[Federal Register: May 25, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 102)]
[Notices]               
[Page 28921-28922]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25my01-82]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

 
Environmental Statements; Notice of Intent: Mackay Island and 
Currituck National Wildlife Refuges, NC; Public Scoping Meetings

ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct public scoping meetings to obtain 
suggestions and information on issues to include in the preparation of 
Comprehensive Conservation Plans for Mackay Island and Currituck 
National Wildlife Refuges in North Carolina.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Southeast Region, intends to gather information necessary to 
prepare

[[Page 28922]]

comprehensive conservation plans and associated environmental documents 
pursuant to the Service's Comprehensive Conservation Planning Policy 
and the National Environmental Policy Act and implementing regulations.
    The meetings are scheduled as follows:

Tuesday, June 19, 2001, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Currituck County Commissioners; 
Meeting Room, Old County Courthouse, Second Floor, 105 Courthouse Road, 
Currituck, NC 27929.
Thursday, June 21, 2001, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Corolla Fire Station, 827 
Whalehead Drive, Corolla, NC 27927.
Tuesday, June 26, 2001, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Creeds Elementary School, 920 
Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23457.
Thursday, June 28, 2001, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Knotts Island Ruritan Building, 
126 Brumley Road, Knotts Island, NC 27950.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before June 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Address comments and requests for more information to the 
following: D.A. Brown, M.S., P.W.S., 1106 West Queen Street, P.O. Box 
329, Edenton, North Carolina 27932, (252) 482-2364.
    Information concerning these refuges may be found at the following 
website: http://rtncf-rci.ral.r4.fws.gov
    If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of 
several methods. You may mail comments to the above address. You may 
also comment via the Internet to the following address: 
D_A_Brown@fws.gov. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII file 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Please also include your name and return address in your Internet 
message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we 
have received your Internet message. If you do not receive a 
confirmation from the system that we have received your Internet 
message, contact D.A. Brown directly at the above address. Finally, you 
may hand-deliver comments to Mr. Brown at 1106 West Queen Street, 
Edenton, North Carolina. Our practice is to make comments, including 
names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review 
during regular business hours. Individual respondents may request that 
we withhold their home address form the record, which we will honor to 
the extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which 
we would withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable 
by law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must 
state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. However, we 
will not consider anonymous comments. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is the policy of the Fish and Wildlife 
Service to have all lands within the National Wildlife Refuge System 
managed in accordance with an approved Comprehensive Conservation Plan. 
The plan guides management decisions and identifies the goals, 
objectives, and strategies for achieving refuge purposes. Public input 
into this planning process is encouraged. The plan will provide other 
agencies and the public with a clear understanding of the desired 
conditions of the refuge and how the Service will implement management 
strategies.
    Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1961, as 
a wintering area for greater snow geese and feeding habitat for other 
migratory birds--primarily waterfowl.
    Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, administered by Mackay Island 
Refuge, was established in 1983, to preserve and protect a portion of 
the North Carolina Outer Banks, one of the largest undeveloped coastal 
barrier ecosystems remaining on the east coast. The Service's ownership 
ensures perpetuation of basic wetland functions, including nutrient 
cycling, floodplain and erosion control, and assists in preserving the 
role of Currituck Sound estuaries as nurseries. The ground is an 
important black duck wintering area.

    Dated: May 11, 2001.
Judy L. Pulliam,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 01-13240 Filed 5-24-01; 8:45 am]
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