[Federal Register: April 2, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 64)]
[Notices]
[Page 17992-17993]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02ap08-75]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2008-N0016; 40136-1265-0000-S3]
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, Ashley, Bradley, and Union
Counties, AR; Overflow National Wildlife Refuge, Ashley County, AR
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 associated National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for Felsenthal and Overflow
National Wildlife Refuges. We provide this notice in compliance with
our CCP 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 in the planning process.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by May 19, 2008. We will announce opportunities for public input in
local news media throughout the CCP planning process.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments or requests for more information to: Mike
Dawson, Refuge Planner, Fish and Wildlife Service, 6578 Dogwood View
Parkway, Suite B, Jackson, Mississippi 39213; Fax: 601/965-4010;
Electronic mail: mike_dawson@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Dawson; Telephone: 601/965-4903,
extension 20.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we initiate our process for developing a CCP for
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge in Ashley, Bradley, and Union
Counties, AR, and Overflow National Wildlife Refuge in Ashley County,
AR. 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 the 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 National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16
U.S.C.
[[Page 17993]]
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, 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 Improvement Act
and NEPA.
We establish each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System for
specific purposes. We use these purposes as the bases to develop and
prioritize management goals and objectives for the refuge within the
National Wildlife Refuge System 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 National Wildlife Refuge System.
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
Felsenthal and Overflow National Wildlife Refuges.
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 parts 1500-1508); other appropriate Federal laws
and regulations; and our policies and procedures for compliance with
those laws and regulations.
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1975, as a
result of the Corps of Engineers' Ouachita and Black Rivers Navigation
Project. Geographically, the 65,000-acre refuge is located in what is
known as the Felsenthal Basin, an extensive natural depression that is
laced with a vast complex of sloughs, bayous, and lakes. The region's
two major rivers, the Saline and Ouachita, flow through the refuge.
Historically, periodic flooding of the ``bottoms'' during winter and
spring provided excellent wintering waterfowl habitat. These wetland
areas in combination with the refuge's diverse forest ecosystem of
bottomland hardwoods, pine forests, and uplands support a wide variety
of wildlife and provide excellent opportunities for fishing, hunting,
boating, wildlife observation, and environmental education.
Overflow National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1980, to
protect one of the remaining bottomland hardwood forests considered
vital for maintaining mallard, wood duck, and other waterfowl
populations in the Mississippi Flyway. This 13,000-acre plus refuge is
a wetland complex within the watershed of Overflow Creek, which flows
southerly along the length of the refuge. The majority of the refuge is
bottomland hardwood forests, consisting primarily of willow and overcup
oaks. Willow oaks, found here in abundance, produce small acorns that
are an excellent source of food for the mallards and wood ducks that
make the refuge their winter home.
Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law
105-57.
Dated: December 31, 2007.
Jon Andrew,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. E8-6797 Filed 4-1-08; 8:45 am]
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