Meetings Begin January 3 in Stoddard, Wisconsin
A public forum session will be included in nine meetings scheduled for January, 2006 as part of the public review and comment period on the new preferred alternative of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The new preferred alternative, Alternative E, was released for a 60-day public review and comment period on December 5. The full draft plan with four alternatives was released May 1.
Refuge Manager Don Hultman said the public meetings will start with an open house at 6 p.m. where citizens can view large plan maps and talk one-on-one with refuge staff. From 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m., Hultman and other refuge staff will field questions and hear comments on the plan during an open forum.
“ Due to the continued interest in the plan and requests from individuals, groups, and elected officials, we added an open forum similar to what we did at 11 public meetings last summer. The public likes to hear what is on the mind of fellow citizens, and a forum gives us a chance to clear up any misconceptions,” Hultman said.
To accommodate the open forum format, locations and one date (Onalaska) have changed from previous announcements. All open houses and forums will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the following dates and locations:
January 3
Stoddard, Wis. American Legion Post 315, 414 Broadway St.January 4
Onalaska, Wis. Stoney Creek Inn, 3060 S. Kinney Coulee Rd.January 5
La Crescent, Minn La Crescent High School, 1301 Lancer (use east lot)January 9
Lansing, Iowa Lansing High School, 569 Center St.January 10
Prairie du Chien, Wis. Bluffview Intermediate School, 1901 E. Wells St.January 17
Savanna, Ill. House of Events, 108 Main St.January 18
Dubuque, Iowa Grand River Center, Room 6, 500 Bell St.January 23
Winona, Minn. St. Mary’s University, Toner Student Center, Hall of Fame Room, 700 Terrace HeightsJanuary 24
Wabasha, Minn. Wabasha-Kellogg High School, 2133 E. Hiawatha
Hultman said they have also received requests from citizens, groups, and elected officials to extend the comment period for Alternative E. He said the Service is considering these requests but has not made a final decision.
Copies of Alternative E, along with the full draft CCP and EIS, can be viewed on the Internet at the Service’s Planning Website: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/uppermiss/. The documents can also be viewed at 58 public libraries in communities near the refuge, or at refuge district offices in Savanna, Ill.; McGregor, Iowa; La Crosse, Wis.; and Winona, Minn. To receive an executive summary of Alternative E, persons may call the refuge at (507) 452-4232, or leave a message at the toll-free number (888) 291-5719.
The comprehensive plan, when completed, will guide management and administration of the refuge for the next 15 years, although periodic reviews will occur. Federal law requires comprehensive plans for all national wildlife refuges.
With more than 3 million visitors per year, the “Upper Miss” Refuge is the most visited refuge in the country and has the added complexity of a major navigation system, including 11 locks and dams within its boundary. It is also a world-class fish and wildlife area which harbors 306 species of birds; 119 species of fish; more than 160 active bald eagle nests; thousands of heron and egret nests; spectacular concentrations of canvasback ducks, tundra swans, and white pelicans; and several threatened or endangered species.
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.
