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ABOUT THE MIDWEST REGION NEWSROOM FISH AND WILDLIFE JOURNAL WILDLIFE AND HABITAT Conservation Planning Ecological Services Ecosystem Conservation Environmental Contaminants Endangered Species Fish and Their Habitat Law Enforcement Mapping and GIS Migratory Birds National Wildlife Refuge System Science Quality Wetlands PARTNERS Congressional Affairs Joint Ventures Native Americans Rural Fire Assistance Program Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration Programs GET INVOLVED Buy a Duck Stamp Conservation Library For Kids Hunting and Fishing on Refuges Jobs Volunteer CONTACT US Phone: 612-713-5360 V/TTY: 800-657-3775 Address: 1 Federal Drive BHW Federal Building Fort Snelling, MN 55111

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 11, 2008

Contact:

Tim Haller, 573-876-1826

EA 08-02

Big Muddy Wildlife Refuge Announces
Upcoming Public Listening Meetings

The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge would like to announce upcoming public listening meetings. These meetings are intended to gather public input for the development of the refuge comprehensive conservation plan. These meetings are the start of the plan which is a three year process to determine the future management of the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. These meetings were originally scheduled for December but where postponed due to weather.

The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 11,000 acres of public land in eight separate units in the Missouri River Floodplain between Kansas City and St. Louis. Communities near existing refuge units were selected for these meetings. The public is encouraged to attend to provide the Fish and Wildlife Service feedback on the future management of the refuge.

All listening meetings and forums will be from open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Upcoming dates and locations:

January 14
Richmond, MO Ray County Library
215 E. Lexington St.

January 15
Waverly, MO Waverly City Hall
111 E. Kelling Ave

The comprehensive plan, when completed, will guide management and administration of the refuge for the next 15 years, although periodic reviews will occur. Federal law requires comprehensive plans for all national wildlife refuges.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 97-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 548 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

For further information about the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge visit us on the web at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/bigmuddy.

-FWS-

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