BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today published in the Federal Register a notice reopening the public comment period for the National Bison Range Complex draft Annual Funding Agreement. The public comment period will be reopened for fifteen (15) days, until November 4, 2004. The public is encouraged to review the draft agreement and provide comments during this time.
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt: "
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt: The Service and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) have negotiated a draft Annual Funding Agreement for the National Bison Range Complex in Moiese, Montana. Per the draft agreement, the CSKT would perform some of the Service's activities at the Bison Range during Fiscal Year 2005. These activities include the following categories: biological program, fire program, maintenance program, and, visitor services.
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt:
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt: The Service will maintain ownership of and management authority over all lands and buildings at the Bison Range.
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt:
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt: Copies of the draft agreement may be obtained by contacting the National Bison Range at the above address or by telephone at: (406) 644-2211. Copies may also be downloaded at: draftafapubliccomments@fws.gov.
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt:
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt: Following the conclusion of the public comment period, the Service and the Tribes will determine whether revisions to the draft agreement are necessary, after which a final agreement will be transmitted to the U.S. Congress for a 90-day Congressional review period.
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt:
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt: The National Bison Range Complex, part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, consists of the National Bison Range, Swan Lake, Lost Trail, Pablo and Ninepipe national wildlife refuges, and the Northwest Montana Wetland Management District. Established in 1908 to conserve the American bison, the Bison Range and ancillary properties provide important habitat for a variety of species such as elk, pronghorn antelope and migratory birds.
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: ; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: MARGIN: BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: ; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid white .7; mso-padding-alt:
GarmdITC BkCn BTThe 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 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources 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 and Native American tribal 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.- FWS -
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
visit our home page at http://www.fws.gov
align=left>
Visit the Mountain Prairie website at: 9http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov
