The draft RP/EA was developed in cooperation with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, Harrison County Conservation Board and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to mitigate damages to natural resources that were injured by the release of hazardous substances at the Mid America Tanning Hazardous Waste Site located near Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. The hazardous substances included heavy metals, such as chromium, used in tanning leather hides.
The Service has determined that there is a need to compensate the public for the lost use and ecological services provided by the injured wetland habitats at the site. The purpose of the projects is to replace these wetlands by acquiring lands with appropriate wetland habitats and making them available to the public for outdoor recreation. The RP/EA includes three alternatives designed to meet this need.
The preferred alternative is to purchase two parcels of land, totaling more than 575 acres, with sufficient total wetland acreage to replace the damaged wetlands. The newly acquired parcels would be transferred through the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to local and state conservation agencies for management as public lands. This partnership would allow the Service to maximize public use and natural resource benefits. The two other alternatives considered are the "No Action" alternative and an alternative where natural resources are replaced through a wetland restoration project on private land.
The RP/EA was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which applies to the actions of all federal agencies. This project is proposed for funding through the Services Natural Resources Damage Assessment and Restoration program.
Copies of the draft RP/EA are available from Mr. Michael Coffey at the Services Rock Field Office, 4469 48th Avenue Court, Rock Island, Illinois 61201 (telephone 309-793-5800). The EA is also available on the Internet at: http://midwest.fws.gov/nepa Comments on the proposed projects are welcome and should be submitted in writing to the address above. Comments should be received by Mr. Coffey not later than May 6, 2002.
The proposed project is also being reviewed under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The area of potential effect for this undertaking is in the following areas: Woodbury County, Rand Tract, T87N R46W S21; Woodbury County, Boehmer Tract, T87 R46; Harrison County, Vatnsdal Tract, T78N R44W; and Pottawattamie County, Goodman Tract, T76N R44W S11. No cultural resources are known to be located on any of these properties. The public is requested to inform the Service at the above address about archeological sites, buildings and structures, historic places, cemeteries and traditional uses of the area that could influence decisions about the project.
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 Services manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses nearly 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 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
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