The Services proposal, a draft Environmental Assessment, examines options for protecting fish and wildlife habitat in the Kankakee River watershed in Illinois and Indiana through a joint venture initiative with private and public partners. If approved, the Grand Kankakee Marsh National Wildlife Refuge would be managed to provide habitat for migratory birds, fish, and endangered species.
Through careful management, the vitality of this important habitat can be restored, enhanced, and protected. And, this area can be a fun place for people to enjoy wildlife-dependent recreation, said Charles Holbrook, project manager.
Holbrook added that drainage of farmlands is an important issue in the Kankakee watershed. If a refuge is established, the Service would continue to work in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other partners to assure that drainage and flood control needs are not adversely affected by the refuge, he said. Productive agriculture and viable fish and wildlife protection already occur on many national wildlife refuges across the United States.
Holbrook encouraged the public to comment on the proposed refuge. The extension of the comment period will allow additional opportunity for all interested individuals and organizations to provide input, Holbrook noted.
We have been pleased with the broad level of interest from the public on this refuge proposal, said Holbrook. We have compiled more than 7,000 written comments from 27 states on the proposed refuge, the vast majority of which express support for the benefits of a refuge in this important natural area. We are also hearing from those who have concerns or questions about the refuge, and with our interim office in Momence, Illinois, we will keep working to ensure that those questions are answered and concerns addressed.
Holbrook said the Service provides information and updates on the proposed project to nearly 3,000 individuals on the agencys mailing list. Each individual on the mailing list receives periodic newsletters which address the most frequently asked questions as well as information on the progress on the proposal. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact the Service at 812-334 4261 to be placed on the mailing list.
Copies of the draft Environmental Assessment are available for review at many public libraries throughout the Kankakee River basin. In addition, a summary of the document may be viewed on the Services worldwide web site at www.fws.gov/r3pao/ext_affr/news.htm Comments may be submitted to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Branch of Ascertainment and Planning, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, Minnesota, 55111-4056 or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 620 South Walker Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47403-2121. For more information, contact the Service at 812-334-4261.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
