree snail (Stock Island tree snail (Orthalicus resesOrthalicus reses) (T)) (T)• Florida leafwing butterfly (Florida leafwing butterfly (Anaea troglodyta floridalisAnaea troglodyta floridalis) (C)) (C)• Bartram’s hairstreak butterfly (Bartram’s hairstreak butterfly (Strymon acis bartramiStrymon acis bartrami) (C)) (C)• Miami Blue Butterfly (Hemiargus [Cyclargus] thomasi Miami Blue Butterfly (Hemiargus [Cyclargus] thomasi

bethunebakeri) (C)bethunebakeri) (C)• Big Pine partridge pea (Big Pine partridge pea (Chamaecrista lineata keyensisChamaecrista lineata keyensis) (C)) (C)• Wedge spurge (Wedge spurge (Chamaesyce deltoidea serpyllumChamaesyce deltoidea serpyllum) (C)) (C)• Sand flax (Sand flax (Linum arenicolaLinum arenicola) (C)) (C)

1515

Butterflies (Fl. Butterflies (Fl. leafwing)leafwing)

1616

Annual Number of Florida Annual Number of Florida leafwings on six transects leafwings on six transects within NKDR, Big Pine Keywithin NKDR, Big Pine Key

Anaea troglodyta Anaea troglodyta floridalisfloridalis

Source: (Salvato and Salvato, unpublished data; 2007)

20

53

69

54 53

1619

14

5

1 00

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

YEAR

Le

afw

ing

co

un

t

1717

Butterflies (Bartram’s)Butterflies (Bartram’s)

1818

Annual Number of Annual Number of Bartram's hairstreaks on Bartram's hairstreaks on

six transects within six transects within NKDR, Big Pine KeyNKDR, Big Pine Key

Strymon acis Strymon acis bartramibartrami

Source: (Salvato and Salvato, unpublished data; 2007)

139

184

279

228

175

74

126

5950

118

8

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

YEARS

Hair

str

eak C

ou

nt

Monitoring-researchMonitoring-research

NEPA ProcessNEPA Process

Overview of Environmental Overview of Environmental

Assessment PreparationAssessment Preparation

National Environmental Policy National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)(1970) Purpose:Act (NEPA)(1970) Purpose:

• ““To encourage productive and enjoyable To encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his environmentharmony between man and his environment

• To promote efforts which will prevent or To promote efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and eliminate damage to the environment and stimulate the health and welfare of manstimulate the health and welfare of man

• And to enrich the understanding of ecological And to enrich the understanding of ecological systems and natural resources important to systems and natural resources important to the nation.”the nation.”

Working Purpose of NEPAWorking Purpose of NEPA

• ““To make sure that agencies fully To make sure that agencies fully consider the environmental costs consider the environmental costs and benefits of their proposed and benefits of their proposed actions before they make any actions before they make any decision to undertake those actions”decision to undertake those actions”

• NEPA is a decision making process NEPA is a decision making process and tool.and tool.

NEPA and CEQ RequirementsNEPA and CEQ Requirements

• All agencies make careful, and All agencies make careful, and complete, study of the impacts of any complete, study of the impacts of any proposal that has the potential to affect proposal that has the potential to affect the environment and study alternatives the environment and study alternatives to that proposal.to that proposal.

• Agencies must be diligent with Agencies must be diligent with involving any interested or affected involving any interested or affected members of the public in the NEPA members of the public in the NEPA process.process.

ScopingScoping

• Internal scoping: Gathering information and Internal scoping: Gathering information and formulating a strategy within the FWS.formulating a strategy within the FWS.– Staff, contactors, involved agencies, and Staff, contactors, involved agencies, and

staff from other divisions or regions.staff from other divisions or regions.

• External scoping: Working with the public External scoping: Working with the public and other agencies to determine issues, and other agencies to determine issues, alternatives, and approaches and to educate alternatives, and approaches and to educate

the public as needed.the public as needed.

What Information is in the EAWhat Information is in the EA• Statement of the objectives or purpose;Statement of the objectives or purpose;

• AlternativesAlternatives– No action and others determined during scopingNo action and others determined during scoping– FWS preferred alternative;FWS preferred alternative;

• Impact topicsImpact topics– Cultural resources, wetlands, floodplains, land Cultural resources, wetlands, floodplains, land

use conflicts, use conflicts, – endangered species, public health and safety;endangered species, public health and safety;

• Affected environment;Affected environment;

• Impacts;Impacts;

• Consultation.Consultation.

What are the Next and Final What are the Next and Final Steps?Steps?

• Prepare and distribute the Draft EA for comment to Prepare and distribute the Draft EA for comment to agencies and tribes, interested parties and agencies and tribes, interested parties and individuals, and anyone who requests it.individuals, and anyone who requests it.

• The FWS incorporates those comments into the The FWS incorporates those comments into the Final EA, looks at other alternatives, modifies the Final EA, looks at other alternatives, modifies the analysis, makes factual corrections, or explains analysis, makes factual corrections, or explains why comments do not warrant further response.why comments do not warrant further response.

• Issuance of a Finding of No Significant Impact Issuance of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or initiates more analysis. Copies of the (FONSI) or initiates more analysis. Copies of the final decision document will be provided to all final decision document will be provided to all agencies and tribes that commented, any agencies and tribes that commented, any individual or organization that makes substantive individual or organization that makes substantive

comments, and anyone who requests it.comments, and anyone who requests it.

Tentative Draft Purpose Tentative Draft Purpose • Develop a long term Mosquito Management Plan Develop a long term Mosquito Management Plan

consistent with Service policy and guidance that will consistent with Service policy and guidance that will reduce or eliminate impacts of the adulticide and other reduce or eliminate impacts of the adulticide and other mosquito control activities to nontarget species on and mosquito control activities to nontarget species on and adjacent to refuge lands while still balancing the needs adjacent to refuge lands while still balancing the needs of the community and public health concerns.of the community and public health concerns.

• Ensure that activities to survey and control mosquito Ensure that activities to survey and control mosquito populations on or adjacent to the Refuge are compatible populations on or adjacent to the Refuge are compatible with the establishing purposes of the Refuge.with the establishing purposes of the Refuge.

• Protect both threatened and endangered plants, fish, Protect both threatened and endangered plants, fish, and wildlife and to ensure the health and welfare of and wildlife and to ensure the health and welfare of surrounding human populations.surrounding human populations.

TimeframeTimeframe

• Scoping Meeting: December 2013Scoping Meeting: December 2013

• Draft EA Submitted: January 2014Draft EA Submitted: January 2014

• Public Comment Closed: February Public Comment Closed: February 20142014

• Mosquito Management Plan: Spring Mosquito Management Plan: Spring 20142014

What Type of Input Do We What Type of Input Do We Need?Need?

• Types of mosquito management Types of mosquito management actions the refuge and the District actions the refuge and the District should considershould consider

• Concerns and issues that should be Concerns and issues that should be incorporated in the EAincorporated in the EA

• Alternatives to consider in the EAAlternatives to consider in the EA• Specific impacts that are of concernSpecific impacts that are of concern• Relevant experiences in regard to the Relevant experiences in regard to the

proposed activities and/or usesproposed activities and/or uses