[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 78 (Wednesday, April 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22697-22698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09241]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2013-N175; FXRS12650400000S3-123-FF04R02000]
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Collier County, Florida
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan
revision and environmental assessment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare
a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) revision and associated
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for Florida Panther
National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located in Collier County in southwest
Florida. We provide this notice in compliance with
[[Page 22698]]
our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Native
American Tribes, and the public of our intentions and to obtain
suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in
the planning process.
DATES: To ensure consideration of your comments in the development of
the refuge's CCP revision, we must receive your written comments by May
23, 2014. One or more public scoping meetings will be scheduled to help
engage the public in this planning process; please contact Florida
Panther NWR for the date(s): FloridaPantherCCP@fws.gov or 239-353-8442.
Information will also be posted on the refuge's Web site: http://www.fws.gov/floridapanther/.
ADDRESSES: An online public engagement platform will be used for the
engagement of the public and the submission of public comments; to
access this forum, please visit: http://www.fws.gov/floridapanther/ccp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may also send comments, questions,
and requests for information to Cheri Ehrhardt, AICP, Natural Resource
Planner, P.O. Box 2683, Titusville, FL 32781-2683;
FloridaPantherCCP@fws.gov; 321.861.1276 (fax); or 321-861-2368.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we initiate our process for developing a CCP
revision for Florida Panther NWR in Collier County, Florida. This
notice complies with our CCP policy to: (1) Advise other Federal and
State agencies, Native-American tribes, and the public of our intention
to conduct detailed planning on this refuge and (2) obtain suggestions
and information on the scope of issues to consider in the environmental
document and during development of the CCP.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Administration Act), as amended by the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, requires us to develop
a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The original CCP for Florida
Panther NWR was completed in 2000. Since much has changed in the
intervening time, the Service has determined that the CCP for Florida
Panther NWR needs to be revised. The purpose for revising the CCP is to
provide refuge managers with an updated 15-year plan 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 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, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update
the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Administration
Act.
Each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System was established
for specific purposes. We use these purposes as the foundation for
developing and prioritizing the management goals and objectives for
each refuge within the National Wildlife Refuge System mission, and to
determine how the public can use each 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 National Wildlife Refuge System.
Our CCP process provides participation opportunities for Tribal,
State, and local governments; agencies; organizations; and the public.
We encourage input in the form of issues, concerns, ideas, and
suggestions for the future management of Florida Panther NWR.
We will conduct the environmental review of this project in
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); NEPA
regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508); other appropriate Federal laws and
regulations; and our policies and procedures for compliance with those
laws and regulations.
Purposes of Florida Panther NWR
Established in 1989 and encompassing 26,605 acres, Florida Panther
NWR's purposes are to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants that are
listed as threatened or endangered species (Endangered Species Act of
1973) and for the development, advancement, management, conservation,
and protection of fish and wildlife resources (Fish and Wildlife Act of
1956). Two key Service documents played a strong role in defining the
purposes of Florida Panther NWR; they prioritize the protection and
recovery of the Florida panther: (1) The 1985 Fakahatchee Strand
Environmental Assessment, which clearly states that the refuge area
should be acquired for the benefit and recovery of the endangered
Florida panther; and (2) the 1995 and subsequent 2008 revisions of the
Florida Panther Recovery Plan, which states that the refuge is
essential to the survival of the Florida panther and that the refuge
should enhance habitat conditions for the panther and its prey species.
Public Availability and Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Authority
This notice is published under the authority of the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et
seq.).
Dated: March 11, 2014.
Jacquelyn B. Parrish,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-09241 Filed 4-22-14; 8:45 am]
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