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Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex; Notice of Availability

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: January 12, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 9)]
[Notices]
[Page 2924-2925]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12ja01-117]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex; Notice of
Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement
Act of 1997, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has published
a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment
for the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex. This plan
describes how the Service intends to manage the five refuges in Rhode
Island during the next 15 years. These refuges include: Block Island
NWR, Ninigret NWR, John H. Chafee NWR, Sachuest Point NWR, and Trustom
Pond NWR.

DATES: Formal public hearings will be held beginning at 7:00 p.m. on
February 6 in Middletown, RI; February 7 in South Kingstown, RI; and,
February 8 on Block Island. The hearings will provide an opportunity
for all interested parties to formally present oral or written
testimony on the draft document before a hearing officer and court
reporter. Those wishing to do so will be able to sign up to speak when
they enter the hearing room. The formal public hearings will be held
at:

February 6: Middletown High School Cafeteria, 130 Valley Road,
Middletown, RI 02879
February 7: South Kingstown High School Cafeteria, 215 Columbia Street,
Wakefield, RI 02879
February 8: Block Island School Library, High Street, New Shoreham, RI
02807

    Prior to each formal hearing, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., the Service
will host an Open House to provide an opportunity for public comment on
a separate Environmental Assessment for the proposed Rhode Island
Refuge Visitor Center and Administrative Offices which is being
released concurrently with the draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan.
    All other comments should be sent by either traditional or
electronic mail, no later than March 2, 2001, to: The Rhode Island
Refuges CCP Planning Team, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate
Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035-9589, or FW5RW_CCP@fws.gov.

ADDRESSES: Additional information or copies of an executive summary of
the plan or the complete document may be obtained by contacting Gary
Andres,

[[Page 2925]]

Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Shoreline Plaza Route
1A, P.O. Box 307, Charlestown, Rhode Island 02813, telephone 401-364-
9124.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan
and Environmental Assessment fully describes, evaluates, and compares
four alternatives for managing the natural resources and public use
opportunities on the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex. One
of the alternatives represents the Service's Proposed Action. The four
alternatives are:

Alternative A

    This is the No Action Alternative required by the Council of
Environmental Quality's regulations on the implementation of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Selection of this alternative
would not change our current management programs on any of the five
refuges. Our land acquisition program would continue to be focused on
the 735 acres remaining within the currently approved acquisition
boundaries. We would continue to emphasize management for the federally
threatened piping plover and restoration of early-successional coastal
sandplain habitats and wetlands. Public use opportunities would not
change appreciably.

Alternative B

    Alternative B is the Service's Proposed Action; that is, the
alternative currently recommended for approval. Selection of this
alternative would expand all Refuge boundaries, increasing our current
land acquisition goal by 3,200 acres. Alternative B would increase
protection and management for endangered, threatened, and other species
of concern, increase restoration of early-successional native habitats
and wetlands, and increase biological inventories and monitoring.
Opportunities would increase for all six priority public uses, which
include hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography,
environmental education and interpretation. Compatibility
determinations for the proposed priority public use activities are
included as an appendix to the document. These compatibility
determinations establish which public uses support the achievement of
refuge purposes or the National Wildlife Refuge System mission and
would be allowed on refuge land.

Alternative C

    This alternative would also increase protection, management,
restoration, monitoring and inventories of species and habitats similar
to Alternative B. However, selection of this alternative would increase
our current land acquisition goal by 11,500 acres. Refuge staff would
take the lead in accomplishing interagency, watershed-based planning
initiatives, respective recovery team tasks, and ecosystem team
priorities. This alternative would eliminate existing incompatible,
non-wildlife dependent uses by 2002, three years sooner than the other
alternatives. Environmental education would be emphasized over other
priority public uses on each refuge.

Alternative D

    This alternative would maintain current biological resource program
priorities, which include protecting piping plover, and managing early-
successional native habitats and wetlands. Selection of this
alternative would pursue the current land acquisition goal of 735
acres, similar to Alternative A. This alternative is distinguished from
the others by the amount of resources directed towards expanding all
priority public use opportunities on each refuge.

    Dated: January 8, 2001.
Dr. Mamie A. Parker,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley,
Massachusetts.
[FR Doc. 01-1021 Filed 1-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

 
 

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