Public Involvement

Your input is important to our preparation of effective Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plans and Land Protection Plans. Public involvement opportunities occur during the scoping process, early in plan development, and after a draft plan has been released for public review. The scoping process serves to identify the issues of interest to the general public, local, state, tribal and other federal government stakeholders. The Fish and Wildlife Service typically holds public meetings, either formal hearings or less structured workshops and open houses, during the scoping and draft plan review periods to provide information about the refuge and the planning process and to solicit public input.

Members of the public unable to attend public meetings or uncomfortable with making comments in a public forum can also submit written comments, by email or regular mail, or provide oral comments over the telephone.

A list of all projects with open comment periods appears below, with email link, telephone number and mailing address for the project planner. Notices of all scheduled public meetings on Southwest Region Refuge Plans also appear below.

Anticipated comment periods for draft plans:

Watch this space for announcement of the location and schedule of any public meetings.