[Federal Register: February 26, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 38)]
[Notices]
[Page 10279-10280]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26fe08-68]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R5-R-2008-N0013; 50130-1265-0000-S3]
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Genesee County and Orleans
County, NY
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan
and environmental assessment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to
prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and an associated
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document for Iroquois National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR). We provide this notice in compliance with our
planning policy to advise other agencies, Tribes, and the public of our
intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of
issues to consider. We are also requesting public comments.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by April 30, 2008. We will hold public meetings to begin the CCP
planning process; see Public Meetings under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
We will announce opportunities for public input in local news media
throughout the CCP planning process, and will announce upcoming public
meetings in local news media and the refuge Web site.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments or requests for more information by any
of the following methods.
Electronic mail: northeastplanning@fws.gov. Include ``Iroquois NWR
CCP/EA'' in the subject line of the message.
U.S. Postal Service: Iroquois NWR, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY,
14013.
In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Call 585-948-5445 to make
an appointment during regular business hours at 1101 Casey Road,
Alabama, NY.
Fax: 585-948-9538.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Roster, Project Leader, at 585-
948-5445, or Thomas Bonetti, Planning Team Leader, at 413-253-8307.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we initiate our process for developing a CCP for
Iroquois NWR in Genessee County and Orleans County, NY. We provide this
notice in compliance with our planning policy to (1) advise other
Federal and State agencies and the public of our intention to conduct
detailed planning on this refuge and (2) obtain suggestions and
information on the scope of topics to consider in the environmental
document and during development of the CCP.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(Improvement Act) (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), which amended the National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, requires us to
develop a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose for
developing a CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for
achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), consistent with sound
principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal
mandates, and our policies. In addition to outlining broad management
direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify
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 the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with
the Improvement Act and NEPA.
We establish each unit of the NWRS for specific purposes. We use
these purposes as the bases to develop and prioritize management goals
and objectives for the refuge within the NWRS mission, and to determine
how the public can use the refuge. The planning process is a way for us
and the public to evaluate management goals and objectives for the best
possible conservation approach to this important wildlife habitat,
while providing for wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities that
are compatible with the refuge's establishing purposes and the mission
of the NWRS. Our CCP process provides opportunities for Tribal, State,
and local governments; agencies; organizations; and the public to
participate. At this time, we encourage the public to provide input in
the form of issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions for the future
management of Iroquois NWR.
We will conduct the environmental review of this environmental
assessment in accordance with the requirements of NEPA, as amended (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts
[[Page 10280]]
1500-1508); other appropriate Federal laws and regulations; and our
policies and procedures for compliance with those laws and regulations.
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
Iroquois NWR was established in 1958 under the Migratory Bird
Conservation Act for ``* * *use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any
other management purpose, for migratory birds (16 U.S.C. 715d).'' The
refuge consists of more than 10,800 acres within the rural townships of
Alabama and Shelby, New York, midway between Buffalo and Rochester.
Freshwater marshes and hardwood swamps are bounded by forests,
grasslands, and wet meadows. These areas serve the habitat needs of
both migratory and resident wildlife, including waterfowl, songbirds,
mammals, and amphibians, as well as numerous indigenous plant species.
Scoping: Preliminary Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities
We have identified preliminary issues, concerns, and opportunities
that we may address in the CCP. We have briefly summarized these issues
below. During public scoping, we may identify additional issues.
Iroquois NWR incorporates several management techniques to create
desired habitat types and wildlife rich environments. Some of the
management techniques to be addressed in the CCP will include
prescribed fire, haying, water level management, invasive species
control through herbicide application, removal of select artificial
nest structures, and mechanical manipulation of habitats.
Additionally, public use throughout the refuge will be reevaluated
in relation to wildlife-dependent recreation and other mission
compatible uses. These uses will include waterfowl, big game, small
game, and turkey hunting; fishing and fishing access points; trapping
area(s) and the permitting process; seasonal access throughout the
refuge; deletion, addition, or modification of the trails, overlooks,
and parking areas; and visitor facilities.
Public Meetings
We will involve the public through open houses, informational and
technical meetings, and written comments. We will release mailings,
news releases, and announcements to provide information about
opportunities for public involvement in the planning process. You can
obtain the schedule from the planning team leader or project leader
(see ADDRESSES). You may also submit comments anytime during the
planning process by mail, electronic mail, or fax (see ADDRESSES).
There will be additional opportunities to provide public input once we
have prepared a draft CCP.
We anticipate that public meetings will be held in three locations:
Basom, New York; Albion, New York; and Batavia, New York. For specific
information including dates, times, and locations, contact the project
leader (see ADDRESSES) or visit our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/
northeast/iroquois.
Public Availability of Comments
Our practice is to make comments, including names, home addresses,
home phone numbers, and electronic mail addresses of respondents
available for public review. Individual respondents may request that we
withhold their names and/or home addresses, etc., but if you wish us to
consider withholding this information, you must state this prominently
at the beginning of your comments. In addition, you must present a
rationale for withholding this information. This rationale must
demonstrate that disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted
invasion of privacy. Unsupported assertions will not meet this burden.
In the absence of exceptional, documentable circumstances, this
information will be released. We will always make submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives of or officials of organizations or
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
Dated: February 19, 2008.
Wendi Weber,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Hadley, Massachusetts.
[FR Doc. E8-3571 Filed 2-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P