Los Banos, California — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex invites the public to provide comment on the complex’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan and draft Environmental Assessment, which will guide the purpose and management of the complex. The public comment period will be open for 45-days, from September 11, 2023 to October 26, 2023.
The completion of the CCP and draft EA is a priority for the refuge, and the refuge considers the availability of the CCP and draft EA an opportunity to seek community input for how the complex should be managed now in to the future, in partnership with local communities and the public.
The San Luis NWRC CCP includes the history of the refuge, current management activities and concerns, information about water acquisition and availability, refuge resources, future management goals and objectives and an overview of the plan’s implementation. The complex’s plan includes the San Luis and Merced refuges and Grasslands Wildlife Management Area. San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge has an established CCP and therefore is excluded from this CCP.
The public is invited to join refuge staff at a public meeting on the CCP and draft EA on September 27, 2023 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The public meeting will be held at the Los Banos Community Center Grand Ballroom (645 7th St, Los Banos, CA 93635). Participants will learn about the conservation plan and draft EA, and then have an opportunity to provide official public comment. Additional details about the public meeting will be announced in a subsequent press release.
Details about the CCP and associated draft documents can be found at the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge website. The Notice of Availability is in the Federal Register's reading room today and the document will publish on September 11, 2023, starting the official comment period.
Public comments will help inform and guide the management of your public lands. Comments can be submitted to electronically at fw8plancomments@fws.gov (include “San Luis CCP” in the subject line of the message) or sent via U.S. mail to San Luis NWR Complex Headquarters, 7376 S. Wolfsen Road, Los Banos, CA 93635. Mail must be postmarked by October 26, 2023 to be considered as part of the official record.
The San Luis Complex is a critical stopover for migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway and provides refuge for many other native wildlife species and provides unique opportunities for connecting with nature through wildlife viewing, photography, hunting, fishing and hiking.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit https://www.fws.gov/cno/ or connect with us via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.
-FWS-
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