[Federal Register: October 17, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 202)]
[Notices]
[Page 61897-61898]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17oc08-120]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R3-R-2008-N00167; 30136-1265-0000-S3]
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge, Pike and Gibson Counties,
Indiana
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability: Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan
and Finding of No Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce
that the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) for the
[[Page 61898]]
Environmental Assessment (EA) are available for Patoka River National
Wildlife Refuge. Goals and objectives in the CCP describe how the
agency intends to manage the refuge over the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final CCP and FONSI/EA may be viewed at the
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters and public libraries
near the refuge. You may access and download a copy via the Planning
Web site at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Planning/PatokaRiver, or you may
obtain a copy on compact disk by contacting: U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of Conservation Planning, Bishop Henry Whipple
Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111 (1-800-247-
1247, extension 5429) or Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge, 510 1/2
West Morton St., Oakland City, IN 47660 (812-749-3199). A limited
number of hardcopies will be available for distribution at the Refuge
Headquarters.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill McCoy (812-749-3199).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Established in 1994, Patoka River National
Wildlife Refuge lies within a 20 mile section of the Patoka River in
Gibson and Pike Counties of southwest Indiana. The Refuge currently
manages about 6,000 acres. Ultimately, the Refuge will include up to
6,800 acres with another 15,283 acres to be included in a Refuge
administered wildlife management area. The Refuge encompasses one of
the last remaining stretches of bottomland forest in Indiana. It
provides some of the best wood duck production habitat in the state and
is inhabited by at least forty-one species of mammals and over 200
species of birds. The Refuge provides visitor services that include
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and environmental education.
The Draft CCP/EA was released for public review October 17, 2007,
the comment period lasted 45 days ending November 30, 2007. During the
comment period the Refuge hosted a public meeting attended by a total
of 10 people. By the conclusion of the comment period we received 18
responses and identified more than 70 individual comments. In response
to these comments we made a number of minor edits and added one
objective statement and two strategies.
Selected Alternative
After considering the comments received, we have selected
Alternative 3 for implementation. The selected alternative will
increase opportunities for wildlife dependent recreation, increase the
amount of bottomland forest, maintain stopover habitat for migratory
waterbirds, provide habitat for the federally endangered Interior Least
Tern, increase the amount of acres under moist soil management, and
consider stream channel restoration options for the Patoka River and
its tributaries.
Background
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee et seq.), requires the Service to develop a CCP
for each National Wildlife Refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP is
to provide refuge managers with a 15-year strategy for achieving refuge
purposes and contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife
Refuge System, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife
management, conservation, legal mandates, and Service policies. In
addition to outlining broad management direction for conserving
wildlife and their habitats, the CCP identifies wildlife-dependent
recreational opportunities available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will
review and update these CCPs at least every 15 years in accordance with
the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997,
and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-
4370d).
Dated: July 22, 2008.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort
Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. E8-24815 Filed 10-16-08; 8:45 am]
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