The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking comments from the public on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for construction of a new hatchery building for raising pallid sturgeon at Neosho National Fish Hatchery. Two action alternatives are evaluated in the EA along with the “No Action” Alternative required under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Copies of the draft EA are available for formal public review and comment. Written comments on the draft EA will be accepted through November 22, 2004.
Under the preferred alternative, a new hatchery building, measuring approximately 162 feet by 73 feet, would be constructed for rearing pallid sturgeon on the current location of Pond 22. In addition, two 1,200-foot-deep wells will be drilled to supply the new building. A second alternative is to construct the same size building on the Pond 4 site, again with two wells to supply the building. Under the “No Action” Alternative, no new building would be constructed and the production objectives for pallid sturgeon would not be met.
The two action alternatives are also being reviewed under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The area of potential effect for this undertaking is on Neosho National Fish Hatchery Site. The public is requested to inform the Service at the address below about archaeological sites, buildings and structures, historic places, cemeteries, and traditional uses of the area that could influence decisions about the project.
Copies of the draft EA are available at the hatchery, located at 520 East Park Street, Neosho, Missouri 64850; telephone (417) 451-0554; fax (417) 451-4632. The draft EA is also available on the Internet at http://midwest.fws.gov/nepa. Comments may be sent to Roderick May at the address or fax noted above, or via e-mail to: roderick_may@fws.gov.
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 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 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 Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
