The EIS evaluated possible alternatives for the Service to carry out its wildlife and habitat conservation mandates along the river. The preferred alternative identified by the Service includes expansion of the refuge from its currently authorized 16,628 acres to 60,000 acres in several tracts in the Missouri River floodplain in Missouri from Kansas City to St. Louis.
The refuge, established in 1994, currently encompasses about 4,500 acres of land acquired from willing sellers, most of them landowners whose farmlands were severely damaged by flooding in 1993 and 1995. The refuges goals include restoring fish and wildlife and their habitats by restoring natural river functions in some areas along the Missouri River and providing additional public use areas for fish and wildlife dependent recreation.
The Service also evaluated a "no action" alternative which would keep the refuge at 16,628 acres in seven tracts along the river. Both alternatives were weighed against several factors including river flow (hydrology), floodplain use, natural resources, drainage and levee concerns, social and economic impacts, and effects on cultural resources.
The draft EIS concludes that while both alternatives would enhance the refuges capability in meeting its goals, the preferred alternative would provide the most options to return natural river functions to some portions of the Missouri River and result in the most benefits to fish and wildlife. The Service concluded that the "no action" alternative would restore less than 3 percent of the floodplain in Missouri, while implementation of the preferred alternative would restore about 8 percent.
Biologists agree that restoring from 10 to 12 percent of the Missouri River floodplain from Kansas City to St. Louis would ensure long-term health of the river. The Services preferred alternative, along with efforts by other Federal, State, and local agencies, would help accomplish that goal. In addition, expanded opportunities for public use, including hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation, would be provided by the preferred alternative.
The Service will hold a series of public open houses to explain the draft document to interested groups and individuals and to gather public comment. The open houses will be held as follows:
November 13, 1997 - Concordia Community Center, 802 Gordon Street, Concordia, Missouri; November 14, 1997 - Holiday Inn Sports Complex, 4011 Blue Ridge Cut-off (Exit 9 off I-70), Kansas City, Missouri; November 17, 1997 - The Columns Banquet/Conference Center, 711 Fairlane (5th Street exit South off I-70), St. Charles, Missouri; November 18, 1997 - Holiday Inn Select (Executive Center), 2200 I-70 Drive S.W. (Stadium Exit 124 off I-70), Columbia, Missouri; and November 19, 1997 - Lewis and Clark Hotel, Upper Banquet Room, 6054 Highway 100, Washington, Missouri.
Hours for all open houses will be 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. During the public meetings, information may be obtained by calling 573-718-7304.
Once the Service evaluates public input on the draft EIS, the document will be finalized and released again for review. To receive more details about the draft EIS or the open houses, or to submit comments, contact Judy McClendon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 24385 State Highway 51, Puxico, Missouri 63960 or by telephone at 573/222-6001 or Toll-free 800/686-8339. Individuals with speech or hearing impairments may call the Missouri Relay Services at 800/735-2966 (TTY). Comments may also be received by Fax at 573/222-6150 or E-Mail at R3planning@fws.gov Deadline for submitting comments is January 7, 1998.
Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge is one of more than 500 national wildlife refuges. The National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses more than 90 million acres of land nationwide and is considered to be the worlds most outstanding network of lands dedicated to fish and wildlife and their habitats. The system is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the primary Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing the countrys fish and wildlife resources.
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
