[Federal Register: February 18, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 32)]
[Notices]
[Page 7289-7290]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18fe10-53]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R3-R-2009-N243; 30136-1265-0000-S3]
Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge, NE; Hamden Slough National
Wildlife Refuge, MN; and Iowa Wetland Management District, IA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
[[Page 7290]]
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) intends to
gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation
plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for the Boyer Chute
and Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and the Iowa Wetland
Management District (WMD). We furnish this notice in compliance with
our CCP policy to advise other agencies and the public of our
intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of
issues to be considered in the planning process.
We also invite comments on archeological, historic, and traditional
cultural sites in accordance with the National Historic Preservation
Act.
In addition, special mailings, newspaper articles, Internet
postings, and other media announcements will inform people of the
opportunities for written comments.
ADDRESSES: Comments or requests for more information can be sent to the
appropriate refuge at the following addresses:
1. Attention: Refuge Manager, Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge,
3720 Rivers Way, Fort Calhoun, NE 68023;
2. Attention: Refuge Manager, Hamden Slough National Wildlife
Refuge, 26624 N. Tower Road, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501;
3. Attention: Refuge Manager, Iowa Wetland Management District,
1710 360th Street, Titonka, IA 50480.
You may also find information on the CCP planning process and
submit comments electronically on the planning Web site http://
www.fws.gov/midwest/planning or you may e-mail comments to
r3planning@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Cox, DeSoto NWR, 712-642-4121;
Scott Kahan, Hamden Slough NWR, 218-847-4431; or George Maze, Iowa WMD,
515-928-2523.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, we initiate the CCP for
the Boyer Chute NWR, with headquarters in Fort Calhoun, NE; the CCP for
the Hamden Slough NWR, with headquarters in Detroit Lakes, MN; and the
CCP for the Iowa WMD, with headquarters in Titonka, IA.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), requires us to develop a comprehensive
conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge. Land parcels we
manage within a Wetland Management District are also units of the
National Wildlife Refuge System. The purpose in developing a
comprehensive conservation plan is to provide refuge managers with a
15-year strategy 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 Service policies. In addition to outlining broad
management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, plans
identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the
public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife
observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and
interpretation.
Each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System, including each of
these NWRs, is established with specific purposes. We use these
purposes to develop and prioritize management goals and objectives
within the National Wildlife Refuge System mission, and to guide which
public uses will occur on these Refuges. The planning process is a way
for us and the public to evaluate management goals and objectives for
the best possible conservation efforts of this important wildlife
habitat, while providing for wildlife-dependent recreation
opportunities that are compatible with the Refuges' establishing
purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
We will conduct a comprehensive conservation planning process that
will provide opportunity for Tribal, State, and local governments;
agencies; organizations; and the public to participate in issue scoping
and public comment for the future management of Boyer Chute NWR, Hamden
Slough NWR, and Iowa WMD. We invite anyone interested to respond to the
following two questions:
1. What issues do you want to see addressed in the CCP?
2. What improvements would you recommend for the Refuges or Wetland
District?
Responding to these two questions is optional; you are not required
to provide information to us. Our Planning Team developed the questions
to gather information about individual issues and ideas concerning
these Refuges and Wetland District. Comments we receive will be used as
part of the planning process; however, we will not reference individual
comments in our reports or directly respond to them.
We also invite comments on archeological, historic, and traditional
cultural sites in accordance with the National Historic Preservation
Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
We will also give the public an opportunity to provide input at
open houses. You can obtain a schedule of the open house events by
contacting the Refuge Managers listed in the addresses section of this
notice.
The environmental review of these projects will be conducted in
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended (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 regulations.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 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.
Dated: December 14, 2009.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling,
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 2010-3154 Filed 2-17-10; 8:45 am]
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