Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for Seney National Wildlife Refuge and Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area in Michigan, Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri, and St. Croix and Leopold Wetland Management Districts in Wisconsin
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: April 21, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 77)]
[Notices]
[Page 20722-20723]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21ap06-83]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for Seney
National Wildlife Refuge and Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area
in Michigan, Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri, and
St. Croix and Leopold Wetland Management Districts in Wisconsin
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare
Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCP) and Environmental Assessments
(EA) for the following National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), Wildlife
Management Area (WMA), and Wetland Management Districts (WMD): Seney
NWR in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan and Kirtland's Warbler WMA in 8
counties in the northern Lower Peninsula, Michigan, Swan Lake NWR in
Chariton County, Missouri, Leopold WMD with lands in 16 counties in
southeastern Wisconsin, and St. Croix WMD with lands in 8 counties in
western Wisconsin. The CCPs will describe how we intend to manage the
refuges and districts for the next 15 years.
The Service is furnishing this notice in compliance with the National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C.
668dd et seq.), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Open house style meetings and possibly focus group meetings and
workshops will be held during the scoping phase of the CCP development
process to obtain additional suggestions and information on the scope
of alternatives and impacts to be considered.
In addition, the Service is inviting comments on archeological,
historic, and traditional cultural sites in accordance with the
National Historic Preservation Act.
Special mailings, newspaper articles, internet postings, and other
media announcements will inform people of the opportunities for written
comments.
ADDRESSES: Comments for Seney NWR or Kirtland's Warbler WMA can be
mailed to: Refuge Manager, Seney National Wildlife Refuge, 1674 Refuge
Entrance Road, Seney, Michigan 49883.
Comments for Swan Lake NWR can be mailed to: Refuge Manager, Swan
Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 16194 Swan Lake Avenue, Sumner, Missouri
64681.
Comments for Leopold WMD can be mailed to: District Manager, W10040
Cascade Mountain Road, Portage, Wisconsin 53901.
Comments for St. Croix WMD can be mailed to: District Manager, 1764
95th Street, New Richmond, Wisconsin 54017.
You may also find information on the CCP planning process and
submit comments electronically on the planning Web site
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning
or you may e-mail comments
to r3planning@fws.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy Casselman, Seney NWR or
Kirtland's Warbler WMA, at 906-586-9851 or John Guthrie, Swan Lake NWR,
at 660-856-3323 or Steve Lenz, Leopold WMD, at 608-742-7100 or Chet
McCarty, St. Croix WMD, at 715-246-7784.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee et seq.),
requires the Service to develop a CCP for each National Wildlife
Refuge. Land parcels managed by the Service within a Wetland Management
District are also units of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The
purpose in developing a CCP is to provide refuge and district managers
with a 15-year strategy for achieving refuge purposes and contributing
toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System, consistent
with sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation,
legal mandates, and Service policies. In addition to outlining broad
management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, the CCP
identifies wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to
the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife
observation and photography, and environmental education and
interpretation. We will review and update these CCPs at least every 15
years in accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act of 1997, and the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370d).
By Federal law, all lands within the National Wildlife Refuge
System are to be managed in accordance with an approved CCP. The CCP
guides management decisions and identifies refuge goals, long-range
objectives, and strategies for achieving refuge purposes. The CCP will
provide other agencies and the public with a clear understanding of the
desired conditions for Refuge, Wildlife Management Area, and Wetland
Management District lands and how the Service will implement management
strategies.
The CCP planning process will consider many elements, including
wildlife and habitat management, habitat protection and acquisition,
wilderness preservation, public recreational activities and cultural
resource preservation. Public input into this planning process is
essential.
The Service will prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for each
CCP in accordance with procedures for implementing NEPA found in the
Departmental Manual 516 DM 6, Appendix 1.
Review of this project will be conducted in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA Regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508),
other appropriate Federal laws and regulations, and Service policies and
[[Page 20723]]
procedures for compliance with those regulations.
Dated: March 28, 2006.
Robyn Thorson,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling,
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. E6-5981 Filed 4-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
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