Service Seeks comments on Proposed Refuge use Policy "Compatibility Determinations" to Involve Public

The public would be formally involved for the first time in decisions on recreation and other public uses on units of Americas 93 million acre National Wildlife Refuge System under the draft compatibility policy and regulations released today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Service will accept written comments on the proposal through November 8, 1999. This draft policy and regulation is one of the most significant management and public use policies for the system.

"National wildlife refuges are places where the needs of wildlife come first, but the refuge system welcomes almost 35 million visitors each year," said Acting Service Director John Rogers. "Compatibility is the tool refuge managers use to ensure that recreation, educational activities, and other uses dont interfere with wildlife conservation within the refuge system."

As required by the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, the revised draft policy outlines a standard process to review the impacts of proposed and existing public use. Managers would have to consider the mission of the entire refuge system along with the purposes of their individual refuges in the review. The actual standard